Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life..... !!

The Captain and Alex @ The Swan on Sunday.(23/10/11)
Looking on the bright side of things now the COLD swim is over.!!
(you will see what we by cold at the end of the Blog.!) 

October is has been a funny old month...it started off so well., The 6 hr test swim at Swan Pool on the 2nd October was blessed with amazing weather and even more amazing water temperatures 62..

6 swimmers undertook the 6hrs test and all completed the challenge, Richard ,Gary and Paul from Ricks all came down to lend their support to swimmers  by swimming an hour or so with them to try and keep them company..How ever..some of Ricks team were a massive let down...Super chest  and The Gimp always ..but not normally  these 3....!!!

Okay...this is the official Results from the 6hr Test Swim...as you can see it was great swimming by the guys and girls who got up early and started and ALL finished the swim...Not so good where Ricks 3..Miss Sloppy Alsop, Mr Chunky Boy Cash and maybe the worst of all 2013 solo swimmer  Mr Burford White...!!! Who all went out partying instead of swimming? The mighty Mr Earthquake who was not happy...!

The Don & Basher
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011

The Badger..
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011
Sunday 16^th was started of with a few pictures with the Survivalifeguard channel cup..; Big Ricks are very proud to be members of the Survivalifeguard channel club... The Club is run by Dan, Richard, and Jeremy...who apart from giving great advice about all things to do with open water and channel swimming, also give advice and teach about all things to with Life saving...  It’s due to their hard work that swimming at    Swan Pool is always done to highest safety standards ...,   

The Survivalifeguard Channel Club
Pictured from L to R. Dan,Richard and Jeremy, and Paul Watson..
Paul also won the channel Cup, but even better Paul Won The John Rickhuss Cup.
It was sad the whole team could not have been here for the pictures, but apart from Rob who was away playing Polo, The rest where nowhere to been seen..., anyway once that was over Paul and Richard went of to do a couple of miles swim in the still warm  water ( 13 degrees)...but Dan had other plans for Gary....

As you can see from the Video above, Gary along with Dan, had to do his duty in the Life Boat...Its part of the safety at Swan Pool, especially when training in the winter months, everyone  who wants to swim at the swan has to have some knowledge of some life saving.. 

The Safety Boat being man handled  into the Swan (23/10/11)..
it always has to in the water and maned before any swimming can take place...

Rob Looking a bit nervous..he has just found out the water temperature is 9 degrees

Sooner or later the water was going to get cold. It’s almost November  after all....we have been spoiled this yr, the first few weekends in October have felt more like summer  and the water temp felt the same...But not this week....the water  temperature   has dropped  4 degrees in a week..!!As you can see from the Video above...Rob was not his normal Jump straight in and swims self....

But Rob , along with Richard and Paul  and the regular nutters  at the Swan did get in . God was it cold...Rich and Paul managed  a lap, but Rob decided  it was not for him today and  quickly got out...and as usually once out he had some Cashy words of wisdom to share.”” If You Don`t Feel  Right...You Get Out””  .

Rob earned praise from Dan...There is No shame for the Captain here- you have to be honest with yourself at the start of every swim so that you don't put others in danger having to rescue you. Well done Rob..!!

Paul and Rob can laugh now the swim is over..!!
okay who on for next week then....????

Big Ricks Paul is Doing a 2 Way Aspire Channel Swim...

Paul has Reached France..., and is now will on his back to England 
he has  now done over 1700 Lengths in 4 weeks. (The Channel is 1416 Lengths in a 25m pool...)

We wish him well...it will be good practise for when Ricks Channel Starts for Real in November..

Aspire help and support people who have spinal Cord Injuries
Go on have a go, it will get you fit, and you will have fun telling your friends you are swimming the channel... And the best part... As result of your hard work...You will have helped others have a better Life... 
www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk .

OK...... SO What if the water going to be minus 9 !!! So What if Super Chest and The Gimp and Sloppy has given up Months ago.!!! , So what if you can`t feel your  hands and feet for a week..!!So What if you if you get sickness and uncontrollable diarrhea !!,So What if your hair and body turn blue and green from the Algae ..!!! We are open Water Swimmers and We love it..!!!! but as your swimming , just as your hands and feet are turning blue and your thinking what the hell am i doing... Why not just give a whistle and things will turn out for the best.!!( if your lips are not froze) 

A massive thank you to Miranda at Cancer Research UK for inviting Ricks to join fellow Fundraisers at The University of Birmingham for Thank You Event & Cancer Lab Tour last weekend. Mr and Mrs Super( Daz and Kaz !) Went along for Ricks and had great time. Ricks, as part of the our channel fundraising efforts donated some of the money raised to CR U.K. thus far that amounts to £ 4,350.50. A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored us with the channel swim, the final overall totally including the British Heart Foundation denotation is not yet known, but put it this way its just unbelievable. Rx

The Beautiful Swan...

