Its Been a Tough Week..14/12/10

Come On...!!! Anyone who has ever swam at the Walsall Gala Baths knows
  The temperature  never goes above -5 EVER..! so god knows
where 29 degrees comes from Mr Pugh..lol

 Its been a funny old week .The training part of week has been great, everyone in Big Ricks Team (apart from Gary with his bad back and old Flabby Chest Darran with his illness )  , really are starting to get there general swimming fitness back to level

where we can really push on with the much harder and longer swim sessions  in the new year without any worries, which is great news, as the 100% Swimmers in the Team  thought  the Water Polo Boys Richard and Rob might take until the End of January  to get back up to speed.!!  but that's so not the case.., sorry for doubting you guys.... ,

Saturdays (11/12/10 ) swim  really was promising , We had a go at our very First hour long none stop swim, Dougy and Paul managed to do over 4000m, ( well they are both still swimming pretty much full time still , well ok 2 times a week.!! ) Richard did a great swim around 3600m and Captain Cashy was doing great until he slopped of after about 50 minutes,because as we later learnt   his good lady wife was going Christmas shopping and he was told Don`t Be Late Home Or Else.!! .!( and as we know Chunky Boy Cash  always does as he is told .!!!!! like most husbands i guess.) Big Ricks 2 amazing reserves Nick and Nicky ( or as they are better known  Mr Average and Sloppy.!!) also  swam great Nicky doing about 3500 and Nick 3200..the great swimming done by the team,  shows what can be done after just  3 weeks of  training, just think what we can do after 7 months..!!!

So Our Record attempt To Do The Fastest English Channel Relay Crossing for Team (over 40)  really is Very Much The cards in 2011.!!!

The Tough part of the week has been all to do with Sponsorship ,or should i say the lack of it..!! We have Gently been approaching some of the Multi National Companies that are based in around The Walsall area for help and support  .You know the Super Market Chains, Banks, DiY stores..etc..., but sadly we have very little success at the moment .!!, and those who have replied have wished us well, but have also given us a big fat NO where help is concerned .!! i  know that all of them are doing amazing things for charities through out  the U.K , pledging many millions of pounds in the process which is we know is fantastic and long may it continue in these tough times!, and we also guess  these companies  must get 1000`s of requests for help such as ours every week .!!! So We won`t take a few knock backs to personally, and we certainly will not give up asking for help..!!

                        Saturday 7am , just before our 1st One Hour Time trail.!!!

If you wish to support 'Big Ricks' English 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

This Weeks Swim Sessions;
Monday 6/6/10
Warm up 400  (200 easy, 200 drills)
Kick Set..600..( 6x100`s  Freestyle ..1st length hard, 2nd recover 3rd hard..30 sec rest between each 100)
Main Set..7x400 (  straight 12, then 10x2,8x4,6x6,4x8,10x8,12) short rest between each 400, try and mix up the 400 with another stroke not  freestyle..!!)
Warm down..12x1.( breathing set..... breath every 6, 7,8,9,10,11 straight,11,10,9,8,7.. keep an eye on how many strokes it takes you..!! will come use full in the weeks ahead.!!)
Thursday 9/12/10
Warm Up 800..( 200 swim kick pull swim ) choice stokes.
Main Set 3 X 1200 ( 3 x 400 of 6 minutes)
                               (6 x 200 of 3 minutes)
                               (12 x 100 of 1min 30 )
try and make all the sets comfortable, using it as way of swimming an even pace.
Warm Down..6x2 ..breathing every 5..long stroke..counting strokes again
Saturday 11/12/12
Warm UP. 400 mixed strokes..
Main set ..A straight  1 Hour swim.. (looking to pace yourself throughout the swim..!! its not about the distance , all about the time.!!)
Warm down..200 Easy backstroke..