Big Ricks Are Back....

The Burf asking why are we back..??
Big Martin moaning as to why we are still swimming at the swan at 8.30 on monday night in the middle of September well  Burf...unless you are like Super Camp Darran and are going to wimp out until next year , we plan to swim at the swan all winter...;-) oh joy replied the big man...he loves it really..
( Swan Pool 19.9.11)

Well the summer is well and truely over for another year, and already our sights are foucsing on the up coming ASA National Championships (The British Gas ASA National Masters Championships  for some of the team ,and  for the rest of Ricks ..we are looking long term ,and getting  training ideas in place for next years many super swims the team have planned.

The Meat.
Richard taking his time at 8.30  on sunday morning at the Swan.
water was a chilly 14 degree but it did not stop the hard man of Ricks getting in/.!!
( Swan Pool 18.9.11)

The Swan,s Sunday Morning Update...in one word...COLD..!
Summer 2012 might seem along way off Now....., but  as last years training showed all the team, ... put the hard work in over the winter months , and god will you reap the benefits come summer 2012....


We have.!! ,well okay Paul has a lot of  news ideas for training this winter...Yes it will be hard, Yes it will be long, and Yes it will be fun.!! well fun.. ish.!!!a  very little ish...., but the aim of training is off course to increase fitness and stamina , that goes without saying....but this year we are going to work specifically on getting  speed and tempo into swimming  over the winter as well the hard long sets.. Such Fun..!!

Big Ricks (Arsene Wenger)
Well he moans as much as Arsene that's for sure...We think Paul is smiling after training on Sunday, as he has just thought up some nightmare session for everyone to do..;-)

Speed and Tempo...are the 2 words that the team will get sick of hearing over the next few months....our overall fitness this year has been great, everyone worked there boots 
off to be ready for the channel.. and as result we finished it despite what the Channel threw at us...but in parts of the crossing we really struggled... when the currents and swells were at there strongest  , only Super Darran  swam through them without to much problem.. why...because the speed and tempo of darran,s stroke is so much better than everyone else in the team.. his stroke rate hour after hour was well over 70 per minute, the rest of us were back around 63/64... 
,Much More to Follow on this over the coming months.....

Big Ricks update of the Summer of 2011.... roll 2012


This Weeks Sessions :
there has been 8 sessions this week..at 4 different locations..so takes time to get it written down...;-))) 

(Ricks Team need a favor from you all...it will only take 5 seconds of your time, but as result of your help Ricks could, should they win, be able to give The British Heart Foundation £500.0, if you are facebook user then please click this link for The Speedo Unforgettable swims http://SpeedoUnforgettable Swims.co.uk , once on the page scroll down the list of shortlist finalists until you find Big Ricks Paul Bates...and then simply VOTE FOR PAUL..and its done...as we said should we win...the money will not come to any of Ricks Team,  but will be donated to the BHF..cheers for help everyone..)

Summer of 2011...The Final Chapter

Big Ricks Summer of 2011
 Now That`s Entertainment..
(click on, and Play as you read and  laugh.!!)

The Captain..
Rob won 1st prize in Big Ricks Picture of the Year.
to be honest rob had ever picture in the top 50..
chunky defiantly has a face for radio..!!

Its time to draw a line under this years open water season and move onto the Pool racing and training for next yrs swims..!! But before we do it has to be said its been the best year to date in Big Ricks short history.., off course at the center of year was a successful channel crossing for some of the boys...but its been a great 6 months all round for Ricks Swim Team ..

BIG RICKS @ THE GREAT SALFORD SWIM

BIG RICKS @ THE GREAT NORTH SWIM
(DAZ AND NIGEL ALSO SWAM)

Ricks have Swam from England to France , taken part in The Great Salford to the Great London to the Great North Swims . then moved onto the Great Epic Lake races at Derwent and Ullswater , then the National ASA Races at Bosworth , been a big part of  British Heart Foundation races in Bournemouth, Weymouth and Staffordshire, these are just a  few of the races and events over the summer that Ricks swimmers have taken part in ..WHAT A  SUMMER..

BIG RICKS @ THE  BHF HEART OF ENGLAND SWIM

BIG RICKS @ THE GREAT LONDON SWIM

Ricks team is all about  having fun and enjoying the love of swimming.!! We love welcoming back old friends and making news ones ...the open water scene in the UK is just fabulous to be part of It does not matter if your first or last ,  because the admiration of your fellow swimmers to your achievement is greeted we the same enthusiasm ...its amazing to see.


 Ricks New Virgin swimmers this year:

THE DON..!
Big Ricks Open Water Swimmer Of The Year
The Man in God...Richard was new to open water 2011...
he was 5th at The Great Salford swim and did the Channel in Style

 Ricks Welcomes Henry to the Fold...;-) ,
Henry is the son of Ricks swim god... Big Nige , The guys swam together for the 1st time at the British Heart Foundation Pier swim last weekend ( 4/9/11), and did a great time of 37 minutes for the mile and half swim..( a great swim for a young man in his 1st open water swim)..we think Henry is the youngest and most likely the best swimmer in Ricks team.!!, and we have to say what a cool picture

Mrs Peee..
Victoria ( wife of Big Rick God Mr Average )
swam 2 great races at The Great London and Salford swims
 
The Burf
it was great to welcome back Martin into swimming after 20yrs plus out of the sport.
 Burford swam at the BHF Heart of England swim in July and has been an ever present at the Lake  since. Great news that martin has signed up to swim a solo channel swim in 2013..!! doing breast stoke no less.. 

Mr Warner..
It was great to here from Tim at the beginning of year asking  how to  start Open water swimming .Tim was a school friend of Mark (Big Rick)..Tim wanted to get into swimming for himself and to raise some money for the British Heart foundation in memory of his great friend..Tim had done the BHF races in staffordshire and Weymonth this summer and raised over £400 in the process. 


Memories of the Summer of 2011

1st open water swim of the Year 3rd April
and 1st meeting with the Mighty Dan

Working with Blueseventy @ the Great Salford Swim

Doug trying to keep warm at the Swan during our 3 hour test swim in May

Paul having a coffee at 10.45 after out test night swim @ The Swan in May

Meeting Freda Streeter in June

Darran Chilling at the Great North Swim before the 2 mile race..He won

Nigel bringing shame on Ricks Team wearing gloves @ The North swim

Paul..posing at the Epic lakes race @ Derwent Water

Kevin..doing his best Steve Mcclaren impression @ the North

Gary very kindly testing how cold the sea was in Bournemouth 

Mr Cash,s case of Swan Foot from the lake in June

Nigel and Burf at the heart swim in july

Nicky`s Rear of year pose at Epic lakes race in Ullswater

You don`t want top know where Doug keeps the safety whistle  

The Captain looking in pain after a Sunday morning swim in April

Mrs Powell showing how many laps she and the girls plan to do (May)

9

Mr A(Nick) in his Gay Super suit in Bournemouth (May)
More beauties to come.....

The Swimming Times ...September Issue

(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 



Ricks team  swam the channel  in memory of  their Friend Mark Richuss and in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation . We hope you have enjoyed our journey  over the last 9 months.. If you still wish to  Support us in anyway, THEN  YOU STILL  CAN ,  just by clicking  link below it will take you to our Virgin Just Giving Page where you can Donate , 

      

                 www.bigricksvirginjustgivingpage.co.uk 

                      

              Every penny  will go to help save lives