Growing Climber

Tonight's climb was really, really good. I completed a 5.7+ which, to anyone who knows the rating system, is admittedly low-end-of-average difficulty. For me, though, it's a huge success. It's been eight months since I started climbing; at first, I could barely make it up the VB (jokingly called Very Beginner) courses on the boulder, which are honestly glorified ladders made out of very easy holds. Even though I struggled, I would climb laps on them until I could make some progress on the V0s. I'm still working on my advancement on the boulder wall -- my fear of falling without a harness to catch me tends to keep me from the more ambitious courses. Top-roping, however (climbing much, much taller walls with a safety harness) is coming along really well.

There was a moment on that 5.7+ where the only footholds I could use put me in a near full split. I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to make it -- how do you even move from there? I had to put faith in my arms, and then sort of gecko-walk up the wall to the next foothold. I've always felt that my arms were extremely weak compared to other climbers, and that I had to rely heavily on my footwork to get me up the wall. Today, though, I felt very coordinated and balanced. My legs and arms shared the load and evenly distributed the work throughout my body. It was a profoundly centering feeling that helped me power through and complete the course.

I feel amazing. There is no way I would have believed a year ago that I was capable of this.