Ricks Weekend At The Lakes........

Some of Ricks team arrive  nice and early at Windermere
for the British gas Great North Swim Liz,Nicky,Jenny @ Kevin .
( Jenny is already in race mood, closed eyes picturing the race)

After the  hard work and cold of last weeks Dover test swim , It  was great to have a weekend of from Channel training duties and have some fun racing with all others from Ricks Swim Team  for the 1st time since The great Salford Swim last month.

Derwentwater in The Lake District
Venue of The Epic Lake Race

Lake Windermere.
Venue for The Great North Swim

we had a fun weekend planned in the Lake Distict, some of the team were doing the British Gas Great North Swim  at the amazing Lake Windermere and some of the team were 50 miles further afield taking part in The Epic Lakes swim at the equally amazing Derwentwater Lake in Kiswick,

Big Kev on the ferry to the swim tucking into his fave food..
he looks deep in thought...Hmm  i know i can beat Nigel and Nicky.??
but can i maybe beat jenny.?? hmmmm

Miss Alsop...looking nervous..!!
Thinking i can take them all this time..even super

Jenny just playing it cool before the off...But you know she is
thinking..Hmm Kev you have no chance.!!, Can i Maybe beat Darran.?;-))



Super Daz.. thinking..!!!
 just chill man.. you guys worry to much..



All Smiles after the long ferry the journey across the Lake,
now for the long walk to the race start

Big Ricks coach Basher Bates seems to be running late for start
at the Epic Race in Derwentwater... 

So Darran was the first of the gang to swim on Friday afternoon (17/6) at the Great North Swim, Super did the  2 mile race starting at 5pm  ( the man is rock hard )..watch Super Chest in action below...

  look out for Super....he is that good he can gave some of the swimmers a 200m start and still win..( big thanks to Mrs Super for doing the Video )
 

Darran looking just as chilled as he did at the start of the race..
Super had a great race , Won his age group(45-49) in 45.50, but even better daz came in 6th place overall out of the 600 or so who did the 2 mile race..top swimming ..



Big Nigel..was first to swim Saturday morning..good time 29. for the mile.
he was so keen to do well, that he felt the need to have a fake tan session the night before and if that's was not enough to look good, t he then went on to wear Mrs Longstaffs gloves in the race.., Nigel is so posh, he was doing business the minute he finished.!! either that or he was giving his GPS position to Tracey ( Mrs L)  as she has to know where he is every second of everyday ..!!! ;-)) and we thought Doug had it tough with Mrs C..



The Girls ready for the off...Kevin was missing as he had gone of to
shave off all his body hair in the mobile toilets..!! that man will do anything to swim faster.. but did it work.??????

 Yellow wave 3.pm Saturday afternoon at the North swim, the heat before the big Race between Jenny The champion from Salford against her 2 older opponents Nicky and Kevin..!!

The race is over....
but who took home the silverware.???

Sunday was Pauls turn to swim,  he swam at The Epic Lake race at the beautiful Derwentwater near Kiswick..The other channel boys wimped out of coming,Gaz,Rob and Richard did however swim at the very cold Swan Pool , as for the  Doug it was off course Fathers day, so no way he would swim 

short Video of Derwentwater....fabulous place even when its cold and raining..;-))

Basher had good swim at Derwentwater.3.8k race.

Derwentwater was really a lovely race , and we would recommend it to anyone to try..

Okay  Big Ricks Results ....
Great North Swim @ Windermere...
2 Mile  Race 
Daz "Super Chest " Dike .. 
6th overall and 1st in age (45-49) 45.50

1 Mile Race
Jenny ' Silly Bottom' Powell..
123rd overall in the ladies and 9th (40-44) 28.02
Kevin 'The Bolt ' Boulter.
.465th overall , 15th in age (50-42) 28.19
Nigel ' Ive shamed Big Rick by wearing Gloves ' Longstaff.
592th overall and 62nd in age(44-49) 29.11
Nicky 'sloppy' Alsop
194th overall in the ladies, and 16th in age (40-44) 29.31
Liz 'I,m a Virgin to Open Water Swimmer' Parker
2822 overall in the ladies and 429th in age (35-39) 1.06.51

Epic Lake Swim @ Derwentwater Kiswick
3.8k race
Paul 'Basher' Bates ..
3rd overall and 1st in Vets (over 40,s) 52.29

The Mighty Edge chooses his channel classic...
(the Badger might be getting on in years, but he still likes the young tunes.!!)

