Big Ricks Team have been challenged..!!

Well it seems like Big Ricks Team have been challenged ..!!!, Well i love a challenge ,as  do most , especially in this Team...!!!   

.see attached email from The Swimming Times.Editor...

 

well i  see in this month's edition that a team of six is chasing an
"unofficial" record for a six-person team with an average age over 40.

years.....

I am sure we have a statistician who'd know the answer, but at the
risk of causing upset to what is, in any case, a very worthy cause,
I'd throw in the 9hr 40 of the Lido Legends, August 2005 (Seafarer,
Chris Osmond) as one swim that clearly beats the record.

The average age of the team was 45 and would have been much higher if
it were not for the youthful Emma France. With other ladies from the
team being correspondents on this group, a full listing of ages is
available only by private email should documentary proof be requested!

So, can anyone beat that?

If not we'll hang on to the record until further notice then....
I’m sure they will see it if you put some sort of reply in the piece in Swimming Times

Thanks

Peter

Well that's the new target 9 hours 40 minutes...hopefully we have the same perfect  dead calm conditions  the 

Lido Legends

  experienced on their Channel swim in 2005, if that's the case, i,m sure big ricks team will be very close to that time....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  .

        Big Ricks Swim Team Monday Nights Training session 28/3/11

This Weeks Sessions

Thursday 31/3/11 ( David Lloyd  Pool 25m)

WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes

MAIN SET:

 40 x 100s @ 1.30 ( aim for 1.20 per 100)   

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Wednesday 30/3/11 ( Perry Beeches 25m)

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 

Monday 28/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

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 

Saturday 26/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

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

The Magnificent Seven

channel forms signed and sealed.. France here we come..!!!!

The Magnificent Seven
Nicky,Richard,Rob,Paul,Gary, Stuart ,Darran

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!              

Mr Blue Sky....!!

At last Super joins the party.!!
The Meat,The Badger,The Gimp,Super Chest,Basher

Channel news to follow......

After telling you in last weeks blog about the song ` Everybody Talkin` that David Williams used to hum to himself over and over on his channel swim  to keep his mind sane... well it got us to thinking what songs  the team might use in their swims July...1st up is big ricks coach Paul.. his choice is...., Mr Blue Sky by ELO...! ENJOY......


swim sessions this week.


Thursday 24/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)
WARM-UP: 1,000m

 1,500 freestyle @ 22:00 minutes

 3 x 500 @ 7:00 (descending, total time faster than the 1,500)

 5 x 300 @ 4:15 (descending, total time faster than the 3 x 500 combined)

 15 x 100 @ 1:25 (descending, total time faster than the 5 x 300 combined)

Swim Down 600 m

Wednesday 23/3/11 ( perry beeches pool 25m)
Warm Up  easy 400m
Main Set....(Ladder Set )
 5 x 800.s 
 1st  set  800 @   
 2nd set  2 x 400,s @  6.00
 3rd set  4 x 200,s @ 3.00
 4th set   8 x 100,s @ 1.30
 5th set   8 x 2,s @ 45 sec   then 16 x 1,s  @  25 sec
Swim Down 400 mixed strokes 


Monday 21/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m )
Warm Up 400m 
Main Set ( v tough set  ) 
 5x 400,s f/c @ 5.50 
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 200,s f/c @ 2.45
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 100,s f/c o@ 1.20
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 2 lengths of @ 50 seconds
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 1,s @ 25 seconds or better
Swim Down 400m ( you will need it )


Sunday 20/3/11 ( Perry Beeches Pool 25m)
Warm up 800m F/C
Main Set
 20 x 100s FC range @ 1.40 to 1.15..
Kick Set
 8 x 50,s Fly with fins ( 1st 25 under water, try 2 if possible)
Warm Down 400m

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!  

Everybody's Talkin......!

Big Ricks team member Paul with some of the 5000 flyers that the
British Heart Foundation have kindly had printed for us
to help promote the swim .. Now who is free to help us hand them out!!

It's been a busy week, training has been going great - after a few weeks of shorter swim sessions, this week, well sorry lads!, the long stuff is back for a month...we think this will be the last big push in the pool before we hit the open next month. We want to be ready, so all we have to worry about is getting used to the cold and not worry about our fitness! The team really can't wait for the sea/lake swimming to start, the pool training is great up to a point, but after 4 months of it you really do start to go crazy.!!!

