Going to the Red River Gorge in late October has become somewhat of an annual tradition for me. This year was no different, but unfortunately, the quality of my climbing was not significantly better.
The Red River Gorge, near the bustling metropolis of Slade, Kentucky, is home to arguably the best rock climbing east of the Mississippi River. The area is also quite beautiful as the fall colors come in:
The quality of my climbing was about the same as my last trip, however. I disappointed that my level of climbing had not significantly improved because I have been training constantly since last year, and have improved significantly. The lack of improvement was because I had neglected a vital portion of my training regime: endurance. We practice mostly at the Wayne State University Mort Harris Recreation and Fitness Center wall. This indoor wall is about 30 feet tall. Most of the climbs in the red are 50-90 feet tall. Twenty feet does not sound much until you have to crank up it after getting through the crux move at 15 feet. My friends and I continuously found ourselves running out of gas halfway up a difficult climb. Until next time, I am going to have to do repetitions once a week to prepare.
Phillip Toutant - Summary Disposition 