Saturday, February 22, 2014

ABS Nationals - oh my!

I apologize for not keeping you posted in the run up to the ABS Nationals climbing competition I am competing in (this afternoon!). I thought I would only make a post after the competition; I am so results-oriented, as you know :p The process has been an interesting one, and I have to remind myself to look back on the journey. It was this time last year that I made my foray back into any kind of climbing, starting off with ice-climbing with Paradox Sports in Feb 2013. That experience informed me just how much I belonged outdoors and climbing again. I then ice-climbed again in Ouray at the end of that month; rock-climbed and got back on lead in May and August in Yosemite and the Sierras, joined a climbing gym and started climbing indoors in October...and, now, fuckin' eh, I'm at ABS Nationals. Phew.

I was struggling with some health issues earlier this year, namely my left foot and a classic case of golfer's elbow on my left elbow starting in December. It makes total sense given how much more upper-body intensive my climbing is that before, and how I have to dyno/swing for moves to the left-side more. The inability to climb/train got me pretty down (although all that went out the window when my left foot issues came about while I was in Hong Kong, and I just cared about being able to walk properly again). After my left foot issues subsided, I went back to worrying about climbing and placing a lot of pressure on myself to climb as well as I could. I'm a bit disappointed that I'm not as strong as I could be, but I'm also trying to keep things in perspective and take in the whole experience and not put too much pressure on myself.

I am somewhat torn between just wanting to keep to myself, do my own thing and climb, but also realize that I can/am/should be part of the para-climbing community and help bring awareness to this little sub-group. Unfortunately, I'm a bit too much of a loner and a curmudgeon :)

I will post after the competition today!

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