Less then one month:

Less then one month till I go north to take a go at the alpine climbing . I have the technical ability, now lets see if my body listens to what my brain tells it.

Training has been occupying my time more so then anything else (well work, but you know what I mean). Climbing has become about endurance, lap after lap after lap in the gym. Sometimes in boots with a pack, others just in normal shoes. Either way... it's been great training for this.

The first climb with be the East Ridge of Edith Cavell 5.2 and I think something like 5800 Feet the line we will be attempting will follow the ridge on the left skyline.

The second planned line will be the classic NW Ridge of Mt. Sir Donald. 5.4 and I think something like 1800 feet. Higher ridge on the right skyline.

It's up to mother nature now, hopefully she'll let the weather be decent for our accents and descents.

Saturday day of fun.

4:45 AM on Saturday I awoke to a nice rain, dogs and Kristen were still sleeping. I txted Brian and Diane, "Still riding". with in a few seconds I got back a "Why not". 15 minutes later I was off with my bike to the meeting spot. With the raining coming down we took off on the trail. This was the start of an all out 3is hour ride though the rain. Apparently the rock/sand/gravel they lay is salty, very salty. Gross, and when it got in your eyes... Sucked.

As they say... Doesn't have to be fun for you to be having fun.

I ended up having to ride slower because of the salt getting in my eyes and the lack of a back break for some odd and unknown reason. Around the 15 mile mark I had a pack of Gu and we turned around. 30 miles in about 2:45:00 not bad. By the time we got back I had some how managed to acumulate close to 1lbs of sand on the back of my jersey.

After the ride we headed up to Adventure Rock to climb. Laps, nothing but laps. 3 - 4 laps in one go. Some on lead some just TR. Was tired after a couple hours of that, nothing over 5.9 mind you, just a lot of climbing and some bouldering.

After climbing we had a lunch of a sandwhich, trail mix and a few other things on the way back to our Park that we do our routine:
10 pushups.
20 Russian Twists (25lbs)
25 Hindu Squats
10 Burpies
60 Medicine ball toss (10lbs)
6 Turkish Get-ups (we do it with a 35lbs punching bag)
5 Jump and heaves - Jump to a pullup
10 under-overs - Jump over a bar and then go under it.
20 Swings (alternating arms) with 25 lbs.

Did that 3 times.

After that it was off to the Forset Perserve for some running and laps with boots & pack. During the run, my left arm ended up cramping so bad I had to slow it down and walk some of it. I think this was because I didn't hydrate enough. (As Camelbak says... Hydrate or Die). Laps with boots and a 30 lbs pack was fun, but I wish the hill was bigger.

Monday night hell... but in that good way.

My Monday evenings...

Got home from work and had a snack of Peanut Butter granola bars with chocolate Gu and a banana. Then headed for what Brian has dubbed our Dojo, which is a park near his house.

He created this workout and goes as follows:
Warm up run 5-7 minutes, medium pace.
50 Mountain climbers
5 minuets of stretching.

Repeat the following routine 3 times.
(Each set about 10 minutes, with 2 minute rest between sets. )
10 pushups.
20 Russian Twists (25lbs)
25 Hindu Squats
10 Burpies
60 Medicine ball toss (10lbs)
6 Turkish Get-ups (we do it with a 35lbs punching bag)
5 Jump and heaves - Jump to a pullup
10 under-overs - Jump over a bar and then go under it.
20 Swings (alternating arms) with 25 lbs.

Cool down run 5-7 minutes.

Go home, recovery shower (Hot water, cold water - repeat)

Sleep

Recovery...

I'm still recovering from the ivy and it's aftermath from over a month ago, However, it's getting better. Right after the Ivy had dried up, my hands got "something" I ended up at acute care where they gave me steroids. The steroids weren't fun, made me eat a lot and put on water weight, almost over night. As the next few days progressed my hands started to show signs of improvement, however when my elbows broke out in something else, I went to the dermatologist. He wasn't exactly sure what it was or where it came from, but gave me some mega topical cream to shotgun it, My hands and elbows have cleared up and the scares are healing.

I haven't been training as much as I had hoped to these last few weeks. But I'm breaking in to a new routine. Get up at 4:45 and go super set/ lift for 30 minute and 10-15 minutes on the stair master. I got my hang board mounted and using it, when I want to get in a quick 10-15 minute work out, anymore and I think i'd fuck up my hands on that thing. With all that said... 8 more weeks!

Stuff...

So the ivy is fading, however I developed hives on the tops of my hands. WTF? Seriously. Will this ever end? I'm on meds, which are seriously screwing with me. Retaining water and make me HUNGRY! Stupid steroids. But I think they are helping. Though it's put a strain on my training/climbing. Last Thursday I woke up with, that afternoon I was in an acute care center. the doctor had no really clue, gave me a list of things it could be... some where just amusing.

Saturday, they next to nill, so I went and climbing in the morning and then joined Robin and some of her friends for some more climbing. Followed by beer.

Sunday, I got a workout by helping Kacey pack up a U-haul and drive it back up to Chicago. Sometime good'ole work is different way to train. you use muscal that you never even knew you had.

Anywho... I'm hoping that this shit clears up soon, I have to get back to some serious lifting and climbing.

last couple weeks.

The previous weekend I had gone on a bike/run. My plan was 12 miles on bike, followed by 5K run around Old School and then bike back home. On my way to Old School I tried to find a way while avoiding the busy roads. Short story here, I ended up in the Des Plains river after miss judging the depth of a creek I was trying to cross. Didn't fall by any means, just a weeee bit deeper then I thought. About up to the middle of my wheels, shoes wet and ya... almost went over the handle bars. Well... somewhere on this short cut finding quest, I rub up against something and my right shin/calf and right thigh broke out in poison something rather the other. I took a week off of doing anything. Walked the dogs a couple times, but nothing drastic. Saturday I hit up the climbing gym. Oh boy was I sore. Went on a 2 hour semi-hard bike ride some of it thought a thunderstorm.

This week, back to lifting, running and doing laps at the climbing gym.

On a side note, I finally was able to pick up my ice axe, crampons, softshell pants etc etc...

Climbed the Wobbly Dihedral

I got my redpoint on the Wobbly Dihedral. The climb went smooth, though after the friction part I took a second to shake some blood back in my feet.

I ended up placing 7 pieces on the line and running out the last 15 section of "slab". This is for sure going on my repeat list and for those that haven't climbed it a Devil's Lake must do! (Running out the top section)

I did a few other lines, Curving Crack, which I plan to redo to climb it cleaner, and a fun line (I thought it was fun anyway) a 40 foot tall, 8-9 feet deep chimney, called PHTOOY! It was a fun and really ugly line. You had to climb to the back of it to place a piece, then back to the front of the chimney to move up. Repeat that a couple times. I ended up having to runout the last 15 feet or so because I didn't have an easy way of getting back to the back of the crack. Also ended up in an awkward position throwing a heal hook around the outside of the chimney, above my head for balance. That was different.