We're joined by London_Twenty's Ed Gove. He gave Ellie Clifford the low down on his first experience of climbing.
Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. Never have truer words been spoken. Peering down, through trembling arms and shaking, achy legs at the padded floor that seemed storeys below, I reflected: this must be how Eminem feels. A heavy beat thrummed in my ears as I hauled my limp, trembling torso over the crest of the wall, before turning, like a champion fighter, to survey the journey I had just made.
I had just made my first visit to Mile End Climbing Wall. And it was great.
I’m not an athlete. I once went on a walking holiday and returned frustrated at the amount of walking. But an afternoon at the climbing wall was fun. It flew by. We spent 90 minutes throwing ourselves at wall, swinging feebly from promontories like a lacklustre Tarzan, and gazing awestruck at people who were way better than we were. Which was most people. But that didn’t matter because I was having fun and everyone was really friendly. The rest of the climbers would happily help out if I didn’t know what to do, or was stuck, or couldn’t see where to put my foot, or hand, or whatever. And they were fantastically patient as I did whatever the equivalent of a limp is when you’re making your way directly up a wall.
So should you do it?
Well, yuh. It was brilliant fun, and when I got home I ached in a deeply wholesome way. Don’t misunderstand me, I dislike being in pain. The worst bit about exercise is how it makes you feel horrible for days after. I don’t understand how people can forgive that. But I did not feel like that after climbing. That evening as I sat on my sofa enjoying a restorative bowl of ice cream and a medically prescribed glass of whiskey, I felt a warm, comforting ache in my legs, arms and shoulders – definitely present but not in any way enough to interfere with my enjoyment of my nourishing and balanced dinner.
The next day, aside from a tingle in my tendons, there was no hangover from my uncharacteristic bout of ill-advised exercise. Well - no hangover apart from that deserved after my celebratory post-climb whiskies. Also I kept dropping pens. Not sure why. Could be a coincidence, could be the climbing, could be the whiskey, but I figured I should let you know.
Strong recommend. Would do again
Ed Gove is from London_Twenty. London_Twenty is for anyone who wants to live the London life... without the London price tag. Short of cash, short of time, short of patience for trawling the internet and finding those golden deals. We've got you. From food, fashion, parties and events, everything we do is a steal, a bargain, a treat, and just super Instagrammable.
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