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..)