Yo!..I've had a think about a classic tune for the Blog. and my suggestion brings things right up to date with an anthemic tune from Chris Brown (featuring Benny Benassi )- Beautiful People - ( A tribute to the "beautiful" people out their who have given there support thus far!!!!! )

Regards

Gary 'The Silver Badger' Edge


                      Only 27 days To Go.......

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 just click  link below and Please give what you can. Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

                        

                            Big Ricks Channel Fundraiser Page

Please feel free to contact Big Ricks Swim team ..our email is.. bigrickswimteam@gmail.com  It  would great to hear your thoughts on our channel swim, or perhaps you wish to have a go at open water swimming..i am sure we could help get you started..;-))... 

The Bolt
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo...
I'm singing in the rain...!!

Link to More Pictures from The North Swim
Big Ricks @ The Great North Swim 2011

Swim Sessions This Week..
Friday 24/6/11 David Lloyd pool 25m
25 x 100s of 1.30....chilled swim..
Wednesday 22/6/11 @ Swan Pool
6 laps
Monday 20/6/11 @ Swan Pool
6 laps (2 1/2 miles )
Sunday 19/6/11 @ Derwentwater & Swan Pool
3.8k race ( Paul )
8 Laps ( approx 3 1/2 miles ) Gaz .Rob & Richard
Saturday 18/6/11 @ Lake Windermere
1 mile race ( nigel,jen,kev,nicky liz)
Friday 17/6/11 @ Lake Windermere
2 miles race ( daz )
Thursday 16/6/11 David Lloyd Pool 25m
25 x 100m of 1.35 ( target time 1.20 or better per 100m) 
Wednesday 15/6/11 @ Swan pool
6 laps ( Approx 2 1/2 miles ) stroke work
Monday 13/6/11 @ Swan Pool
6 laps ( approx 2 1/2 miles )
Saturday 11/6/11 @ Swimmers Beach Dover..
2 hour swim ( approx 5 miles )

The  Legend that is Tefal ( Nige`s nickname ) ..
No Way....Nigel is still on the Phone
speak up (he is saying).. i can`t hear you..my next spray tan appointment is when.?.
 We dare not even guess what Big Rick would have said of his best mate swimming in  Gloves..!!

The Swimming Times in July..!!

(To Read any of the stories more clearly, then just click on the picture and zoom in)

Big Ricks Team would like to give a big thank you, to Peter and Keely at The Swimming Times for all their continuing  amazing  help and support to  Ricks team. we really can not thank them both enough for the time and space they have given us in the magazine.

We hope we give everyone  a good, fun, and informal read for the readers of the Swimming Times of what its like when six very old men and a Young (ish)lady, come up with the crazy idea to swim the English Channel ....!! We don`t know  if we are doing it right or wrong.?,whether we are doing to much or to  little ,or if  we are getting the right or wrong advice..!! in the end only time will tell...but at the moment we are having great fun Trying.! well, if you can call freezing your ass for hours on end fun..!!..but...the Truth is ....We are loving the whole experience .

Thank you again Peter & keely ..

Big Ricks Team 

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..!! 

                         www.Big-Ricks-Fundraiser-Page.co.uk

Dover...' A Weekend At Freda`s...! '

Ricks Team along side The Channel General 
 Freda Streeter on Swimmers Beach in Dover

We had done everything we could possible think of to be ready for this day, but nothing could quite prepare us for what was install on first ever trip to swimmers beach in Dover. it was 5am on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning as we left the midlands on our 4 hour drive to Dover..., everyone in the team had been waiting for this day as we all knew  it would show us once and for all if  the previous months of 1st endless pool training, and as we moved on to the months of cold water training had paid of, AND we were ready to swim the channel................... 

