By John Cole
October 29th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
With MLB players expressing themselves like never before, author Jason Turbow explains how baseball can maintain its code of respect and fair play.
It’s Game 1 of the 2019 National League Divisional Series.
Ronald Acuña Jr: He stands and watches as it sails towards the wall, and remains in the batter’s box as it drops into the 10th row of seats. He lets out a roar and begins his slow, celebratory trot around the bases.
Ronald Acuña Jr. – playing in just the fifth playoff game of his career – launches a fly ball into left field. He stands and watches as it sails towards the wall, and remains in the batter’s box as it drops into the 10th row of seats.
He lets out a roar and begins his slow, celebratory trot around the bases.
Normal behaviour after hitting a home run, you might think, but baseball’s code has been broken.
Four games later, against the same opposition, Acuña Jr. steps up to the plate again. The Atlanta Braves need a hero. They trail 13-1 in Game 5, with their chances of reaching the next round all but extinguished.
Acuña will not, however, get a chance to be that hero. The pitch drills him on the arm. Revenge has been served.
Don’t celebrate a home run. Don’t bunt to break up a no-hitter. Don’t steal a base with a big lead late in the game. Don’t walk across the pitcher’s mound. These are just a few of baseball’s many unwritten rules.
If you break them, then expect consequences. More often than not, those consequences come in the form of a well-directed pitch, as Acuña Jr. now knows.
Such retaliation has been commonplace in the MLB for decades as players take it upon themselves to enforce their code, even when it’s their own teammate who is in the wrong.
Jason Turbow, author of The Baseball Codes, recalls a story from 1996 involving Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Roger Cedeño. The Venezuelan stole a base against the San Francisco Giants with an 11-2 lead late in the game, infuriating the opposition.
His team-mate, Eric Karros, headed over to the Giants’ dugout and told them: “We’ll handle this.” When reporters were allowed into the Dodgers’ clubhouse after the victory, following the team debrief, Cedeño was wiping tears from his eyes.
Things are, however, starting to change.
Bat flips are becoming a common sight. Players are beginning to express themselves in ways the sport has never seen.
“The beautiful thing about the unwritten rules, for me, is that they are ever-evolving,” Turbow explains.
“The code that ball players abide by today is very different to how it was, even 10 years ago, which was in turn very different to a generation before that.
“People just aren’t as offended now as they used to be about these things.
“For example, it used to be you couldn’t dig in to the batter’s box – you co uldn’t shove your toe down into the dirt to get a good foothold – at the risk of offending pitchers back in the sixties and seventies. No one even notices that now.”
The move away from strict adherence to the code has been gradual, taking place over many years, and can primarily be explained by a change of mentality among modern baseball players.
Before free agency rules changed in the 1970s, movement between MLB teams was restricted, meaning many played for a single franchise for the bulk or entirety of their career.
This, Turbow explains, is why the unwritten rules were so strictly enforced.
“Up until the free agency era you were on a team, more or less, for life,” he says.
“Some players got traded, some players got released, but the only way you left a team was if they didn’t want you anymore. And thus, you built bonds with your teammates. You built antagonism with your opponents.
“In the modern era, players sometimes jump from team to team every couple of years. They go on vacations in the off-season with each other, they share agents, they do charity golf tournaments together.
“Every team is filled with players who have friends on every other team. The antagonism just isn’t there anymore.
“Whereas once you were offended by something a stranger, or an opponent who you already had antipathy toward, would do, now your opponent, who you like, is doing that same thing, you’re not even going to think about it.”
The increasing number of international MLB players – such as Acuña Jr. and Cedeño – has also contributed to this shift.
More than 25 per cent of players in the league now come from outside the USA, hailing from 20 different countries, all with their own way of playing the game.
“When it comes to integrating foreign players, there is going to be a transition process,” Turbow says.
“The brand of baseball they play in Latin America, for example, is very different.
“Celebrations are embraced down there. They are expected. This is the kind of baseball that those guys grew up learning, and now they’re bringing it to the United States.
“The Asian players, particularly the Japanese players, tend to play by even stricter rules than the Americans.
“Korean players flip the heck out of their bats. It’s all about getting used to each other.”
Recently, however, the MLB has taken matters into its own hands. Advertising campaigns titled ‘Let The Kids Play’ and ‘We Play Loud,’ released ahead of the post-season in 2018 and 2019, explicitly condone behaviour that would previously have been condemned. Bat flips, showboating, celebrations. Anything goes.
