Maybe you've heard it too at some point: "Climbing won't pay the bills. You'd better get your head down and study!" The more sensible among us understood all that. Even so, studying and building a career always got shunted onto the second, maybe third track. You'd rather chuck two-week-old sweaty clothes, an apple, a biscuit and a bottle of beer into your pack and vanish to the crags. Oh yes, that's the life – being a "crag rat". Will I have a job? Will I make the mortgage payment? I really must put up that shelf at home! None of that bothers you, though. All you're thinking about is whether you'll get a sling in below the bolt or whether it'll be another fight for dear life. There were times I had to run to the crags, I was looking forward to it so much. 

Have you also managed to miss a family celebration, forget an anniversary and plan a holiday that only you enjoyed, because – purely by chance – there happened to be rocks there? Some people have even missed the arrival of their child into this world - they were at the crag.

Back when I was still at secondary school, I managed to win the regional and district rounds of a rope-climbing competition. The organisers were thrilled and straight away invited me to the national championships that weekend. My answer? "Sorry, no can do. We're off climbing in Ostrov this weekend." Who knows, I could have had a career in rope climbing. But I was at the crag.

Sure, you could object that anyone who does a sport they love feels the same way. But climbing is different. That mix of endorphins, adrenaline, fear and euphoria tastes so good! And you want another hit, even though your heart rate below the bolt was bouncing to a techno beat and fear nearly loosened your sphincters. Sweat-soaked T-shirt, sand in your ears, skinned knees – but a soul as happy as can be!

But what can you do about it? What about the addiction? You drive the people around you mad. Apparently you can't talk about anything else any more. At dinner you don't notice the nicely laid table or what you're eating. You just leaf through the guidebook with greasy fingers, looking for the route you'll climb tomorrow. You call your climbing buddies more often than your partner, and while brushing your teeth you grip the toothbrush intently, first with a full crimp and then with a half crimp, so the edges will feel good at the crag. 

Family, work, responsibilities - how do you divide it all up without neglecting anything? And how do you fit climbing in?

After all, a week only has seven days!

Has anyone got a recipe for it?