Courts77

Indoor Rock Climbing   Saturday, July 18 2009

I find it’s always fun to push myself into new adventures so I took the fam down to the local indoor rock climbing gym to have some fun.  Rock climbing is one of those sports that looks fabulous, especially in inspirational photos on the wall.  I can only dream about it, hoping maybe one day to be strong and confident enough to scale a wall somewhere in some far-away forest (like the woman in the photo).  Today “The Rock” Adventure Centre in Geelong will have to do.

I love how the women who regularly rock climb have fantastic arms and legs and only add to the amazing landscape in those photos.  As a photographer I’m always admiring rock climbing images and the athletes that feature in them.  Maybe one day….

So, it’s been about 7 years since the last time I rock climbed and today was the day to get back out there.  As I listened to the instructor tell me how to put on the harness and tie up the ropes it all started to come back to me.  Once you do it a few times (tie the knots) it quickly becomes second nature.

I didn’t think I was nervous or scared of heights any more (seeing as in Dec. 2007, I jumped off a 109 meter cliff at the Canyon Swing in NZ), but once I reached up to grab the first hand-hold I was a little afraid of falling.  I got over it quickly and started scaling the wall.

All the sudden I was focused and ¾ up the wall.  As it became slightly more difficult and I had to use a bit more strength and skill I felt fear creeping in.  Ahhh…there she was, wondered if I would see her today.

I might sound like a big baby, but I think this is why we push ourselves into adventures…to feel something we don’t get everyday…to feel a little fear, test ourselves and work to overcome it.  

It’s like the moment you’re on top of that black diamond run looking down the mountain, facing that overhead wave or about to launch your body off the world’s biggest Canyon Swing.  It’s you and yourself you have to answer to and it’s you who is going to get you out of it or let fear take over and freeze you.

So, yeah OK this time it was a 15 meter wall, but I found myself using the same technique I did when I was about to jump the canyon swing or point my snowboard downhill.  I took a deep breath, talked to myself and said, “you can do anything you put your mind to…you can climb this wall!”

And, with that I reached for the next hand-hold and the next and made my way up to the very top.  It might have only been a small feat today, but it’s all training for the next big one…isn’t it!

I’m looking forward to going back for more!