This summer was a bit of an experiment for me.  The concept of progression and strength fluctuating in waves has always been very apparent to me.  But that doesn’t mean that I knew how to deal with it.  In April, I started noticing a serious upswing in my motivation and strength.  Typically, I would ride that wave of psych until the end and then wait for another one.  This time I decided to stop relying on the unpredictability of riding waves from unknown sources, and instead create my own.  The plan was to insert my own “downswing” into the whole equation.  I would train hard, be psyched, finish a bunch of projects, and then, before the motivation ran out, stop climbing as much, and focus on other things.  The month of August was that period of time for me.  The hot and wet month out here in Colorado.  The goal was to be more motivated and better rested than ever for the fall sending temps.  The plan seems to have worked.  The temps have started getting good again.  I’ve been letting the motivation consume me as it did in the early summer, and good things are happening.  Yesterday, I managed an ascent of Don’t Get Too Greedy V13 in RMNP.  Felt really good.  The flow is there, which is important.  I feel like I have some snap.  Overall, it’s nice to feel like you have some control over your motivation and strength.

Here are a couple screenshots from the day:

Hanging out under the Green 45

The “redpoint” crux to the crazy pinch.