Royal Wedding Swim @ The Swan.....

Everyone at  Big Rick team Raise a glass (coffee in this case)
To Prince William And Catherine.. 

The Royal Swim today @ swan pool  was great fun ,we  managed 6 laps ( 800m per lap),The water was freezing this week 3 degrees colder than last ( 12 degrees) , along with the strong wind,it made the swim extra fun , when it was all over , the team   raised  a toast to the future King @ Queen , William and Kate..sure we all wish them the best for their future together and for the future of the United Kingdom in their hands.!!! ;-))

Nicky, and Big Ricks Swim Team Members Liz and Jenny.!!
Think Jenny is suggesting she  plans to do 4 laps...!

Big Ricks Youngest Member Alex, Giving Rob (his dad), Doug
and Richard a last minute team talk before todays swim.!!

Not Sure what The 'Don' is planning to do here..!!

(This Is a must to watch.) If you have ever swam in freezing cold water for an 1hr and half + ...you will know how Nicky,s legs felt as she did the walk of shame in front of her team mates..!!! hehe

Richard and Rob...doing a great swim this morning...6 laps in very cold water...thats getting on for a 4 miles swam... which is not bad for couple of old men..!!!

Paul and Doug..!!! don`t ask...

We Had the pleasure of swimming with fellow channel
and all around swimming goddess Karen Throsby today..
check out Karen,s blog when you get a moment..
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelongswim.blogspot.com%2F&h=c3579

Today  swim also was  a massive turning point for Big Ricks Team.!! After 5 months of none stop pool training, today swim really  was the start of the summer, which mean almost  full time open water swimming from now until October and longer.. ( Monday and Wednesdays nights   and Sunday mornings ) it couldn`t have come sooner the pool training was becoming Hard work, especially as we have been doing Sundays open water  for the last month  in readiness,   it has only made our need to get training outdoors more urgent, the lake training  along with sea training weekends ( which as it happens  starts next weekend  in Bournemouth when we are doing some sea training with Steve Haywood from Enduroman...  http://www.enduroman.com/ ) will make us  so ready for the big swim in July..!!!

Paul,Doug and Richard 

Rob and Nicky 

This week’s classic channel  tune was picked by the beautiful mature Lisa ( Lisa is Big Ricks Channel star Doug`s Husband.!)this song really is a true a classic golden oldie from Lisa’s  school days   ..Most of the team weren't born when it was first released, ( thinking of it most of their parents weren't either) .. But it’s still a great tune Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets..!!!

We have an added bonus this week.,. Doug did not want to be outdone by his beautiful older partner..so he has picked one of his school  favorites  as well...Doug has gone for the classic..   Baby..from Justin Bieber.( Doug could almost be Justin,s Twin...!) 

 

Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation ..  After reading our blog, we hope you will  think we are deserving of your support .!!! If you wish to help ,then please click this link and give what you can.Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

               http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=bigrickschannelswim2011&pageUrl=3

                   

This Weeks Sessions:...

Sunday 1/5/11 @ Swan Pool in Sandwell Vally (Approx 800m per lap) 
6 LAPS Done

Saturday 30/4/11 @ Walsall Gala Pool 33.3

5 x 200, kick

5 x 400,s 95% effort..( broken sets into 4x100 @ 1.20, 3x4,s @ 1.40, 2 x 200,s @2.40,

6 x 2,s @ 50 seconds, 400 str8 @ 5.15)

after each 400, comes a 200 kick and so on..

Thursday 28/4/11 @ Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m

MAIN SET..3000M Str8 swim..75% effort..just a chill swim

Wednesday. 27/4/11 @ Perry Beeches Pool 25m

WARM UP..600M

MAIN SET 6 x 400,s..( 3 x 400 kick) 3 x 400 fast..95 % effort  ..5.15 target

WARM DOWN 600M

Monday 25/4/11 ..No Swimming Bank Holiday.!!

Sunday 24/4/11  @ Swan Pool in Sandwell Valley

5 laps done ( approx 800m per lap )

we had a good swim..the 5 laps swam in 53 minuets)

Saturday 23/4/11 @ Walsall Gala Pool 33.3

WARM UP.easy 400m

MAIN SET 3 x 1000, 2 x00, 3 x 2,s

5x400 

1 st 400 ( 2 x 200,s kick)

2nd 400 ( 4 x 100,s @1.20)

3rd 400 ( 4 x 100 kick )

4th 400 ( 6 x 2,s @ 50 sec)

5th 400 ( 12 x 1 kick..fly underwater) 

WARM DOWN 400M

                                        Makes you  proud to be British

Easter Parade..!!!!

