6th Annual Climb like a Girl, Ice: Ouray Colorado
A picture is worth a thousand words…
Six women (the harry one is a boy named Carl #7 & John #8) two days; dozens of pitches, climbing, laughing, soaking, dining, it doesn’t get much better.
Thank you all,
Carolyn
Yes this applies to many sports, I wear a helmet cycling, skiing, and ice or alpine rock climbing. I have rarely ever “needed” it thank goodness, however I used my helmet skiing in bounds, in tight trees on Saturday. Let’s just say I’d be lobotomized and probably without an eye if I hadn’t been wearing it.
I was skiing the trees left of the Millennium Lift chasing after John, and I honestly didn’t even see the broken off branch. Easy to do, branch was broken off to a sharp point about an inch in diameter, was short, and angled toward me just so that it didn’t visually stand out from the tree, if I had seen it I could have easily avoided it, I was no where near the tree. Instead I hit it hard dead center of forehead on helmet it slid down to gap between helmet and goggles drug across my temple opening a nice gash and giving me a bit of a black eye. But that was it the helmet and goggles deflected most of the impact. It threw me on my ass.
Tape job with steristrips under bandaids to hold my wound closed...John gets credit for this photo, thanks honey!
It’s always the unexpected that causes the need for helmets. I have been skiing for 30 years and have not hit my head really ever, it only takes once. Seriously
Another flattering photo taken by me with iPhone, what was under the bandages, black eye still forming. Today pretty purples and yellows.
//
All things considered a good week, back in the swing of training people (30), ankle still a bit pissy but healing fast.
Monday I was honestly a bit sore and it’s normally an active rest day so I did a 7500m recovery row on the Concept 2, time 33:12 and 45 min of yoga.
Tuesday I actually climbed easy volume in the Compound; really easy. I was nervous, ankle felt “ok” but couldn’t heal hook and DID NOT want to fall. Then light strength training to rebuild my base:
10 KB Pull Overs 45lbs; 10 Bosu KB Press 35; 10 Med Ball Core drill 14/10lb; 10 SLDL 55lbs; 20 TRX row; 10 OTB Squat ; everything 3 times.
Wednesday: rest day if you call a 12 hour work day a rest day.
Thursday: Row 2500m to warm body up, cold out today. Climbed again indoors, ankle getting better still creepy to be high off the ground, falling not an option followed by more strength work:
Ring Supermans; Ring Push ups, Ring Pull ups, Ring Flys. 2- 3 sets max reps.
Friday life starts to get more fun again; it was puking (for NM) snow in the Sandias so we had to try to get a ski in, I wrapped my ankle in Coban and tried shoving it in my AT Ski Boot, it felt “Ok” so my friend David met us at 2:30 then he, John, Soleme and I headed out. The storm and the snow were incredible; a lap is about 1700 vertical, it’s not steep at Sandia Peak (east side) but perfect! We skinned up in a bit of a blizzard with high winds to our backs, just as we were pulling our skins, the clouds broke, snow stopped and the sun broke through; the light in the valley below was spectacular as was the ski down.
David, John and Soleme ahead...
Short cutting to another more direct run, Soleme has serious work to do. We normally stick to the runs to be fair to her, she loves every minute of it.
Heading Down, looking out toward Sangre de Cristos.
Snow Snow Snow!
NMfinally is geting hit by moisture. All our ski areas got hit hard and the back country has almost got the coverage to be safe from most obstacles. Saturday John and I took off to Santa Fe to meet up with friends to ski. The snow was brilliant! See next post for Saturday details!
Adjusting heal lift...
Last Friday a client of mine turned 72, you all wish you could be her at 72 I only hope I can do half of what she does:
Check out those arms! Arlene on the Concept 2 warming up.
There is no time in life for slacking!
Arlene plays basket ball on a competitive women’s team called The Fox Trotters. Every other year there is a Seniors National Competition held; they qualify, they go and they place or win.
Only trained 20 of my people this week due to my own stupidity I managed to sprain my ankle badly bouldering on Tuesday. At this juncture I’d like to mention that I have never incured this injury climbing, infact the worst ankle injury I have ever sustained was in a slam pit at a live Ramones show on campus at UNM of all places; yes I am old enough that my time with punk bands in the early day predated the use of the term “Mosh Pit”. Sorry for the digression, this week won’t be nearly as entertaining.
