I had a weird experience running at the Dome yesterday. Tuesday's Dome schedule (posted on their web site) showed no one using the track that day so I planned to have a nice relaxing run after work at 4 pm. You can imagine my surprise when I approached the Dome parking lot and saw three high school buses parked in a completely packed lot! What the hell!?!? People were flooding in and out of the place like honey bees leaving and entering their hive. Once inside I saw that the track was packed with 3 practicing high school track teams, hurdles thrown everywhere and the infield was being heavily used by countless baseball, soccer, and football teams. Garbage and athletic gear were thrown everywhere. Dino, the manager, greeted me and told me he saw all the Providence Hospital ads and tv commercials I have recently appeared in and asked me how I was doing. I filled him in and he told me that even with the chaos, the track is actually open for members use. I mentioned how the web site indicated that no one was suppose to be here...he said they screwed up royally. Anyway, I did dress out and ran through the gauntlet of harriers, but for only two miles. The place was very hot, dry, and noisy...way too many people in there. Lots of jerks running amok trying to impress girls and not leaving any room for me or anyone else using the track. Actually, it would have been fun to crack open a 6-pack, grab a chair, and watch the goings-on...I'm sure glad I'm not in high school anymore. My guess, however, is that I was probably as goofy and jerky when I ran high school track and cross-country. Say it ain't so!
Breaking the tape in first place, 1/2-mile, time 2:02.7
Wayne Valley HS, 1970.
P.S. The locker room was filled with a bunch of kids when I went to change. The boys were all talking about how they can't wait to get out of high school. I just had to say something to them, so I butted in and said, "Hey, don't rush things. Enjoy high school now because when you graduate you'll be thrown into reality and it's not necessarily fun out there." All I got were blank stares. The world is doomed!
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