Well most of the time I adopt a do as I do rather than a do as I say approach to coaching and climbing. Until August last year I was a smoker, who only got out of breath when I was walking up hill, and then only briefly until I told the group to slow down. Quitting smoking was hard, really hard, however in doing so I needed something to fill in those gaps which hitherto were spent chuffing my lungs with smoke, tar and of course nicotene.
So I started to train at first it was going to the wall, then it was mountain biking. Now I am running and climbing a few times a week. At first the difference was quite noticable, I went to town training indoors during the poor weather we had last summer and come a sunny spell manage to cruise my way up Right Wall on Dinas Cromlech, which was quite a task for climber of my age and bravery.
As well as climbing at work this week, and having a bouldering session, which included some pretty sustained linking of boulder problems; I have also been doing routes after being rained off the crag, this afternoon. Instead of going in and doing the usual ten or so routes, my climbing partner and me have been setting goals. The last time it was 20 routes, and today it was 30. It took a couple of hours but seemed to do the trick, i can barely raise my arms now!
What has really done my motivation no end of good is having a goal. This goal is a series of routes, as well as a holiday, that if I am at the peak of my game has the potential to be one of the best climbing trips ever. Another big boost is the improvements that I see and feel happening almost everytime I climb. My recovery time is reduced, the level it takes me to get pumped has increased and as a result my confidence levels seem to be improved as well.