Finally, it's a big massive 'Thank You' to Warren and Charlotte at The British Heart Foundation, their amazing work in helping to sort out our Channel flyer has been really amazing, we cannot thank them enough for giving their time to help us, hope we can do you all justice now.!!

Catch you next week..Ricks Team

Big Ricks Swim Team Members Nick and Victoria at the summit of Mount Snowdon

  Nick and Vic along with their staff from Henwood Court Financial Planning Limited .Undertook this challenge  in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

As a result of their endeavours they raised well over a Thousand pounds for the BHF. What an amazing Effort guys.

 ( Nick is handsome one in the Benny hat, and Victoria is the Beautiful blonde

lady with the very fetching tartan neckerchief )

http://www.henwoodcourt.co.uk



                         Training Update..Perry Beeches Pool 20/3/11..
             WARNING.!!  there is some naked flesh in this video ladies,
         'Big Ricks' own super model Gary, has his manly chest on show
                           for all to see...the man has no shame.! 

                                             Everybody's Talkin
I put this video on as I was watching David Walliams' Comic Relief Channel challenge over the weekend; and apart from enjoying Davids' amazing swim, some of the things he said about the way he prepared for the swim and the way he used of keep his mind sane whilst swimming were great to hear. One of the ways he focused was to hum along to Harry Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talkin' . I dare you to listen..... you will be humming along to it in the pool/sea for months (the BBC IPlayer link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007ch0h )

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!  

Sessions this week
Saturday 19/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m) 
Main Set
 6 x 400,s of 6.05.....target 5.40 or better for every 400
 6 x 200,s of 3.05.... target 2.40
 6 x 100,s of 1.35.....target 1.20
 6 x 2,s of 1.05........ target 50 sec
 6 x 1,s of 35  ......... target 20..!
Swim Down
 gentle 400


Thursday 17/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m)
Warm Up 
 400 F/C stroke drills
Main Set
1 hour swim.! note distance
Kick Set.
 6 x 100.s f/c kick fins
Warm Down
6 x 2 good long guiding stroke ,breathing every 6


Wednesday 16/3/11 ( Perry Beeches Pool 25m)
Warm up
 1000m relaxed swim
Main Set
4 x 800,s make each 800 faster than the last..(HARD SET)
Kick
400 kick choice
Swim down
4x100,s backstroke


Monday 14/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m)
Warm Up
 400 m f/c head up every third length
Main Set
 15 x 200,s of 3.00 Target Time 2.40 or better for each 200
Kick Set
 8 x 100,s kick with fins.. ( 4-off f/c 4 off choice stroke)
Swim Down
12 x 1 underwater..!!

The Swimming Times...

The Swimming Times ..April 2011
www.swimmingtimesmagazine.co.uk

The Swimming Times ..April 2011
www.swimmingtimesmagazine.co.uk


(To read the stories more clearly, 
 then just click on the picture and zoom in)

The World is Swimming Faster In Blueseventy.!



Blueseventy
Supporting Big Ricks Channel Swim Team..!!
http://www.blueseventy.com/

 This weeks channel news to come........

          Ricks Team are starting to get the eye of the tiger for training..!!!
                          okay, i know its nothing to do with swimming..
                            but all men love to train to the rocky theme .!

Swim Sessions This Week...


Saturday 12/3/11  ( Walsall Gala pool 33.3yrd )
Warm Up  
 1400 ( 400m F/C then 300 choice stroke Drills K,D,S ) repeat twice
Pre Main 
 8 x 100 kick with fins..odd 100,s F/C kick even 100,s choice stroke kick
Main Set..
 20 x 100,s going time 1.30, ( trying to swim each 100 in 1.15 or better)
Warm Down.
 400 choice stroke drills 


Thursday 10/3/11 ( David Lloyd Pool 25m and 100 degree's  )
Warm Up..
 600m ( 200 swim 200 kick 200 pull )
Main Set..
25 x 100 F/C with paddles and Pull Buoy
 5 x 100,s (3 off 1.30 2 off 1.35 ) 
 5 x 100,s (3 off 1.25 2 off 1.30 )  
 5 x 100,s (3 off 1.20 2 off 1.25 )
 5 x 100,s (3 off 1.15 2 off 1.20 )  
 5 x 100,s (3 off 1.10 2 off 1.15 ) try and hang on to set if possible...!!! 
Warm Down.. 
 400m easy swim down any stroke..


Tuesday 8/3/11 ( David Lloyd pool 25m )

Warm Up ..

