http://fiveten.com/ http://fiveten.com/images/stories/NewBox_black.png http://fiveten.com/ http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13637-fear-and-loathing http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13637-fear-and-loathing A couple of months back I was bouldering in Magic Wood, Switzerland. I jumped off a boulder and landed totally normally onto relatively flat mats. As I hit the ground I heard a little snap in my leg.. It was broken. 3 months off spent training, a month just climbing on rope and I am now back bouldering. Its been a hard journey and it's still not over.... ]]> Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:16:00 -0500 13637 2012-11-20 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_img-1606small-1353417373.JPG http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_img-1677-editsmall-1353417373.JPG http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13551-danny-macaskill-visits-the-sir-chris-hoy-velodrome http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13551-danny-macaskill-visits-the-sir-chris-hoy-velodrome Munich, October 17th 2012 – Two Scotsman: one a YouTube phenomenon and the other a six time Olympic Champion, met up to film a clip in support of Glasgow’s successful bid for the XX Commonwealth Games in 2014. Street trials and velodrome racing are worlds apart but with some tips from the most decorated Olympic cyclist, Sir Chris Hoy - Danny takes to the circuit for a couple of laps. Watch the highlight clip on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63o_cPZhk84 Even though we never get bored of it, we are all used to seeing Danny with his iconic orange colored... ]]> Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:14:27 -0400 13551 2012-10-17 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13551_danny-macaskill-sir-chris-hoy-tricks-1350491073.jpg http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13551_danny-macaskill-sir-chris-hoy-velodrome-1350491073.jpg http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13551_danny-macaskill-sir-chris-hoy-portrait-1350491073.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13216-scottish-summer-the-driest-wettest-midgiest-on-record-alan-cassidy http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13216-scottish-summer-the-driest-wettest-midgiest-on-record-alan-cassidy The weather and work-life balance has been rubbish of late but I still have managed to get out and grab a few personal firsts (and some lasts). The last time I blogged for the 5.10 Community website it was spring; and you know Scotland, the weather is nothing if it is not erratic, it was super hot.  The conditions were beyond what you would want for hard sending but it was fabulous to get the warmth after a long cold winter spent indoors working my socks off at TCA Glasgow. ]]> Sat, 30 Jun 2012 12:13:00 -0400 13216 2012-06-30 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_photo-1-1341058392.JPG http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_dalriada-1341058393.jpeg http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_rainbow-slab-elvis-1341058393.jpeg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13164-probably-the-best-tune-ever-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13164-probably-the-best-tune-ever-steve-mcclure And my hardest boulder problem too. Ironically it still needed a rope. Nice little vid here made by Ben Pritchard a while back. And yes, I missed a bit by mistake, thats what happens when you cut it yourself! ]]> Sun, 17 Jun 2012 13:38:00 -0400 13164 2012-06-17 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13164_mcclure-1-1340121058.png http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13164_mcclure-2-1340121059.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13121-pretty-close-to-action-directe-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13121-pretty-close-to-action-directe-steve-mcclure About 10 feet away, but thats about as close as I'll get! This route is 'Slimline' 8a+. It may be 10 feet away, but in terms of climbing its about 10 light years away from me ]]> Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:24:00 -0400 13121 2012-06-05 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13121_me-7c-6-1338996846.JPG http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13109-disaster-in-frankenjura-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13109-disaster-in-frankenjura-steve-mcclure There are two things that make The Frankenjura famous. Monos and cakes. These two things represent the extremes of my most feared and most loved things in the world. So I guessed a trip here would work out about even when combining the two, and I didn’t actually have to pull on monos as there is always an easier way round the back. ]]> Thu, 31 May 2012 11:46:00 -0400 13109 2012-05-31 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_12-5-cakedisplay-1338464796.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13034-this-is-peaty-episode-one-fueled-by-monster-energy http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/13034-this-is-peaty-episode-one-fueled-by-monster-energy Episode One takes you on an international whirlwind adventure. Starting at the legendary Ingle Gym, Sheffield, along with close friend and Heavyweight boxer David Howe, Steve hasn’t been slacking in the off-season, that’s for sure.Getting in quality Downhill runs in the UK is tough for someone like Steve, who’s nearest uplift is almost 2 hours away… So any excuse to head for San Romolo has to be a good one. Staying over at Argentina Bike with SPS rider James Swinden in tow, one Piaggio purchase later and a few amazing days in the sun, the season was off to... ]]> Fri, 04 May 2012 15:42:07 -0400 13034 2012-05-04 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_title-1336146664.png http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_1-1336146661.jpg http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_2-1336146661.JPG http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_3-1336146662.png http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_4-1336146662.png http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/13034_logo-spread-upsated-copy-1336146663.png http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12995-a-big-week-shauna-coxsey http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12995-a-big-week-shauna-coxsey Competing in world cups circuit isn’t easy. You get physically tired, mentally tired and you really need to ask a lot from the people around you. Sometimes that isn’t fair and relationships take two and I guess I didn’t have enough to give. I find it hard to know when to let my emotions affect my climbing sometimes I climb better, I push harder and pull stronger when I feel I need to get something out but then I also have my girly side when I want to eat ice cream, watch a cheesy movie and feel sorry for... ]]> Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:50:00 -0400 12995 2012-04-24 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_75270-10150751091925675-697535674-9491739-63572063-n-1335257406.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12989-chocolate-and-climbing-a-dangerous-combination-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12989-chocolate-and-climbing-a-dangerous-combination-steve-mcclure Chocolate and climbing. My two big passions. Perhaps best kept separate, but I couldn’t resist a chance of combing the two! Actually I always combine the two, with some kind of chocolate always in the bag of essential climbing kit, but when I got asked to come and climb a tower made of chocolate with a chocolate waterfall I wasn’t going to refuse! The latest attraction at Alton Towers was a climbing tower modelled on the famous Rocky Bar, if you know these you’ll know they are pretty nice! The wall has real chocolate in its paint,... ]]> Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:20:00 -0400 12989 2012-04-21 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_12-4-rocky-1335000058.