Climbing; Climb On: Another Milestone Reached…

Today I reached yet another climbing milestone. I have been working on a project; the Black 5.10c, in the chimney, at my climbing gym, for 3 weeks. The first week I tried, I made it about 10 feet up the route. Note that the route is 45 feet tall. Not bad for the first time. I must say, in my defense, it was at the end of a session so I was not at "full power." Last week I decided to try the route earlier in my climbing session. After two warm up routes I gave it a go. I made it more than half way up to two rails that are slanted. Today I decided to try again, after two warm up routes. Jamie, a climbing coach asked if she could climb next to me, in an effort to help me figure out how to "send" the route. I said, "Sure." I did not realize at the time what I was in for; a 33 minute assault on THE most difficult route I have tried to climb in the 9 months that I have been climbing. Jamie coached me through the last week's crux; the two slanted rails. It was exhausting. I wanted to stop. She encouraged me to breathe and take a break instead. I did. For the remainder of this epic assent I would...

-reach a new high mark

-be shown what to do next

-try

-fail

-try again

-fall

-try again

-fail again

-tell Jamie I wanted to get down

-gently be told, by Jamie, to breathe and take a break

-ask my belayer; Michael for a take

-rest

-repeat until...

I made it to the top. One of my friends videoed the whole climb and when I look at it, I'm not even sure where the energy came from to "send" the last 10 feet. I was so happy when I reached the top I yelled. I was also so exhausted I had to be told to let to of the final hold so I could be lowered. This route tested me physically and mentally; especially when I realized I was getting some tough love from my climbing mates. They all wanted me to reach the top as much as I did. I never looked down. I wasn't afraid to fail on any attempt at what felt like a dozen moves I had never tried before as I problem solved my way up. I wasn't afraid to fall and that happened several times. Every time I looked up and told Michael, my belayer I was ready to climb I said to myself, "You're so close. Even though you want to stop, don't. It will be another week before you get another crack at this route and there is no guarantee that you will make it this far again." I am grateful to my climbing community; those who were there to assist and watch and those who supported me from afar.