...Like Pebbles On A Beach

Paul,Rob.Nicky,Richard,Doug
Swan Pool Training 10/4/11

Big Ricks Team at Swan Pool on a beautiful Sunday morning proudly showing of our Plaque that was very kindly presented to them by the ' Swim For Your Heart Foundation ' in the United States. It was our pleasure to play small part in the first worldwide Swim For Your Day on the 14th of February this year..

The Goal of the swim was for people to take to the pool,lake or sea just for a small or large swim and whilst swimming take a moment to think of others.. who may be no longer with us..the swim for your heart foundation are trying spread awareness of heart disease prevention.

 We hear from Pat Gallant-Charette, who,s idea it was to set up Swim For Your Heart in the States , that 35 countries have now shown a interest in swimming on February 14th 2012..keep up the great work Pat..check out the web site for more information http://swimforyourheartfeb14.com/



Big Ricks Swim For Your  Heart  Plaque
http://swimforyourheartfeb14.com/

Channel news this week is all good, as you can see below we are now training open water.!!! which is still taking a bit time to get used to , but the help of our open water guru  Mr Eatherquake we are getting there..Hopefully this weekend we will be able to last the hour in swan pool...once that is done.there will be no stopping us....!!!!,

On the sponsorship front , well we some good talks with Miranda at Cancer Research UK this week , and we are hopeful of some great help of them in the coming weeks and months ,  so along with all the help the British Heart Foundation are continuing  to give us should hold us in good stead for the coming mouths leading up to swim to help keep spreading  the would about the record swim attempt and more importantly about the charities we are swimming for..

On the team front , welll the good news is everyone if fit and well.., and the bad news everyone is on holiday.!! Gary is in Australia, Nicky in Barbados, Nick in  the States , Super Daz is in  Portugal  and poor old paul is in  Wales  , but all have promised to keep up the sea swimming whilst there away., yeah what ever..!!!

  

Swan Pool training 10/4/11, We Had a great swim this morning , we managed  45 minutes in 10-11 degree water..It was a bit fresh at 1st, but after 5 minutes or so,  we  warmed up a little,  and as result  manged to swim roughly 2 miles before the cold got to us again . it was a good effort by to everyone in only 2 swim in open water this year.All goes well for the coming weeks when training in the lake will increase to 3 times a week .

Well this week’s Channel humming tune is a top chill song, It was picked by Big Ricks Swim Team`s youngest and fastest member Stuart or as he is better known to us all as simply Dougie. Its great choice by Doug , and no surprise as he is a true Weller Nut...!!  Broken Stones by the mod father himself Mr Paul Weller

Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation ..  After reading our blog, we hope you will  think we are deserving of your support .!!! If you wish to help ,then please click this link and give what you can.Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

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

                   

This Weeks Sessions:...

Sunday 10/4/11 (Swan Pool half a mile lap)

45 minutes swimming today..felt great..water a bit warmer today

11...!!!! 2 miles roughly swam

Saturday 9/4/11 (Walsall Gala pool 33.3m)

WARM UP..600M

MAIN SET: 3 X 1000

3 x 300s @ 4.20... 100 rest recover

15 x 2s odd numbers kick with fins, even numbers F/C breathing every 7... 

10 x 100,s @ 1.20  

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke

  

Thursday 7/4/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM UP.easy 400m

MAIN SET 3X1000,s @ 15.30 ..75% effort.. working in open water  technique

WARM DOWN 400M

Wednesday 6/4/11 (Perry Beeches Pool 25m)

WARM UP..200M

MAIN SET 20 x 100s 1.25 F/C

WARM DOWN 200M

Tuesday 5/4/11 (David Lloyd Pool 25m)

easy 2500 swim..no rush, no going time..just enjoyed  swimming with no pressure.
felt great 


Monday 4/4/11 (Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)
WARM UP.600 mixed every 3rd lengh choice ( not F/C )
MAIN SET 3 X 1200s
6 x 200,s @ 2.45
200m rest swim
4 x 300 @ 4.15
200m rest swim
1 x 1200 @ 16.00 ( push it...!)
KICK SET..6X 100,s F/C KICK ( 2 FLY,2BACK.2 F/C KINS NO BOARD) 

What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud.......!!!

1st Open water swim 3/4/2011 at Swan Pool Birmingham

Paul,Rob,Dan( Channel God)Nicky,Gary,Richard

Well, we all knew this day had to come....!!, but  it came a bit sooner than we all  thought, but the 3rd of April 'Mothering Sunday', was big ricks  open water initiation, and it certainly was an Initiation..!

