I wouldn't normally go shouting about my own personal climbing - but in this case it feels like quite a big deal.

I've been at a steady level in terms of my rock climbing for many years: happy if I can on sight F7a and UK trad E5 6b essentially. I've often thought that I couldn't learn much more in terms of rock climbing, having been at it for 30 years, but thankfully I've been proved wrong this year. Approaching climbing with a trad head on has always limited what I've been able to do in terms of sheer technical difficulty, but gradually over the years of living in France, I've taken on board the idea of working routes a bit more. In the UK, I've never been on a route more than twice, but realised here that the way people push their grades is by lots of hard work, getting the moves wired so that, like a gymnast on a floor exercise, it's only a perfect 10 that gets you to the belay chain.

I had been on Reve de Singe, an 8a at Gietroz, for the first time on a top rope in the middle of July with Cavey, Jude and Matt. Cavey had cracked it a few days later leaving me feeling quite envious, but the whole project had to go on hold from then until the end of the alpine summer season.

I had another go on a top rope and dialled quite a few of the moves in September, but it still felt a long way off until, bizarrely, I tried bolt to bolting it on the lead in early October. Suddenly the extra motivation of being on the sharp end produced the necessary oomph to throw the dyno's through the key section. It started to feel like less of a fantasy and more like it might possibly happen.

I was down in the Gorges du Tarn with a big team of "guides en vacances" a couple of weeks ago, and having onsighted 7b down there, I worked a 7c+ and got it in half a day on the 2nd redpoint attempt.I had alot of help from the only non-guide on our team, Pete Barrass, a Sheffield based physio who brings a very scientific approach to his cragging in terms of nutrition, stretching, resting and timing of the big effort.

Back in Chamonix, the weather over the last week has been perfect for valley cragging: dry and cool. I had a go yesterday although I was still a bit tired from a bouldering session earlier in the week, and hadn't been on it for 3 weeks, so needed a refresher on the sequence for the top headwall, which is very sustained and sequency. Persuaded by Twid, I had a go at the redpoint but failed to hold a crucial hold in the crux sequence.

Back on it today, it all felt a bit pressured - I'm working over the weekend and then there's bad weather forecast for next week, putting an end to the prospect of working it any more until the spring, which would effectively mean back to square one. Supported by Martin Burrows Smith who's based within a few minutes of the crag, I dogged the neighbouring 7b, lowered down the line putting the draws in, and practised just a few crucial sections on top rope. An hour's rest while Marty did a couple of routes nearby, and then it was time for the big effort.

The first hard moves went much more easily than yesterday, and I arrived at the half rest below the crux feeling much fresher. There'a fine line between resting and wasting endurance on these things, so I went for it after a minute or so. I latched the crucial hold that had eluded me yesterday, but a foot popped on the lip of the roof and I was almost off. Just managed to get over the lip, breathing hard and needing a quick pause before tackling the intricate sequence of the upper headwall.

Again, how long to rest: will it benefit or will I just get nervous and or pump out? Once committed to the sequence, there was no stopping, and I almost fumble clipped the last draw, but the momentum by that stage was unstoppable and with a shriek of delight I grabbed the chain.

8a at last.

Thanks to all the belayers, especially Marty and Twid, and Pete B for his input on the sport science side.