“This officially codified the idea that these kids can show emotion on the field – they can flip their bats, they can celebrate themselves in ways that fans find appealing,” explains Turbow.
“It is baseball’s way of trying to grow the fanbase, especially among a younger demographic.”
Baseball traditionalists are, however, not making it easy for MLB. They continue to cling onto the code, passing it down to younger generations.
Right now when a pitcher throws at a batter who has only just stepped in and not yet begun his 15 step routine (touch helmet, grind foot, cock elbow five times etc) it’s called a “quick pitch. That’s called unsportsmanlike like.
The game was designed by the best teams to move slowly. Anything done to change that pace unsettles everything. For a game that throws so much money into tactical analysis, baseball is terrible at tactical innovation
As a result, the sport is currently going through a transition period where the old and the new coexist uneasily, particularly with regards to celebrating.
“In previous generations, bat flipping was a no-no. Pitchers would get viscerally offended, sometimes to the point of throwing a baseball at an opponent in retaliation.
“We’re now in this weird grey area in that there are still some pitchers who feel that way. Never mind that baseball has officially decreed it appropriate to flip a bat, there are still some pitchers who get annoyed at it.
“That creates some cognitive dissonance when it comes to how players behave on the field. They’re still trying to work it out.”
How, then, does baseball move forward? Can these unwritten rules, formed over a century or more, coexist with modern, fast-paced baseball?
“I think so,” asserts Turbow.
“These unwritten rules are fluid – they evolve. The idea of showing respect on the field is compatible with players having outside personalities, Twitter accounts and whatnot.
In the meantime it is a great game to wager on.
“It’s only when it comes to celebration that the hardliners and the traditionalists have a problem, and the traditionalists are dying off on a daily basis.”
So perhaps, in five years’ time, Acuña Jr. will be able to stand, admire and celebrate without fear of retribution being hurled at his ribs at 90 miles per hour.
John Cole has been watching baseball for more than four decades. His Dad took him to his first game. He likes the pace of the game and all those unwritten rules – but knows that changes are in the making.
By Ashley Worobec
October 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
This time next week I will have completed the New York City Marathon.
One more week to go!
This is exactly where I want to be a week before race day.
My taper is working, and today my watch showed me this fantastic “training status” screen that says “peaking.” This is EXACTLY what the taper is trying to do- the idea is that I worked hard through nearly 20 weeks of training, and now my body is in recovery mode where I can reap the benefits of that hard work.
It is often said that you cannot train too little during a taper, but you can definitely train too much. Over-training is a real concern at this point, as this is the time when runners start to feel antsy, and I’m definitely experiencing that.
My legs feel fresh and rested now and ready to run- and the taper starts to play mind games with you, as your mileage drops so significantly and so quickly, it’s almost as if you feel like you’ve forgotten how to run.
Ahhhh, the mental aspect of distance-running! I have two short runs this week (one 9k and one 8k) and then a quick little 3km on Saturday morning to shake out my legs, and then it’s raceday on Sunday!
My goals in New York are:
1. To enjoy the experience! I will be running with a dear friend of mine and we plan to soak it all in and enjoy the sights and sounds. This is a once-in-a-lifetime for me, and a goal I’ve been chasing for a few years.
2. A Boston qualification time would be nice; for my age group, that means I need to run a couple of minutes under 3 hours 40 minutes.
3. Ideally, I’d like to run under 3 hours, 30 minutes.
A goal of 3 hours – 30 minutes is well within reach. Is the Boston Marathon in the long range plan?
As you can see, this “race predictor” it shows that 3:30 should be well within my reach, but there are so many factors on race day that I can’t control; I’m trying not to get too wrapped up in a time goal. I’ve had many years of competitive running in the past, and my goals have changed now- these days it’s more about fun and fitness and friendships.
A white pumpkin?
We carved pumpkins this weekend and I used a NYC theme; I used a drill bit to shape the holes into the iconic “I love New York” sign. This year I’ll be abstaining from Halloween candy until after the race, as I want to give myself the best chance to perform on Sunday, and dozens of those tiny bite-sized chocolate bars will do me no good!
By Pepper Parr
October 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
We checked in with Ron Foxcroft to get a sense as to just where the Tiger Cats are in their quest for the Grey Cup – eastern finals are November 17th.
