weak and fat (and happy about it)

"In the sport of rock climbing, 5.12 is a magical grade. Looked upon as the "door" to the elite levels of difficulty, 5.12 is thought by many intermediate climbers to be out of their reach..."

The above was lifted from here as it encapsulates how I've always felt about climbing 5.12 grades. Often tantalizingly close, but always out of reach, even with more than ten years of climbing under my belt. Admittedly many of those years contained only sporadic climbing as I tried desperately to entice potential climbing partners to join in the fun, but still. 5.12 was a gateway, and the doors remained closed.

About two weeks ago Andrew belayed me on Dog Town, a 5.12a in Rockwood, which was my first outdoor 5.12 redpoint. Some terminology clarification may be in order. In climbing parlance, one successfully completes a climb only when it has been completed without ever falling or sitting during the ascent, and this is generically known as "sending" a route. If this is done without having ever seen the route on a first attempt it's referred to as an "on-sight". Seen someone else climb it or got some tips (aka "beta") but still bagged it your first time? That's a "flash". If you've worked it a few times before managing to "send", it's a "redpoint". I'd worked some 5.12 routes before, but this was my first outdoor send.

But then the doubt started to creep in. Some folks at the crag referred to the "interesting" way we had climbed the route, and noted that it wasn't the way they "had intended it to be climbed to make the grade." I interpreted this to be fancy talk for "you cheated and didn't really climb a 5.12". Andrew assured me that it was a 5.12a regardless, but still, the seed was planted, and had plenty of fertile ground what with all the self-doubt I have floating around anyway.

No more.

Today I redpointed Weak and Fat (Will Work for Asparagus), rated 5.12a/b, and Fear and Loathing, rated 5.12a. Even I now have no way now to wiggle out of it and convince myself that maybe I don't really deserve to be trying to climb 5.12.

Today I am a man.

Many thanks to Andrew, Patrick, Chris and Gillian for being there to witness...