Power Chicks

Question: How do you improve your wall-climbing techniques from "somewhat novice" to "almost flawless" in one night?

Answer: Let the country's top-ranked female wall climber belay you on your climbs.

I went wall-climbing again last night at Power-up Pasig with Chie and Mad. They were just warming up with a couple of girls when I arrived there with Jourdy.

Introductions were made. "Stip, si Lissa. Tapos siya si Patty. Dating rank number 1/2 sila sa national climbing team."

Okay, pareho silang hotstuff! Wow! They've got great bodies! And, the two were really friendly. Aba... wala pang 10 minutes kaming magkakilala eh nakikipagbiruan na sa 'kin.

Anyway, when it was my turn to climb, Chie was supposed to belay me kaso Mad dared him to do a lead climb at wall # 7. Chie was hoping to escape from the dare by being my belayer, kaso Lissa volunteered that she'll belay me.

"Yikes! Nakaka-pressure... top female climber is going to belay me. Pretty pa nya. Nakaka-dyahe if I fumble or make an error while climbing," I said to myself.

So, with a 'bahala-na-si-batman' attitude, I proceeded to scale wall #3 for my first climb of the night with Lissa belaying me. I grabbed a hold, put one foot up, took the next hold and boosted myself. I did some twists, change-foot, lay-backs and a rack-over move.

When I finished the wall, Lissa belayed me down so smoothly. Ako sometimes I can't help being jerky when belaying someone else down; I really haven't mastered that skill completely. When my feet were on solid ground again, she gave me a high five. "Nice climb, Stip. Flawless ah. Cool na cool ka sa pag-akyat."

And that made my night, for I received a compliment from Lissa Lesaca, the country's top female wall climber. And she's a really charming person.

My succeeding climbs on wall 4, 5 and 4 (red slash route) were equally flawless, and that is something I haven't accomplished before.

Hehehehe... later in the night over dinner pareho kami ni Chie na nagkasabihan na type namin si Lissa. Unfortunately, both of us don't have the guts (yet). Ahahahahaha.

Bahala na si batman.