Big Ricks up and coming blog this week is going to look into the reasons why we are swimming the Channel..!!!, we could have easily ducked out of doing this blog because it will not make good or fun reading, but the facts so important to know, the facts of how just a few pennies can help others improve their quality of life, and in many cases those few pennies will help save their lives ..Big Ricks are a attempting ` A Swim For Life `....
Big Ricks Swim Team are again proud to be continuing our support of two amazing charities .. Cancer Research UK and its Fight To Beat Breast Cancer and The British Heart Foundation in our `Swim For Life` Challenge in 2012.. A Double Crossing Of The English Channel ..
Please take 5 minutes out of your busy and hectic day , lie back ,close your eyes and simple listen to this beautiful song, its Wonderful Life ..By Black. Rx( simple click on the arrow in the picture above for it to play ) More of the story to come shortly ....
Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting a Swim For Life in June of 2012we are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation andCancer Research UKThe Fight To Beat Breast Cancerif you wish to help and support with our
Hi everyone, welcome to big ricks weekly blog update...there are many many reasons for choosing this classic song by Queen as our blog listen , and read along tune this week.. WHY....well i`ll have you know " It`s A Kind Of Magic" being an open water swimmer ..The experiences you see and feel swimming in open water truly are extraordinary and improbable to believe, they are almost impossible to describe to anyone who has yet to experience it for themselves...so do it now...its never to late to enjoy Ricks Kind Of Magic.... so sit it back and chill to the great Freddie Mercury and the boys.....Enjoy Rx ( simply click the arrow on the picture above to hear the class Queen track )
Magic Times...Swan Pool never looked so good..(23/5/12)
this is was the sight that greeted us as we arrived at swan pool to train Wednesday night. simply amazing is that we swam along side such beauty for a few hrs last night...! we told you O.W swimming is almost impossible to describe to those who have yet to try it..;-)
Magic Sunny evening times @ The Swan...
Finally things are warming up at the Swan and in the UK
Paul,Gary,Ron,Doug and Richard
It Really is Kind Of Magic to swim in the Swan on a beautiful sunny evening.
Doug and Richard start a Wednesday training session, not that it feels like you are training when you swim in such a beautiful surroundings
The Magic Speedo Eton 10K
Well done to Ricks swimmers Manda,Julian,Paul and Rob who all finished the marathon of swimming events last Sunday (27/5/12) held at the Fabulous Eton College rowing lake in Windsor , home to the 2012 Olympic rowing events in August
It’s so hard to explain just how magic open water swimming is, to anyone who has yet to experience it.....I’ve been thinking all week whilst on holiday , how could I best describe it to someone who knows little all nothing about the joys and feelings swimming outdoors brings ....!! Hmmm Think think////..
Skins Vs Suit..at the Eton 1Ok
Big Ricks Basher in the Green Hat
Paul is giving the Wet Suited Triathlon Iron man a run for their money..Magic
Then last Saturday night...the words came to me, or should I say Sir Elton John’s words came to me, it was whilst having the pleasure of seeing The Billy Eliot stage show that it came to me..lol, ... in the show someone asks Billy just what it’s like to dance , what he feels inside , what makes it so special to him ...., and this might sound crazy , but what Billy says, in the the words of Elton John’s song " Electricity".... is so alike to the feeling and emotions i feel when in open water ...!!, look at words of Elton song below....and think to yourself, imagine yourself on in river bank , or on a beach in Dover or about to start one of the Big Gas swims say in Windermere....and someone comes up to you and asks you WHY.....
Ricks Super Daz living the dream at the Swan...
Where Elton says Billy I’m free , id say more I feel alive.....the feeling you body and mind goes through when you are in open water makes you feel alive....the feeling of total freedom, the felling that nothing can stop you , the feeling that life doesn`t get any better than this....the Feeling is Totally magic....
(These are the opening 2 verses to Elton John’s beautiful Song Electricity, these are some of same feeling I get when someone asks to describe what i feel when i,m swimming in open water ...)
