“On belay?”
“Belay is on.”
“Climbing…”
“Climb on.”
I reach for the highest rock I can grip and place my feet underneath on two smaller rocks. I feel for another rock for my left foot to push me higher. I then repeat the same procedure for my left hand.
Right foot. Right hand.
I love the challenge of a new course, a new adventure. I can look at the course, see where the challenges lay, think of a plan to work around it, and then go.
Ok, no grips for my right hand. Maybe if I switch my left foot for my right foot, I try working up this path instead. Ah, that works better.
When you get to where there are very few grips, you need to think of what you planned to do, realize it won’t work, and then, on the fly, try and create a new way to succeed, to work around this problem. It’s a mental sport, one where you need to think.
I think I can. I think I can.
Looking up, I see how much further I have to go. It’s all about getting there. Not about the time, or points, or joy of beating the other team.