 400 F/C drills

Main Set

 12 x 100,s F/C of 1.20

1 minute rest

 12 x 50,s F/C of 40 seconds

1 minute rest

 12 x 1,s F/C of 20 seconds

Kick Set..

 6 x 1,s  Fly with fins under water..20 seconds rest each length

 6 x 1,s  F/C with fins under water 20 seconds rest each length

 6 x 1,s Back with fins..fly under water start as far as you can, the finish with backstroke kick..20 sec Rest

Warm Down..

 200m back , 200m breaststroke, 200 F/C

Monday 7/2/11( Walsall gala 33.3 yard pool)

Warm Up...

 400 F/C every third length every 6th stroke, head up for 4 strokes repeat for for the lenght

Main Set

 4  x 1000s  F/C

 1st  1000 ( 2 x 500,s of 7 minutes )

one minute rest 

 2nd 1000 ( 200m 95% effort of 2.35, 2x 100,s 70% effort of 1.40,

 3 x 2 95% effort of 55 seconds 2 x 100,s 70% effort of 1.40, 200 100 % effort of 2.30)   

one minute rest

 3rd 1000 ( 400m 95% effort of 5.20, easy 100m 1.45. 400m 95% effort 5.20, 

  easy 100m 1.45)

one minute rest

4th 1000 kick set

 200m ( 3 x 2 backstroke with fins )15R

 200m ( 6x1 fly kick under water ) 30R tough set.! 

 200m ( 2 x100 F/C kick with fins 100% effort) 30R

 200m ( 3 x 2 backstroke with fins ) 15R

 200m ( 6 x 1 fly kick under water ) 30R VERY TOUGH SET.!!

Warm Down

 400m gentle swim down any stroke.

Saturday 5/3/11 ( Walsall gala baths 33.3 yard pool )

Warm Up..

 600m F/C DRILLS

Main Set...

4000m F/C

 5 X 400,s of 5.45

 5 x 200,s of 2.50

 5 x 100,s of 1.25

 5 x 2 lengths of 55 seconds

 5 x 1 lenghts of 30 seconds

Warm down.

 400m choice swim

The Story Grows and Grows...!!



Big Ricks Channel Squad 2011 
Gary,Stuart,Paul,Nicky,Rob,Richard
 ( Ricks own superstar Super Chest Dyke, was sadly unable to attend
Again..!, We promise he does exist..we think..! )

 Picture courtesy of Express and Star Newspaper
http://www.expressandstar.com/

This weeks channel news is all good..!! we`ve have had a lot of interest from local media in and around the West midlands, mainly in Walsall, The Black Country and Sutton Coldfield areas at the moment, We would like to thank the 3 newspapers who kindly showed an interest in our challenge and published our story in their papers,  ( just check out Our Media page if you wish to see the articles )

We Had Good news from the British Heart Foundation  that's our 'Channel flyer! will be ready next week for collection. The BHF have done amazing job with the flyer and have printed 5000 copies of for us to spread far and wide !, So do not be surprised to  see one near you shortly..!! Off Course  when you see it ..,you know what to do.!  (no its not draw funny faces on it) its  means  i must sponsor these old boys..!! before i forget again, it only takes seconds to do on our Virgin Money Site..!!! ;-)))
 ( Big Ricks Virgin Money Fundraiser Page )


The teams training has been going great the last week or 2 ( see sessions below) , all 8 of the channel squad have been doing so some great times and distances in the pool, I mean comparing  how we all trained  in November to how things are now, well there just no comparison . Particularly  Rob , Richard, Nick and Nicky's improvement has been nothing short of fantastic, all  have improved almost 500m on the hour distance from November , which if you are not sure what i mean , well that's means they are managing an extra  20 lengths in 25m pool  further , in the same 1 hour time ... Really top swimming...BUT YOU CAN DO BETTER..!!

Last good news of the week concerns our open water training which is due to  start in early May  or sooner once the water temperature gets up to above 11 degrees, its  of we go, Sadly we had lost our training venue at Kings Bromley this year because the  MVH Tri Club we used to train with have decided to change there open water training venue to Derby.! ( to fair us ) but thanks to some good work by Gary we have found new club to train with , who use two open water venues near to us....! what a Result.!! great  work Gaz

The club is called The Brat Club.! ( Birmingham Running athletics & Triathlon), the Brat Club is the BT National Club Of Year 2010/11 ..we are so lucky to have such a great club like the Brat on our door step , but even luckier that they have agreed let us train with them..!! if any one wishes to see what the brat club has to offer to check there web page ( http://www.bratclub.co.uk/ )

Away from from the Channel news  for a moment , Two of Big Ricks swim team members had a  a great weekend at the Staffordshire County Open Championships last Sunday (20th Feb) at Wolverhampton`s central swimming baths (http://www.staffsasa.co.uk/asaindex.htm)

Jennifer won 100m backstroke , 50 backstroke , 25m backstroke and 4x1 medley tittles

and Paul won 200m freestyle , 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly tittles, Great swimming both, it all goes well for the summer of open water races we hope..!!

