tdsgraydonclark - Tumblr blog

[tdsgraydonclark]

This cross looks beastly hard.

  Mammut ‏@mammut

[tdsgraydonclark]

First Day?

Wow today will be my first day out climbing in six months. This grind is so worth it and it is paying off. We hit 2000 followers and gained another team member! Life is looking up!

[tdsgraydonclark]

Yeah old french blow

Patrick Edlinger, the original chalk-whisperer, the man who inspired countless generations of climbers to french blow them chalk - deep water soloing in the Verdon Gorge, France

[tdsgraydonclark]

This One’s For Me

I feel selfish for writing this. Normally I try to blog and tell you all about my training schedule or work life. This one comes from somewhere a little deeper. As many of you know financial trouble is not always simple and clear cut. As most of you know there always seems to be more piled of when you didn’t ask for it. I am no stranger to hard work. In fact, I’ve know hard work most of my life. As a child I used to get my toys impounded when I wouldn’t do my chores or homework. One by one my toys would be impounded and eventually I had all of my toys in the impound except my teddy bear. It took a long time to understand the importance of responsibility and just jumping through the hoops. I have long since developed the skills to do what is required to achieve a goal.  

The reason I decided to write this is that I am damn proud of myself. I work very hard to keep my energy level up. I have developed a zen like focus and have kept my nose to the grind with my eye on the prize.The amount of dedication invested in this dream has to be never ending. Meals are skipped, sleep is sacrificed, lights stay off and work is done on the phone to save as much energy as possible. There isn’t a moment when optimization slips. The focus is impenetrable. I have ignored the naysayers and removed “no” from my vocabulary. There isn’t an outcome in my brain where this dream isn’t fulfilled. You will always find that sacrificing any aspect of the dream is the death of the dream. If corners are cut on building your dream then your dream has not been fully realized. Why should I take no for an answer? If there is any part missing then the beauty is not there, the romance is absent and the dream becomes a mere mediocre thought. That is unsatisfactory. I will sacrifices my personal wants and needs and do what ever is necessary to accomplish this dream. 

For that, I am proud. For every ounce of passion within me I am going to make it. That is the dream. Let me take you with me. Where is the romance? Where is the imagination and potential I know is possible? Forgive me for feeling selfish, but I think this feeling is long overdue. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Make the cake, and if they don’t want you to have it, don’t share. 

Graydon

[tdsgraydonclark]

A Change is Gonna Come

It has been too long since my last blog post. This time I'm pleased to say it feels great to be this busy. I feel like a puppet master pulling the strings. Each one at the right moment, calculated and swift. I have been rearranging my schedule yet again. I believe that stagnation is the death of progress. We must always be changing and growing. I am currently looking to add a fourth job. I'm sitting at around 55 hour work weeks and looking to increase to 80 hours. I recently landed an awesome job teaching climbing at a parkour gym. I think this will be a great opportunity to share my passion for climbing in a foreign setting. I will be looking to start individual climbing lessons as well as coaching teams. Step by step growth is made. On the training side of things, I have been fighting through the pain in my abdomen. Scar tissue can be a real son of a bitch. I have my limitations with flexibility and I have been countering my conditioning with yoga and acro yoga. I have had some moments where I thought I was ripping muscle tissue apart and over time this pain went away. I'd just like to say if you are in recovery and struggling with hurdles just keep at it. Keep digging through the pain. As I continue my recovery and as I continue to build my business I can only listen to the encouragement from within. You can accomplish any goal you set. Break it down, practice and grow. Graydon

[tdsgraydonclark]

Every time I read this, I just imagine topping out on some ridiculous big wall climb in Antartica.

Dirt Under The Rug

Some days I wake up feeling worthless. I wake up having no room to be inspired or picked up. I fear I am not strong enough to deal with tasks at hand. Complacency, such indecency showing your face around here. Talk all you want to those crimps and slopers, no one will hear. For too many days have I longed for that rock. That cold, rough earth calls for my touch, with nothing more than complacent thoughts on my answering machine. I can’t, I’m too busy. I can’t find the time, I don’t have the money, I can’t stick that hold, I can’t answer the call because… blank. I don’t have a reason. It’s perfect outside. What happened to that dream I once believed in? Did I set it on a shelf for safe keeping? Did I just become aware of all the fear I was feeling? I look in the mirror and what do I see? Just a human, wanting to be me. I miss my own skin where my passion kept me warm. I’m tired of night sweats, waking up to snooze alarms, missed rest, will I ever pass my test? Did I set my bar too high? What’s with all the second thoughts? I never doubted myself or at least so I thought.

