Ben Brophy

Brophy’s Weekly Blog Number 5!

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Ben Brophy

Welcome to Brophys Weekly Blog!

This week has gone so fast, I can’t believe it’s already over. Sponsorship wise is starting to quiet down at the moment with the summer in full swing, however I’m expecting a few pieces of news to be announced soon! Also I’ve been working on our first Team Brophy event, where I can proudly announce that on the 27th of August a group of 10 people including myself will be promoting the swim and fund raising on day at the newly re-opened Sainsbury’s in Kempston, Bedfordshire. If you are interested in helping out on the day or future events let us know!

Training update! Had a few really good swims this week and improved a lot this week which I’ve been really pleased with. I’m hoping to set up my training in August which is becoming a very busy month, not only our first event but I’ll also have my summer break for 2 weeks. I will however likely to be doing a lot of swimming during this break.

I have a feeling the summer is the calm before the storm, when September comes around I hope to have my professional fitness programme, open water swims and lots of events everyone can get involved in! It’s something that’s really exciting and I can’t wait for!!

This week its short and sweet but next week appears to have the potential to be a busy one in deed! Thank you for all the support so far!!

 

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Ben Brophy

Brophy’s Weekly Blog Number 4!

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Ben Brophy

Welcome to this week’s weekly blog!

First of all, I’ll start with sponsorship. It’s been hard and frustrating as it’s going to take time and effort to find the right sponsors. If you have any businesses you think will be interested, let us know! However, having said that I am delighted to say we now have on board a well-respected professional whose reputation meant she could well have gone to the Olympics for work. I am therefore over the moon to announce that Sanctum therapies has joined the team and will be helping myself with both the physical and mental development of the training side of things! They are now on the website’s sponsor page where you can find out more about their business, which is based in Birmingham!

In a week of announcements I’m very pleased to say that Charlotte Prosser is going to be assisting me in my open water training. She has great experience of open water swimming herself and good knowledge of local swimming areas in and around Birmingham

That is about all for today’s breaking news, now to move on to the training side of things. Its been a hard week, I’m aiming to swim an hour a day during the week and in a few weeks time move up to morning and evening swimming. The time slots at the local pool are very frustrating and I can’t wait to be able to use Aston sports facilities when I’m back at uni. I’m finding the pool swimming very boring at the moment. I’m looking forward to no longer being a gold fish in a bowl and having open water to swim in! Due to the fact that on weekends you can’t swim there; I’m starting to do gym work. Overall I will be back on the daily routine again soon. In many ways I’m waiting until I’m back at uni in Birmingham, because it’s going to be so much easier to train.

Lastly I’m pleased/nervous to confirm I will be entering some open water swimming events, I think this will help myself in training over the long term. At some point over the summer holidays the team and myself are planning a trip to Great Yarmouth so I can get a good feel of swimming in the sea and also have a day together!

That’s all for this week’s blog, until next week good bye!

 

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Ben Brophy

Brophy’s Weekly Blog Number 3!

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Ben Brophy

Hey everyone and welcome to this week’s blog! It’s been a long hard week but it’s worth it!

Sponsor side of things is moving slowly but surely, as ever if you think you know a local, national or even international company that might be interested in sponsoring let us know! Expecting to announce some big news next week which I cannot wait for!

Training! Training is going well, hard but well. I’m now at the stage where I’m training before or after work which is making the days seem very long at the start of this new way of living. However overall I’m finding it ok and dare I say even enjoying it! I’ve renamed Saturday ‘Gym Day’ as there is no lane swimming on a Saturday at my local swimming pool?! But it gives me a set day to focus on the gym work.

If you’re following us on the Facebook page or twitter account you would have seen my calculations of number of laps in a swimming pool to the length of the English Channel, let’s say it’s a lot! It does hit home how hard this swim really is, even more so when I change the 21 miles into metres! However I’m still confidant I can do this ultimate challenge! Since doing the calculation I realised one thing, the length on Google is 21 miles but you swim in an “S” shape almost and the slower you go the wider the “S” shape. In reality and in line with past attempts they add on an extra mile or two on top! Now apart from a useful reality check the main reason for the calculation is for a future event planned around the Birmingham/Aston area! BUT that’s all I’m saying for now!

That leads us nicely to events and happenings! You’ll be seeing this a lot more from September onwards but in the next week or two I’ll be starting a bit of promo down in Kempston/Bedford with some lovely posters and the important donations form! I suspect the rest of the team will be doing similar also so you never know where you may see one! We have a number of events planned now along with more work in progress but we are keeping them hidden until the time is right!

Before I go I would like to point you to our sponsorship page and see all the generous and great sponsors helping myself and the team. If you haven’t already done so we have our own just giving page set up for any donations, the donations go straight to the charity, it’s easy, quick, safe  and helps save lifes!

That’s all for this week’s weekly blog! Until next week, good bye!

 

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Ben Brophy

Brophy’s Second Weekly Blog

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Ben Brophy

Hey everyone, Welcome to this weeks weekly blog! What a week it has been! Firstly I would like to announce our new member of Team Brophy… Ellen Ashfield! She will be joining the OFFICIAL team which now stands at ten people including: Ellen, Diffey, Tim, Andy, Liam, Beth, Louisa, Peter, Katie and Kate! More information available on the team page on the website!

It’s been a busy roller-coaster this week for myself and the team. First of all I’ve been looking at who should be a part of the team to reach the 12 member mark! I am really happy with everyone on board and we have got some great events coming your way soon!! It’s likely that we may add a list of names of those who have shown keen interest and support as times goes on! And of course Team Brophy came from the idea that everyone is a part of this so if your reading this I consider you part of the team already! Viewers, donators, sponsors and Team Brophy’s elite 12 people.

Sponsorship has well and truly started! We are contacting a number of potential sponsors as we speak, if you have any contacts, ask around big or small and let us know! I would also like to thank Alastair Campbell, the chairman of fundraising for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, for his interest and contribution towards the challenge! Find out what he has to say about myself, the challenge and the team here!
Continue reading →

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Ben Brophy

First Brophy Blog!

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Ben Brophy

Hello and welcome to the first of many weekly blogs! Every week I will be post a blog to let you know how the training is going! I will also be updating you on the progress of TeamBrophy!

TeamBrophy is a group of 12 people who are currently or have been studying at Aston University in Birmingham.  All year round my team and I will be raising awareness and raising as much money as possible for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research which covers all types of blood cancer. For more information on the charity, click… HERE! Continue reading →

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