Well, it’s been a while since I wrote up my climbing goals for 2010, and I totally missed doing this for last year, so as we ease our way into 2012 it’s high time that I do the same again.

The key goals for 2010 were:

• redpoint fr 7a
• boulder V5
• trad E1
• some trips to do some trad climbing

Well, since then I achieved the following:

• onsight 6c+ indoors
• redpoint 6c outside
• boulder V4
• a few HVS’s

So, not quite breaking through to where I wanted to be, but there is a feeling of definite progress.

2011 hi-lights:

• font 6b, at fontainbleau
• 6c sport climb at Portland

Alltogether it was an OK year even though I have still not sent La Marie Rose, but if you contrast my training diary between 2010:

and 2011:

you can see a big hole in the middle of 2011 where I took time off to refit my kitchen. The second half of 2012 will also be very distrupted from a climing point of view (though with some very good reasons that I am very much looking forward to).

Today at the Castle I maanged to fire off a 6c, and 6c+, the 6c+ being on-sight. I’ve decided that my:

Goals for 2012 are as follows:

• remain injury free
• significantly reduce the amount of alcohol that I consume
• fall off at least 10 routes of 6c or harder/month
• redpoint 7a, but don’t stop trying harder things
• get three campus board sessions or power hand sessions into my training per month

For the most part what I have realised is that what I have control over are the things I choose to do when I go training. If I can keep focussed on making sure that I don’t have any anxiety about what I am trying to climb, and that I am really pushing myself and my body, then the grades and routes will come naturally. I want to climb hard, but I don’t want to set goals that will lead me to focus on that one climb, rather I want to focus on making the journey and the process a good journey, that is using my time in a very efficient way.