I can't really explain it, I haven't got the words It's a feeling that you can't control I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are And at the same time something makes you whole It's a bit like being angry; it's a bit like being scared Confused and all mixed up and mad as hell It's like when you've been crying And you're empty and you're full I don't know what it is, it's hard to tellTake a moment, when Queens "It A Kind Of Magic" has finished to Listen to Elton,s song..., the words say it all...(simply click on the arrow above to listen ..enjoy)One Dream.....!....to feel freeOne Soul........ ! To be able to feel aliveOne Prize..... !...every open water swim..feel like you,ve won Olympic GoldOne Goal.......! To swimOne Golden Glance on what should be..........every swim feels like golden glace of what should be
Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting a Swim For Life in June of 2012we are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation andCancer Research UKThe Fight To Beat Breast Cancerif you wish to help and support with our
Big Ricks Double Channel Swimming Team 2012 (Richard,Paul,Gary,Stuart ,Rob &Darran)
swimming in Aid of Cancer Research UK `The Fight to Beat Breast Cancer ` and The British Heart Foundation
Ricks Classic Blog read and listen Tune for this week had to be special...! and this song surely is, Somehow it seems a perfect fit for what we are attempting. " Heroes" ...by David Bowie....We just love the line... WE Can Be Heroes , Just For One Day .!! how true that will be come June 27th....Rx (The 1st line could have been written for Ricks almost..!! "I wish you could swim ,Like the dolphins,Like dolphins can swim" Well okay ...but we do have a Captain who swims like Whale..!! so its close..;-) simply click on the arrow on the picture above to hear bowie at his beat )
Big Ricks Swim Teams Challenge for 2012 is to attempt a TWO WAY SWIM ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.!! If we are successful, Ricks would be joining a very exclusive club of less than 50 teams from around the World who have EVER completed this swim since records began in 1950, Also,of the 49 teams only 12 have been from the UK..!! There is no other way of describing this Challenge apart from EPIC..!!
As always we will be fund raising for the British Heart Foundation but alongside the BHF, we are joining a new and very important fight, The Fight To Beat Breast Cancer. in last few months this has become very personal fight for everyone in Big Ricks Team. X
Ricks Team consists Paul Bates, Stuart Dugmore, Darran Dyke, Richard Brownjohn, Gary Edgington, and Rob Cash , we will swim from Dover to the French coast at Cap Gris Nez and then back to Dover which will be in excess of 60 miles swimming !!!.We would like to thank everyone who has supported and followed our adventures over the last 5 years, Together we have made a massive difference to people’s lives , we hope you find it your heart to help once more.. Thank You for Your Support always. Big Ricks Swim Team x
Big Ricks Swim Team Are attempting a "Swim For Life" in just 32 days timewe are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation andCancer Research UKThe Fight To Beat Breast Cancerif you wish to help and support with our
Everyone in Big Ricks Swim Team Personally knows what impact Heart Disease and Breast Cancer can have on our lives....This is why we do everything we can to help others..We know you hear the same slogans over and over again..But Trust us....
Every Single Penny You Give Will Truly Help Save Someone’s Life, ... !" Every day, around 130 women will find out they have Breast Cancer.Whats worse is each year 12,000 women and 70 men lose their lives to the Disease..!!! "
Can we possibly make it Two in 32 days time.???
Big Ricks Team in France July 2011 ( Richard,Gary,Darran,Rob,Doug & Paul)
Big Ricks Write up in June issue of The A.S.A Swimming Times
( Simply double click picture to read a little clearer )
Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting a Swim For Life in 25 days we are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK The Fight To Beat Breast Cancer
Also in the this month’s times issue of a great report in the Amazing Plymouth Leaner Swimming Squad .The “.BEST CLUB IN THE UK.(.After Big Ricks Of Course..!!LOL ).
.Leaner are an amazing club , full of amazing swimmers under a the great coach Jon Rudd..,
it off special interested to Ricks because Leaner is the Home to Mark`s (Big Rick) Son...
all of Ricks team are so proud of what Aaron and everyone In The Leaner Team are doing for British Swimming .
(Aaron, is third from back on the left side..!, he looks more and more like His Dad everyday x )
The Channel Impossible II (Nothing Great Is Easy..!) Only 40 days to go....
"Your mission 'Big Ricks Team', should you choose to accept it; is to swim the English Channel Twice in under 24 Hours.!... As usual, should you or any member of your team be Sea Sick, get stung by a Jellyfish, or hit by the odd piece of wood, a ferry or worse!! Well tough..!!!! you're not getting out until your hour slot is completed...!!! This boat will self-destruct after 24 hours so you best do it.!!. Good luck, Boys.(Simply click the arrow on the picture above to listen to a great song as you read, and TURN it up loud..!!)
This looks simple wouldn`t you say...Just jump in at Dover,paddle over to France, make a sand castle have a ice cream maybe on Cap Gris Nez Beach, and then paddle back to Dover for some Fish and Chips and a beer.. EASY...!!!
The Challenge...!The truth is Ricks loved swimming the channel in 2011.!!,so When we finally all got back together for a team chat over Christmas we still very much had the channel swim from july on our minds.! , we started to talk about what our challenge would be for 2012...? the suggestions were varied and not all just swimming..!!! We had normal things like climb Everest..! ( Answer ""way 2 easy"" ), Walk to the south pole (Answer ..WALK, no way!! ) Swim the length of the River Thames ( Answer maybe!!) , We also had some impossible suggestions like get Lisa to reply to emails (Answer ..more chance of winning the lottery ), and the we had get Darran `super chest ` to do things 1st for change , instead of waiting till the last possible second every time to get things sorted .! (Answer..A Leopard never changes its spots.!!) ..so after a few hrs chatting it became clear what we would be doing 2012.., We just could not walk away from The Channel before we had a attempted at 2-way crossing, just no way, ...So the plans have been put in place to do just that....
This might not look much to some..!! but to a channel swimmer it means
every thing.!. The Honour's Wall at Varne Ridge shows all Solo and Relay Teams from around the world that have stayed there and went on to have an successfully swam across the Channel..! every one of the plaques has an amazing story to tell.
Ricks would be so proud to Join this list of amazing swimmers from the past..!! http://www.varne-ridge.co.uk/channelswimming.co.uk
The Dates and Venues.. OKAY...plans are now in Place...We have booked into the famous channel hide out, the place where all channel swimmers who are anyone have stopped before thier attempts to conquer the mighty channel...Varne Ridge Holiday Park.! Ricks are booked in from the 24th to 30th June 2012,. This years Swim we think will Start ( like last yrs crossing ) from Samphoe Beach (Dover ). It can start at any time, once we get the Green light from our Pilot, (who is again is the Channel God Mr Fred Mardle) i say any time but please Fred let it be a better hour this yr , last time starting at 1.15am was not fun !. Once underway we will stop only once at Cap Gris Nez beach in France, before then returning back to Samphoe beach in Dover .!(it really does sounds simple don`t you think..!!!)
Looking Out across the English Channel from the white cliffs of Dover..!!
its only 22 miles to France from here.ONLY..!
The Time and Distance..Okay..before we carry on , lets make one thing clear to Ricks Coach Basher Bates , THIS year we are not getting hooked up on best times..!! SO before you even think it, before you even ask it or say or suggest anything Paul, the answer is NO NO NO !!) our goal, (our only Goal) is to Finish..as every good channel Pilot will tell his or her swimmers this year or any year, every swimmer should Just be happy to finish , because Many Don`t.!!! .. So back to our time and distance for a 2 way swim..., truthfully the answer is we really don`t know.. , but if we are to take a very rough guess the swim we think will take around 24 hours .!, As for the distance , well this again is almost impossible to say, as so many things have an impact on the day as to how far you will swim, so our only guide is what we did on last year one way crossing, so it could be well over 60 miles + of swimming.!!!, off course its not just the swimming that makes channel relay swims so hard, its being on a small boat , most likely in choppy water, most likely colder on the boat than in the water, if that's bad enough you are also trying navigate the busiest shipping lane in the world..Twice.!! Mmm its not sounding so easy now...;-)
Masterpiece..
