Keeping Busy

These past few weeks have been pretty active. So much so, that this post is actually coming out a few days later than I promised Evan it would. Luckily, I have gotten the chance to do a little bit of everything. Since there is so much to talk about though, there will be a distinct lack of transitions in this post. Like Evan said, he got to come to UNCG and learn the proper way to climb: taking breaks in between climbs and allowing your body some recovery so you can avoid getting pumped. It’s too bad he didn’t have pen and paper so he could take the correct notes.

Adam and I got the chance to go to the USNWC to do a few ropes courses as well as get a lap in on their whitewater. We were both pretty confident that we were going to have a great day of kayaking, but during his first flip he managed to hit his chin on one of the submerged rocks and our day ended a bit short. In my desperate attempt to keep pull his boat into an eddy, I ended up flipping and hadn’t been controlling my breathing. So I ended up taking the first swim of the year. It’s always humbling to wet exit in water you know you’re comfortable in.

Back at school, I ended up utilizing the pool session for kayak rolls and made sure I was 100% comfortable with my C-to-C Rolls and Sweep Rolls (which are almost the exact same roll) before practicing my Hand Roll and Backdeck Roll. I ended up getting pretty decent at my Hand Roll and managed to pull off one actual Backdeck Roll. With a few more practice sessions I think I should be fluent in both.

Some friends and I ended up playing Take Away on one of the easier routes at the UNCG wall. By the time we finished our game a 5.6/5.7 route had become a solid 5.9 route. The moves were pretty spaced and technical so we ended up taping the route so that others could enjoy the same moves. It ended up producing one of the most fun days of climbing I have had.

 

Leaderboard for the UNCG Disc Golf Tournament when all was said and done.

This past weekend a friend, Jason, and I ended up participating in the 1^st UNCG Disc Golf Doubles Tournament. I was extremely out of practice and performed at a much lower level than I would usually consider my standard level of play. Although Jason claimed to have been “carried” we both ended up having some really great throws that day. A lot of his throws were super solid and allowed me to take riskier lines than I would ever take in a singles tournament. There were two rounds to the tournament, the first you and your partner chose which throw you wanted to play from, the second round you took alternating shots. We ended up moving up a few spots in the second round. Considering how out of practice we both were, I was extremely happy with our results! We came in 6^th overall, and in 1^st or 2^nd in teams actually comprised wholly of UNCG students. The competitor in me wish I had gotten out to a course to practice at all in the weeks leading up to the tournament, but I will know for future events to get a good amount of practice in beforehand.

With Tuck Fest coming up this weekend, I am looking to stay pretty active for the near future as well. I am still trying to decide which Whitewater events and Climbing events I plan to participate in.