Climbing - my new addiction

For the last 3 weekend saturdays I've been fully consumed in trying out climbing. Didnt think I would be that into it. Went the first time as I knew that sometime I would have to try it out with C - but didnt really want to be the only newbie and make a fool of myself. Then my newly reacquainted friend Miss M had been convinced to give it a try by her friend Tony (also a new friend of ours) who is also a climber. So we all made plans to go together. Miss M and myself being the girl newbies and the boys being the experienced climbers. It was great and has been really good starting it with a fellow girl.

From the first 6 hour session we have been addicted and cant wait till the next saturday to go climbing! The sense of achievement that you have when you walk away at the end of the day is great. And even the incredible sore muscles are worth it. It feels more satisfying then the sore muscles you would get from going to the gym (which is just so boring compared)

getting the instant gratification from it. WhenIt is also really awesome pushing yourself to do soemthing you dont think that you can do and you push yourself to get up a 15m wall and make it when you think you cant you get such a rush ! I've also learnt that i'm a very strong willed and will not be defeated by a wall or a route.

After 3 weeks i'm already climbing in a grade which is uk 4A which isnt even the very bottom grade at all. I do have to push myself to do some very hectic moves as I am short and dont have the reach that others have. So I have to get very inventive!

There is a great deal of learning to trust yourself and others and what you body can do. You have to trust that you will be able to stand up of tiny little grips, you have to trust that you can use your shoes and hands on the wall. you have to trust that you can hold on and pull up on the grips and that you can pull off moves that you dont think you can. The other trust element is trusting the person that is belaying you (holding you on the rope) Miss M and I have now learnt to belay and we were both the first people we belayed which is a huge element of trust.

Eventually we will also learn to trust our climbing skills to be able to lead climb instead of just top rope climbs. The difference is that with top rope the rop is already placed at the top of the already has you pretty tight and you wont fall much at all. But with lead climbing you are placing the rop as you climb which then means that you mostly dont have the safety of the rope to rely on . You will fall further then the top roping but you still have the rope as safety compared to solo climbing without ropes.

Well i could go on and on about my new obsession ...but i'll leave it for now and just add some pics of yesterdays climbing. And to just say that I hope to even get myself a pair of climbing shoes asap :)

Sorry for the unrotated images - i have no idea why they are like that!