Ive also used this same thought process to deal with normal life anxieties. Our time was just 5hrs 35mins to this point and we knew we had the potential to break the record by a fair margin. The quick answer is its gone great and Ive ticked more hard boulders than ever before in my life, but the longer answer is slightly more interesting in my opinion.. Oh my God. includes discounted products from Rockfax. Ive been doing a combination of complimentary rings and fingerboard work that was designed to work on the issues I had in both the shoulders and forearms. Episode Details Episode 054: Tom Randall, A Life of Percentages Tom Randall used his student loan to trade the stock market and pay his way through university, before moving to London and dividing his time between a brake-neck-paced stockbroking career and more than a dozen climbing trips to Yosemite. Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker, better known as the Wide Boyz, are one of Britain's most prolific climbing partnerships. Its long horizontal span to a back-hander mono, followed by a 270 degree spin through and hard move to a thin hands jam (which is immediately followed by a really gnarly ring-lock move). April 10th, 2018 Interviews Greenspit, 8b+ Tom has been interviewing the rest of the Lattice team recently so I thought I'd turn the tables and get him to answer a few questions! Tom Randall - Obsession | The Commitment Series - Ep.2 | Rab Climber 24th January, 2019 T om Randall and Pete Whittaker, better known as the Wide Boyz, are one of Britain's most prolific climbing partnerships. I'd already done things like the Stanage Traverse so was pretty into challenges. Theres just as many tricks on most boulder problems as the routes out there, but in general I think boulderers are much worse at spending the time to work this out, or persevering with making an alternative work. Tom Randall is one of the infamous Wide Boyz offwidth climbers from Sheffield, England. If you work as a team you need to think like a team! Tom Randall (rock climber) - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki Concern rising, I improvised with a new position and shook my head in disbelief that this would happen now. I've put up new routes outside, both in the UK and abroad up to E6. Work on your pinkie jamming? In annoyance I knocked it out of its position and watched it slide down the rope. Tom Randall Breaks Lakes Classic Rock Challenge Record Locking the mono by my waist I screeched as deep a lock as I could to grasp a hidden crimp and rushed into the holds above. As I tried to recover on the last shakeout holds, Rich Heap who was above me filming, heard a lot of complaining and my belayer was subjected to me telling him how it was probably game over and Id never recover. If I had subsequent doubts, how would I rest my mind?! Bring on the winter training. Wed started the challenge in pouring rain and finished it 9hrs and 56mins later surrounded by clouds of midges. Talking to other good climbers over the years, Ive rarely heard anyone bring it up in conversation, but I haveheard many non-pro climbers raise the point. Im going to slightly contradict myself here or at least on the surface appear to contradict myself. Movies. Tom Randall makes the second ascent of "Appointment with Death" E9 6C, a Sam Whittaker's masterpiece that remained unrepeated for 10 years. We both put two years of proper dedication into it. He is one half of the Wide Boyz climbing duo, alongside fellow britsh rock climber, Pete Whittaker. Self: Wide Boyz. As I watched Pete set off in wet shoes and no quickdraws (they were too heavy) I felt apprehensive. Pete still being uncool, even though hes on the Lattice Board. I shook my head in disbelief and offered him a few weights to add to his bodyweight this would show him whos boss. I started instagramming, actually following links on Facebook and thinking that articles on Buzzfeed were worth reading. Unfortunately it didnt quite end in the place that either me or my climbing partner were expecting. I can show you 30 places on Ramshaw that you can die! I was fascinated that my perceptions of how strong a climber could be had been broken in an instant. As Ive always done though, I broke it down, learned how to pull harder on monos and introduced my forearm to the idea that it wanted to stay in one piece. Push the running even further and risk giving up another margin. Please help UKClimbing continue to provide varied and free content by becoming a UKC Supporter, or UKC Supporter Plus which Most people who know me really well, are very aware that Im a climber who likes to trick their way up routes and who tries to make up for a total lack of basic power by having oodles of endurance. Im failing. The Sheffield based pair are well suited. With master-mixer Gary Gibsons help, he showed me how to reinforce the hold and make sure that itd be the same for someone in 1 years time and also in 10 years time. 8 8 Feb News Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker Break Peak Classic Rock Round by Bike Record Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall - AKA the WideBoyz - have made the second known timed round of the Peak District's Classic Rock routes by bike. My recollection is the first thing we ever did together, was to try and get that record for the most number of routes soloed in a day. I suppose thats the nature of power endurance climbing, but its a factor that Ive been very aware of in the recent years. Wed recently broken the record for the most