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1st Open water swim 3/4/2011 at Swan Pool Birmingham Paul,Rob,Dan( Channel God)Nicky,Gary,Richard |
Well, we all knew this day had to come....!!, but it came a bit sooner than we all thought, but the 3rd of April 'Mothering Sunday', was big ricks open water initiation, and it certainly was an Initiation..!
Everything has happened sort of fast this week, from being just a normal week..with normal training planned, then Wednesday a chance introduction to Dan Earthquake from a friend , has resulted in us all swimming at in Swan Pool in Birmingham on a lovely sunny Sunday morning.. .!
The Chance meeting with Dan, might just turn out be the best bit luck Big Ricks team will have this year..I'm not sure if can say in just a few words just what Dan has done in his swimming life..the man is an open water swimming god...! Dan never ever swims in wet suit ever..!! he swims open water all year round .., just few things he has done, he has been an Official observer for many years on channel swims, he was also on the board of Directors at CSA (Channel Swimming Association ) for 5 years, and because of his love for all things to do with open water swimming , Dan along with a few of his friends (two of which were Mark 'Big Rick' and Marks dad John ) Formed in 2002 the only channel swimming club in the west midlands, the club is called Survival Lifeguard Channel Swimming Club .. (big ricks team are there newest members.!!) through this club Dan and friends have trained many successful channel solo and team swimmers . Check out Dan web sites ..trust me if you want help with channel or long distance swimming he is the man for you.. http://www.danearthquake.co.uk./ and http://www.coldwaterculture.com/
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So.lets go to the swim itself....first of all ..we had a good turn..4 of the team swam.. Paul, Nicky,rob and Richard..Gary turned up to watch , but did not want to get his hair wet this time, as he,s off to Oz next week for a month and did not want to catch a cold...!!, and as for the missing Gimp 'Doug ' !!! well lets just say we all know who wears the trousers in the Copeland household.!!!!
okay...so Dan gave us all a 10 minutes briefing before we got in the water.. all about safety and how we would freeze like a ice cream if we went to far the first time , you all the normal jokes one uses , just to make us feel that little be more worried than we all ready were.. but seriously Dan gave us great advice, he could see we were worried, but with a few well chosen words he gave us all the confidence that we would be okay !!
Dan would not let us just go off and do laps of the lake, as we thought we would easily do ,, as he knew full well we would not make it half way round the lap at best, ..so we kept in simple...swim close to shore..., between the 2 closest buoys ( about 25m apart ) that way if we had any problems we could get out no problem..!
So lets do it , we stripped to our trunks on the lakes edge...which gave the local dog walkers and watching sailing club a good laugh.!! and stepped into the less than inviting water.!! first thing that came to mind...was OMG ...this is cold..but as we dived in that feeling soon passed, as the real cold set it...!! its hard to describe in words what it was like, we have done loads of open water swimming for years, but always later in the summer and mostly with wet suits on..so they came as a bit of a shock to the system for all of us..!!
your body feels like its on fire.!! its really strange feeling, you are cold but your legs feel warm., Your face goes numb for the first minute or 2 then it feels great,!! we swam for about 15 to 20 minutes , just up and down between the buoys , all of us were feeling okay...but after 20 minutes or so really started to feel cold, could not feel my feet, hands and strangely my shoulders..! started to find it hard to swim.., so we called it a day , and tried to walk out ,so funny we were all over the place...even more funny was trying to get changed as the shivers came in...we were shaking that bad could not even hold and cup of tea...just kept spilling it.!! the whole experience was strangely enjoyable for us all, well if jumping into a freezing cold lake in early April can every be enjoyable that is. , its a good job really as we have to do it all again next Sunday and for the next 3 months..!!!
Swan lake , at sandwell Valley...8.45 Sunday morning
Breaking the Ice....
The Swim..!!
The Frozen walk to land.!!
Finally ,following on the same theme of recent weeks on Ricks Blog, in picking a song that we think will help swimmers keep their mind sane while swimming for hours and hours on end , Well this weeks humming tune is a classic, It was picked by Big Ricks Swim Team`s best dressed member Victoria, or as she is better know to us all as V.P . its great choice V.P.... its Proud ...by Heather Small
This Weeks Sessions
Sunday 3/4/11 (Swan Pool half a mile lap)
Thursday 31/3/11 ( David Lloyd Pool 25m)
The Swim..!!
The Frozen walk to land.!!
Finally ,following on the same theme of recent weeks on Ricks Blog, in picking a song that we think will help swimmers keep their mind sane while swimming for hours and hours on end , Well this weeks humming tune is a classic, It was picked by Big Ricks Swim Team`s best dressed member Victoria, or as she is better know to us all as V.P . its great choice V.P.... its Proud ...by Heather Small
This Weeks Sessions
Sunday 3/4/11 (Swan Pool half a mile lap)
20 minutes just trying to get used to the
8 degrees water...short sprints.about 25m long..
it was good 1st time
8 degrees water...short sprints.about 25m long..
it was good 1st time
Saturday 2/4/11 (Walsall Gala pool 33.3m)
MAIN SET:
6 x 300s @ 4.20
9 x 200s @ 2.50
18 x 100,s @ 1.30
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke
MAIN SET:
6 x 300s @ 4.20
9 x 200s @ 2.50
18 x 100,s @ 1.30
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke
WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes
MAIN SET:
40 x 100s @ 1.30 ( aim for 1.20 per 100)
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke
WARM-UP: No Time ( only half hour to train)
MAIN SET:
Timed 30 Minute Swim..(Aim For 2000m Plus in 30 )
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke
WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes
MAIN SET:
1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes
3 x 500 @ 7:00
15 x 100 @ 1:30
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke
WARM-UP: No Time ( only 45 minute session )
MAIN SET:
1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes
15 x 100 @ 1:35 ( target 1.25 or better per 100)
SWIM DOWN: No Time
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