I’m not used to this type of thinking. I force myself to sit down and get to business. Too many thoughts, too many revisions and not enough space. They said don’t dream too big you don’t want to be disappointed. I’m trying to make my dreams bigger. If not, I missed the point, right? My perseverance will reward me in the end won’t it? Just more unanswered questions for an absent mind. What has me stuck here, where do I go? One foot after the other. I’ll just keep searching for the right answers. Nose to the grind I’ll make it there. I believe in myself more than anyone else ever did. These boring thoughts of “why can’t I make it?” are nothing more than a waste of time and frustration. They are filled delusion and hesitation, followed by a lack of dedication. Merely distraction and procrastionation. These thoughts do not deserve my time. I drive out the sound of negativity with more hard work. I will make it there! I will achieve my goals and live in a world full of dreamers. One more push up, one more pull up, one more second. I will not give in to my weak thoughts for I am determined. I am stronger than apathy, I am stronger than procrastination, I am stronger than temptations.

So give it you best shot Complacency. I will not give into your puny attempts to make me average. I will not hear you, for I am far too focused to listen to what you have to say. The goals are set. The dream has been envisioned and there is nothing you can do to stop me from making it my reality. No curve you have thrown has stopped me yet. Like a jetty to a wave I will break you. If I cannot break you I will break myself in attempt to break you. I have no room for uselessness in my life. I will shed off the excess and become more efficient. Time to make it or die trying.

[tdsgraydonclark]

Dirt Under The Rug

Some days I wake up feeling worthless. I wake up having no room to be inspired or picked up. I fear I am not strong enough to deal with tasks at hand. Complacency, such indecency showing your face around here. Talk all you want to those crimps and slopers, no one will hear. For too many days have I longed for that rock. That cold, rough earth calls for my touch, with nothing more than complacent thoughts on my answering machine. I can’t, I’m too busy. I can’t find the time, I don’t have the money, I can’t stick that hold, I can’t answer the call because… blank. I don’t have a reason. It’s perfect outside. What happened to that dream I once believed in? Did I set it on a shelf for safe keeping? Did I just become aware of all the fear I was feeling? I look in the mirror and what do I see? Just a human, wanting to be me. I miss my own skin where my passion kept me warm. I’m tired of night sweats, waking up to snooze alarms, missed rest, will I ever pass my test? Did I set my bar too high? What’s with all the second thoughts? I never doubted myself or at least so I thought.

I’m not used to this type of thinking. I force myself to sit down and get to business. Too many thoughts, too many revisions and not enough space. They said don’t dream too big you don’t want to be disappointed. I’m trying to make my dreams bigger. If not, I missed the point, right? My perseverance will reward me in the end won’t it? Just more unanswered questions for an absent mind. What has me stuck here, where do I go? One foot after the other. I’ll just keep searching for the right answers. Nose to the grind I’ll make it there. I believe in myself more than anyone else ever did. These boring thoughts of “why can’t I make it?” are nothing more than a waste of time and frustration. They are filled delusion and hesitation, followed by a lack of dedication. Merely distraction and procrastionation. These thoughts do not deserve my time. I drive out the sound of negativity with more hard work. I will make it there! I will achieve my goals and live in a world full of dreamers. One more push up, one more pull up, one more second. I will not give in to my weak thoughts for I am determined. I am stronger than apathy, I am stronger than procrastination, I am stronger than temptations.

So give it you best shot Complacency. I will not give into your puny attempts to make me average. I will not hear you, for I am far too focused to listen to what you have to say. The goals are set. The dream has been envisioned and there is nothing you can do to stop me from making it my reality. No curve you have thrown has stopped me yet. Like a jetty to a wave I will break you. If I cannot break you I will break myself in attempt to break you. I have no room for uselessness in my life. I will shed off the excess and become more efficient. Time to make it or die trying.

[tdsgraydonclark]

I want to get all up in that crack.

Tom Randall free-soloing Trench Warfare (5.12b OW), Little Cottonwood, Utah

[tdsgraydonclark]

Bout time!