Everything has happened sort of fast this week, from being just a normal week..with normal training planned, then Wednesday  a chance introduction to Dan Earthquake from a friend ,  has resulted in us all  swimming at  in Swan Pool in Birmingham  on a lovely sunny Sunday morning.. .!

The Chance meeting with Dan, might just turn out be the best bit luck Big Ricks team will have this year..I'm not sure if can say in just a few words just what Dan has done in his swimming life..the man is an open water swimming god...! Dan never ever swims in wet suit  ever..!! he swims open water all year round .., just few things he has done, he has been an Official observer for  many years on channel swims, he was also on the board of Directors at  CSA  (Channel Swimming Association ) for 5 years, and because of his love for all things to do with open water swimming , Dan along with a few of his friends (two of which were Mark  'Big Rick' and Marks dad John )  Formed in 2002 the only channel swimming club in the west midlands, the club is called Survival Lifeguard Channel Swimming Club .. (big ricks team are  there newest members.!!) through this club Dan and friends have trained many successful channel solo and team swimmers . Check out Dan web sites ..trust me if you want help with channel or long distance swimming he is the man for you.. http://www.danearthquake.co.uk./  and http://www.coldwaterculture.com/ 

 ( If you do get a few moments ... you might want to Check out Dans Cold Water Culture page ...He has wrote some lovely things about Mark and John ..and Big Ricks Team.!!! )

So.lets go to the swim itself....first  of all ..we had a good turn..4 of the team swam.. Paul, Nicky,rob and Richard..Gary turned up to watch , but did not  want to get his hair wet this time, as he,s off to Oz next week for a month and did not  want to catch a cold...!!, and  as for the missing Gimp 'Doug ' !!! well lets just say we all know who wears the trousers in the Copeland household.!!!!

okay...so Dan gave us all a 10 minutes briefing before we got in the water.. all about safety and  how we would freeze like a ice cream if we went to far the first time , you all the normal jokes  one uses ,  just to make us feel that little be more worried than we all ready were.. but seriously Dan gave us great advice, he could see we were worried, but with a few well chosen words he gave us all the confidence that we would be okay !!

Dan would not let us just go off and do laps of the lake, as we thought we would easily do ,,  as he knew full well we  would not make it  half way round the lap at best, ..so we kept in simple...swim close to shore..., between the 2 closest buoys ( about 25m apart ) that way if we had any problems we could get out no problem..!

 So lets do it , we stripped to our trunks on the lakes edge...which gave the local dog walkers and watching sailing club a good laugh.!! and stepped into the less than inviting water.!! first thing that came to mind...was OMG  ...this is cold..but as we dived in that feeling soon passed,  as the real cold set it...!! its  hard to describe in words what it was like, we have  done loads of open water swimming for years, but always later in the summer and mostly with wet suits on..so they came as a bit of a shock to the system for all of us..!!

your body feels like its on fire.!! its really strange feeling, you are cold but your legs feel warm., Your face goes numb for the first minute or 2 then it feels great,!! we swam for about 15 to 20 minutes , just up and down between the buoys , all of us were feeling okay...but after 20 minutes or so really started to feel  cold, could not feel my feet, hands and strangely my shoulders..! started to find it hard to swim.., so we called it a day , and  tried to walk out ,so  funny we were all over the place...even more funny was trying to get changed as the shivers came in...we were shaking that bad could not even hold and cup of tea...just kept spilling it.!! the whole experience was strangely enjoyable for us all, well  if jumping into a freezing cold lake in early April can every be enjoyable  that is. , its a good job really as we have to do it all again next Sunday and for the next 3 months..!!!

                      Swan lake , at sandwell Valley...8.45 Sunday morning

                                                  Breaking the Ice....

                                                  The Swim..!!

                                             The Frozen walk to land.!!

