The Dawn Patrol

It's been almost 2 months since I blogged. Shoddy, but I've had little to report but injuries. Fingers, knuckles, palms and most recently bloody knees. The knee has been particularly frustrating as I think it's a small tear on the cartilage in the same knee as my 2 previous key hole operations. I think I've got to the point where I'm going to have to give up running, or at least to the extent that I want to. I'd set my heart on a marathon next year and was thinking I was cautiously laying a good foundation of training this summer before ratcheting up the volume for this winter. It seems however cautious I am my body can't cope with even relatively modest running training.

So rather than sulking I'm hoping to convert that routine I'd got into of training 5 or 6 times a week for running into training for climbing. As well as rejoining the gym and embarking on a 'cyclists rehab' - not very good for Malham cranking but I hope it will be a stepping stone for proper mountain training in 6 weeks or so. The biggest struggle for me with climbing at the moment is time, so I've started the Dawn Patrol - early morning bouldering sessions, Leave the house at 6am ish and back by 8. I've even managed to recruit another keenie - Adge Last, a much better climber than me but also battling injuries - so a handy partner to whinge about my aches and pains.
I'm a real contender for the most inept boulderer in Sheffield, but despite the struggles it's a great feeling to head back for the 'start' of the day at 8 in the morning, with that gritstone glow in your fingertips setting you up nicely for the busy office/nappy changing hours ahead.