Big Rick Swim Team Members Jenny and Paul
winning 7 tittles between them at The County Championships
Sutton Coldfield,s Perry Beeches Swimmers star at the Staffs

This Weeks Sessions:

Wednesday 2/3/11
Warm Up..
500 F/C Open Water Drills..(head Up every 6-8 strokes etc.. (fast sprints for half a  length and recover and keep repeating with head up )
Main Set..
 5 x 400`s of 5.50 F/C
 5 x 200,s of 2.50 F/C
 5 x 100,s of 1.25 F/C
 5 x 50s of 40 seconds F/C
 5 x 1`s of 20 seconds F/C
Warm Down. 200 - 400m easy backstroke and F/C

Monday 28/2/11
Warm Up,..
 400 gentle F/C drills
Main Set
 4 x1200 F/C (no rest between 1200s)
 1200 (straight) of 16.45 minutes
 400 kick fins of 7 minutes
 1200 broken into 6 x 200`s of 2.50
 400 kick fins again of 7 minutes
 1200 broken down in 4 x 300`s of 4.15
 400 kick with fins of 7 minutes.
swim down:
 200 gentle swim


Sunday 27/2/11
Warm Up
 1500m ( broken into 400m F/C, 100 Back repeat 3 times)  15 r after each 500
Pre Main..
 6 x 100  F/C Kick with fins..(  75m and at 75% effort last at 25m 110 %) 15 r
Main Set,
 9 x 200s F/C ( 1st 200 of 3 minutes, 2nd 200 of 2,50 3rd 200 of 2.40 repeat 3 times)
Warm Down..
 400m easy paced choice swim


Saturday 26/2.11
warm up:
 200m f/c Stroke drills.
Main Set..
 5 x 1200 (no rest between 1200`s)
 1200 straight..of 17 minutes
 400   kick with fins 75% effort
 1200 Broken down into 3 x 400 of 5.45
 400   kick with fins 100 % effort
 1200 6 x 200s of 3 minutes
 400   kick with fins 75 % effort
 1200 broken down into 12 x 100s of 1.30
Swim Down
 400 choice stroke ..( this in must swim down after main set.!)


Thursday 24/2/11
Warm Up..
 600m ( broken down into 300 f/c, 200 back, 100 f/c) 10 r
Main Set
 15 x 200s of 3 minutes ..( try and swim at good even pace 75% effort)
Kick
 5 x 200s Kick with Fins.(.tough set after the main set of 200,s )
Warm Down
 400m Backstroke drills.


Monday 21/2/11
Warm Up:
 1000m ( broken into 300m F/C,200 Back, 100 F/C, 3 4x1 Medleys)
Pre Main.
 9 x 100`s kick with fins no floats
 ( broken down into 3 x 100,s fly..1st len fly swim,2&3 len kick)
 repeat the same on backstroke and  and F/C) 15R per 100
Main Set
 20 x 100s F/C (Broken down into 1st 10 x 100s of 1.30, 2nd 10 x 100s of 1.25)
Swim Down
 400 swim down back and f/c

If you wish to give your support to 'Big Ricks' Team Channel challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

            Big Ricks Channel Swim 2011 Virgin Money Giving

                Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!

Media Stories

Walsall Advertiser 24/2/11
Big Ricks Channel Story

Sutton Coldfield Observer 25/2/11
http://www.thisissuttoncoldfield.co.uk/

Express and Star 28/2/11
http://www.expressandstar.com/

Article about Big Ricks Team  dated 13th Aug 2010 from the Dorset Echo 

Take the plunge in the Weymouth Bay swim

Big Ricks Swim Team At Weymouth Bay BHF swim

Article About Big Ricks team at the British Heart Foundation Heart Of England

Swim atblithfield reservoir Dated 8th Aug 2010 from the the Uttoxeter Advertiser

Big Ricks Team at The Heart Of England Swim.

 

(To Read any of the stories more clearly, then just click on the picture and zoom in)