British Lead and Speed Championships 2013

So it was that time of year again where the Lead and Speed Championships where just beyond the horizon. About a month or so before the event I had decided to enter the leading event as I had nothing to loose and if anything training for it would only help improve my bouldering. So I trained, several times a week for the month running up to it I had countless stamina sessions and laps around circuit boards until the weekend of competing was just around the corner.
Saturday started as any other comp day, I woke up got ready and drove to the new Awesome Walls in Sheffield. It was great to see the wall finished and it did look amazing, the place is huge! And they still have more to add to it?!?! I really can't wait to train there more in the future. So once I arrived I started reading my routes and was surprised by the fact I didn't feel too worried. I'd normally be nervous reading them, but it had really set in that this was all just going to be for fun. There was no pressure, and nothing to get worked up about like I would in the past. The first route looked quite soft and once I got on it I realised it really was. The holds where all positive and I climbed fast up to the last 3 moves where the crux was, it involved matching on a very thin hold then doing a big pull to the next hold. I rested for a moment and pulled through it and continued to top it out.

Route two - Photo Pete Wuensche

The next route looked a lot harder as it went up the side of their main overhang and was very long. I knew I'd have to fight for it to stand any chance of actually topping it but it looked like a fantastic climb so I got quite excited about the prospect of actually climbing it. I tied on, chalked up and started climbing. The routes went fairly smoothly until I realised I couldn't actually rest in any of the places I had previously decided to rest at. I stayed calm and continued climbing hoping I'd find somewhere to just relax at for even a moment, but no such place seemed to arrive. I started to get pumped and my elbows began to slowly point out, I surprised myself by getting much further than I thought I would by fighting through the pump for a good few moves until I arrived at the traverse out onto the roof before my arms gave out and I fell. This luckily put me in just a high enough position to scrape into the finals in 4th place.

Final route - Photo Pete Wuensche

Next up all the finalists went into isolation to wait for the finals to start. This was arguably the best isolation I've ever had as there was so much room! Everyone had space to climb and warm up, it really helped me to stay relaxed and warm. After going out for our observation period to view the final climb I had a long wait till my group could start. I repeatedly ran though my sequence for the climb until it was time to climb. I walked out and pulled onto the route. It immediately felt hard for me as again I couldn't rest, I hadn't built up enough stamina in the month previous to be able to climb for that long. I managed alright but the pump took over and as I deadpointed for a hold I didn't sink it deep enough and slid off it unable to correct myself. So overall I finished 4th, but I was pleased with this as I didn't think I'd stand much of a chance before hand.

Myself, Jonny White and Will Smith discussing our final route - Photo Pete Wuensche

Sunday was over to the the senior lead event and the speed climbing. I had decided to not bother entering the lead event since I didn't really care for it that much and I'd rather do well in the speed. After a very long wait before I could start the speed climbing finally kicked off, but this year was different for me as I was competing in the senior category... I took it seriously and isolated myself in the bouldering wall to warm up, finding easy climbs to practice sprinting up followed by shuttle runs across the room. I did this for around half an hour, then our practice runs on the actual speed wall began. My times where average for me, getting around 10.5 seconds. Once they where over the qualifications began. My first run I got a time of 10.61 seconds, my second 10.26 seconds. This placed me into the next round in first place. I still was not pleased with my time as I knew I could go much faster, wishing I'd been aloud more practice runs before hand I tried to work out what my issue could be. I listed them in my head: I haven't been on a speed wall in months, My footwork was off and I was missing holds, I was nervous. So I sat and calmed myself down and decided to focus on placing my feet every time I climbed making sure they landed on every hold. My next run I once again got 10.26 seconds which placed me into the quarter finals in 1st. Stressed that I hadn't improved even though I'd been staying focused I lost my calm and got 11.05 seconds. Alarm bells started to ring in my head that I was doing something wrong until I realised what the real issue was. I was expecting too much of myself. I was convinced I could do better when maybe after some time off, I physically couldn't? So I calmed myself down once again and focused on just making it up the wall with a smile on my face. As it happens I'd gotten to the semi finals in 1st once again and on my next run something clicked. I don't know if it was because I'd finally accepted that maybe I couldn't do better or that I truly was focused now but I'd sped up. A lot. I raced up the wall in 9.37 seconds, leaving my opponent way behind in the process. Content that I'd got a new personal best and truly hadn't lost and speed on the wall I was finally happy and moved into the finals confident on going even faster. I was keen and I think everyone else was too, curious if I really could go faster. Ready at the bottom of the wall for my final race of the day, I placed my hands and right foot on the wall waiting to start. The time had started and I left the floor, slowly at first but confident now. My feet hit the holds and I started to storm up the wall, getting faster and faster until I hit the top and my time was called out. Horns blowing and people cheering my time was called out... 9.17 seconds! I new personal best! And also unknown to many people another British Record... But the truth is I know I can go faster. Much faster. And with Awesome Walls opened now only an hour and a half away from me I don't think it will take much longer until I do. I'm planning on training as much as I can there and I'm not going to stop until I'm as fast as I can be.

Calum Forsyth 2nd, Myself 1st and Tom Bonnert 3rd - Photo Matteus Barefoot

Full BMC report of the event and results here

And here is a video of my final race, courtesy of my Dad!

Thanks for reading, stay psyched!