September 2nd, my life is changing.
A new leaf is turning over.
I had dreams of climbing everyday. I could
have been doing what I love the most everyday. But over the years I was just a part-time punter, and now transferred
from that league further down the rabbit hole into the social climber’s category.
I started a new job at a College in East
London as a SEN Teaching Assistant. Working with teenagers can be like facing a
black hole that slurps your energy out. During the same week, I set up the Squad
at White Spider Climbing Wall coaching some keen youths two evenings a week
after College. That’s not it all… I also have a third job! On Saturdays, yes at
the weekends, I run Masterclasses and coaching at another club called IOTA.
Sometimes I attend to climbing competitions to motivate and support my Squad. A
question popped up in my head, when am I ever going to have time to climb for
myself?
Strange to say, but I am in my best shape
ever. How is this possible from working sometimes 56 hours a week? What’s the magic?
The secret is there is no secret. You just have to make an effort and find time
to train. You just have to stop watching television. You’ve got to cut down
socializing in the London pubs. You’ve just have to wake up much earlier than
you’ve ever imagined. You’ve just got to make it happen.
And you know what?
It pays off.
Is it worth it?
Every goddamn sweat.
I have been doing 6.30am sessions with
strong Adrian Baxter. It takes me over an hour to travel to the wall by public
transport, this means waking up at 5am. Adrian is another full-time Londoner
who works ridiculously long hours too. But dude, he’s strong.
Little time left is found after College and
weekends and Beastmaker pull-ups before work helps too. But I still need to
leave some spare time to invest into; I have a long-term relationship with a beautiful
girl who doesn’t climb. But I can still make everything work. (Just about).
Perhaps a structured weekly schedule helps
the training targets. It controls everything to detail. I am not just training
randomly, that’s silly if you don’t know what you’re training for. I have goals
during my half terms. As we all know it’s hard to get away for the weekend when
you only have one day off a week in London. This is why I plan to go away every
half term. I need to climb; in fact I have to climb. Not just for the joy but also
for the addiction. Just like Batman needs Robin and Popeye needs spinach, it’s
the same thing.
Last month I had a week in Kalymnos
with my pops and friends managing to on sight up to 8a. Just before College
started, I squeezed two days on the Grit with the strong Hamer brothers, Ethan
Walker and Dave Mason sending E6 and E7 scary ticks. I would never be able to
achieve these sends if it wasn’t for the amount of training I did. If I had a lazy gene, I
could have easily climbed half as much as I do now and used my work as an
excuse of not having time to train. But that is a coward’s attitude. No matter how hard and how long we work, anything is possible
but it all comes to the sense of how badly do you want it? How motivated are
you? How far are you willing to go? What sacrifices are you willing to make?
How good do you really want to be?
Senders celebration pose (Me, Ed and Sam)
Adrian in action before most people wake up.
Kalymnos on sight swing
We aint no punters (Dad and I)
Sam showing me his secret Garage.
Robbie Phillips warming up before exploring another island near Kalymnos
Sometimes things happen.
Moment of truth
1-5-8 is simply not good enough.