After beating the Alouettes today- 14 and 3, Foxcroft was expansive adding that “We play a nothing game November 2nd against the hapless Argos.
The Fox said “things are good” but that isn’t what he wanted to talk about.
Foxcroft: Shoots hoops pretty good – with a hole-in-one under his belt no telling what’s in his future.
While at Pinehurst in North Carolina playing on the Forest Creek course with his wife Marie, son Ronnie and Tom Davidson, who is the Club Champion at Legacy Pinehurst GC, Foxcroft shot a hole-in-one on the 150 yards 14th using a seven iron.
We will of course want to see that score card. It will probably be kept in the same place as his Order of Canada medal.
This was the third hole-in-one for Foxcroft. Ya gotta play a lot of golf to rack up a record like that.
By Otto Rachaele
October 24th 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
They made one of the biggest moves in the off-season a year ago, trading away a franchise favorite for a shot at the title. Already one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors shocked many by swapping DeMar DeRozen for Kawhi Leonard. Unless you were living under a rock, you know how the story played out. Chances are you also know that Leonard, who was named Finals MVP, returned home to LA to play for his home town Clippers. So where does that leave the Raptors in defense of their first ever NBA Championship?
The members of the NBA Championship team were given their 2019 rings. Biggest most expensive sports ring ever created. Each player got a ring with their name and number on it.
For the previous two championships, it had been heavily assumed that the defending champion Golden State Warriors would once again repeat as champions, however, such is not the case with the Raptors this season. In fact, they are not even favored to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2020 Finals. Oddshark.com has the Raptors at +3300, with four other teams from their conference ranked ahead, including the Brooklyn Nets who are without Kevin Durant.
The Milwaukee Bucks are favored to win the Eastern Conference, with the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics rounding out the teams with the best chance to represent in the NBA Finals.
With Leonard and DeRozen over on the West Coast, the Raptors are once again in search of a player who can be the face of the franchise. A five time All-Star and the longest tenured active player, Kyle Lowry can still be a solid starter for the Raptors but may no longer be considered one of the team’s go to players. That title will most likely be passed 2019 NBA Most Improved Player, Pascal Siakam. As their second best scorer and rebounder last season, Siakam has doubled his scoring in each of his three seasons and should be capable of averaging at least twenty points a night this season.
As for the rest of the starting five, Coach Nick Nurse may juggle time between Norman Powell, OG Anunoby, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
Fred VanVleet proved, during the Raptors championship run, that he was capable of playing big minutes and hitting big shots.
Among the second wave of players coming off the bench, Fred VanVleet proved, during the Raptors championship run, that he was capable of playing big minutes and hitting big shots. While new additions Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will add to the depth, they weren’t the blockbuster additions that other teams made during free agency. If Toronto hopes to remain competitive this season, they will need players like Patrick McCaw, Chris Boucher and Cameron Payne to step up and play valuable minutes.
At 32-9 last season, the Toronto Raptors were tied for the third best home record in the league something that will not only come into play again this season for visiting teams, but also for oddsmakers and NBA bettors.
As with many professional sports the variety of betting options for professional basketball has plentiful picks and parlays to choose from. The most popular NBA betting options are point spreads and over/under. Last season, the Raptors covered the spread in 48% of their games and should you have taken the over, you would have come ahead 52% of the time.
Masai Ujiri did what he had to do to bring a NBA Championship to Toronto. He took a chance and was rewarded for doing so.
GM Masai Ujiri did what he had to do to bring a NBA Championship to Toronto. He took a chance and was rewarded for doing so. Unfortunately now the bar is set much higher and the reality is, the current makeup of the team is not capable of reaching that bar, at least not at this point. With all of the big name players holding contracts that will expire next summer, the refurbishing of the lineup may begin sooner than later if the team struggles.
Don’t be surprised to see the Raptors continue their playoff streak to eight years, but don’t expect Jurassic Park to be open in June. Will the Raptors get a second Championship ring?
Otto Rachaele is a dedicated sports fan, more of a Raptors fan actually who understands the Gaming business. He is located in Burlington and gets into Toronto for every Raptors game.
By Ashley Worobec
October 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
My taper is in full effect and I’m enjoying the decrease in mileage.
My run last Sunday.