The amazing view of Dover harbor and the English Channel

As we approached Dover on the M20, everyone was in good spirits  laughing and joking taking the Micheal out of captain cash as usual , but  then all of sudden as we  drove over last of the hills  that leads down into Dover,  the view that confronted us  left us all totally speechless., it was the our first sighting of  the English channel..it looked absolutely awe inspiring in the morning sunshine, it was stretching as far as the eye , it sent shivers down your spine just to see it that way..! ..the picture above simply does not do it justice.

Capt Matthew Webb.
first man to ever swim the channel in 1875

As we drive down the promenade along the sea front heading towards swimmers beach we pasted the statue of Captain Matthew Webb ,  the first man to ever swim the channel on Aug 24th 1875. Once you see the Captain you know you have arrived, we see could the crowds on the beach, so parked up, grabbed the gear and headed over..no one was speaking much...think it had really dawned on everyone that the talk was over and we really are swimming the channel.... and there it was ..!!

            click on an View the famous Channel swimmers beach @ Dover


Swimmers beach is world famous for channel swimmers, anyone who is  anyone would have swam and trained here before there attempts to conquer the mighty Channel...As we walked onto the pebbled beached we could already see a lot of the solo swimmers had already started there training, Freda told us  they had to start a hour before us wimpy relay swimmers as they have 6 hours or more to swim .!!!

Freda Streeter
Has trained channel swimmers for over 25yrs

Okay..it was time to meet the channel general Freda..., as i said in the last blog,,Freda has some what of a reputation for being hard on channel wimps..!! so as we walk over to her in our matching red tops, she looked up and said who are these guys .?? they look more like a formation dance outfit  than a relay team.!! so when the first thing we asked here was for a team picture she knew she was right.!

So after we had danced around the beach for 5 minutes trying to get a good picture (which is hard work i can tell you with this ugly bunch, with the exception of super model Gary and Nicky of course.!!) we got down to business..Freda explained in full graphic detail about the safety of rules of swimming at Dover.. thee most important of these is to Never , never swim further than 2  whites lines marked on either side of the harbour walls., Because firstly you will most likely get hit by the P&O ferry heading to Calais,  but even worse you will get a rollicking of me for not listening...!!

Darran laughing at the meat boys, Rob and Rich..making all the excuses in the world to Freda..but she just waited for them to finished, and said just talk to the hands boys, I,ve heard them all before...now if that's it...?? Get in....!!

The Gimp..was looking a bit worried before the off.!!

Once the safety briefing was sorted , Freda then when on to tell us what she wanted us to do ,the plan is with no exception's ,( she meant NONE.!) was to swim for 2 hours ,with a 1 hour rest , and then back in for another hour to finish off....!! Hm mm i could see some of the dance group were not happy at the thought of this..!!!

Its 10am ,and so time to go. Big Ricks joined the 40 or so other relay swimmers from all over the UK who are also planning their own attempts on the channel this summer..its small and a very select group and we were proud to be part of it. ,

( Ricks team are the swimmers already in the sea in the middle of the pic.!)

Well the Swim went great, sea was cold ish but not to bad..about  12/13 degrees..its best to explain the way you swim at Dover . You roughly enter the sea from the middle of  swimmers beach , then head straight out about 100 yards or so from the beach , then turn right and head for the harbour wall and the 2 white vertical lines painted on it..guess it was about a 600m swim  to the wall.

You can just about see the 2 whites lines where you swim to
on the left side of the harbor

Once there, you touch the wall,  turn around and head back across the harbor to the other white lines painted on the opposite wall some 1300m or so away..  As you swim across , you must make sure as  you don`t get pushed out to sea  by the strong tide which is very easy to do ,Just ask Paul and Doug who were almost in France at point..!! and that's it really ..you swim from wall to wall for 2 hours..!!

Think you can just about see Paul and Doug chasing the ferry to France,
 you just imagine what Freda thought of them both after.!!

The sea was a bit choppy on the day , especially as you approached the left harbour wall., but it wasn`t bad enough that you couldn`t swim okay..after about hour and half..we had a quick chat and checked our watches...most of us where started to feeling a little cold, but it was only another half so carried in,  we got back to the getting out point with still 5 minutes to spare, but  thought it would be okay to get out now..!!

