Tuesday 25 October 2011

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life..... !!

The Captain and Alex @ The Swan on Sunday.(23/10/11)
Looking on the bright side of things now the COLD swim is over.!!
(you will see what we by cold at the end of the Blog.!) 

October is has been a funny old month...it started off so well., The 6 hr test swim at Swan Pool on the 2nd October was blessed with amazing weather and even more amazing water temperatures 62..


6 swimmers undertook the 6hrs test and all completed the challenge, Richard ,Gary and Paul from Ricks all came down to lend their support to swimmers  by swimming an hour or so with them to try and keep them company..How ever..some of Ricks team were a massive let down...Super chest  and The Gimp always ..but not normally  these 3....!!!
Okay...this is the official Results from the 6hr Test Swim...as you can see it was great swimming by the guys and girls who got up early and started and ALL finished the swim...Not so good where Ricks 3..Miss Sloppy Alsop, Mr Chunky Boy Cash and maybe the worst of all 2013 solo swimmer  Mr Burford White...!!! Who all went out partying instead of swimming? The mighty Mr Earthquake who was not happy...!
The Don & Basher
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011

The Badger..
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011
Sunday 16th was started of with a few pictures with the Survivalifeguard channel cup..; Big Ricks are very proud to be members of the Survivalifeguard channel club... The Club is run by Dan, Richard, and Jeremy...who apart from giving great advice about all things to do with open water and channel swimming, also give advice and teach about all things to with Life saving...  It’s due to their hard work that swimming at    Swan Pool is always done to highest safety standards ...,   
The Survivalifeguard Channel Club
Pictured from L to R. Dan,Richard and 
Jeremy, and Paul Watson..
Paul also won the channel Cup, but even better Paul Won The John Rickhuss Cup.

It was sad the whole team could not have been here for the pictures, but apart from Rob who was away playing Polo, The rest where nowhere to been seen..., anyway once that was over Paul and Richard went of to do a couple of miles swim in the still warm  water ( 13 degrees)...but Dan had other plans for Gary....

As you can see from the Video above, Gary along with Dan, had to do his duty in the Life Boat...Its part of the safety at Swan Pool, especially when training in the winter months, everyone  who wants to swim at the swan has to have some knowledge of some life saving.. 

The Safety Boat being man handled  into the Swan (23/10/11)..
it always has to in the water and maned before any swimming can take place...
Rob Looking a bit nervous..he has just found out the water temperature is 9 degrees

Sooner or later the water was going to get cold. It’s almost November  after all....we have been spoiled this yr, the first few weekends in October have felt more like summer  and the water temp felt the same...But not this week....the water  temperature   has dropped  4 degrees in a week..!!As you can see from the Video above...Rob was not his normal Jump straight in and swims self....


But Rob , along with Richard and Paul  and the regular nutters  at the Swan did get in . God was it cold...Rich and Paul managed  a lap, but Rob decided  it was not for him today and  quickly got out...and as usually once out he had some Cashy words of wisdom to share.”” If You Don`t Feel  Right...You Get Out””  .
Rob earned praise from Dan...There is No shame for the Captain here- you have to be honest with yourself at the start of every swim so that you don't put others in danger having to rescue you. Well done Rob..!!

Paul and Rob can laugh now the swim is over..!!
okay who on for next week then....????

Big Ricks Paul is Doing a 2 Way Aspire Channel Swim...

Paul has Reached France..., and is now will on his back to England 
he has  now done over 1700 Lengths in 4 weeks. (The Channel is 1416 Lengths in a 25m pool...)
We wish him well...it will be good practise for when Ricks Channel Starts for Real in November..


Aspire help and support people who have spinal Cord Injuries
Go on have a go, it will get you fit, and you will have fun telling your friends you are swimming the channel... And the best part... As result of your hard work...You will have helped others have a better Life...
 
www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk .



OK...... SO What if the water going to be minus 9 !!! So What if Super Chest and The Gimp and Sloppy has given up Months ago.!!! , So what if you can`t feel your  hands and feet for a week..!!So What if you if you get sickness and uncontrollable diarrhea !!,So What if your hair and body turn blue and green from the Algae ..!!! We are open Water Swimmers and We love it..!!!! but as your swimming , just as your hands and feet are turning blue and your thinking what the hell am i doing... Why not just give a whistle and things will turn out for the best.!!( if your lips are not froze) 


A massive thank you to Miranda at Cancer Research UK for inviting Ricks to join fellow Fundraisers at The University of Birmingham for Thank You Event & Cancer Lab Tour last weekend. Mr and Mrs Super( Daz and Kaz !) Went along for Ricks and had great time. Ricks, as part of the our channel fundraising efforts donated some of the money raised to CR U.K. thus far that amounts to £ 4,350.50. A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored us with the channel swim, the final overall totally including the British Heart Foundation denotation is not yet known, but put it this way its just unbelievable. Rx

Saturday 1 October 2011

The Beautiful Swan...

