Competition weekend

Back in the Netherlands.

With a really busy schedule.

From Bergschenhoek to Muiden to pick up my parents. They cycled over 2700km for their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela! See here their report.

Then I went to Bussum (work, teaching a First Aid course) then on to Ommen (being First Aid volunteer on Dennis school camp) where I spent a night and morning in a hospital with a girl and then I drove on to Rockanje to work and then to Eindhoven for the last of the 3 boulder competitions in Monk bouldergym.

I sometimes have trouble with my mind...playing tricks on me... Then I can get nervous and very insecure about all I do: climbing, communication, how I look...about everything basically. I had that with teaching the First Aid course last week and now again with the comp. Then I can simply forget how to climb and I loose all my strength, or when teaching I forget all basic things I have to tell the students. Now when I write about it I'm pretty 'light' about it, but on such a moment I just feel so uncomfortable.

I decided not to climb the finals, as I felt so insecure. So I was 9th after the 8 finalists. I would have been 6th or 7th or some I guess.

The next day, yesterday, was the first Dutch speed competition in 'Arendse Health Club', Breda. A test for the upcoming Speed worldcup which will be in the Netherlands in a couple years. In Breda we gathered with a group of just 14 climbers. A small group, mainly Dutch team members who were all 'forced' to climb. The rest of the Dutch climbers stayed at home. (Why?)

For me speedsclimbing is not the 'real' climbing, the thing I live for, live of. But it's something fun, try to improve your speed, technique and set a better time.

It was an official 10m. wall with the IFSC speed holds as seen on the worldcup, placed in exactly the same way as on the worldcup wall.

Thanks to Dennis' drill and some screws the comp could go on. The end hold, a plate where you tap on to stop the time, got loose every time resulting in false times and failing time records. Luckily I had that drill with because the car, Dennis van, didn't start that morning and I used it to fix some things. I was just in time for the comp...

I'm naturally a really, really slow climber. Doing all moves static. Where all climbers dyno I take a heelhook, rock over and on tension and balance reach for the hold. So speedclimbing is not really my discipline I guess.

But with just Vera Zijlstra of the Dutch national team as serious competitor and three local girls I landed on a second place. I was slow, made a mistake in the top in my second run but actually expected to be worse then I was. So, not bad. With medal and a bottle of white wine I went home.

Now off to Fliegerhorst, Venlo for some drytool fun and work tomorrow.

For all the Dutch: interested in a First Aid course, height safety course or a specialised mountain safety and first aid course or any first aid products? Together with Ascent safety I give courses and sell all kinds of first aid products. Ever heard of Snogg, Sam Splint, or do you just need a new emergency blanket, check this website or mail me for more information :) der.steen[@]gmail.com

Pictures:

• my mum and dad on Schiphol, back from their big, big cycling tour
• the 'condom' climbing wall (the pole I work on...)
• Vera and Tim training for the speedclimbing competition