Ricks Boat for the 2 way..! as you can see its not the biggest you will ever see..
joking aside...We are sure the hardest part of this Epic challenge won`t be the 4 hrs each we have to swim, but surviving 24 hrs on tiny boat in rough seas and Cold air Condition's on board after each of us swim .!! but no one ever said channel swimming was easy , so we just have to deal with it..!!
plenty of sea sickness tablets for starters..!!
The Charities..It goes without saying that Big Ricks will be always be supporting The British Heart Foundation and swimming in Memory of our Dear Mark Rickhuss ( aka Big Rick) when we do a challenge , but again this year we have decide to support another charity along side our support for the BHF..
This Year Big Ricks are Joining a New and Very important Fight, A Fight that needs winning FAST...!!!, this fight like that like that of the BHF is very personal to everyone in Big Ricks, We are proud to say we have Joined The Fight to beat Breast Cancer...!! ..
" Every day, around 130 women will find out they have Breast Cancer.Whats worse is each year 12,000 women and 70 men lose their lives to the Disease..!!! " Join with Big Ricks Swim Team in the Fight to Beat Beast Cancer http://breastcancer.cancerresearchuk.org/
Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting a Swim For Life in June of 2012we are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation andCancer Research UKThe Fight To Beat Breast Cancerif you wish to help and support with our
Big Ricks Channel team
The Don, Basher, The Badger,The Gimp & Captain Chunky Monkey.
( sadly Super Chest was unavailable for the Team Picture )
The Swim Prize.The Prize should we be successful in June is Massive..! Ricks would join a very exclusive club of just handful of teams that have successfully completed the a double English channel Swim (Since records began 1950 ), Less than 50 teams from around the world have ever achieved a 2 way crossing ..of which only 12 teams were from the UK...only 12.!!! Successful 2 way channel Men's / Ladies relay swims by year since records were started in 1950..
1990...US National Swim Team USA 14 18(WORLD RECORD)
1990...Bolton Metro U.K 28 39
1991...Howe Bridge (Breast Stroke) U.K 29 15
1992...Canadian Channel Challenge Canada 18 48
1993..RAF U.K 20 51
1993 Wielkopolanka Poland 20 43
1994...Sazanami Japan 24 14
1996...West Aussie Double Crossers Australia 19 26
1996...National Grid Ladies U.K 25 01
1997...Exmouth Swimming & L.S.S. U.K 23 41
1998...Pine Crest Juniors USA/Venezuela 19 25
1998...Pine Crest Seniors USA/Venezuela 16 48
1998 ..Sakura Japan 24 36
1999..Adventure Seeker International 19 25
2001...Team Extreme Australia 20 59
2001...Mexican American Family Mexico/USA 18 48
2003...Force 6 America USA 20 18
2003...Michigan Masochists USA 21 20
2004.. Irish Team C Ireland 27 48
2004....Victoria Police Australia 24 45
2005... Femmes de la Manche International 30 40
2005...Fionn Uisce Ireland 30 23
2005.. Finn McCool Ireland 31 56
2005...Lir Ireland 33 05
2005...First Mexican Relay Mexico 20 14
2005...Eltham Training & SC (1) UK 31 36
2006....Casablanca Mexico Mexico 18 54
2006... ABCDEFGH USA 21 37
2007...New York Harbor Seals USA 21 45
2007...Altamar 66K Mexico 18 59
2007...Warrington Dolphins UK 28 54
2008...Friends All Swimming Together (2) Australia 25 51
2008...Friends All Swimming Together (1) Australia 26 06
2008...Casablanca Mexico Mexico 31 56
2008...Dublin Fire Brigade Ireland 21 12
2012 Big Ricks Swim Team UK ????? The Team feels this could be an amazing year i hope once again you will join in with our adventures, some will be painful , some will be messy , but i can promise you it will be fun..!!! RxThe Training...Open water training 3 times a week, pool training twice a week....and sea training 2 weekends every month....!!!
