Match Day, Dan 1, queens 25+...VICTORY TO DAN!

I sleep much better at home, whether this is due to the lack of builders or pissed housemates i don't know but one thing is for sure, i've been struggleing to drag my head off the pillow in the last few days. Then 2 things dawned on me, one was that Sharik noticed he'd been sleeping like a log just before doing stamina band into PUTP (8c+) the other day, the other is just how much training i've been doing over the past few weeks.
I felt sluggish yesterday, but like a car full of fuel rather than one rapid firing off fumes.
The forecast for today was amazing too, a good breeze but warmer temps, representing open season at Queens (finally managing to climb without freezing your bollocks off when everyone else is getting a tan) I even managed to get down to a t shirt!
So basically the world and his dog knows that i've been trying my project for an age (which became an Epoch today) and there have even been some people vaguely interested in trying it, the trouble being when you've spent sessions, cleaning stuff like this you get attached to it. When you've spent 2 years on something you get quite attached to it too. I probably started trying this line when i was to weak for it (obviously) one thing is for sure though, it has been the sole purpose for me wanting to become a better climber. You can even attribute part of the beastmakers origin to this line. Upon first scoping out queens i noticed 3 lines which i wanted to climb before i got too old. Queen Kong and Red Dragon being my first 2 ports of call, each one pushing me a bit more than the last, 5 sessions, 12 sessions and 25+ sessions represent queen kong, red dragon and this project respectively. Each one is incredibly different and has its own unique style.
Today was set to be a big day basically, the weather was pucker, i was meeting springer my partner in crime for queens. And i had rested up. After warming up i felt strong but a bit gelitinous, this was good, i thought, as usually i feel weak and gelitinous, sure enough after some home baked flapjack and a good lashing of green tea, the big guns were out. I practically locked the crux move from go 1 and go after go i crept further into the crux pocket. 10 minutes later i stuck it and my brain switched off, a deep project psyche switched on and i crushed the top section, including the double dyno to the top, which i only stuck twice on sunday (shit session and too windy). So that was that, done!

Now its funny when you spend so long failing on things like this, and i'm usually a fan of the 3 day rule (extending to 6 days if the stubborn mule is unleashed) because with so much failure, when success finally arrives it takes a while to sink in, it built up gradually today, finally peaking whilst driving home to an amazing sunset which i have so often cursed, i thought what the hell, treat yourself and drive home like a normal mad bugger whilst flying along the military road.

A few names have run through my head over the last 2 years, and unlike a certain peak beast i consider them to be all good, a little part of me dies whenever i hear another amazing line called 'my fudge nugget the tofu based chicken substitute'. I settled on 'Ark Royal' as its one of the biggest aretes i'd imagine i'm ever going to boulder up and it fits the royal theme.

As for the grade i really couldn't give a flying shit, sometimes you climb stuff becuase you want to proove to yourself that you can climb hard even if its a bit shitty (cough 'bigger belly' cough cough) and sometimes you just want to proove to yourself that you can get up something, which looks, even to the general public; Fucking amazing. I'm pretty sure my sequence is whack, crossing round aretes. locking to your waist and manditory double dynos aren't often all one after another on a problem. I also pity anyone who is shorter than me on this line, or who uses my sequence (though it does employ all my weaknesses). I'm sure there is an easier way though, as Ned hasn't fully had his way on it yet by destroying anything vaguely resembling brute power by wrapping his legs all over the place and heel hooking a drop knee above his ear. Basically the lowest i think it is, is 8a+ (suprise suprise) and i'm happy taking that grade, to ground up using my sequence would be an amazing effort too. Chris got the send on film from a few angles, so it should be out by 2015 ;)

I also managed to link the sit start into the crux of this today after watching chris get close to red dragon for an hour or so, i am amazingly psyched on this as its the full line really, i always thought the sit would be 8b to get into the stand but its probably just soft 8a with some ironed out beta, it is stupidly morpho though, and i'm tipped out to the max. this can be linked off round the corner ('the mediocre escape') into a 7b+ (my warm up) which i have stupidly wired. guess this'd be 8aish too? god knows, who cares anyway?, it'll probably be dirty again soon, and its not like anything else at the crag has been bustling with repeats. queen kong has still got to be done in a session and that's the piss one that i did 3 years ago whilst recovering from pneumonia, and chris did with an asthma attack (healthy arent we?).
Upon leaving the crag i gave the farmer £10 for being one of the nicest guys around and for letting me park on his land. Obviously i don't expect everone to stump up notes for parking at the crag but the odd parking donation will help the farm, and keep up the good relationship/ upkeep of the road.
Cheers, to Fiveten and arcteryx too for geniunely helping me get up this thing, the crux smear on the double dyno tends to blow off using anything but onyx.