number of routes climbed in a day (550 soloed) and for some reason we wanted more ways in which to destroy ourselves on a day out. 1. As I dropped off the finishing jugs and onto a pile of mats, I felt utterly beasted. There were perfect multipitch splitters, long corner systems and some very tasty looking slabs as well. More stuff Im rubbish at! Youd never really know the beast that lay beneath until you happened to ask him to show you his deadhanging. Unbelievable! "Over the years Ive been injured far more times that Id like to admit to myself. As with many at limit performances, the last bit drifted by in a bit of a daze and I dug deeper than I have in some time. As the sequence climbed on monos it sort of seemed predictable so I set off on the route with some confidence that I had a little margin to play with should anything go a awry. I still hate the same places (supermarkets) but I have a quality process. Memorable Climbing Achievement(s): Making the first ascnt of Century Crack. Although actually we do take ourselves seriously, we don't, if you see what I mean. But also reassuring. Prinzip Hoffnungor Principle of Hope in Englishis a 40m-long slab line that starts out with a very thin crack. Nope. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I think it was a challenge. Man, even writing those words, sounds like I totally wimped out. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Climbing History | Tom Randall Sign up for your own Wild Country newsletter and get articles updates about products. Ive only got 3 more days before I go home to the UK and Ive got to send. So what do I do when Im a coach myself? I remember saying to myself that I just needed to put one foot in front of the other and tomorrow would be a different day, no matter how awful I felt on that day. The climbing is really quite hard, the conditions on the line are incredibly fickle and the moves are so complicated that each time I would come down, Id waste at least half a day remembering how to move my body. We are about 1 month into it now and adaptations are starting to show though. As you will hear in the Podcast below, theyspent two years training in the dungeon (as Tom likes to call it), perfecting their off width technique onwooden cracks that were hung from the ceiling in Tom's basement. We carefully analysed Andi T and Pete Bs speed strategy and realised a day of our own preparation was necessary. When I converted to being a boulderer, I no longer had to go to bed every day totally toasted and most evenings I didnt even have to fit a last block of training in. (c) Talo Martin. Tom Randall, professional climber, Wideboy and obsessive business tinkerer "Climbers make great dads because they've already spent many years putting a nappy on. And when I mean all in, I mean with every single bit of effort I could muster, all willingness to make the biggest sacrifices and also to put up with a lot of shit if I really needed to. Unfortunately for these guys, they didnt know my cunning trick. Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, 550 grit routes in a day Jill Whittaker What was the first route you climbed together? Tom Randall: Training TipsMental Games with Hazel Findlay Maybe I should think about something different? We're both serious and determined about what we are doing, but it is always quite light-hearted on the outside. I was working as a route setter, and he was a customer of the wall. They then went from wide to thin with ascents of Squamish's Cobra Crack in 2013. Tom Randall: Wide Boy, Small Ego, Big Heart by Luke Mehall - The Climbing Zine Tom Randall: Wide Boy, Small Ego, Big Heart by Luke Mehall Like most desert rats, I first heard of Tom Randall during his and Pete Whittaker's infamous off-width tour of the United States in 2011. As Eastern Grit boys, we knew our regional pride was at stake and sacrifices would have to be made in order to rise to the challenge. "When I first tried this move I was convinced that my forearm or finger would explode with a loud bang". By now Id used up my power juice, endurance reserves and any resemblance of being mentally cool. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. After this outrageous start, the Wide Boyz continued in a similar vein. As Pete is off training most of this summer for his Yosemite trip, I found myself getting motivated again for some Devon action. Lastly, do I like it? As Id launched into the crux at the halfway mark with Andy (A.K.A. When I first hit the parks, roads, hills and mountains in earnest in January I was a bit of a punter. Perhaps a little greener, but at least it stopped raining for two of the routes. I wouldn't change too much. Having spent so much time being a route climber and watching from the other side as boulderers went about their every day life I have to confess I was a bit clueless as to how different things would feel. We were both working Silent Scream at Burbage South. Back in 2009, Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker made it their mission to climb the world's hardest . So the challenge in a nutshell its around 88 miles of off-road, trail mountain running (I guess including 30,000+ft of ascent and descent) and 15 multi-pitch routes all soloed was to do all of this in a single effort enchainment in around the 24hr mark. Maybe 0.001% can break that rule, but I try and play by the bigger numbers! Each workout is climbing-centric with focus on endurance, power endurance, strength & power, and conditioning & mobility. What are your plans for the future? If you have an idea or lead to a story, please send it our way. As (mostly) theyll tell you its going to be alright and you will tick The Sheep one day. Reeve) below me shouting words of encouragement I knew pushing the boat out a bit was acceptable as its riddled with RPs and small wires that look amazing. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Recovery Drink didnt happen. The pebble pulling climbing and the name had put people off from trying it. Published on June 20, 2020. It's much harder than any of the things. YOUR ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE FOR XTREME SPORTS, OCTOBER 2011, British climbers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker climbed what many are hailing as the hardest offwidth in the world "Century Crack" 5.14b/8c.Located in Utahs Canyonlands, Century Crack thwarft numerousattempts,including thefree-climbing prodigy. TV Shows. I just dont think its possible given the physical and mental energy and focus thats required. 1980 BIRTH DATE 20 YEAR CLIMBING ENGLISH NATIONALITY THE GRITSTONE LOCAL CLIMBING SPOT DISCOVER THE ATHLETE < BACK TO ATHLETES TOM RANDALL "Climbing Destination?UTAH!" -Tom Randall BIO Tom is a keen trad climber and has established many first ascents all over the world, mostly involving some kind of crack climbing. In one final nauseating effort, I jammed every part of my body (learning a chin-jam in the process) and crawled over the top of Ramshaw. Were not that good in wide positions, mega burly big moves and our core is a looooong way off what it was a few years back. My speed was bit below par and quickly I became surprised at how pumped my undercutting (and supporting) arm was. Quick Info One half of WideBoyz. Before I started climbing with Pete I didn't know how to access that last 1, 2, 3 per cent. by Eryn Murphy. Tom had already tried this challenge, but couldn't find anyone else to do it with, and he couldn't do it by himself, so he asked me to do. print publications. This detailed and comprehensive guide teaches step-by-step techniques and tips, including for: Crack Climbing Company Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Ping.! We both have a similar approach to our climbing. payment or a more substantial payment paid monthly or yearly which includes full access to Rockfax Digital and discounts on After a few sessions of working the route with a visiting Japanese wad and Pete Whittaker I refined the beta and we got the bottom section down to around a very highball Font 7B+ protected by some skyhooks and microwires. We were very similar strength levels, but he was getting up things that were quite a bit harder. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Both share a penchant for cracks, training, and adventures. As I spun through and eye-balled the ring-lock move my body sagged a little and realised Id blow it. No more exhaustive days and more of that stop when you feel strong attitude. Did you know Pete by reputation before meeting him? If you appreciate UKClimbing then please help us by becoming a UKC Supporter. I led the second pitch and it is the only time I have shed tears through fear. I love the challenge of the unknown in climbing and I think for me, that trad climbing satisfies this desire. Ive always been the type of athlete who can go all day and training endurance is easy, so the last season of consistent loss of strength was alarming. TripleBlack.com ~ #1 Source for eXtreme Sports What's the least enjoyable route you've done with Pete? Crap! It's quite nice trying at 95% or 90%, but giving it 100% is pretty unpleasant. Its just a matter of motivation! . We were doing a new route in the Orco Valley. Tom Randall establishes the First Ascent of "Pura Pura " 5.14C/8C+ in Italy's Valle dell'Orco. Lattice Training . Loads of my clients ask about this mixture of two sports (normally climbing + running or climbing + MTB) and I stand by answer that if you want to push through your current limits you must pull back on one whilst you're doing that. What's the most memorable route you've climbed together? Tom Randall is a professional rock climber from the United Kingdom. The first hour actually went pretty well, with routes like Rhoden, The Mincer, Matinee and The Bulger quickly passing. We got psyched and drove down south to get stuck in. I just didnt seem to sit as it normally did. The Mountain People Podcast, January 2022, The Struggle Climbing Show, February 2023, The Struggle Climbing Show, May 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtKLXSGjop4, https://tomrandallclimbing.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/dina-crac-e9-7a-welsh-limestone-trad/, https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/08/new_e9_7a_roof_crack_for_tom_randall_-_dina_crac-69120, https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/04/roof_crack_repeat_by_randall_and_whittaker_-_necronomicon_513d14a-71912. We met at the Edge Climbing Centre in Sheffield. Crack Climbing: The Definitive Guide (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Photo: Pete Kneen, Im quite excited to see where all this takes me. Tom Randall Climbing | Don't expect anything normal tom-randall | Wild Country International As I lunged for the mono above and caught it I was surprised by the way in which it bit in reassuringly and quickly moved my feet up. Why do climbers make the best dads? - British Mountaineering Council All I know is that Im putting my skyhooks away for a couple of weeks. With local man Gavin Atkins