Finally ,following on the same theme of recent weeks on Ricks Blog, in picking a song  that we think will help swimmers keep their  mind sane while swimming for hours and hours on end , Well this weeks humming tune is a classic, It was picked by Big Ricks Swim Team`s best dressed member Victoria,  or as she  is better know to us all as  V.P . its  great choice  V.P.... its  Proud ...by Heather Small
This Weeks Sessions
 Sunday 3/4/11 (Swan Pool half a mile lap)

20 minutes just trying to get used to the
8 degrees water...short sprints.about 25m long..
it was good 1st time 

Saturday 2/4/11 (Walsall Gala pool 33.3m)
MAIN SET:
6 x 300s @ 4.20 
9 x 200s @ 2.50 
18 x 100,s @ 1.30   
SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Thursday 31/3/11 ( David Lloyd  Pool 25m)

WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes

MAIN SET:

 40 x 100s @ 1.30 ( aim for 1.20 per 100)   

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Wednesday 30/3/11 ( Perry Beeches 25m)

WARM-UP: No Time ( only half hour to train)

MAIN SET:

 Timed 30 Minute Swim..(Aim For 2000m Plus in 30 ) 

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Monday 28/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes

MAIN SET:

 1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes

 3 x 500 @ 7:00

 15 x 100 @ 1:30 

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Saturday 26/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM-UP: No Time ( only 45 minute session )

MAIN SET:

 1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes

 15 x 100 @ 1:35 ( target 1.25 or better per 100)

SWIM DOWN: No  Time

Big Ricks Team have been challenged..!!

Well it seems like Big Ricks Team have been challenged ..!!!, Well i love a challenge ,as  do most , especially in this Team...!!!   

.see attached email from The Swimming Times.Editor...

 

well i  see in this month's edition that a team of six is chasing an
"unofficial" record for a six-person team with an average age over 40.

years.....

I am sure we have a statistician who'd know the answer, but at the
risk of causing upset to what is, in any case, a very worthy cause,
I'd throw in the 9hr 40 of the Lido Legends, August 2005 (Seafarer,
Chris Osmond) as one swim that clearly beats the record.

The average age of the team was 45 and would have been much higher if
it were not for the youthful Emma France. With other ladies from the
team being correspondents on this group, a full listing of ages is
available only by private email should documentary proof be requested!

So, can anyone beat that?

If not we'll hang on to the record until further notice then....
I’m sure they will see it if you put some sort of reply in the piece in Swimming Times

Thanks

Peter

Well that's the new target 9 hours 40 minutes...hopefully we have the same perfect  dead calm conditions  the 

Lido Legends

  experienced on their Channel swim in 2005, if that's the case, i,m sure big ricks team will be very close to that time....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  .

        Big Ricks Swim Team Monday Nights Training session 28/3/11

This Weeks Sessions

Thursday 31/3/11 ( David Lloyd  Pool 25m)

WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes

MAIN SET:

 40 x 100s @ 1.30 ( aim for 1.20 per 100)   

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Wednesday 30/3/11 ( Perry Beeches 25m)

WARM-UP: No Time ( only half hour to train)

MAIN SET:

 Timed 30 Minute Swim..(Aim For 2000m Plus in 30 ) 

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Monday 28/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM-UP: 600 Mixed strokes

MAIN SET:

 1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes

 3 x 500 @ 7:00

 15 x 100 @ 1:30 

SWIM DOWN: 400 Mixed Stroke 

Saturday 26/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)

WARM-UP: No Time ( only 45 minute session )

MAIN SET:

 1,500 freestyle @ 21:00 minutes

 15 x 100 @ 1:35 ( target 1.25 or better per 100)

SWIM DOWN: No  Time

The Magnificent Seven

channel forms signed and sealed.. France here we come..!!!!

The Magnificent Seven
Nicky,Richard,Rob,Paul,Gary, Stuart ,Darran

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!              

Mr Blue Sky....!!

At last Super joins the party.!!
The Meat,The Badger,The Gimp,Super Chest,Basher

Channel news to follow......

After telling you in last weeks blog about the song ` Everybody Talkin` that David Williams used to hum to himself over and over on his channel swim  to keep his mind sane... well it got us to thinking what songs  the team might use in their swims July...1st up is big ricks coach Paul.. his choice is...., Mr Blue Sky by ELO...! ENJOY......


swim sessions this week.