                                      click on..See on how the swim went
As we started to get out , like a flash Freda and her team appeared for nowhere and started shouting orders at us, just like a Drill sergeant would !! ..GET BACK IN, did you not hear me, GET BACK IN...you haven`t finished it... I said 2 hours was the test so get back in and finish it..!!!! after the shock of being shouted at , we couldn`t stop laughing..this little old lady shouting out the orders like that..;-)) 

The Rush to get Warm when its all over..!!

Super won , well he was the 1st out ;-))

Gary having tears of joy now that's its all over..!!

Paul enjoying some of Darran Delicious home made bird food.!!

Miss Alsop posing in front of the P&O ferry



The Don looking a bit cold

Big Ricks formation dance team.!



Captain Cashy all smiles now its over..!,

He shouted okay men the swim is done, now lets

find our boat in Folkestone..! to which we all replied Yes Freda.!!  

Once the swim was over, we thanked Freda and her team for all there help and advice and went on our way the  few miles round the coast to Folkestone to find our boat that will take us across the channel next month, sadly our pilot Fred Mardle was on holiday so we couldn`t have chat with him, but he told us to head down to the quay side in Folkestone and we would see our vessel in the harbour ..!!! so that's what we did..

The Boys on  Folkesone Quay side in search of the Boat..!
No wonder paul is swimming so fast..check out that solar panel.!!

Pauls has spotted it.!!! Hmmmmm

Gary , can not bring himself to Look..!!!Hmmm 

i think we are going to need a bigger boat..!!!

Can anyone spot the man who could not stop laughing
after seeing the size of Fred boat..!! Doug don,t you just love him

A Great weekend over...!

This Weeks Channel  classic tune was picked by 'The Don' aka Richard..it might not be everyone,s cup of tea...but its top song for sure..its Country...by Mr Paul Weller

Big Ricks Channel Tip....
This is a common sense tip... If Anyone is seriously thinking about swimming the Channel at some point in the future, Then we would say, sure do as much training as you can in the pool and lake, but there really is no substitute for Sea training.. So when ever its possible to start get you ass to Dover ( 1s weekend in May)..because no matter how much you think you have prepared yourself  by pool training in the winter , and then moved on into cold water training in lakes in April, its nothing like Sea swimming.. So do is as much and as often as you possible can.. .!
Never forget channel swimming is not meant to be easy..!!

Rob needed a moment on his own to reflect and
to tell  Mrs cash he was not coming home till Sunday..oops  

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 just click  link below and Please give what you can. Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

                         Big Ricks Channel Fundraiser Page

Please feel free to contact Big Ricks Swim team ..our email is.. bigrickswimteam@gmail.com  It  would great to hear your thoughts on our channel swim, or perhaps you wish to have a go at open water swimming..i am sure we could help get you started..;-))...  

H2 OPEN WATER SWIMMING

H2OPEN
OPEN WATER SWIMMING
http://www.h2openmagazine.com/

Big Ricks are along side fellow channel swimmer Mark Preston
who is doing a solo swim in July. Mark is also swimming
the Channel in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Ricks wish
Mark the best of luck for his swim..
http://www.h2openmagazine.com/
Big Ricks Team would like to give a big thank you, to Simon and Sarah  at  H20 Open Magazine for the help and support they have given Ricks Team . We really can not thank them both enough for the time and space they have given us . Trust me try H20 out, its is great read for all open water swimmers.

    Big Ricks Swim Team

    Salford 2011

 (To Read any of the stories more clearly, then just click on the picture and zoom in)            

Ricks Boys on Tour..!



Captain Cash just about  to take one tiny step for Cashy Kind ,

and swim with the Sharks in Turkey..( poor sharks i say..!!)

 Rob Only brought his own Fan club along to see him get eaten......



