Today was Part 2 of Christmas Pain At The Pier. Part 1 (12 Days Of Pain) was executed last week, and Over The River And Through The Woods was today’s offering. Downtown St. Pete is blessed with many waterfront parks, and during the holiday they are well decorated with lighted Christmas displays. We took a singing tour of these holiday offerings.

As to the angelic voices, we are all were fine participants and everybody gets a trophy for the effort.  Some of us (YHC included) need to give up dreams of singing in a rock band (or any kind of band for that matter). Yet there were two pax who displayed solid quality output: Stache and Peach. These gents can keep there dreams of a band or solo career alive!

COP: A 2 block mosey then brief warmup with SSH, Imperial Walkers, and squats.

THE CHRISTMAS THANG:

The holiday trek unrolled as follows:

1. Stop at each lighted decoration
2. Depending on the theme of the decoration, one pax (in rotation) either sung or recited a specific Christmas song from a print out brought by YHC.
3. During each recital, rest of pax performs called exercise. Reciter is required to do that exercise too, or at least squats or planks until they are done.
4. No cadence or OYO; duration of exercise started with first word of song and ended when the reading/singing were done.

The Stops and Songs

          DISPLAY                               SONG                                                                          EXERCISE

• Wise Men.                               We Three Kings                                                                Stagger Right merkin
• Christmas Ornaments          Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree                            Dolphin Merkins
• JOY                                           Joy To The World                                                             LCR’s (LBC but start left, then center then right; repeat)
• Star                                           What Star Is This?                                                            WWII Sit Ups
• Manger                                     Away In A Manger                                                           Stagger Left merkins
• Candy Cane Palms                 Jingle Bells                                                                        Weave around palms (all sing)
• Mosey to adjacent park…
• Hannukah                               The Hannukah Song (Adam Sandler)                         Around The World Merkins (360’s)
• Christmas Tree                       Oh Christmas Tree                                                          WMD merkins
• Reindeer                                  Rudolph The Rednose Reindeer                                   The W (a/k/a The OB)
• Wreath                                     Deck The Halls                                                                 Freddy Mercs (with bonus Penguin Plus since there was a penguin there too)
• Santa & Sleigh                        Here Comes Santa Clause                                              Walking Merkins
• Squirrels                                  Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer                     Dive Bomber merkins
• LOVE                                        When Love Came Down                                                 Carolina Drydocks
• Christmas Ornaments          All I Want For Christmas (Alvin and Chipmunks)   Dying Cockroaches
• PEACE                                     Linus’s Soliloquy from Charlie Brown Christmas     LCR’s

COT: Countarama, Namarama, Announcements and Prayers Announcements included first SLT team meeting 1/11/2022 at Cage Brewing (6:30) for all pax. Jax CSAUP called The Kraken (16 miles of running, biking walking or combination) for those who are interested. Prayers for 2 Betty’s with eye issues and strangely enough a couple more with eye ailments, peace and joy for holidays, new job for Train’s M, and focus for Train in his work and calling for 2022.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVE WORKOUT: No Christmas Day workout,  but we moved it to Christmas Eve from 7:00-8:00AM  at Albert Whitted Park (uptown adjacent to airport, and acr0ss from Dali Museum). YHC and Train to split the Q.

We had an extra long coffeteria (onsite since El Capitan always brings his special coffee). Really loved some of the pax sharing deep parts of their life journey in the form of current challenges and challenges overcome. Has laying on hands on one pax with a deep challenge right now. So cool to see men be vulnerable…as El Cap says: “Meek is a strength!”

So blessed to have the privilege to lead these fine men in a combo of pain and Christmas cheer!

Bird Hole