Training for alpine climbing

Today I belayed someone who is a living legend in the climbing community, and it was fully eye opening. The three routes that they did allowed me to see that I had not actually reached a plateau in my training, I just was not trying hard enough, plain and simple. I was not climbing through where I thought I "should" fail. It is in this period of struggling that one's biggest gains are made. Before I left the ground I had basically decided that I would fail at a certain point. I received some great belaying and managed to push through the crux on my current project, I didn't finish it, but that is just an endurance issue, easy to deal with. I can handle more training, just not more training that is not benefiting me.

Training for alpine climbing

After three weeks of constant improvement I hit a dreaded plateau. My running times have not improved nor my level of redpointing in the gym. Stagnation, I did not think would come so quickly.
I managed to redpoint my project in the gym, and now I am really not climbing anything harder, perhaps the moves were just suited for me, and thus why I picked it as a project. Either way, I guess it is time for a bit of muscle confusion, both for climbing and for general aerobic endurance.

Thoughts on this to follow....

Training for alpine climbing

This week has been hard training wise. After "resting" (Saturday night was a late one) all weekend I was climbing very strong on Monday, then ran 8+ miles after; Tuesday I lifted with a total focus on push muscles and core then ran the same 8+ mile loop; Wednesday was a restday - although it involved a bunch of prodding and needles at a medical research facility - more on this later, but I have very interesting physiological responses to altitude, and very interesting to be at 6000m with cords and cables strapped to me once a week, while doctors monitor my O2 sats. Today, I was back climbing and it was not as strong as Monday but not bad. Tomorrow should be a nice day in RMNP so hopefully I will get a bunch of alpine mixed done.
The struggle to get stronger continues.....

Elevation Outdoors

Here is a link to an interview with me from the latest issue of Elevation Outdoors.
http://www.elevationoutdoors.com/index.php/fabrizio-zangrilli/

Training for alpine climbing

It has been two weeks since I last posted, I know I have been lazy, but not about training. I did a very good job of staying focused on the goal over the past month, and yesterday I started what I would call the process of really trying.

Over the past month I spent alot of time getting my body ready, just making sure that there were no nagging injuries and "lubricating" the joints. I ran about 200miles and climbed several thousand feet, lifted more than a proverbial ton and read alot about training.

Yesterday was an eye opener, I tried really hard at Movement (my favorite climbing gym in Boulder movementboulder.com) completing last weeks "project" and then almost onsighting a route that was a full letter grade harder. I warmed up pretty well - still need to improve at this, just a bit more discipline needed really, and then set about getting stronger.

I have found that several routes at my "limit" of onsighting and then working a couple of routes that are supposed to be above my ability and then back to redpointing and then finally a few cooldown climbs has been getting me strong. It is as unscientific as can be, but seems to be working well for me.

I stayed at Movement for 4 hours. I rested and rehydrated well, very well. What does pulling plastic do for alpine climbing you may wonder. My answer is that it has been crap weather out, I have had obligations on the days that have been good for the fun mixed that has climbed in RMNP since the snowfall and in the end if you can rock climb very well, you have the confidence needed in the mountains.

Oh yeah, after the gym session I ran 8.6 miles. I was tired after, but felt great. Perhaps the one thing I did poorly yesterday was eat enough.