Oh and i saw a badger in the flesh for the first time ever today!!, this had me in hysterics (in joke) As that was indeed THE BADGER

a series of fortunate and unfortunate events

The last week was spent trying silly moves on projects outdoors, a move which i've stuck 4 times now, but unfortunately its followed by a rather spicy boulder problem. Ned is super close to said spicy boulder too, so that's our main focus at the moment. For me its like a stop cap on spring. I want to get it done so i can try all the other things i want to try. That and the fact i'm overlaying all my training at the moment with specific training for easter means that i am catching my body out quite a bit. Which makes things a bit ouchy...

BUCS (the national uni comp) was a good laugh, and the comp wall was really well set. Ned was kicking my arse, which took the pressure off me so i relaxed and stopped over gripping everything. Ned then fell alseep on the roof problem whilst cruising it, conveniently placing me into the lead, but we hadn't worked this out (as score cards were arbitrary at this point) so i was still pretty chilled. Ned then dropped the last move of the hardest problem in true English style. the wide pinch on this was shutting me down so i nipped over to try the power problem up the 50 which was actually getting me psyched as i got to pull hard. after fumbling the flash i then managed to hack out a sequence to the finish. I'm pretty sure all the other Uni's hate us now after winning the team comp for 3 years in a row. But hey ho, like i said if anyone needs anymore persuading that our fingerboards work then check the BUCS results. That'll probably be my last comp for the forseeable future so it was nice of Ned to let me win (there really was bugger all between us) Rae also came in 3rd in the ridiculously tight women's event (3 points for 3 places)

For anyone there competing on a sports bursary you'll be glad to know that we recieve absolutely NO support off Sheffield University, Ned gets shouted at when he has to leave to compete in world cups and we can't even get into the Uni wall for free. Cheers Sheffield! its amazing city to climb in and a really active scene but the Uni is being farely falsely represented as one that cares about sport, quite clearly it doesn't. Which goes head on with my belief that we are educated to become intellectual geniuses but physical retards (watch this to hear Ken Robinson's opinion) leaving people to develop their bodies in their own time.
As far as i am aware Newcastle, Durham, Loughborough, Nottingham and Bangor all seem to be the places to go if you want to progress physically as well as academically.

Or you could just whack a beastmaker up in your doorframe in first year and dangle like there's no tomorrow. Then build a board in your room in second year and train on that 4 times a week. but for that you need an abnormal level of psyche.

A big shout out to The Works for hosting a really fun comp, its a pretty good bastion of what bouldering is all about, both indoors and out.

Compo-titious

Well The CWIF was a great event to watch, and Team Beastmaker just got pipped by Team WAD and Leah Crane's team as they were a little too casual in qualifying. No Worries mate... as more was being saved for later. Ned and Gaz just missed the finals placing 7th and 6th respectively, there really wasn't much in it though. Mina and Jerome cruised through. Jerome qualified in 2nd behind Dave (this is what psyched looks like) Barrans, who demolished every semi final problem in a world class display of crushing, no falls! Jerome decided to let loose a bit in the final and showed what world champion style looks like. power with serious control; that'll be first place then. He also took his new Beastmaker board into the final with him to keep it safe and to taunt the other competitors with (Nice one Jerome, much approved!). Barrans put in a brilliant but slightly more fatigued display to come second. Tyler XXL Landman straight up jived his way into a comfy third, whilst looking a lot more relaxed than some of the other competitors.

Mina came out crushing in the finals and after problem 1 looked like the one to beat. Maud recovered on problem 2, being the only one to top it despite some quality Gunnage from Leah and Mina. The last problem sorted the girls from the women, combining horizontal dynos and on off climbing. Fore-armed and Dangerous turned into Forearm flameout for Mina as the tank ran empty half way up the problem. Maud topped it with french professionalism, even waving to the crowd. Leah topped it in true english style, fully battling her way to the last hold putting in an amazing effort, then throwing it all away at the last minute by being to buggered to match. Now there's a true English winner.

So 1st, 3rd, 6th,7th. Not a bad wrap from a company with an office in a garden shed run by students. A massive thanks to all our team (except Ned who was contracted on as the token ginger)

We are now supplying boards to the Dutch and French National Teams. And they are all super psyched to be getting them off us (we're also super psyched to help them out too)

So basically if a bunch of world/european/national champions can't persuade you that these boards have been designed and thought out with the utmost care. And that they are designed to really help finger strength progression quicker and safer than in the past. Then we'll have to try harder to hammer the message home i guess...

As it happens is another Comp this weekend, This time its the British Uni climbing champs at the climbing works. Ned is representing again as token ginger/ guaranteed crush factor placing (cough winner cough cough). Rae Cowie is our girl member, font7c+ darkhorse and PHD crusher she's been at Sheff uni long enough to be insulted that she's never been asked to compete before. Bringing up the rear, limping and whinging into the Team is Me, Mr Varian, this is the only comp i do as i quite like attending the best Uni in England for climbing, and I intend to keep it that way, my little finger had snapped last year so i had to settle for 2nd behind some 12 stone muscle bag who climbed way better than me. It'll probably be the same this year, except i can go on the board afterwards to make myself feel better (which got its first grade 3 last night... just)
I generally prefer to tussle little bits of rock not volumes, but am not adverse to the odd triangle

New batch of 40 boards arriving on friday

A'malc'gamation.

