A race and a rock show!

I have been delinquent in my posts.  Slap my wrists with a ruler immediately please.  But I have exciting news.

First things first.  I finished the Sharon Triathlon last Sunday.  It was my ‘A’ race this season, (sorry Svehla I stole that line from you) the one I had been MOST looking forward too.  The town of Sharon abuts Canton and I train there a lot, it’s New England picturesque.  Plus, I really really really wanted the “The Sharon” tshirt.  I considered the course to give me a “home field advantage” for both the ride and the run.  The swim although longer than other sprints I’d done this summer seemed manageable too.

Well when I picked up my race packet (and swag) on Saturday afternoon,  I admit, I got nervous when I saw how far apart the buoys were!  I took a little video of the ½ mile swim course, but it doesn't seem to want to load.  Trust me, it look infuriatingly long while I was filming.  I knew I could do it, but at what cost to the rest of my body! 

Luckily on race morning, I felt good.  My friend Karen & her son Chris came to cheer me on.  I was pyched to see them just moments before the start.  It’s always nice to have a fan.  I was going off with the 40+ age group in pink caps.  We were the 4^th wave to start and the water was a comfortable 80 degrees!

I got a bit tripped up mid swim.  I finally found a groove and decided not to sight for a few good strokes.  It seemed less than a minute but  I had drifted into the middle of the rectangular course.  I woman in a kayak was sending me back toward the group.  I was pissed!  Not only had I wasted a bunch of energy going the wrong way, but I had to backtrack so as not to miss a critical buoy.  Lesson learned: SIGHT!  The rest of the swim was ok.  I seemed to be staying with the rest of the pink caps from my wave. (there were plenty ahead of me but also plenty behind.)

The transition to bike went great and the ride fabulous.  I felt like I was passing more people than were passing me.  And the run was just a 4.4 mile look around the Lake.  Again, I could have gone faster and am going to work on some pacing during the off season so I can put forward a stronger run (well one that I will feel better about) for some TRI’s next summer.  At the finish, I found my friend Karen right away.  It was weird, I felt like crying I was so happy.  I don’t know what that was about really?  It wasn’t my first race.  Anyhow, it felt really great to have knocked it over.

But then…..hold the phone. 
On Wednesday night, I went to Fenway park to see Bruce Springsteen.

I have seen him several times.  I love his music.  I can even play a few of his tunes on guitar – albeit poorly.  But I was going.   
Sidenote: my first Springsteen concert was on Aug 9. 1985 at Soldier Field in Chicago.  My girlfriend Meg and I camped out overnight in front of the stadium (that’s in Downtown Chicago mind you!) so we could be early into the open seating section.  I still remember how much fun that concert was. I remember getting sprayed with fire hoses.  I remember feeling free, and screaming out all lyrics to The Promise Land and fist pumping to Born in the USA.  I was always a Greetings from Asbury Park & Darkness on the Edge of Town girl but it was such a great show.  He rocked.. 

Anyhow, to see Bruce at Fenway was just uber exciting.  We didn’t have great seats, not close to the stage or on the field, but I got some in a field box near the Red Sox dugout.  Here’s me having a beer pre-show.  And you know what happened?  BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN came into the dugout and was having his photo taken. 

The guy in front of me, whom of course, I had allied with – asked if I wanted to peak around inside.  Of course I did, and wouldn’t you know, there was Bruce Springsteen, THE BOSS, right there, ten feet away.  Giddy Giddy with excitement, I just stared and stared. 

And then he turned and saw me (he probably saw us both - but I like to think it was me) leaning very precariously over into the dugout.  And he walked over to us.  Yes, read that again slowly.  He walked over to us!  And he shook my hand!

I told him I could play 4 songs if he needed me – I completely lost my shit!  It was like a dream sequence.  

Anyhow. Yes, I MET and TOUCHED Bruce Springsteen, the Boss, my childhood and adulthood rocker idol. 

And yep, I know in my heart, he’s just a man.  He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like me. 
But, it’s Springsteen.