This Weeks Channel  humming tune was picked by Paul's Fabulous Wife Justine ..a class tune given the Glee treatment  by Gwyneth Paltrow  ( So much better than Cee Lo Green version )...Forget You...!  why not Click to play to listen as you read

Captain Cash did  some extreme training in Kalkan..Turkey
( you can see one of Rob,s Green and white arm bands
and Mrs Cash pedalo  rescue boat in the picture )

With it being school half term week. , the team have been training all over the place....some of the guys were still training hard at Swan Pool..but  for some  of the guys its been a bit different story ...!! Paul has been doing his training this week on the beautiful Jurassic coast in Dorset, Darran has been doing his training in the equally beautiful Lake District , and our Captain, "chunky boy Cash" well he has been doing his swimming with the sharks in Kalkan,Turkey ..well the captain is posh  boy of the group  and in the best fatty shape to tempt the sharks...( lets hope they improved his speed a little..!! )  

                                   Paul,s  doing swim cheeky swimming
                                                  at Brownsea island Dorset

Everything is still looking good for our channel swim in July...Now only 45 days away, the training is going as good as we could ever have wished for , All seven of the team are in great shape...swimming hour plus with very little difficulty .We only have one more test to do before July , and that is this weekend coming ( 11th/12th June) and that test is at Dover with the Famous Channel Coach..Freda Streeter...! and we can not wait to meet her.. I think....!



Freda Streeter is known as "The Channel General" .She has helped countless swimmers achieve their Channel dreams for the past 25 years .Freda and is loved and cared about by many swimmers from around the world for wha she has done for them . lets hope we grow to love her as well...!!

We have heard many rumours and scare story's about Freda ,( all are true) about how she makes grown men and ladies cry but just looking at them..! We know this is our biggest test as Freda does not stand for any show boating , or posing ( so Gary might be is in trouble ..!) or moaning ( so darran might be in trouble ), there are no excuses.. she has heard them all before..!! she has own training methods for channel swimming that's she has used for over 25 years ... so we had just best  do as we are told..!!( at least Doug will be used to that part ;-)) ! ) No one Questions the Channel General.... 

Freda along Side her Daughter Alison, who is better known
as the ' The Queen of the Channel..!!'
( Alison has conquered the English Channel 43 times)

Freda will tell you what she wants you to do , and then expect you to do it..The channel is not meant to be easy to do, as well will find out in Dover this Saturday morning..we expect at least 2 hour straight swim, at the very least , maybe even 3..!! we are in shape to do it after doing our Swan pool test a few weeks ago , but this will be in the sea..!! which is a totally different environment to Swan Pool.... The Rumour has it that Freda,s training is harder than Channel swim itself...! i feel Saturday might be a  painful day for all of us

Ricks Coach Paul Swimming in Swanage Bay..
 being a massive  wimp and wearing a wet suit..!! 

If you look carefully you can see the captain swimming of into the distance..
well we think its the captain. or a maybe its a Blue Whale.!
Kalkan.Turkey



                 Big ricks training update from  Swan Pool on sunday morning

  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..!! 

                         Big Ricks Channel Fundraiser Page

Please feel free to contact Big Ricks Swim team ..our email is.. bigrickswimteam@gmail.com  It  would great to hear your thoughts on our channel swim, or perhaps you wish to have a go at open water swimming..i am sure we could help get you started..;-))...  

This Weeks Sessions
Sunday 5/6/11 @ Swan Pool
8 laps done  ( 800m approx per lap)
Saturday 4/6/11 @ Brownsea Island
1hr swim to the Island in Dorset
Friday 3/6/11 Lulworth Cove
1hr swim done
Thursday 2/6/11 Kalkan.Turkey

1hr swim done

Wednesday 1/6/11 Swan Pool, Sandbanks,Kalkan.Turkey

6 laps of the Swan...

1hour in Kalkan.Turkey

45 minutes in Sandbanks Dorset

Monday 27/5/11 @ Swan Pool and Swanage Bay
6 laps ( 800m per lap) Gaz,Doug.Rich,Nicky
2hrs done around Swanage Bay Dorset..
Sunday 26/5/11..@ Swan Pool and Bournemouth
7 laps of The Swan ( 800m per lap) Rich, Doug, Gary, Nicky
1hr 30 in Bournemouth Paul
Saturday 25/5/11...@ Swanage and Turkey and Worcs
Paul ,2 hrs in Swanage Bay.
Rob 2 hrs Kalkan Bay Turkey..

Darran 4k @  Worcester

Captain Cash tucking into some real Turkish Delight
at this mornings training swim @ the Swan (5/6/11) 
(Notice Richard looking all sad , he has just realized Rob has eaten the lot)

 

Big Ricks Paul did some sea training this week at the Beautiful Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset with its fabulous Durdle Door..just a fabulous place to swim