2nd 7C, almost 8a and how satisfaction turns into emptiness - 11. September 2012

After the competition in Argentière I spent a few days in Céüse. I had been focusing just on bouldering lately and as a result my endurance for route climbing was very poor. Not exactly the best circumstances for going to Céüse. However, I was really psyched and didn’t even mind the long walk up to the wall. Since I already got pumped climbing some of the beautiful 7a’s as a warm-up, I figured I might just as well try something hard. So I started working on one of the classics called Carte Blanche (8a). I didn’t have any problems figuring out the moves but putting them together got me so pumped I could barely clip the next quickdraw. On our last day, I gave it a serious try and fought my way up until I just couldn’t hold on anymore and fell at the very last bolt. Of course that sucked but I still got way further than I ever imagined and for the first time I actually believed I was able to climb something of that grade. Unfortunately I’m already back to school now and probably won’t make it to Céüse again this year but I’m definitely motivated to try some other hard routes till then and work a bit on my endurance.

Yet after I realized Argentière had been my last important competition of this season, I started feeling some kind of emptiness. It’s the same with finishing a project you tried for quite a long time; although you worked really hard for this specific moment, you’re ultimate goal has suddenly vanished. I found it rather difficult to keep up my usual training schedule with the next competitions seeming still so far away, until I started looking for different goals and realized this meant I could climb on rock and do whatever I feel like for the next few months. So the last couple of weeks I’ve been to Magic Wood as often as possible. After sending Supernova (7C) I needed to fill the sudden emptiness with some new project and pretty quickly found myself on the starting holds of Jack the Chipper (7C). The first move turned out to be one of the hardest but after I got my ass off the ground, I figured out all the moves within the same afternoon. Pretty optimistic, I tried putting it together the following two days but after falling at the last hard move for a few times, my attempts just got worse and I decided I had to come back another time.

This weekend I first had some problems finding people to join me but then everything turned out just right and I was heading to Magic Wood once more on Saturday morning. I didn’t feel at my best but was still psyched to try and once again proved myself that things always happen when you don’t expect them to. Of course I fell at the same hard move in the end once more but then sent it second try of the day! Very pleased with climbing my 2nd 7C boulder, I still have to admit it didn’t feel as special as Supernova and I guess nothing ever will, at least not until I climb my first 8A ;) I don’t know yet what I wanna try next but I’m really glad fall’s finally coming up and hope to climb in Ticino very soon.