Long Week, Great Week

Wow! What a long week. This week one of my jobs had a schedule change and now me day starts at 5:10 am. It’s been an interesting transition, however, I really enjoy the change. I feel energized, ready to tackle anything. I have been searching for a feeling like this for quite some time. I have been slowly increasing my training as I make my way back to the wall. Patience has been key in recovering. I have found that complacent behavior results in more injuries and at a higher frequency. It’s difficult to decide when exactly is the right time to go all out. My morning routine begins with a yoga warm up. Just a light session to get the blood flowing (save the across for later). I have been determined to focus every second of every pose, breathing deep through the pain. I am pleased to say that by doing so I have managed to break up some scar tissue from where my stomach ruptured. Isolation has also been a focus point while warming up. By pulling every muscle into place individually I am more aware of my posture in my poses. This posture over time we want to make permanent. This will drastically improve your climbing. The befits from being balanced when on the wall makes a world of difference. I feel freedom from my bodily limits. There is less strain on my muscles to hold uncomfortable positions, less ache in my joints. BODY IS HAPPY! I’ll save the rest for later. For now, sleep.

Happy climbing,

Graydon

[tdsgraydonclark]

Long Week, Great Week

Wow! What a long week. This week one of my jobs had a schedule change and now me day starts at 5:10 am. It's been an interesting transition, however, I really enjoy the change. I feel energized, ready to tackle anything. I have been searching for a feeling like this for quite some time. I have been slowly increasing my training as I make my way back to the wall. Patience has been key in recovering. I have found that complacent behavior results in more injuries and at a higher frequency. It's difficult to decide when exactly is the right time to go all out. My morning routine begins with a yoga warm up. Just a light session to get the blood flowing (save the across for later). I have been determined to focus every second of every pose, breathing deep through the pain. I am pleased to say that by doing so I have managed to break up some scar tissue from where my stomach ruptured. Isolation has also been a focus point while warming up. By pulling every muscle into place individually I am more aware of my posture in my poses. This posture over time we want to make permanent. This will drastically improve your climbing. The befits from being balanced when on the wall makes a world of difference. I feel freedom from my bodily limits. There is less strain on my muscles to hold uncomfortable positions, less ache in my joints. BODY IS HAPPY! I'll save the rest for later. For now, sleep. Happy climbing, Graydon

[tdsgraydonclark]

Rough Attempt

So the other night I went in to the gym to set some routtes, and felt a little out of my flow. My intention was to set something fun. The issue with the original intent was I didnt really have in mind who I was setting for. I've been off the wall for a little more than a month due to a serious a2 pully injury. Even though I have been training off the wall, it was rather difficult to set what I had in mind. So what do you do when you hit a creative "brick wall" and can't seem to throw anything worth while up on the wall? Stop what ever concept you had in mind. Jump back to the basics of climbing for a little while. Set a V2 or V3, shoot, set a couple of them. That's what I did the other night. I just scrapped it and got my head back into the basics. If you haven't been setting, or climbing and are finding yourself in between a rock and a hard place just slow your roll. You'd be surprised at how quickly your muscle memory will kick in. Refreshing those basic movements accompanied by proper posture will help remind you of what feels natural. It might even help with the frustration you're having looking for that hand foot match on the start hold. As much as we want to set crazy problems and have fun, we need to set problems that are also benificial for proper training purposes. Off to find some cool movements. Go climb something awesome friends. Graydon

[tdsgraydonclark]

Mondays

Man, sometimes Monday’s really get you down, really down. After getting home late from the weekend festival and heading to work the day just didn’t feel right without my routine. I like being up early to do some morning yoga followed by a workout and breakfast. Training is a large part of my day. Followed by as much office work I can tackle while working my other job. Things seemed pretty crammed the last couple weeks and not much of it yielded the results I had hoped. The recovery is coming along great and the morning yoga is helping break up that pesky scar tissue.

I have the urge to climb more than ever and I feel like my level of motivation is finally starting to catch up to my desire to climb again. No one ever tells you how much hard work it requires to make climbing your life and no one will tell you how hard it is to recover from an injury either. Let’s be frank it’s not easy, not one bit. Your body fails quicker and your arms and legs shake sooner and the ground seems to always drop out from beneath you.

What many people also neglect to tell are the end results of pain, diligence, dedication ,and repeated failure and what it brings. The reward is never immediate and sometimes it seems like it will never come. But I’m still motivated. I’m still here ready to take on the world. I’m excited to get back to setting this week, finally able to climb my own problems again. It doesn’t take much to knock you out of your groove. You just have to be willing to get back to the training, get over the negative mindset and get those fingers moving. Off to set something fun. Graydon