Monday – I ran an easy 5k with a client, Carol who is an inspiration to all! She was diagnosed with MS at 53; she’s a marathon runner who had sudden and severe right sided paralysis due to MS. She has recovered from the flare up, gone from being able to barely walk to running 8 min miles again and is off to the Phoenix Rock n Roll Marathon this weekend, today in fact, to do the half marathon with her sisters!
Then it was workout time for me:
50 ski jumps + 10 SLSLDL + 50 step downs + 10 GUSU x 3
Climbed 6 easy routes for general recovery.
Tuesday – bouldered for 1 hour then sprained my F*** in’ ankle. Enough said…
Ace bandage, ice, Ibuprofen, crutches, and hour later whiskey…sorry liver.
Wednesday -Canceled work and sat on ass, icing ankle and doing 7 hours of mind numbing administrative stuff. Well at least its done.
Thursday – Wow, the ankle is weight bearing, so I worked and rested, iced it more.
Friday – More ice, did a little ROM stuff in warm water. Still only weight bearing so very gingerly went about my day.
Saturday – a.m. took Soleme for a hike very slow hike but still we were out! The ankle did ok. P.M. – Rode mtn bike EASY on mellow trails or road with my dear friend Heather, 90 minutes.
Sunday worked out -
60 step ups on 18 inch box no x-tra weight + 55 back squats 30% BW + 50 TRX knee tucks + 45 Push press 18lbs x 2 + 40 Ball Slams 14 + 35 Goblet Squats 40lb+ 30 Wall Ball + 25 Push ups on paralettes + 20 Pull ups on the rings; time 22:52; then 30/30 on the Airdyne, 10 minutes. Inspired by my friends at Gym Jones, call it what you will narrow minded or zealot; if I want any info or inspiration for training I only go to my friends site. For what I NEED that is the only answer.
Ankle still stiff, purple and a bit swollen it’ll be a couple more weeks till I can climb, ski, or ride for real and running who knows. Heading for the ice packs in a few minutes.
Sorry ran out of room for pics in post here’s more…
Wednesday I warmed up climbing with a client and finished my training climbing on my wall. Bouldering was on the schedule for the day though I try to hit a little volume most sessions, that’s how I warmed up this time. I have a gazillion projects to work on so that’s what I did.
Thursday – I know what you are thinking, or should be thinking…um – rest day?!
Yep
Friday – Tried to climb circuits. this means climbing route style indoors on a wall that doesn’t necessarily limit you with the use of ropes, where you can connect movement of more than say 25 moves. I haven’t done more than 50 move circuits on my wall yet. Circuit training is desgined to build endurance if that wasn’t already obvious. I was trashed still so I worked on the wall (added and or moved holds and tape) instead and kept it easy.
Saturday – Multi-sport day, I had to make up for slacking on Friday so I did 6 circuits in the 5.10 – 5.12 range took 85 minutes; then rode my mountain bike in the open space that is basically my back yard for two hours then jogged up to the blue tower with Soleme 60min rt.
The foothills in January, yep I suck and I don't even have to drive to ride.
Literally this is right behind my house, .5 mile on pavement then bliss, I know now I suck more.
Just so you didn't think trail conditions were totally perfect, yes it snows here.
Sunday – went rock climbing in Box Canyon outside Socorro, contemplating working a 13a there called the Demon, my hubby and a friend Bill were there to do it, I can do all the moves… we’ll see.
Seriously…I have had many people ask me “what I do” as far as training or say things like, “If I followed Carolyn around all week and did everything she did, think of how fit I’d be!” Well, here’s your chance. No, seriously this is actually to give a glimpse into what I do and to support my business, clients, sponsors and website, have fun. I’ll try to do this weekly we’ll see…
Week of January 3, 2010
I turned 41; trained, coached, abused 33 of my “people”; worked out, skinned and skied; climbed rock and plastic; did one of my favorite short distance high intensity runs call BTR – the Blue Tower Run, here’s a glimpse…at a week.
Sunday – skinned up 1500 vertical, skied down of course (a.m.) – bouldered/circuit trained on my wall p.m.;
"Skinning at Sandia Peak" It's better than not...
Monday workout: a.m.
500m row + 30 Step ups on 18″ box x 3
then 5 Pull Ups Rings + 10 Push ups KBs x 5
p.m.
Climbed 8 easy routes for recovery
Tuesday am.
Ran BTR (2.4 miles 900 hundred vertical up, first tower of the Sandia Tram)- up 25:45 not my best effort, with clients MP 30:14 and Mark 28:48, down was easy walk jog some times I go for RT time.
