Swimming To The Tune Of “The Christmas Song”
By Jeff Commings
TUCSON – Living in Arizona has lots of advantages, not the least of which is swimming outdoors in late December. Those of you who have the pleasure of swimming outdoors — either today or at anytime during this holiday season — know what a gift it is to burn off the holiday feast in a pool with the sun on your back (or front, if you’re swimming backstroke).
While training for the 2012 Olympic Trials, I was inspired to write the following lyrics while swimming on Christmas Day. This is to be sung to the tune of the Nat King Cole version of “The Christmas Song.”
Merry Christmas!
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Sunblock slathered on my nose
Backstroke flags blowing hard on a wire
I stretch my arms and say “Well, here it goes.”
Everybody knows
A pace clock and a sun that glows
Help to make a workout bright
Judging by my workout I know,
I won’t find it hard to sleep tonight
I know that Olympic Trials is on its way
That’s why I needed to swim hard on Christmas Day
And every swimming coach is gonna spy
To see if this breaststroker really does butterfly
And so I’m offering this simple phrase
To kids from 1 to 92
Don’t know if it’s been said many times, but anyways
Swim on Christmas
Koo-koo-kachoo