My longest run this week was 21km (I rounded up to 21.1km to make it an “official” half marathon distance), and it’s amazing to me that it actually felt like no problem. Just a few short months ago, a 21km run was quite daunting, and now here I am over the hump of marathon training, and 21km feels like a relatively easy effort.
It’s just incredible how our bodies can adapt to the demands placed on them, and how a challenge like this can be achieved with hard work and consistency. That’s what I hope people are gleaning from these training reports – that anything is possible! Set a goal, chase a dream, keep at it day after day…… and here I am, only 2 weeks away from the NYC Marathon!
I’ve been excitedly looking into the logistics of the actual race day, and you may find this part interesting. As you can imagine, it’s a challenge for race organizers to get more than 52,000 runners to Staten Island to the starting line! A few months ago, athletes were required to choose their race day transportation, the choice being a ferry or a bus. I chose the midtown Manhattan bus pickup, simply because the pickup location was closer to my hotel and it seemed like a warmer option, as I’m always cold and who knows what New York in November will bring weather-wise.
I’ve been assigned to a 6am bus pickup, and according to the website, the ride to Staten Island could take upwards of 90 minutes, depending on traffic. I am thankful that November 3rd happens to be the day after the Fall-back time change, so my 6:00am pickup will actually feel more like 7am. Once we arrive on Staten Island, we are separated into three Athlete’s Village areas – blue, orange, and green (I’m blue). At that point, we wait.
I am in the first wave of athletes, as I met the marathon’s time standard qualification rather than taking my chances in the general population lottery, so my start time is 9:40am. There are 4 waves; 9:40, 10:10, 10:40, and 11:10am; each wave will consist of roughly 13,000 runners.
Prized piece of post race loot. Proudly worn by marathoners.
We have also been asked to choose between a bag-check option and a post-race poncho, of which I chose the latter. This means that whatever I take with me to Staten Island will need to be left behind or carried on my person during the marathon; I will be wearing warm clothes over my running gear that will go into the charitable donation bins provided (these clothes are known in running circles as “throw-aways”), and anything I’ll want to eat during my wait will need to be brought with me as well.
There is food provided in the athlete’s village, but with a nervous pre-marathon stomach, I don’t want to leave anything to chance and I’ll be bringing some foods that I’m familiar with and know that my body can handle before a run. In exchange for this no-bag-check inconvenience, when I get to the finish line I will get the post-race poncho that is legendary in the marathoning world. Apparently this poncho is full-length and fleece-lined, and will be exactly what I’ll need to keep myself warm on the 2-mile walk from the finish line in Central Park back to my hotel room.
The app that tracks Ashley’s progress.
The NYC Marathon app- my data is live on there now. There is an option for people to track my progress on race day- the app will send alerts as I move along the race course. This “athlete tracking” is also what my husband will use to hopefully catch a few glimpses of me at various points along the race, as he navigates the NYC subway system.
Something to keep her hair out of her face while running.
The hat photo I’ve included here is simply because I’m starting to plan what I’ll wear during the race (weather-dependent of course), and I always, always, always wear a hat – it keeps my hair out of my face and the sweat out of my eyes. I’m really hoping November 3rd isn’t too cold and that I’ll be able to get away with this hat rather than a toque!
Editor’s note: We are thinking about trying to convince Ashley to wear a toque – which we will donate. A nice white toque with a Montreal Canadiens crest on it. Do you think she will wear it?
By Ashley Worobec
October 16th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s officially taper time! Tapering means that the bulk of work is done, and now it’s time to rest and recover from the cumulative effects of training- the idea being that you show up to the start line with rested and refreshed legs, so that you’re ready to go.
For a marathon, the taper period is usually around 3 weeks, and that’s the plan I’m following. This past week was my “peak week” of training, and I totaled 75km out on the roads this week. The next three weeks will have a dramatic decrease in that mileage number, with the week before the marathon being less than 20km of running. I will continue to do Pilates and yoga weekly, but I’ve shut it down on Crossfit right now, and want to give my legs the best chance possible to recover.
That watch records every km Worobec runs. This run is the last really long one before New York City.
On Thanksgiving Sunday, I ran 38km, my longest run in this marathon build. I have had October 13th circled on my calendar since training began back in mid-June; a distance like that can be daunting. But somewhere over the last few months, I have come to embrace these long runs rather than fear them, and I found that by early last week, I was actually looking forward to Sunday’s run to see what my body could do.
The after-effects of a treatment called “cupping.”
