Well this week’s blog is about as serious as Ricks blogs will ever get..!! Don`t worry this deep moment won`t last for long..!..there is meaning in choosing the mighty Who`s song “Never Be Fooled again” as this week’s blog read along song..As you will see as you read... why not play as you ponder our meaningful thoughts...lol... ;-))...
The 6 Big Time Charlie`s in Dover
Okay...let’s get Deep...Ricks were fooled into not having fun on our 2011 channel swim ..!!Plain and simply...we were 6 big time `fun time` Charlie’s, ex pool swimmers who had done it all, we had a few ex British age group champions in the team, we even had an ex England and Great Britain swimmer among our ranks...so what was there to stop us having fun in the channel...??
The Fun Time charlie`s with the Wonderful Freda Streeter at Swimmers Beach in Dover Harbour
We did all that was asked of us and more, to get ready for a channel relay. we did thousands upon thousands of kilometre's in the pool throughout the winter, then did 100,s of Miles around Swan Pool in day light and at Night., We did the expected (12hrs round trip from the West Midlands) Trip to swimmers beach in Dover just to meet the wonderfulFreda “ The Channel General ” Streeter and do her 3 hrs swim around Dover harbour , just so we could get one her famous certificates saying Big Ricks had passed her test and were ready for the channel, I mean if that wasn`twe even did an extra combined 5hrs test swim at Swan Pool..!! ,and as we did all this training we had great fun, all of us felt great to be swimming again, Great to be back swimming as part of team once more ,because for most of team it had been 20yrs plus since after most of us had given up competitive swimming.!!! ,( Mmm Competitive in swimming terms means .. NOT MUCH FUN..!!
Night Swimming @ The Swan
Okay, after 20yrs of retirement, we were backing swimming , back training , and back to feeling competitive..!!!(That word again), even after 20yrs you can not help yourself falling back into old habits , (as hard as you try.)., So just like we were all teenagers again, we foolishly started looking at fastest channel times, We Started thinking we could beat that time..!!,and maybe perhaps set a record.!!! Ricks Coach Basher, then said " i wonder if there is a record for the fastest over 40`s team EVER..!!" ...Remember what we said earlier, Competitive in swimming terms means..Stress, Putting yourself under pressure To Perform, and off course Winning .! all of which means you don`t have much Fun..!! until the race is over..As Ricks headed To Dover, were ready, we were more than ready. This channel lark would be a breeze...everyone of team was in great shape, we were swimming fast (4k a hour speed), and our competitive streak had taken over.!!( which means ` No Fun` remember) thanks mainly to Ricks Coach Basher.!, we have found the out the fastest over 40`s team did the channel 9hrs 40.!! so that was it...pressure was on..but we thought the swim would be done in 9 hrs or less..!! .,what fools..!
This Easy Channel Lark Route.lol..
(all 35 miles of it.)
Okay...you might think what are Bigs Ricks on about...? as in thinking WHY we were fools...?. because as most of you know We made it across the channel in July 2011.., a Perfect result some would say, and it was ..!, but ( A BIG BUT ) the channel crossing itself was not as much fun as it should have been, not because of the resaons you might think, like sea sickness ,or choppy conditions , strong tides and swells, jelly fish stings , having to swim 15 miles further than was expected , as that is part and parcel of channel swim...so why had our adventure gone from being so much fun for 9 months , to being a bit of let down on the day...Competitive
This is NO Dream,
The swim starts...no one is saying much...!!
So when big Ricks Paul entered the sea at 1.15 a.m, it was raining, windy, the boat was being tossed about by the waves oh and lets not forget it was in pitch darkness,Paul swam towards the shadows of the White Cliffs of Dover and Samphoe beach , we could only just see the cliffs in the of the moon light, all we could see of Paul was a green light attached to his goggles, none of us said a word as Paul swam in, we heard Paul shout from the beach ready...and the clock was started for the Race...!!! (what race i hear most say, this is the channel, one of the greatest sporting challenges in the world..!!! you,ve trained for 9 months to enjoy this moment..!!)..
The Don..5hrs in..trying 100% to break that record
For hour after hour we gave everything 100%, like you do in a race....!! and not what we should have been doing and just enjoying the whole experiences .!! we eventually got France in 11hrs and 10 minutes some 1hr 30 minutes slowly than the record.!! and we were disappointed ..and we should n `t have been...we should have been celebrating .!! Our Pilot Fred (Fred has over 40yrs of experience with channel swimmers) gave us some great advice, Advice that we have taken to Heart and to head, so we won`t get fooled again..!! Fred`s words..." The Channel is never a race guys..sure there are best times for a crossing, but you should never ever judge anyone or any team on how long they take to cross the English channel, every successful crossing is as good as last..no matter if it took 7 hrs or 17 hrs..., no 2 days are ever the same in the channel just like 2 swims are never the same, so how can you judge success simply on times .., ....Now cheer up lads you`ve just crossed the English Channel in the worst conditions of the year...that must be a good reason for a glass or 2 champagne....."
A toast to our channel Pilot Fred Mardel
we Learnt a very good lesson last year, its not race, the channel is bigger than that, Its something to be enjoyed and treasured.. that's something we plan to do with our double channel swim in June..we would hate for others to make the same mistake we made on the day of your swims , don`t get caught up in racing, instead of just enjoy an amazing experience...well that enough heavy chat from Ricks for a life time..time for another glass of bubbly please.....Now only 110 days until Big Ricks 2012 Double swimBig Ricks Swim Team are attempting a 2 -Way swim of the English Channel between the dates of June 25th to 1st July 2012.. We know the thought of swimming 60 miles really is quite Boring to most of you..!!, BUT the thought you are helping people beat and Breast Cancer and Heart Disease by sponsoring Big Ricks really is exciting .!!! `This swim will be completely meaningless without your amazing generosity , We know times are hard so we really,really thank you from the heart for your support..Ricks x
