Fat is not just a feminist issue

Pete at Giggleswick North

Finally got out on Friday after a bit of a bum week. Got elbow pain after working out a new 35 move circuit on Tuesday so took 2 days off.

Went to Giggleswick North. It was: cold, damp, short, hard and fun.

Felt great to be out on rock again.What didn't feel great was having the climbing ability of a donkey on roller skates. I failed on 2 warm up routes, a 6a and a 6b, due to poor route reading, failing to commit and shocking footwork when the holds aren't plastic, luminous pink and tagged.

I then decided to RP the next route, a 6c, to avoid further depression.

Two goes on a top rope, a slight interruption ( more of which later ) and it went first RP attempt. Felt easier on the lead than on top rope and i still hadn't got a sequence sorted for the top section when i set off. Being on lead focussed the climbing brain and it all clicked and went quite easily really. Bodes well for the future.

More should have been on the cards but Kate was so shocked by my display of awesome climbing ability she forgot she was stood on a slippy rock, above a rubble strewn steep slope, and promptly fell off in sheer awe. A bad bang to the head, various cuts and bruises and a nasty looking puncture to her calf meant an end to the day's entertainment - but not until she let me have the lead. Thanks Kate.

On the down side i'm still not shifting the fat.

Climbing 4 times a week, running once, cut out just about all crap and it's still not shifting. I am fairly hungry too so i'm not cutting down on grub. Time to up the running i think.

Simon Lee ( the lord and master of UKBouldering ) mailed me today with more depressing news. If you take my % decrease in fat and inc in muscle i have actually relatively lost muscle. BOLLOCKS !

It's the old GCSE question. Reducing something by 70% is different then reducing it by 50% then 20% as the 20% reduction is applied to a smaller number than the original 100%. So my actual weight of muscle now is relatively less as I weigh less

I always did hate maths.

However i went to Keswick wall for a solo boulder session on Sunday as i couldn't find anyone to play with. I've only been once before and really struggled. Cruised loads of problems this time up to 6B, got a couple of 6B+'s and 2 6C's 3rd go. Not bad at all. Elbow reminded me it's still a bit delicate at that point so i packed in. It's got to be the weight loss 'cos i sure haven't done any strength work.

So more positives than negatives. Got my first outdoor session done and blew some cobwebs away by the end of it, feeling strong and i am lighter than i was in Jan.

Need to crack on with the endurance work. Busy next 2 weekends so train, train, train until i can get out again mid March.