I am really happy with how it went- I felt great and kept a strong pace, and I’ve recovered really well; I have no soreness in my legs at all and I can only notice minimal fatigue in my lower legs and feet. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been struggling with some calf tightness after my runs- the red circles in the picture of my legs are the immediate after-effects of a treatment called “cupping.”
This treatment got its claim to fame when Michael Phelps showed up to the 2016 Olympics with circular bruises from cupping, but it’s actually a method of treatment used in Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been modified and adapted by many manual therapy practitioners.
That stroller has a couple of thousand km on it.
The group photo here shows my family and my brother’s family enjoying an apple orchard on Thanksgiving weekend- my nephew is using our running stroller, and I would estimate that stroller probably has a couple of thousand kilometres on it, from all the runs I used to do with my kids when they were little!
The target is to swallow the 4 liters – she doesn’t always make it.
One other thing I’ve been focusing on lately is hydration; I’ve been using a huge 4L refillable water bottle, and my aim every day is to drink the entire thing by the end of the day. I am not succeeding every day (that’s a lot of water!), but I figure if I aim to finish the entire thing and then fall a bit short, I will still be much more hydrated than I would be if I didn’t have this black and white measurement starting me in the face.
Hydration is key for so many things, including recovery and race day performance, so it’s extra-important at this stage of the game.
Less than 20 days to November 3rd – New York City – the Marathon. .
By Staff
October 7th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
More than 150 visitors came from across Halton Region to attend Nelson Aggregates’ Quarry Open House and Bus Tour.
Nelson President Quinn Moyer said: “We were pleasantly surprised. Attendees showed a lot of interest and support for our operations, our expansion plans and our vision for turning the site into a park over 30 years.”
The golf club property that is on the western side of the properties would be turned into a very large park.
The Open House featured bus tours of the quarry and interactive exhibits, including quarry machinery such as crushers, loaders, bulldozers and excavators.
“It’s great to see residents interested in the types of operations that form the foundation of our daily lives,” Moyer said. “It’s easy to forget that the building blocks of where we live come from quarries like ours.”
The Mt. Nemo quarry has played an important role as Burlington’s main source of limestone for more than 50 years. Its aggregate forms the foundation of most roads, buildings and infrastructure in Burlington.
One quarry that is close to be mined out; two new quarries that would be open and then everything would be turned over to the public.
A proposal is underway to expand the quarry over the next 30 years, and to donate the rehabilitated land in parcels over that time to form the largest park in Burlington.
The proposed park would be nearly six times larger than Burlington’s City View Park. The size and scale of the park would allow for abundant recreational opportunities, from biking and swimming to rock climbing and soccer.
A lake – 77 acres in size will be formed out of a mined out quarry.
The Gazette asked a reader to take the tour and come back to us with his views. He didn’t take out his wallet to buy into it – but did say that he wanted to hear more. “Was this a gift horse whose mouth we should be looking into” he asked “or is it a Trojan horse that we would regret letting in.”
The Nelson Aggregate people have yet to have a conversation with the ward Councillor, Rory Nisan, who has said he doesn’t want anyone to shape his opinion of the project, has shown no interest in hearing what the aggregate producer has in mind.
So far, the only Councillor who has been to the site is Angelo Bentivegna who was with our reader.
Our reader has said he is of two minds. The one thing he is certain about is that the city should be talking to the Nelson people and learning more about what they have in mind.
The Planning department, who have more on their plates than they can handle now, are certainly not out there looking for things to do.
Our reader said he was really impressed with the potential but did wonder if Burlington needed another park.
What our reader did find interesting was that no one he talked to came out and said they did not want a park in that part of Burlington.
With the public tour behind them Nelson now has to craft the application it has to take to the city and at the same time think through the various levels of government they are going to have to satisfy and how best they can do that.
The next step is to have a pre-consultation meeting with the Planning department – expected to be sometime in November.
The big picture question is: Is another park needed? Not today perhaps but in 30 years the need for public space will be a lot different than it is today.
To find out more CLICK HERE
By Ashley Worobec
October 7th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Overall it’s been another good week, however my right Achilles tendon started to give me some grief a few days ago. With long runs getting well up into the high-30+-kms, a few aches and pains here and there can sometimes be inevitable. Thankfully, I work in a sports clinic, so I got treatment right away (laser therapy is shown here) and it’s feeling much better.
