The “Back 40”, the most overhung part of the bouldering wall on the main floor of the climbing gym, was reset on Monday by the route setters. Yesterday morning wasn’t the morning for me to try bouldering, as I had my sights set on onsighting that blue roped route, which I accomplished! This morning, I was so incredibly tired!!! I fell asleep in my truck waiting for the climbing gym to open and only the slamming of the doors of the car parked next to my truck woke me so that I could go inside. I hauled myself inside with my climbing gear and felt the exhaustion. It was so heavy upon me that I made it my goal just to go inside and check in this morning. I had realized it when I woke to my alarm and it didn’t get better with time, unfortunately. I took some time to eat a snack in order to see if that helped. Nothing did. I was determined, though, once I had talked to my friend McKenzie and had the gym all to myself when the three other folks who were there at the same time I was left, that I was going to at least attempt a few of the new boulder problems!
I got my climbing shoes on, squeezed a bit of Secret Stuff liquid chalk (by Friction Labs) out of the tube and rubbed it between my hands, and walked toward the bouldering wall, waving my hands to allow the alcohol in the chalk to dry. There was a white problem that caught my attention and seemed that it had as little overhang as possible for that section of the wall, so I attempted it. The starting hold needed to be tightened, but it didn’t spin, so I was okay. I got halfway up the problem and couldn’t get my foot up high enough to continue, so I down-climbed using only the white holds, but in a different sequence. Do two halves make a whole? It didn’t matter. I attempted it again. Again, I couldn’t figure out how to get my foot up high enough to proceed. Due to using all of my large muscles climbing roped routes yesterday morning, and those muscles being sore this morning, I didn’t want to risk straining a muscle. I sat down on one of the benches to rest for a few minutes. There was a purple problem that had my interest as well, so I decided I would attempt it. Upon stepping back onto the mat, I stumbled and tumbled to the mat, which, I decided after lying there for a few minutes, was quite comfortable. I forced myself to get up and to try the purple problem. I got off the mat with all four limbs. That’s all I can say for that one this morning. I decided that this morning was one of those mornings that was an “A-for-effort” morning. My doctor would say, “It doesn’t have to be great. It just has to be good enough.” It was good enough for me this morning to have gotten out of bed at 0445 hrs, taken my meds, gotten dressed, packed up my gym snacks, driven to the climbing gym, gone inside, checked in, gotten my climbing shoes on, chalked up, and attempted a few bouldering problems. The point was that I got on on the wall. I got on the wall. Good enough.
I got my street shoes back on, wrote a short blog at the climbing gym, ate the rest of my mango pieces and raw almonds, and bade my friend McKenzie farewell until tomorrow morning. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. I was so exhausted that I came straight home and went back to bed for a few hours. I went for a 45-minute walk with Squiggle Bug and my mom near noon, so I did get some exercise in. I haven’t been terribly hungry today. Just tired. I’m tired again right now! It’s only 1553 hrs!!! The medication changes might have something to do with it, but whatever it is, I hope I have a whole lot more pep tomorrow!!! Signing off for now…
CLIMBING 4 THE REST OF US 