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12806-lifetime-ambition-and-good-footwork-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12806-lifetime-ambition-and-good-footwork-steve-mcclure OK, so blog efforts have been poor for a while! But there are reasons for that, which I will go into later. But basically a combination of being too busy and too injured has meant that I have done nothing of interest for an eternity. But what exactly is interesting, and what is the point of writing a blog in the first place? ]]> Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:51:00 -0400 12806 2012-04-02 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_12-4-onearm-1333353090.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12749-one-for-the-mountain-bikers-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12749-one-for-the-mountain-bikers-steve-mcclure The summit of Snowdon last week. While most of the country sat in drizzle including Llanberis, the tops were out for a sun tan! Worth a run – up the railway path, then along the Snowdon Ranger Path, awesome descent, bit of a slog up with about 900m height gain but worth it. ]]> Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:21:00 -0400 12749 2012-03-18 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_12-3-snowdonbike-1332102069.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12383-costa-blanca-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12383-costa-blanca-steve-mcclure A perfect recipe needs all the right ingredients. Miss some out and what you get might still be good but not quite right. The perfect climbing trip needs a lot of ingredients to come together. Good climbing most important, but feels empty without good people, beautiful surroundings and a comfy place to crash. ]]> Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:02:00 -0500 12383 2011-12-01 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_1111sherpa_1322780540.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12331-stars-shining-at-kendal-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12331-stars-shining-at-kendal-steve-mcclure As a kid, in fact even as an adult, I looked up to the stars of the climbing world. Then slowly, as you meet them you realize they are actually normal people. It’s almost a surprise! Ben Moon is Human! But some stars remain up there, and even when you get to know them well, there is still just something about them that sets them apart. I can be having a totally normal conversation about something totally normal, but there is something else, a depth of history surrounding us like a mist. Unseen but felt. ... ]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:10:00 -0500 12331 2011-11-23 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_1122kendalfest_1322046622.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12225-banyangs-cave-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12225-banyangs-cave-steve-mcclure Petzl Rock Trip 2011. Getu valley. There must be more limestone here than the whole of the put together! But the really crazy thing is the variation in styles. There just seems to be everything plus more other styles you didn’t know existed. ]]> Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:23:00 -0400 12225 2011-10-29 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_1110chinaevans2_1319851403.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12206-off-the-scale-in-china-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12206-off-the-scale-in-china-steve-mcclure Holy s***. This place is insane! China. A country just over the edge of the radar. A little exploration here and there. But it is vast, and only just opening up. Are we in for a surprise as the view unfolds! People talk of our rock running out, but here in China we have not even begun. The Petzl rock trip is beginning at the area of Getu, a national park, only opened up maybe 10 years ago. Before that the only eyes that passed over the mind blowing scenery were that of the locals. But we... ]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:17:00 -0400 12206 2011-10-25 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_1110china1_1319548642.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12187-made-in-china-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12187-made-in-china-steve-mcclure The best time of the year is now. Everywhere! Not just for climbing but for everything (maybe not sunbathing). The sun is out every day and the air is cold and crisp. In true style I knackered a finger, so that explains my lack of posting recently. Lots of time to get out and cruise some easier stuff. But its getting better now, a bit annoying having also had a bad finger most of last year (different one), but at least I got good at 3 finger climbing! I was in good shape (for me) and ready for some... ]]> Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:46:00 -0400 12187 2011-10-20 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_1110froggatmist_1319100415.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12008-ifsc-international-dws-competition-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/12008-ifsc-international-dws-competition-steve-mcclure A world first! The first international DWS competition, listed on the IFSC calendar, and there was a strong bunch out to test the water! ]]> Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:10:00 -0400 12008 2011-08-29 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_118dwsfinal_1314605456.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11912-kjerag-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11912-kjerag-steve-mcclure The first time I set eyes on Kjerag I knew I wanted to climb it. Perhaps the world’s most famous BASE jumping cliff, this 1000m vertical wall rising straight out from the sea was just asking to be climbed. In most cases dreams like this remain dreams, with logistics, finances and life in general standing firmly in the way, but this time I had my hand held. The Norwegians are such a friendly bunch, and on-it with their organising. As soon as I said I was keen all I had to do was find a window. ]]> Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:27:00 -0400 11912 2011-07-27 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_117norway2_1311758823.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11721-the-quarry-man-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11721-the-quarry-man-steve-mcclure This route is the stuff of legends! And climbed by the legend Johnny Dawes. Blasted into fame in the film Stone Monkey with a Zappa sound track that elevated the route above every other in the quarries. Even the simple name blatantly indicates that this isn’t just another slab or wall. This is THE masterpiece, climbing out from the biggest hole via the biggest challenges. ]]> Mon, 30 May 2011 19:39:00 -0400 11721 2011-05-30 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_115q1_1306784342.jpg http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11647-malham-again-steve-mcclure http://fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/11647-malham-again-steve-mcclure Lucky for us this is such a good cliff, as we don’t have that many world class sport venues. This isn’t Spain. But we do have a few. This is the most important confirmation Adam Ondra has made, the fact that he’s returned for a second week means he must like it here, after all, he could go anywhere in the world for sure. ]]> Mon, 16 May 2011 20:45:00 -0400 11647 2011-05-16 http://fiveten.com/images/stories/jreviews/_115MalhamProject_1305578736.jpg