We'll my last week's been interesting and pretty hard for me. Sometimes you realise there's more to life than just climbing. Then you also quickly realise how great it is at whatever grade and how rarely you regret spending time on such an abstract pursuit (to the general public).
The board has gone from my room now and i can fool people that i'm a relatively normal person again, as explaining a 12ftX8ft "bed" is never easy, even if your landlords hammer screws into walls and only speak in single cyllable words.
Coincidentally The Works is now sporting an almighty beastmaker/works "motherboard" and we've taken pride in our setting, we'll probably be tinkering a bit in the next week or two so don't get too attached to your problems just yet, changes will be small though. I.E. perfecting the symmetry etc.
I did two problems up it today, a 1b and a 2a, i got close to some 3's but they ain't easy. I also scoped out some future 4's and 5's. 5's representing some serious power.
If there's complaints that its too hard feel free to use the rest of the UK's biggest bouldering wall where your time will undoubtedly be better spent, you'll then be thankful that there is a nails board there when you can do all the set problems in the centre footless (as a certain beastly spaniard found today). Climbing is all about progression and the works now has facilities which cater for 3yr olds upto font 8B crushers, i'd say thats pretty awesome under 1 roof.
I'm looking forward to the board scene developing there and tasting other peoples beastly creations as well as putting alot of effort into some of my own.
I'm getting over the lurgy now and only have 5 days worth of antibiotics left. I can't wait to unleash on the board and start training for some of the stuff that means alot to me, both in sheffield and Northumberland. My mind is on easter now and a french seige at queens, nuff said.
A new delivery of 12 boards is coming tomorrow, things should increase volume wise after this as we have sorted initial teething stuff out like cutters blunting out and engravings being variable.

Enjoy the new board at the works if your a sheffielder, i'll be in there under it alot now so just shout at me and Ned if your keen to discuss some training or for a general chin wag.

Board rules (these will be written up by it): Feet on X-marked wooden holds only.
For symmetry problems you have to do both sides in a session for it to count.
Be cordial and take turns etc, there will be a few bench mark beastmaker problems written up in the book to help show the way with the board grades and if your struggling on the 1's then its probably good to find a quiet time to work stuff on there, if you get our drift.

Dan.

we're back

Setting off on Friday afternoon the Shire Corsa didn't know what a fun little adventure she was in for, a perfect journey down in the 10hr mobile disco that is my car featured classic Solid Steel mixes and copious amounts of Drum and Bass. We woke after a few hours sleep to hear that Rob and Ned had got a little excited at 6 in the morning and had decided to turn Rob's focus into a Reliant Robin via the process of eliminating cornering on roundabouts. For the record Rob is usually a good driver and isn't used to being jumped by new road layouts at such hours. This left us all in the mighty Corsa with the exhaust knocking out a fine tune on the rear axle. On our first day we decided to hedge our bets and go to elephant, with excuses of lack of sleep galore quite a good day was had. except by Rob who mostly curled up in a miriad of positions infront of various boulders. Elephant's a pretty nice place and chilled out, i soon scrapped all pretentions of it being a pottering day and got stuck into Partenaire Particulier
After about 20mins the deal was sealed despite feeling a bit rough around the edges, despite Ned's 1hr of sleep he still got up Envie d'Ailes in 2 goes, my excuse of feeling ropey was overruled by Neds superior excuse of sleep deprivation.
So i thought i better get properly ill, luckily for me i woke up the next morning with what looked like PVA glue plastered round my tonsils and with glands the size of gonads. "Man flu" turned out to be strep throat and i had 2 rest days followed by a trip to the french incarnation of mr potato head (a cheery doctor) who gave me some tasty antibiotics, these allowed me to climb but i still felt like i was scraping base level performance out my body despite some stellar whinging.

Meanwhile Ned'd got a good nights sleep in him and set about dispensing weeks of pent up psyche. If it wasn't for a severe bout of English finishing syndrome then Karma would have been lapped about 6 times, unfortunately the finishing hold remained 1 inch from grasp. It looked like Imothep was going to inflict similar torture, with Ned lapping through the crux and upto the last moves every go. After some tantalisingly close goes including slapping the very top, Ned's skin was thinner than a flies wing and he had to tape his entire right hand. After a duff go like this and nearly chucking in the towel he must have given himself a little talking to as the next go was utter crap technically compared to previous goes, what did emerge was one of the most impressive bits of climbing i've ever seen. Sometimes you see sends that are a bit special, and sometimes you see a person 100% focussed on achieving their goal. Despite a comletely taped right hand on a hideously slopey compression 8a Ned growled his way up the top moves of imothep using a mixture of pure rage and absolute focus.
That's probably enough text for now but i'll write a bit more later on and whack some pics up.
We're despatching a few boards this week and should have quite alot more via the weekend. I'm still on antibiotics and am generally pretty cranky due to a week and a bit of training withdrawls