Thursday 24/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3)
WARM-UP: 1,000m

 1,500 freestyle @ 22:00 minutes

 3 x 500 @ 7:00 (descending, total time faster than the 1,500)

 5 x 300 @ 4:15 (descending, total time faster than the 3 x 500 combined)

 15 x 100 @ 1:25 (descending, total time faster than the 5 x 300 combined)

Swim Down 600 m

Wednesday 23/3/11 ( perry beeches pool 25m)
Warm Up  easy 400m
Main Set....(Ladder Set )
 5 x 800.s 
 1st  set  800 @   
 2nd set  2 x 400,s @  6.00
 3rd set  4 x 200,s @ 3.00
 4th set   8 x 100,s @ 1.30
 5th set   8 x 2,s @ 45 sec   then 16 x 1,s  @  25 sec
Swim Down 400 mixed strokes 


Monday 21/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m )
Warm Up 400m 
Main Set ( v tough set  ) 
 5x 400,s f/c @ 5.50 
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 200,s f/c @ 2.45
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 100,s f/c o@ 1.20
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 2 lengths of @ 50 seconds
2 Minutes Rest
 5 x 1,s @ 25 seconds or better
Swim Down 400m ( you will need it )


Sunday 20/3/11 ( Perry Beeches Pool 25m)
Warm up 800m F/C
Main Set
 20 x 100s FC range @ 1.40 to 1.15..
Kick Set
 8 x 50,s Fly with fins ( 1st 25 under water, try 2 if possible)
Warm Down 400m

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!  

Everybody's Talkin......!

Big Ricks team member Paul with some of the 5000 flyers that the
British Heart Foundation have kindly had printed for us
to help promote the swim .. Now who is free to help us hand them out!!

It's been a busy week, training has been going great - after a few weeks of shorter swim sessions, this week, well sorry lads!, the long stuff is back for a month...we think this will be the last big push in the pool before we hit the open next month. We want to be ready, so all we have to worry about is getting used to the cold and not worry about our fitness! The team really can't wait for the sea/lake swimming to start, the pool training is great up to a point, but after 4 months of it you really do start to go crazy.!!!

Finally, it's a big massive 'Thank You' to Warren and Charlotte at The British Heart Foundation, their amazing work in helping to sort out our Channel flyer has been really amazing, we cannot thank them enough for giving their time to help us, hope we can do you all justice now.!!

Catch you next week..Ricks Team

Big Ricks Swim Team Members Nick and Victoria at the summit of Mount Snowdon

  Nick and Vic along with their staff from Henwood Court Financial Planning Limited .Undertook this challenge  in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

As a result of their endeavours they raised well over a Thousand pounds for the BHF. What an amazing Effort guys.

 ( Nick is handsome one in the Benny hat, and Victoria is the Beautiful blonde

lady with the very fetching tartan neckerchief )

http://www.henwoodcourt.co.uk



                         Training Update..Perry Beeches Pool 20/3/11..
             WARNING.!!  there is some naked flesh in this video ladies,
         'Big Ricks' own super model Gary, has his manly chest on show
                           for all to see...the man has no shame.! 

                                             Everybody's Talkin
I put this video on as I was watching David Walliams' Comic Relief Channel challenge over the weekend; and apart from enjoying Davids' amazing swim, some of the things he said about the way he prepared for the swim and the way he used of keep his mind sane whilst swimming were great to hear. One of the ways he focused was to hum along to Harry Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talkin' . I dare you to listen..... you will be humming along to it in the pool/sea for months (the BBC IPlayer link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007ch0h )

If you wish lend your support to 'Big Ricks' Swimming The Channel To Help Save Lives challenge in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, then please log onto our Virgin Money Giving Page;

                        Big Ricks Virgin Money Giving.Co.Uk

         Every Penny Raised will go to help save Lives.!  

Sessions this week
Saturday 19/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m) 
Main Set
 6 x 400,s of 6.05.....target 5.40 or better for every 400
 6 x 200,s of 3.05.... target 2.40
 6 x 100,s of 1.35.....target 1.20
 6 x 2,s of 1.05........ target 50 sec
 6 x 1,s of 35  ......... target 20..!
Swim Down
 gentle 400


Thursday 17/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m)
Warm Up 
 400 F/C stroke drills
Main Set
1 hour swim.! note distance
Kick Set.
 6 x 100.s f/c kick fins
Warm Down
6 x 2 good long guiding stroke ,breathing every 6


Wednesday 16/3/11 ( Perry Beeches Pool 25m)
Warm up
 1000m relaxed swim
Main Set
4 x 800,s make each 800 faster than the last..(HARD SET)
Kick
400 kick choice
Swim down
4x100,s backstroke


Monday 14/3/11 ( Walsall Gala Pool 33.3m)
Warm Up
 400 m f/c head up every third length
Main Set
 15 x 200,s of 3.00 Target Time 2.40 or better for each 200
Kick Set
 8 x 100,s kick with fins.. ( 4-off f/c 4 off choice stroke)
Swim Down
12 x 1 underwater..!!