Just red pointing like Alex? How I finally managed to get a bit better at climbing.

I went to see Free Solo last night which tells the story of  Alex Honnold’s amazing achievement in soloing El Capitan after years of painstaking preparation. I was struck by how tiny his chalk bag was, the fact that at least one of his pairs of shoes was the same brand as mine and how when he’d finally survived his climb and fulfilled his ambition to free solo this unbelievably daunting wall he was very low key in the way he demonstrated his joy. There was no screaming, shouting or crying at all, just a very cute beaming smile. I’ve actually seen and heard a much more extreme reaction from a man at my local climbing wall (Awesome Walls in Stockport) who sounded elatedly orgasmic on reaching the top of his wall.

Today I visited the wall full of enthusiasm after seeing the film and determined to make an attempt on my resolution to climb a 6b (a climbing grade I’d never managed before but have been attempting for a few weeks). I was with my dear friend Sharon who was not feeling tip top but assured me that she was happy to catch me if I fell. We warmed up on all kinds of easy routes and then I sought out a 6b that I’d yet to attempt and crucially yet to fail, we were a bit surrounded by my previous failures. Up I went and it was all flowing and groovy until the penultimate move that I found too tricky at this point and cheated on by grabbing a pink hold instead of a black. It was nearer and bigger and brighter.

The good news was that I had worked out what I needed to do and felt that I would be able to do it. Down I went and Sharon did her next climb and asked me what I wanted to do. I told her I wanted to do the same route again but was still a bit tired- my forearms were suffering. So we hung about chatting about various emotional dilemmas as we often do and having a laugh until my arms recovered.

By this time there was a man starting the adjacent climb and usually I get quite worried about being too near other people but he looked nice and unintimidating  so I set off pretty much with him. After a few moves my climb veered right towards his and I offered to wait but he very calmly told me he would wait and to take as much time as I needed. He had a very reassuring presence which made me feel warm and focused. I got back to the difficult move and had a good think, remembered Alex Honnold and his incredible achievement and this time I just did it without too much effort. There I was at the belay point, in a much better position than the first time, clipped in and resisting the urge to shout and be dramatic.

Sharon lowered me down and I was very happy, so happy that I had to tell the lovely random man what I’d just done. He was very patient but I think he might have thought it was quite a low grade to get excited about. Never mind, it doesn’t matter what he thinks, I don’t even know him.

It’s made a big difference to me to stop worrying about falling and just focus on the climbing. I’m calmer and try to think of a strategy instead of panicking and giving up too soon.  I’m thinking  a lot less about the clips too and getting much nearer to them before I clip in which I think saves energy. The other big change is the commitment to climbing twice a week, we’ve been aiming for this for years but it’s only recently that I’ve managed it consistently. It’s improved my confidence a lot and so much of climbing is about your head, self doubt is not very helpful when halfway up a wall.

Finally I’d recommend joining a club, it’s so much more fun, there are more people to climb with and you get to go to exciting places. Thanks to all my new friends at Innominata Mountain Club, you’ve been very encouraging and helpful.

P.S. For the climbing pedants- I know you can’t really red point a route that’s not in a book because where would you put your biro dot? This is artistic license, forgive me.