The actual Blue Tower, yes you have to touch it to stop the watch.
Mark; also you can actually see the starting point of the run way down below in the distance.
Michael
p.m.
Skinned at Sandia peak again, this time with my Akita Soleme, it’s great that the ski area is closed Mondays and Tuesdays so puppy dogs can join in the fun!
The consequence of one’s actions is a lesson every teenager’s parent hopes sinks in someday…soon!
We all live with consequence every day; often consequence is associated with risk. We all live with risk every day; some more than others. As climbers we often accept what we consider “calculated” risk and therefore our endeavors seem far less risky to us or as if there is no risk at all. However, the more “extreme” if you will, the endeavor, the greater the risk in our eyes because we cannot calculate or control too many of the risk factors. Some people think that this is crazy.
So on to the gym, there can be risk here as well. Many people think that is also crazy.
I was reminded of this today. A side note, I am in a 6 week strength training block among other things; as part of this endeavor I have chosen a dozen or so; movements, exercises, crazy shit (as some may like to call it); parameters in which to attempt to build strength. Just one of these is the Turkish Get Up.
As I lay on the floor preparing my brain for the effort I look over at the 55lb (25kg I believe) Kettle Bell I am going to try to hoist over my chest straight armed then “get up” with; for a brief moment the vision of me loosing control of (what is for me a lot of weight – 40% of my BW to be precise) that thing flashes through my conscious brain. First I see serious potential shoulder trauma if I don’t drop it right, second I drop it on my face/head which would basically mean “death”. I can actually see it on my head and my husband finding me. Ok, maybe you don’t all do this and believe me it all happened in less than a second. My response was, either forget it today and be a ninny and try another day or F***ing FOCUS and do it and don’t drop it! WTF are you doing thinking those things for!
Do I have you on the edge of your seat yet? Ok well obviously I didn’t drop it on my head because I am typing right now and actually I wasn’t a ninny so I did actually successfully “get up” and back down. Next week I think it needs to be a little prettier.
Sometimes there can even be consequence is serious athletic training; although VERY different from the mountains it captivates one’s attention.
Someone asked me “Is it cheating?”, in reference to the style in which they were thinking of leading a climb; my answer was a bit long winded but started with, “It depends on what you claim you did.”
In the world of climbing and any other sport where there is not a stop watch or referee our word is all we have, honesty and integrity are paramount. If ever an ascent was misrepresented it is always found out. Then your ascent and your integrity will always be in question.
On to the concept of cheating when training, doping for example, again almost always found out and your feat is again discredited.
So I ask, is it worth it? Really you aren’t impressing anyone and only cheating yourself.
In retrospect, and in the future I will respond to the question “Is it cheating?” in a different way:
“If you have to ask then it is.”
Some of you may remember that old song by the Buggles, if not Google it. Technology marks progression, we adapt and change however as is apparent in today’s America not all change and adaptation is good.
What happened? What happened to people and families going out side? What happened to people enjoying the satisfaction of learning a skill that takes hard work and dedication. Yes I’m talking about video games replacing play, family time, and participation in athletics. Statistically speaking Americans are in general, fatter, less healthy, less happy, and more stressed out. Even more horrific is the rate at which American children are becoming obese, that is entirely unacceptable and irresponsible. And now we buy video games to play and work out.
I challenge anyone to put down the Xbox, the Wii, the Playstation and go try something. Go to the climbing gym, ride your bike, go hiking, go fishing, skateboard, ski, snowshoe, sled, go to an amusement park -even the games there take more actual skill than a video game to participate in, then tell me if it doesn’t feel good. Maybe you’ll want to be better, maybe you’ll practice, or if you have kids maybe you’ll find you actually enjoy playing with them.
The mythical thing people are always reaching for, trying to buy, feel, experience requires hard work. Maybe that is it Americans don’t remember what it means to work hard. Most Americans log a lot of hours at work and make excuses that they have to work and don’t have time to exercise and eat well, honestly the healthier you are the more focused and productive you are, take a healthy happy person and they can achieve more in 4 hours than many can in 8. It’s an excuse, try this: take all those hours you shop for non-essentials, surf the net, take two showers a day, play video games, down load music, watch TV and go exercise instead. Then go to the grocery store and buy healthy food for dinner and see what happens.
For all of you out there who already do all this hats off to you! You may make up only 10% of our population but I know you, train you, and am proud you are making the difference, someone has to.
