I’ve sustained my first climbing injury since I started more than a year ago. Thankfully it’s just a minor ankle sprain, and will probably heal fast. It happened at the notoriously pumpy Owen’s River Gorge, on the notoriously pumpy route Show Us Your Tits (10b). I thought I had become strong enough to take on this route, and discovered the hard way that I am only almost strong enough. I took some hard falls trying to clip the last bolt, simply too gassed out to hang on. Hiking out later my ankle started to feel a bit tweaked, and now it’s stiff and tender. It’s hard to take your shot, hit your limit, fail, and take a beating in the process. It leaves a lingering fear and defeated feeling. I know it will pass and that in the long run it’s part of what makes climbing so rewarding, but I must admit at times it’s just hard.