Take Me Down To The English Channel

Ricks Blog read along tune this week is By the Great Frank Turner...."Take Me Down To The English Channel " we are loving the verse  that could have almost been  written for Ricks Superstar  "Super Camp Daz".. the verse is .."If i ever stray from the path i follow take me down to the English Channel and throw me where the water is shallow and then drag me on back tom shore.." well we will Darran but only after you have finished your Hour slot.!!;-) why not Play as read on...Rx 

 http://www.crimson.co.uk/ 

Big Ricks double channel team big got a massive boast thanks  Rob at Crimson (http://www.crimson.co.uk/ ), thanks to Crimson`s amazing generosity and support, Ricks are now  well on the way to Funding our channel Boat Costs, once this is done, we can then fully focus 100% on the fight to help support our 2 chosen Charties the Breast Cancer Reaseach and the British Heart Foundation.... Rob, you and Crimson are stars..Rx

Channel news this week , is all to do with training and more Training...Now the children have gone back to school after half term ,The team can get a good month to 6 weeks of hard training done before the Easter half term break.!!, We are aiming at 4 to 5 weeks of over 20,000m ( 20k per week) in the pool. .., We know from last years Training, this was the hardest time in getting ready for the channel, its nasty, its painful, its no fun, its boring.!!.,but all the boredom,and pain, we be worth it come the summer,. in the mean time if we get this Pool work done and done well, the platform as it regards our fitness will be massive , we only have 6 weeks or less before open water at the Swan starts, we know we have to fit and ready for it to start, as we can`t spend weeks getting used to the cold this yr, we just don`t have the time, it will be straight in and swim.!! now when the 1st day at the swan comes...that will be nasty, painful , but a lot of fun..! 

As you can see , Swan Pool is still just a little bit to cold yet for us restart training, however for Big Ricks open water coaching God Dan , its still feels lovely and warm at 1.5 degrees .!! If there is braver ( crazier ) person in open water swimming in the UK than Dan , then we are yet to hear or meet him or her ( and we include Lewis Pugh!)...the man is cold water god.!! 

check out dan,s pictures from this morning dip..

http://www.coldwaterculture.com/2012/02/breaking-ice-february-5th.html

Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting this epic 2 way swim across the English channel because we want to help and support  both charities in their amazing work to help save Lives..  ...Any support  you can give in our quest  would be amazing , any sized donation will help improve the quality of someone's life, Maybe even save a life...!! Its knowing how important even the smallest amount  we raise with this challenge will help others , that will keep us going through the many tough and dark times we will experience in the 24hrs we swim in the English Channel in  June ( 24th to 1st July)..

If you if you wish to help and support Big Ricks, then simply click this link below to  Donate ...Thank you so much...

www.Big.Ricks.2way.Virgin.Money.Fundraiser.co.uk

Big Ricks Members Jenny and Paul  pictured along their Perry Beeches SC
team mates at ASA Staffordshire Masters Championships at Wolverhampton(19/2/12)
(Ross,Rob,Jenny, Stuart,Gez & Paul) 

Okay below  are are some of the training sessions Ricks have done over the past week , hope they are of use to some of you..one last thing this blog Ricks have to say a massive thank you,( i think we mean thank you.!!)  to Perry Beeches SC (http://www.perrybeechesswimming.co.uk/) Masters Coach Amaro Viloria  for his amazing support and Amazing sessions he has given the team so far the this Year. As you can see from  the picture above Amaro`s work is paying of for Jenny and Paul, as between them they won 6 county titles at staffs counties meet..

sessions..

 Village Gym (25m pool) 4 X 200

200 f/c drills

200 No 1 Form Drills

200 Kick choice

200 IM... (800m)

20 X 50`s F/C 75% effort (Bi Breathing 3 or 5)

5 x 50`s @ 45 seconds

5 x 50`s @ 50 sec

5 x 50`s @ 40 sec

5 x 50`s @ 50 sec

8 x 50`s Kick @ 1.10 (NO FINS)

2 X 400`S T-Shirts (3 ½ L`s good stroke form ½ L 100 sprint) 20R

6 X 125`S (2 X 25 95% EFFORT 20R, 4 X 75, S @ 1.15) ALT F/C and No1 Form

400 easy Snorkel/pull buoy swim

200m swim down

5 minute warm down stretch.

Walsall Gala Baths (33.3m pool)

Kit used in this session Snorkel,T-Shirt,Fins,Pull Buoy& Paddles 

 Perry Beeches (25m Pool )

Main Set is 100%

once the main set was finished we tried out some Micheal Phelps Starting Drills.!! 4 x 1  minute of drills, well if you want to dive like the great man.!!

 Village Gym (Pool 25m) Idea of this Tough set is to go of @ 1.30 per 100 (wanted to average a chilled 1.25)

it was hard for the short distances..( no rest) , but gets much better for the longer stuff )

Main Set f/c ( mix in at any time Pull Buoy, paddles,snorkel,t-shirt work)

100,200,400,600,800,1000

1500

1000,800,600,400,200,100

300m swim down to make up to 8k..;-)

 Perry Beeches (25m Pool)

This is was a Beauty for a Sunday afternoon

 Walsall Gala (33.3m pool) 200m easy swim

Pre Main (to get your heart pumping a little)

4 x 100 @ 1.35

6 x 2`s @ 65 sec

6 x 1s @ .35 sec

Main set.

6 x 500`s (75% effort at a good tempo)

2 x 500`s @ 7.30 (T-Shirt and Fins)

2 x 500`s @ 7.30 (T-Shirt and Pull Buoy)

2 x 500`s @ 7.30 (Paddles or Snorkel)

F/C Drill Set

3 x 2`s (1stL doggy paddle, 2nd L head up scull) R15

3 x 2`s (1st L head up scull pull, 2nd L head up full stroke) R15

3 X 2`s (1st Kick with fins no Board, 2nd 100% full stroke) R15

Swim Down

400m easy ......Total Session 5200m

5 min stretch down

 Perry Beeches (25m Pool)

This Might take a bit of translation ..(T.S.F) means T-shit,Snorkel and Fins..;-)

 Perry Beeches (25m Pool)

This was A Killer session..the 45 minutes Twin stretch cord set was not fun

 Walsall Gala Baths (33.3m Pool)

Warm up

200 m

15 x 2,s of 65 sec

2 x 200 f/c kick with fins

main set ( T-Shirts ON !)

6 X 100,s of 1.35

3 x 200`s of 3.15

2 x 300`s of 4.45

6 x 2,s of 65 sec

400m f/c drills ( head up, sculling, shark fin, doggy paddle ect)

200m easy swim down

5 min stretch down..total swim 4.4k

 Village Gym (25m Pool )

 Perry Beeches (25m Pool )

Guys ..You Love this one.!! we did...Not..;-))

Hope the session are useful to some, we try to keep them fun, try to keep you thinking as you swim.!!  R