The Beautiful Swan Pool..
Big Ricks Paul entering the Swan at 6.45 on Monday night (26/9/11)
its was a chilly 14, but what a beautiful evening for a swim..
You can also just about see Martin and Rob at the top of the picture

Its been a funny old week or so, especially at  Swan Pool , and especially  for one member of the Team in particular  , Big Edge...GARY.!!, Mm The Edge never ever was the best at getting into the water, be it in the lake, in the sea or for that matter a nice warm Pool.....Gaz likes to take his time, a long time, A VERY long time.!!!...he needs to have everything in perfect working order before he even thinks about leaving the house, let alone before entering any chilly  water..but this week  we have seen Gary at his very BEST

Mr Edge again thinking about whether or not to enter the water or  in this case the sea in Dover back in July...we think that was a 20 minute ponder.! fast for gaz

Big Edge again having a ponder and  thinking about whether or not to enter the sea on  our Channel Swim Dover  in July...

Gary always likes to  ponder at the waters edge, with the water half way up his legs., he likes to  think, take everything in..normally the abuse from his team mates to get in, but he is not a man to be rushed ( ask Mrs Edge.!!) he waits for 5 minutes for as along 25 minutes but  reluctantly he always gets in, and when he`s in Gary is as good as anyone.. 

we will leave the rest of what happen this week to The Burf..Martin..who very kindly did a video to describe  the shamefully and shocking event that happen last Wednesday evening ;-))(21/9/11) , this was only 2 days after the same thing happened..that time it was dirty goggles that were blamed for a none enter...Mm a Big ricks for-fit is coming young Mr Edges way...

So Worried is big ricks spiritual Leader at Swan Pool  The Mighty Dan Earthquake .That the great man needed to voice his concerns to the team, but mainly at Ricks wimps  Daz "Super Camp" , Stu "The Gimp and off course The Mighty Edge..for their lack of appearances and many excuses not to be at the lake and in Gary's  to get in the lake..
This story now has a new twist in the tale....Read to the end of this blog at see..!!!!

Winter Training is starting of slowly at the moment,
this is martin and rob in the water and Paul (doing at a Gary) waiting to get
in at the warm looking swan on Monday night (26/9/11

The Darks comes it all to fast now, Paul rob and martin
along with other channel swimmers are still out their at 7.45 on 21/9/11...

We thought it was time to do some Big Ricks swimmers profiles..and the first up is Rob " Chunky Monkey" Cash or as he is better known these days The Capitan.. Rob has  great year getting back into open water swimming, he has given the team many memoirs of his swimming over the yr for sure,Rob has also done just amazing things to raise thousands of pounds  on his own for Big Ricks and for both BHF and Cancer Research UK .. Top effort Young Rob

Ricks team  swam the channel  in memory of  their Friend Mark Richuss and in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation . there are  still a few weeks to donate should you wish to. 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

Session this week or so...loads and everywhere..!!
Swan Pool @ Sandwell Valley (11/12/14/18/1921/25/26/28 of Sept)
Averaging between 3 and 6 laps ( 800m approx each lap ) 
Walsall Gala Baths 33m pool (12/15/19/22/25 Sept)
Averaging   4 to 5k per session
Perry Beaches Pool 25m (14/18/21/25/28 Sept)
3 to 4k a session drill and sprint work
David Lloyd Gym Pool 25m (13/16/17/20/25/27)
3 to 4k..mainly speed and tempo work


               Click on the Video and hear in BIg Ricks  Martins own words
                               "The Edge is Back. Back on the Edge"

           Top effort by the Big Man last night at the Swan ( 29/9/11 )..
Gary made a welcome return to the lake last evening, having  put up with some  cruel stick of team mates for running a mile the past to weeks,  gaz showed us all last night that the Edge Is Back...!!!

The Edge is Back..and Smiling 
last night at Swan Pool (28/9/11)


who knows what other Big Ricks swimmers we might see return this weekend.??
maybe Super Camp.?? maybe The Gimp ??
?

Martin and Paul having a chat before Wednesday  nights swim (28/9/11)

Goodbye  Summer of 2011 Its one to remember for sure 

and welcome to winter training 2011/12 .!!

GOD  HELP US..;-)

It Could only be one song to finish Ricks year..

The Boys of Summer...Don Henley

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