The First..!!!
The Man who started it all in on August 24th 1875
Captain Matthew Webb..
(1843-1883) http://www.captainwebb..co.ukThe Words under Captain Webb Statue in Dover UK read.... Nothing Great is Easy......!!! ONLY 40 DAYS TO GO........
Ricks had the pleasure of been accompanied on our swims over the weekend by some of The Seabrook Seals O.W Swim Team (Gary,Paul,Doug,Richard,Marcus,Alice,Emma and Rob)
Some Might Say...... All open water swimmers are Crazy, Mad, not the full packet, one can short of a 4-pack.. we could go on and on....!! , but on the other hand Some Might Say.. All open water swimmers are one offs, unique, special.. which are you...????..have a think about that one for a moment, whilst you listen to this week’s Ricks classic read along Tune... its “Some Might Say” by the bad boys of Manchester ..Oasis ..( a word of warning to some of our older readers ...this tune is bit loud..!! so turn it up and sing out loud...) Enjoy Ricks x
Big Ricks Home From Home,
The Beautiful Sea Of Bournemouth
Some might say.....getting up at 5am on cold and wet Saturday morning , to then drive 200 miles to the beautiful Dorset coastal town of Bournemouth, to then plan to swim in for 3 to 4 hrs in sea where the water is only 10 degrees at best..Is slightly strange behavior for 6 middle aged chubby balding men to be doing ..! In fact most people would have thought you were out of your minds ( Ricks Wives do ) if you ever for even a second suggested doing such a thing.. ...but most people aren’t open water swimmers... and most people aren`t attempting a 2 way crossing of the English channel in only 46 days times....;-)
Its shortly after 9am on a Saturday morning in Bournemouth and Big Ricks and the Young Seals ladies are discussing what is the plan of action for this mornings swim...
.after fast team talk, mainly from Paul, is was decided to swim right to Bournemouth pier,once there, swim directly back to Boscombe pier (against the tide) and then swim back to the car, a nice 3 miles swim to warm up swim before a break..!!
within 5 minutes of starting the Captain was already miles of course..
but we rounded him up and did the 1st part of our morning session with little problem
(the 2 way pier to pier took around 1 hour 30 minutes for us all to finish..its a was great achievement by everyone , with the water being so cold ( swimming against tidal current from Bournemouth to Boscombe was particularly tough )
The Gimp and Earl Gay.
Doug is smiling at Marcus`s get warm outfit after this mornings 1st swim,
well we think that's what he is smiling at..or it could be that no one has yet told Earl Gay that we
are about to have another go at 3 miles...;-)
Capatin Cash wearing this years season latest Open water fashions..
The Bin Man look suits your eyes rob.!
Two Tribes of Open Water Swimming in The UK..
Big Ricks and The Seabrook Seals O.W Swim Team
our final picture with some of the seal group before ricks headed back into the sea.
(The Seals Swim Team is Based in Bournemouth,if you ever find yourself in this part of the country and want to swim with a great bunch of people then we suggest you check out the seals , they will make you feel so welcome. but be warned they are Crazy.!!x.) http://www.SeabrookSeals.com
The Gimp.
Doug getting all excited with the thought we are about to get back in...!!
The Gimp, Basher and The Meat
Doug,Paul and Richard slowly make their way from the lovely warm cars to the sea
not sure any of them was all the keen to back into the freezing sea..some of us still were still shaking from 1st swim..!!
