Addition to top books

I just finished "The White Spider" by Heinrich Harrer and had to add it to my top books of all time. Definitely worth the read.

Brian's Run

Very windy, and very cold. Possibly one of my better times however. I still should train for it one year. Oh well. Chilly Cheeks 7.2 mile trail run on 1/25/09 coming up!

Thanksgiving TR

Thanksgiving means getting together with family, eating a lot, watching football and setting up some Top Ropes. I am very sore today after TRing 3 routes...go figure. I really want to work up to leading Neanderthal at Stover (5.8+). I know I can lead it, I would just need to rehearse it a few more times and TR and work out the gear ahead of time. Leading that is my new goal.

Gunks...

I had a great time at the Gunks this past weekend despite the rain. The highlights have to be leading the 3rd pitch to Gelsa in the rain on Saturday and the 1st pitch to Belly Roll. I do need to start getting out more to get my lead head together. Not that it ever was together, but more than it was at the start of the trip.

Evansburg 10 mile challenge...

Even easier than last year. I feel as though I am fairly out of shape and yet managed around an 8 minute mile pace. Good thing it rained all of yesterday otherwise it would not have been so much fun to play in the mud and then have two thigh-high "creek" crossings.

Running on a trail in the dark

Back on October 11th at approximately 7:30pm, I along with approx. 350 other people participated in a 6.66 mile trail race, in the dark...I am not sure how I survived considering I got lost halfway through the race but I managed to finish 70th out of 350.

Hopefully, this Sunday's 10 mile trail race will be a little easier...and by easier, hopefully I wont get lost!

Holds are on

The wall has plenty of holds, I am just too weak to climb most of my problems...

Waiting for holds...

Official training begins as soon as I get my holds that I ordered at the beginning of the month. Out of my 7 goals to accomplish before I am 40, I have already achieved 1 and am getting close to another. The next one to accomplished would logically be either a ultra marathon or 5.10 trad lead. Due to work constraints and training in March, I don't think an ultra would work out. Maybe next fall. However, 5.10 Trad lead I believe would be in reach by late winter/early spring if I am able to get enough training on my home wall. We'll see...

Long time

Long time since my last post. The garage gym is almost complete and the job is going really well. Oh yeah, and Wiggum and I finished first in his weight class at the doggie dash (6th overall out of 50).

Beautiful day for Stover...

What a beautiful day for Ralph Stover. I led the first pitch of Hawks Nest and No Self Control for the first time. We also TR'd Obnoxious Partner, but I was unable to pull the moves. However, Ryan was able to do it no problem on his first attempt, while Erin decided that it wasn't her day to try it.

Half Wit Half done

I definitely beat my time from last year because I was much more prepared and the weather was beautiful. Great day for 13.1 Trail Half Marathon!!

But I will still be sore tomorrow...

The garage project has begun...

Yes, it may be a bad idea. And yes, it might not be structurally sound but...I started framing out the soon-to-be climbing wall in my garage. When all is said and done, I should end up with a 12 foot high, 40 degree wall, about 8 feet wide. That should help my training, or at the very least keep me in okay shape.

Job offer is in the mail according to my soon-to-be supervisor!!

Finally!!!!! I start in two weeks. I can finally relax and breathe!

Maybe, just maybe....

It looks like I may have found myself a job. This would be with an awesome company with plenty of work to do! It looks like I may be really busy in the coming months!

Good ole' Birdsboro

Led Itchin', Orange Sunshine, and a new one below. I TR'd Jingle Bells and The Streak. I was pumped by the end!!! A lot of climbing in a short time with no one else there.

Birdsboro tonight!!

Clippin' bolts and ratings that make you feel like a professional!

I am finally running as well as I should

6+ miles by myself and about 2 with the dog yesterday. Despite needing new shoes for about 3 months now (very little tred and cusion left), my legs are finally where they should be. It now feels great to run after the first 2 miles are out of the way...

Interviewing

Have you ever walked away from an interview feeling that you represented yourself very well and with confindence but received the feeling that you are not what they are looking for? I did today. I think they are looking for someone like me, but I must have smelled or something...

Running in the evening...

I was never a fan of running in the evening, I would much rather run first thing in the morning. However, the 6 or 7 miles on Sunday evening might have been one of the most enjoyable runs in quite a while. I think I finally have my running legs back since having Shane....

Friday sucked and Saturday Rocked...

With a feeble attempt at bouldering at Haycock on Friday, I happened to climb through more poison ivy than boulders. Not to mention that the humidity and friction stunk. However, I did manage to work out a few moves on Charlie Browns Christmas that I hadn't figured out before. I think if I dedicated time to work on it in better conditions I might have a shot at a V3/V4!

Saturday at Chickies was a different story. I led some easy warm-up, then followed Mike on the first pitch of a climb that I had led before. Next, I finished off the short but tricky 2nd pitch of that climb on two pieces of gear (one being a really old pin). We finished up TR'ing a 5.9 that I sent on one fall (next time I send it clean) which was a lot better than last time I was on that climb.

Hopefully, we will be able to get out Tuesday at Ralph Stover!

Surprise!! I got to climb for the second time in two weeks!!

Thanks to my wife for giving me the okay, I met Scott O. at Ralph Stover today. I led the warm up route, a 5.4. He then led a 5.6 with no problem. He followed his 5.6 with a very hard 5.7 and took two nice whippers during the almost send. He actually touched the top (without knowing it) but was completely out of gas so we lowered off and retrieved the one piece of gear from above. He has big balls for taking those whippers!!!

Note to self: cleaning nuts is a lot easier if you bring a nut cleaning tool....

Why Me?

Why, oh why won't someone give me a job?!?!? I want to work!!! I have applied to everything under the sun but I keep hearing that I am either under or over-qualified! This might be time to start my own company.

Ten Miles

Why is it, that I used to be able to run 10 miles with no problem? What happened to those days? The 10 miles I ran today left me tired and feeling pathetic!

The 4th and Climbing

Forgot my camera again. We arrived to a very wet Delaware Water Gap (DWG) early in the AM hours. Instead of climbing the 5.5 I had planned, I flew up the 5.3 (The Rib) that I had lead before. By the middle of the first pitch the rock had dried out and I wished I had tried the 5.5. A fun route with awesome exposure nontheless. Pete led the next route a 5.8 (Double Overhang) that ended up turning into a 3 pitch climb. The first crux (the first overhang) he unfortunatley had to aid part of it and I found out why...I could not even follow the overhang clean. The second overhang/crux both of us were able to pull. I would love to of had another chance at the overhang soon!!

As with any DWG trip, I am covered in poison ivy today! Still worth the trip dispite the wet weather and itchy stuff covering my legs, heck, and hips.

The evening before the 4th of July...

Every 4th of July my brother-in-law and I go climbing. In 2005 he took me climbing for the first time at Ralph Stover State Park. In 2007, I led my first trad route. And this year we are leaving at 6am and heading to the Delaware Water Gap (my second time there). It should be fun to get out, but of course I have waited until the last minute to start getting things together...Hopefully, Shane will let me sleep a little tonight!!! I guess I probably should not have run those 6.5 miles today during 90 degree heat!