The Beautiful Swan Pool..
Big Ricks Paul entering the Swan at 6.45 on Monday night (26/9/11)
its was a chilly 14, but what a beautiful evening for a swim..

You can also just about see Martin and Rob at the top of the picture
Its been a funny old week or so, especially at  Swan Pool , and especially  for one member of the Team in particular  , Big Edge...GARY.!!, Mm The Edge never ever was the best at getting into the water, be it in the lake, in the sea or for that matter a nice warm Pool.....Gaz likes to take his time, a long time, A VERY long time.!!!...he needs to have everything in perfect working order before he even thinks about leaving the house, let alone before entering any chilly  water..but this week  we have seen Gary at his very BEST
Mr Edge again thinking about whether or not to enter the water or  in this case the sea in Dover back in July...we think that was a 20 minute ponder.! fast for gaz
Big Edge again having a ponder and  thinking about whether or not to enter the sea on  our Channel Swim Dover  in July...
Gary always likes to  ponder at the waters edge, with the water half way up his legs., he likes to  think, take everything in..normally the abuse from his team mates to get in, but he is not a man to be rushed ( ask Mrs Edge.!!) he waits for 5 minutes for as along 25 minutes but  reluctantly he always gets in, and when he`s in Gary is as good as anyone.. 
we will leave the rest of what happen this week to The Burf..Martin..who very kindly did a video to describe  the shamefully and shocking event that happen last Wednesday evening ;-))(21/9/11) , this was only 2 days after the same thing happened..that time it was dirty goggles that were blamed for a none enter...Mm a Big ricks for-fit is coming young Mr Edges way...

So Worried is big ricks spiritual Leader at Swan Pool  The Mighty Dan Earthquake .That the great man needed to voice his concerns to the team, but mainly at Ricks wimps  Daz "Super Camp" , Stu "The Gimp and off course The Mighty Edge..for their lack of appearances and many excuses not to be at the lake and in Gary's  to get in the lake..
This story now has a new twist in the tale....Read to the end of this blog at see..!!!!
Winter Training is starting of slowly at the moment,
this is martin and rob in the water and Paul (doing at a Gary) waiting to get
in at the warm looking swan on Monday night (26/9/1
1
The Darks comes it all to fast now, Paul rob and martin
along with other channel swimmers are still out their at 7.45 on 21/9/11...
We thought it was time to do some Big Ricks swimmers profiles..and the first up is Rob " Chunky Monkey" Cash or as he is better known these days The Capitan.. Rob has  great year getting back into open water swimming, he has given the team many memoirs of his swimming over the yr for sure,Rob has also done just amazing things to raise thousands of pounds  on his own for Big Ricks and for both BHF and Cancer Research UK .. Top effort Young Rob



Ricks team  swam the channel  in memory of  their Friend Mark Richuss and in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation . there are  still a few weeks to donate should you wish to. We hope you have enjoyed our journey  over the last 9 months.. If you still wish to  Support us in anyway, THEN  YOU STILL  CAN ,  just by clicking  link below it will take you to our Virgin Just Giving Page where you can Donate , 
      
                 www.bigricksvirginjustgivingpage.co.uk 
                      

              Every penny  will go to help save lives


Session this week or so...loads and everywhere..!!
Swan Pool @ Sandwell Valley (11/12/14/18/1921/25/26/28 of Sept)
Averaging between 3 and 6 laps ( 800m approx each lap ) 
Walsall Gala Baths 33m pool (12/15/19/22/25 Sept)
Averaging   4 to 5k per session
Perry Beaches Pool 25m (14/18/21/25/28 Sept)
3 to 4k a session drill and sprint work
David Lloyd Gym Pool 25m (13/16/17/20/25/27)
3 to 4k..mainly speed and tempo work


               Click on the Video and hear in BIg Ricks  Martins own words
                               "The Edge is Back. Back on the Edge"
           Top effort by the Big Man last night at the Swan ( 29/9/11 )..
Gary made a welcome return to the lake last evening, having  put up with some  cruel stick of team mates for running a mile the past to weeks,  gaz showed us all last night that the Edge Is Back...!!!
The Edge is Back..and Smiling 
last night at Swan Pool (28/9/11)


who knows what other Big Ricks swimmers we might see return this weekend.??
maybe Super Camp.?? maybe The Gimp ??
?
Martin and Paul having a chat before Wednesday  nights swim (28/9/11)

Goodbye  Summer of 2011 Its one to remember for sure 
and welcome to winter training 2011/12 .!!
GOD  HELP US..;-)

It Could only be one song to finish Ricks year..
The Boys of Summer...Don Henley