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| Swan Pool @ Sandwell Valley ( Big Ricks Home for the next 6 months.!) |
Finally..after 6 months of none stop pool training , (at 3 different swimming pools..!!) the day had finally arrived when Big Rick team could ditch those lovely warm swimming pools in nice 20 degree water..! , with their nice hot showers and cosy changing rooms, and then their was always those lovely hot chocolates after we had done a hard swim
Well..., that's a long distance memory already , welcome to real world of a channel swimmer..we had swapped the warm swimming pools with all their creature comforts, for a night swim at swan pool on May bank holiday Monday.!! where the water was 11/12 degrees at best, the wind was blowing a typhoon..so not only did it feel freezing as we changed on the river bank ( no more cosy changing rooms)but because the wind was so strong the water was better for surfing than swimming..!!! welcome to the world of open water swimming..!!
Only 3 of team braved the conditions Nicky, Richard and Paul ( Gaz,Doug were on holiday, Rob had work commitments and as For Darran..!! who knows where Super is.??) , we did have some company , their were a few other channel swimmers training also the BRAT Triathlon club were there.,these hard Iron men in their Wet suits...!! are so tough and hard they only lasted one lap..!!!). We Managed 5 laps in just under in the hour..( in trunks , hard Iron Men) ..
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| A frozen Paul and Nicky |
the Cold when we got out, was the worst i had felt , absolutely freezing, our feet and hands were blue..!, we quickly got changed and instead of the lovely hot chocolate we used to have, it was hot coffee from a flask..of which was spilled from the shakes we were experiencing..!!but the main aim of the night was to swim a hour none stop, which we did..we can live with a little cold..some much so its same again on Wednesday night..only this time i might change the coffee for hot chocolate in the flask..!!
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| I miss those Hot Chocolate days..!! |
Click the video to hear Monday nights report...!! if you dare
Wednesday Evening @ The Swan..4/5/11
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| Wednesday evening at Swan Pool @ Sandwell Valley Big Ricks had the whole lake to ourselves, felt amazing...! |
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Poor old Captain Cash.., he can smile now after spending 5 laps trying his heart out to catch the swan....! in the end we had to talk the swan into letting him win.....!! |
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Perhaps you can help us here..is Nicky looking shocked because A) she is very very cold and has just tasted how strong Paul`s coffee is...?? or B) is she looking shocked and traumatised from witnessing the captain wearing 2 pairs of trunks .!!! Wimp,big girl that he is...!! answers on a postcard please.. |
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| Does Paul ever Stop Smiling.!!! Hmmm its either because A) he`s a just happy go lucky sort of a guy.!! or B) is he smiling to himself , thinking how funny the video will be when Darran finally tries the cold water, (let alone the sea) for the 1st time.....!!!....Answer A & B. |
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What to you thing of the Show so far..?....... RUBBISH..!! |
Wednesday Nights Report from the Swan..thank god it was warmer than monday.!!
Okay so it was it cold...But Don`t worry about a thing,
Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation . If you wish to Support us in anyway ,then click this link and Please give what you can. Every penny you give will go to help save Lives..!!
Great swimming so far this week..17 laps of the swan done in 4 days..
This Weeks Session4/5/11 Evening swim @ Swan Pool (approx 800m per lap)..
5 laps done..good swim by all.
( 57f water temp..a little windy, beautiful sun set.!)
2/5/11 Evening swim @ Swan Pool ( approx 800m per lap)
6 laps done...Very hard swim..
(56f water temp, blowing a gale.!!, Bloody Freezing)
1/5/11 Morning Royal Swim @ Swan Pool ( Approx 800m per Lap)
6 laps done..good swim today
( 58f water temp, no wind, beautiful sunny morning)
30/4/11 Morning swim @ The Gala Baths Walsall 33.3m Pool
warm up easy 1000m swim..
main set 3 x 1000,s...75% effort...@ 15.30
1000 kick ( various sets , with and with out fins ..swimmers choice how they swim the set )
swim down 600m easy choice stroke
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