occasionally acting as a soundboard, I spent the next hour or so making a bit of a hash of the warm up, the lame excuses and the project as a whole. Id managed to climb more than one V11 in the previous month but that V5 still felt harder (see video at bottom). Thirty two routes in all and most of them graded HVS. The one thing that held me back was that a pocket on the bottom wall kept crumbling away and it was the sole pausing point to place some ok gear. I don't get jealous. Thinking about doing the full spin on a single bad foothold seemed very unlikely! At the time hed thought it was a step up from Cobra Crack and seeing me and Pete hadnt long returned from doing that route, it seemed like a cool idea to go and try it. I think thats why lots of professional climbers get caught in this trap of stating that one minute its about the experience and then its whoohthis is my hardest and best ever! Overall they get something special out of the rock each time, but the impression to those watching (or reading) can be very different. (c) Talo Martin. What was the first route you climbed together? Youre probably thinking wed just get lost immediately, but that problem was solved by a couple of local guys coming with us as escorts our reputations must have preceded us! Have I turned my life around and have I stopped falling off pretty much everything above V8 thats not a crack? Pete's mum is a force of nature, definitely a high energy individual. Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker climb their biggest roof crack below UK A couple of attempts later Louis was getting some good links on the main hard section and Ben was up on the fixed ropes complaining about losing feeling to his legs. What have you learned from climbing with Pete? Tom says, I always thought that coaching was a challenging task, but supporting a whole team of growing coaches is a whole different kettle of fish. Essentially, taking in all of the hardest climbing and going direct on the centre of the face no deviations off left or right and no easy climbing. Once Id sorted out what I was doing with the friend placements (and a key nut to make things a bit faster) I had a good go without messing up. For the next 30ft of the route I dug into a mental reserve that I normally save for the Crack Cellar under my house where you deal with the unpleasant and switch off and do the business. Joe Brown and Don Whillians routes on Gritstone, REVIEW: Edelrid Salathe Lite - the best helmet is the one you'll want to wear, ARTICLE: Things I Learned While Climbing (and previously failing on) The Nose of El Capitan, ARTICLE: 12 Ways to Save Cash on Outdoor Gear, GEAR NEWS: Guided Trip to Mingulay - Saturday 7 to Friday 13 May 2022, REVIEW: Edelrid Swift Protect Pro Dry Triple-Rated Rope. Im a great believer in coaches who combine experience and knowledge theres no faking years of industry experience and also you cant just buy your way into thousands of hours sat reading scientific papers and text books. The route consists of linking the bouldering traverse "The Greenshadow " to "Greenspit" with the crux of the climb at the end. For me V13 seems to fit the bill, but time will tell. That's so boring because everyone knows about it. 2. and then also go from almost zero to pretty full on in just half a year or so? In 2016 they returned to Utah, making the first ascent of the 100m long Millennium Arch. The crag had become enveloped in a cloud of clag and it started to lightly rain. You Whip, You Slip, You Blow The Move What Motivates You To Try Again:Its just a problem to solve What Do You Do When You're Not Climbing:A bit of work, bit of reading and spending time with my family. No endurance factor, less cheater-beta and with plenty of power needed. The sandstone faces and roofs of Utah must offer some of the most exciting and daunting crack projects in the world. He was a different sort of climber compared to other people. I'd abseiled down it, and said to Pete it looked a bit loose, a bit Gogarth, a bit chossy, but it'd probably be about E5. He is a world class crack climber and some of his notable achievements in this discipline include the first ascent of the world's hardest off-width climb, the Century Crack (5.14b). If The route is the hardest traditional route on limestone in the iconic Peak District for many years, despite it being one of the busiest climbing areas in the world. No matter how much I told myself that I should just try harder, or have less sleep or make more sacrifices, I couldnt get my climbing to stay at the top. Menu. This challenge was getting competitive! Im not sure the moves were that hard, but I was drained and my body was complaining. Last weekend, was around my 10th day on the project and also marks around 10 years of crack obsession. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Im thinking of Alex Honnold, Chris Sharma and Ueli Steckpeople who inspire us because in climbing they have found their own personal style and expression., "Trying to push the standards in crack climbing has been a long journey and finally this year I feel like I've made some break throughs. For example, they've climbed it in fat suits, dressed as minions and even as a multipitch. Tom Randall Archives - Climbing So I'll touch on this topic a bit at the beginning Of course - no problem. We just got along very easily and had a laugh straight away. At the end of last year (2018) I decided to pursue a long burning desire to go after a big rock climbing and ultrarunning/long distance challenge.