This is me.

Well, it was me, on my road to recovery, hobbling earnestly to and fro. A few months later, I'm a functioning man again! I can walk, stroll, and even saunter, but the running is still a chore, and the climbing is still difficult.

I've been revisiting all the easiest problems at Threshold, and working my way back up from the very basics. Even the easiest problems yield roadblocks for me in the form of inaccessible right-side maneuvers, forcing my left side to become a lot more formidable, but not enough to make up for the persisting imbalance. Mantling (getting up onto a ledge) is terrifying too, and an almost paralyzing vertigo hits me if I even dare to glance down, which makes the climb back down difficult.

So here I am, starting 2010 back at the beginning - doing V0s and v1s (if i'm well-rested) again, and feeling weak and silly. But no more! Time to climb, big-time. And to get good I've got to get focused:

• Eat better, and smarter. The lighter you are, the easier you are to lift, right?
• Cardio! Just because it hurts to run does not mean there aren't other ways I can be doing my cardio - bike, row, jump on the elliptical, for chrissake, just do it.
• Practice, practice, practice. I should be climbing right now. Or at least doing pull-ups.
• Show and tell. Share it all with you, internet. So you and me can get through this thing together.

So as of January 1st, 2010:
Andrew Mena
Height:5'10"
Weight: 252lbs
Climbing: VB, V0, V1

Alright Internet, here's to a progressive new year.

Yours,
a