Climbing Snowdonia.
Like many people, I’ve been chasing the clock for years, decades even. The numbers tells it how it is, there are no excuses. And yet, there is a gap in the tangibility somehow. One run you are 15 secs up, the next 15 down. It ebbs and flows, without a distinct conclusion.
But that’s why I like ‘make-the-move’ sessions. It’s black and white – you either make the move, or you don’t.
End of, fatboy.
And ‘Climbs’ is a good one.
You start in the eddy and finish on the cushion, above the rapid.
You choose where and when, and…
You either make it – or you don’t.
And if you don’t, you slide in mild disgrace down the channel, knowing exactly where π¦ππ’ went wrong.
So you can get it right next time.
In The Swellies, Snowdonia Rapid lends itself nicely to this session. The climb is possible, but not always easy. As the flow changes, so obviously does the difficulty of the climb.
For a little added extra:
Start when the tidal flow is increasing and every climb gets harder as the session progresses. See how long you can go before you blow out:)
Each climb is short so it tends towards an ATP session. However, I usually work on the ‘minimum-effort-to-do-the-move’ principle for PSK moving water work. Here each climb is as much (or more) about technique, rather than just ATP 101% splash & thrash.
Each move can be broken down into:
Position
Angle
Timing
Power
Speed
It’s not always about the clock.
(As a session this is also one that can be a shorter add-on to a session as a finish or an extended warm-up. The runs here were ‘bolted on’ to a surf on Swelly Rock.)