Auburn autumn aria, by Stevie 'audax et cautus' Haston

Had a fantastic little days climbing, perfect conditions, perfect light. It was about six degrees, low humidity, rested, keen, eager to see what the day, and our bodies would give. It was good, I would say brill, but no chain, no victory, just progress, and a feeling of bold cautiousness.

The lesson of today, was hurry slowly. I am always full of good advice but often I don't hear it myself, or am hurrying a bit too fast. 'Hurry slowly', is what I sometimes tell a student, and then of course some look at me like I'am daft. Some get it and keep it, and shine it and polish it. Another thing I tell them -or myself -is find the rhythm  of the route, I get some dumb looks with that one too.

So I was climbing 'like Pavarotti sings' today, made it all the way through some ridiculously hard climbing, because I hurried slowly and found the rhythm of a particularly bumpy bit of climbing, I was audacious and cautious at the same time, bang on with the timing and the pressure of the foot placements, magic, I was magic. 

Anyway I get lowered down, and its my running mate on Laurence's mobile, talking training and all enthusiastic, he's been at the training game way longer than me and given advice to some of the best long distance people in Britain. He was saying how great he felt and how he felt he was a better athlete now, and wait for it, he is 72! When I was running the other year, I made two mistakes, not doing enough speed work, and being too fat. This year I have made the same mistake that I always make, poor crimp and being too fat. I actually didn't have the time to fit the tuning in, like now, I don't have the time, so I have to make time. I will make the time, cos when you climb well its too good, its like Automn colors, its heroin for the eyes, its  a thrown pebble skipping across the water. Climbing well when you are audacious with crisp powerful moments, but being cautious not to forget the transitions, the thumbs, and clamping the crimp, and never loosing the rhythm of the route, is one of the few things that makes it worth living.

Arm bar machine..

When I got home all rosy cheeked and happy, I did my training, too ensure more fun and success. It was basic catching of holds and clamping the crimp on. Some swings to catch, some rolling over on the shoulder, and some static undercut holds, and mono work. Finnished off with 'the Bug' and a poor upside down Bug,  and another Bug, and now I feel buggered!