Paul,Richard and Doug
 in their Easter Bonnets

Doug is the teams official safety  whistle
 holder  on our open water swims..!!
God Help Us.......

You do not want to know where
 Doug hides the whistle during the swim

OH Miss Alsop you  are looking very tanned...!! swan pool might be
a bit of shock after the beautiful warm seas in Barbados last week.!!

Captain Cash showing his style and speed .!! at one point he almost overtook the duck, Almost 

I am to Old for this sh*t..!!

I think the captain is regretting the drinking games
from the previous days friends bbq...!!  

How Cute does the Captain look..,
 in Mrs Cash`s dressing gown.!!

Hold on....Doug got Miss Copeland,s dressing gown on as well.!!
what,s going on..?? he will be wearing her furry slippers and hair net next...;-))

Whats going on...are we going soft in Ricks Team..First it was the  2 boys wearing
their partners dressing gowns , now its Nicky being soft and posh as normal..Sloppy only brought her own bit of shag pile carpet to get changed on..!!

The 'Don' will never get soft..!! he lives in his trunks..does not even own a towel...!

Great swim done this morning ( 24/4/11), We managed to do 5 laps of swan pool ..water temp was about 11/12..it took us about 53 minutes to do..We really are on course for the Channel..top work men and Nicky..

Look at Paul, the fat lump..!! filling his face as always after the swim.. 

  Once its Easter is Over......its Summer Time .............................!!

Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation ..  After reading our blog, we hope you will  think we are deserving of your support .!!! If you wish to help ,then please click this link and give what you can.Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

                         www.Big-Ricks-Fundraiser-Page.co.uk

                   

One Day Like This...!!

Big Ricks Channel Uniform..!!
(its going to be cold.!)
Channel news update to follow....

Big Ricks Coach Paul..trying out sea swimming in Barmouth (Wales) 17/4/11)..what a wimp..!!

Paul's second attempt at a sea swim in Wales on Wednesday  (20/4/11), and it was just as bad as Sundays effort..

This week’s channel humming classic is a top sing along song, It was picked by Big Ricks Swim Team`s Captain..!! Rob,  or as the team loving know him best as " Chunky Monkey Cash" Its great choice by the Captain , One Day Like This  by Elbow.


Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation ..  After reading our blog, we hope you will  think we are deserving of your support .!!! If you wish to help ,then please click this link and give what you can.Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

                         www.Big-Ricks-Fundraiser-Page.co.uk

                   

Weeks Sessions:...

Saturday 23/4/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM UP.easy 400m

MAIN SET 3 x 1000, 2 x00, 3 x 2,s

5x400 

1 st 400 ( 2 x 200,s kick)

2nd 400 ( 4 x 100,s @1.20)

3rd 400 ( 4 x 100 kick )

4th 400 ( 6 x 2,s @ 50 sec)

5th 400 ( 12 x 1 kick..fly underwater) 

WARM DOWN 400M

This weeks sessions have been a bit up the air as  , Gary ,Nick, Nicky,  Darran and Paul are all on holiday all over the world and Wales.!!! ( Australia, America,Barbados, Portugal and Barmouth.!!) ..they all have  promised to do lots of sea swimming whilst away ...!! ( believe that and you believe anything..lol )

Sunday 17/4/11 (Swan Pool half a mile lap)

3 laps done (1 1/2 miles roughly swam)

Saturday 16/4/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM UP.easy 400m

MAIN SET 50 x 100,s @ 1.30 

WARM DOWN 400M

Thursday 14/4/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM UP.easy 400m

MAIN SET 40 x 100,s @ 1.30 

WARM DOWN 400M

Wednesday 13/4/11 (Perry Beeches Pool 25m)

WARM UP..200M

MAIN SET 20 x 200s 3.00 F/C

WARM DOWN 200M

monday 11/4/11 (Walsall Gala pool 33.3m)

WARM UP..600M

MAIN SET: 3 X 1000

5 x 200s @ 2.45... 100 rest recover

15 x 2s odd numbers kick with fins, even numbers F/C breathing every 7... 

10 x 100,s @ 1.20  

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke