I paid my money, signed my waiver and lined up for my helmet fitting. As the instructor fastened me into my harness, I had a little panic: “Oh my God, what have I signed up for?!”
He strapped me in really tight. I could feel a camel toe situation occurring but I didn’t want to be seen fiddling around ‘down there’ to sort it out so I pushed it to the back of my mind and followed him down the steps to the bottom of the climbing wall.
As he triple knotted my rope and fastened my harness to his one so he could take the weight of my body if I slipped he said “go for it” and I started to climb.
Going up
I looked up at the high, 47ft wall then back down at the little grips sticking out that I was to use my make my ascent and I climbed. Some of the bits were too small to get a good hold onto and some were spaced far apart. Even though the instructor had my rope so I would be (hopefully) caught if I fell, the actual climb part was still up to me. No assistance on the hauling my ass up the wall part!
The session was only 25 minutes long so I banished all negative thoughts from my mind and decided to give it my all – it would be over soon. I got up the first wall and reached the top! I did slip down a few times where I lost my footing but on the third attempt I made it! The instructor lowered me down, as I walked my feet down the rock surface like Spiderman. Then I was hooked up to a mechanical powered harness and I scaled my second wall. This wall was a harder run.
I did manage to get to the top again – I’m not the fastest climber but I got there in the end. Then, from the top of the run I removed my hands from the grips and trusted that the harness would catch me as I fell back. I did have a little wobble of self preservation before I took my hands away but I put my faith in God and let go. I ascended the wall like a pro (well, I thought so anyway!) I loved bouncing my feet down the surface as I reached the bottom and then the instructor wanted me to go again.
By this time I’d had enough. I had shown myself that I could do it, I’d faced my fears and I’d pushed out of my comfort zone to try something new. That’s enough personal development for today I thought! So I tried to distract the instructor and use up more session time by asking a few questions. He answered but then told me to get up wall 3! It was the last run of the day so I did it. I got halfway up but my heart wasn’t in it by then, and I just wanted to get back to my car!
Why had I done this? Why rock climbing? It was something I’d never done before and I wanted to see what it was like, simple as that! Would I do it again, probably not. I didn’t like how my fingers and arms ached afterwards and how I felt like I was ruining my manicure to take part!
However I’m glad I did it as it’s like a tick off life’s list of ‘things’. I have been rock climbing! I am now a little curious however as to what abseiling is like? I enjoyed the gliding down the mountain part – just not the climbing up!
Have you ever expanded your comfort zone? What did you do? Let me know in the comments!
Oh wow go you – what a way to step out of your comfort zone! x
haha thanks!
My husband used to do this type of climbing. There are several centres round our way which have walls but I’ve never thought of trying it myself. Well done you!
You are blooming amazing, loving the honesty! I saw some people doing it out in the Peaks last weekend, looked terrifying!
Well I really was getting a camel toe… no denying it!! LOL x
Good for you! And well done for getting up that last wall too. Your body must have felt exhausted. You are very brave!
I have gone beyond my comfort zone a few times – i climbed the rock wall on a cruise ship once. It was not too high but very windy x
Ooh I know how scary that cruise ship wall must have been as all you see around you is the ocean. That could have a disorienting effect!
Well done you. I used to rock climb when I was lighter and younger! i THINK IT DOES US ALL GOOD TO FEEL THE FEAR SOIMETIMES
Well done you!
I rarely do things outside of my comfort zone but I really should x x
Thank you – I think that our worlds can feel small if we let them so we have to keep expanding what we try.
I tried this but with the arthritis in my foot it was really painful and the arthritis in my hand mean’t I couldn’t grip! My son goes bouldering though (no safety wires) – he is mad
No! Bouldering?! That sounds waaaay to scary for me!!
Well done you 🙂 Hubbie has done something similar and got right to the top, but I just watched and took pictures lol x
I am glad I did it but not in a hurry to do it again! 🙂
Well done on going out your comfort zone ! They had a climbing wall at school as its healthy living week
I would love to do this Nadine! Not sure is I am brave enough!
Go for it Mirka! You’d be up that wall in no time!
Ahhhh you did brilliantly! I am all for doing stuff that scares me these days. I’m totally going to copy you and book in a climbing session somewhere. PS so lovely to see you at the weekend xx
Lovely to see you too Emily! Good luck with your climbing – it was nerve wracking but I am glad I did it, just to have done it! Well done on your #BiBs2016 award! x