Finally after lots of moaning, (mainly by chunky boy cash and Earl Gay) we all get back in the lovely Bournemouth sea at 11.45am to have a go at another 3 miles of swimming .Now Some Might Say..this was crazy , and they`s be Right..!!! said Rob.. The Ricks Boys were Joined by Alice again for the swim.Alice is in training for a Relay and a solo swim of the channel this year, all of the guys were totally impressed by Alice's determination and we just know with a bit of luck she will be successful with both crossing. http://www.justgiving.com/Alice-swims-the-channel?fb_ref=fundraising-page-new&fb_source=home_oneline
THE GIMP
Doug as always was the 1st of the team to finish the 3 miles, asked if he enjoyed that...?
to which he answered Noooooooooooooooooooooo..!!
its hard to explain just how cold Doug and the rest of the team where after the 2nd time , when we all started the swim we all said it felt better than the 1st time in much warmer. ,however everyone agreed they start to feel the very cold a lot sooner , and so after an hour or so when we all started to shiver in the water, we knew it was time to get out asap.....
Welcome to the changing rooms of an open water swimmer, no more cosy warm pool changing rooms to change in...the quay side, a river bank, a beach a car park are the changing rooms for O.W swimmers...it must be funny see us get changed...i mean you crawl out from the sea, freezing and shaking , then run to the car and try and open it, then try and get dressed which believe us in no easy thing to do when your shaking uncontrollably and you can not feel your hands or feet or other parts of your body..!!!!;-))..but eventually we all manage to get changed and as we drove away from the beach at about 2 in the afternoon , it was a job well done by all.. Paul said lets do the same again on Sunday...?? we can not print the guys answers to that.lol.
After being up since 5.45 am , and then doing 3 hrs (5 miles) of swimming
we finally hit the pub around 4 in the afternoon to warm up .!!
Ha warm up.?? believe that one, and you will believe Ricks are all none drinkers.!!;-)
The Meat...
We are not saying Richard was hungry but this was his starter..!!
We all had a great afternoon, having a few beers ,then tucking into some great food in the slug and lettuce pub while watching the F.A Cup Final and Then finally and we finished the night of dancing the night away in Aruba http://aruba-bournemouth.co.uk/
Now Ricks Might Say This Was The Perfect day...!!!
Big Ricks Sunday morning report from Bournemouth, it was the morning after the day before and some might say we were crazy to want to swim again...but swim we must and swim we did...(simply click on the arrow on the picture above to listen to Bashers report..)
The Gimp and Big Edge..
They always say pictures speak louder than words.??
well i Think you can all guess from the picture what Doug thinks of Pauls suggestion that we should do another 3 hrs of swimming this morning.!! and as for Gary..well he is just not amused at all..lol ;-))))
The Captain
Run Forest Run....!!
A Ricks Legend ..Rob `Chunky Boy` Cash....
Rob could not hold himself anymore he was bursting with excitement ,So keen was the Captain to start training on Sunday morning he did his Usain Bolt impression into the sea .. well we think that's why he was in such a rush to get in, what else could it have been.? most likely he drank to many Jagerbombs in Aruba the night before....lol .. ;-))
(Bournemouth Beach 9.am on 6/5/12)
Another changing room venue The Services on A34 near Oxford.!! it took 90 minutes and almost 100 miles to warm up after Sunday morning swim. before we finally stopped to get changed into normal clothes....
The weekend was just what big ricks needed, after a winter in the pool , and then a month in swan lake , to finally get back into the sea was just what was called for...i think the everyone in the team felt it was job well done, swimming over 3 and 1/2hrs in 10 degree sea water is good for anyone...but especially for 6 middle aged men from the midlands who have a double channel swim to do next month.. some might say we are crazy and mad to do what we do, but Ricks never did mind what some might say....;-))))
The great Big Edge
Big Ricks Swim Team are attempting a Swim For Life in June of 2012 we are doing a 2 way swim of the English Channel in aid of The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK The Fight To Beat Breast Cancer
Thank you..Big Ricks x Big Ricks Picture of The Week
MOMA SEAL The Delightful Katrina Weller for The Seabrook Seals Team. Ricks owe Kat a massive thanks, for helping to dress some of the team (Marcus.) after the cold swims, for looking after the car keys, for walking along the beach as we swam to keep us and the other seals safe , for pouring out our coffees after we got out as we could not stop shaking long enough to pour it ourselves and last for getting up early in Saturday morning and baking us all some of your beautiful muffins ..Thank you Kat..Ricks x
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