This is what laser therapy looks like.
I had a drop-back weekend this weekend, so my run this morning was only 16km and I ran it completely pain-free.
Our peak run comes up this weekend- 38km on Thanksgiving Sunday morning, and you can be sure that I’ll take full advantage of that Thanksgiving dinner afterwards!
I am really happy with how September went, I was able to stay very consistent and run all 17 of my 17 scheduled runs. September was my peak month for mileage, and while I do have one more big week of training ahead of me, the majority of October is focused on tapering down the mileage and recovering to be ready for November 3rd.
There was also a mix-in of gym workouts, weekly Pilates, and a couple of hot yoga classes. On the one hand, cross-training is still very important to keep me strong and not injured, however at this stage of marathon training, the cumulative effect of all the mileage becomes very real, and there’s a fine balance between doing too much and doing too little cross-training.
I have been doing private Pilates classes once per week for the past few months, and I really think it’s helped me to stay strong and be able to handle this marathon build.
Easing the tension on an ankle
The Fall has brought darker mornings with it, and as I start most of my runs around 5:30am, my light-up vest has become a staple in my wardrobe. On my solo runs, I’m often listening to podcasts, and lately the topic has been, you guessed it, the New York City marathon. I’ve been listening to race reports and course previews, and I’m starting to get really excited about the magnitude of this experience.
More than 52,000 runners will be there (we’re sent to the start line in waves to minimize congestion) and more than 1 million spectators are said to line the route!
By Ashley Worobec
October 1st, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
After the heat and humidity of last Sunday’s long run, I welcomed the 14C at the start of this Sunday’s run.
The 36km on my schedule
I had 36km on my schedule, which is the longest run I’ve done since my last marathon in 2007. I was daunted, but hung in there with my training partners and we saw all of Oakville and most of Mississauga! Ha!
Most of our route was flat, along the lakeshore and surrounding areas, and I am really proud of this run.
I felt great, which gives me confidence in my training and my abilities, and I’m ready for next weekend’s “recovery week”, which has our long run capping out at 16km.
The dog sets the pace.
It’s amazing to me what our bodies can be trained to do – 16km is going to feel like a very short run to me, whereas only a few months ago it felt long. Perspective. We now have this recovery week, and then one more huge run (38km) on Thanksgiving Sunday, before we begin our 3-week taper.
A taper is a period of time where you focus on rest and recovery to allow your body to show up to the start line feeling strong and ready rather than depleted and tired. By that point, “the hay is in the barn,” as my former coach used to say, and you just need to reap the benefits of recovery and not overdo it; training gains are accomplished a few weeks after the actual training, so in theory, my fitness will peak on November 3rd for race day.
Bulldog puppies yoga – a little easier than goat yoga.
After my run, my family participated in a really unique event – puppy yoga! A local yoga instructor teamed up with a local breeder of bulldog puppies and they put on a yoga class while the little pups wandered about for snuggles.
My kids loved the puppies, and I loved the recovery aspect and the bonus of some puppy time. I feel great today, and that shows me that I need to make yoga/mobility more of a focus on Sunday afternoons following these long runs.
I’ve also been getting out a lot lately with our dog- a nice dog walk after a run helps to flush my legs and speed recovery (do you see a pattern here?) and of course gives me a huge mental boost; Fall is my favourite season.
Ashley Worobec is a chiropractor who specializes in sports medicine. A former Boston marathoner, Dr. Worobec often runs the Chilly Half marathon and Around the Bay 30K. She has lived in Burlington for ten years with her husband and their two children. She qualified to run in the New York City Marathon in November.
By Ashley Worobec
September 24th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Not quite a happy face.
This week was daunting because I knew I had a 33km long run to complete on Sunday morning. I haven’t run over 30km in a couple of years, and yesterday’s weather was very challenging.
This is what 33 kms looks like.
Our route included nearly 1200 feet of ascent (we did a lot of those escarpment hill climbs outside of Dundas!) and even though we started at 6:30am, the weather was unseasonably hot and humid. I didn’t feel well throughout the run and ran slower than usual to account for that.
Thankfully, my running group always has aid stations on the route, so we were met at two different points with water and Gatorade refills. Those were a lifesaver, and I made sure to over-hydrate on Saturday, leading into Sunday’s run, and then over-hydrate on Sunday afternoon to account for the extreme fluid loss.
I spent a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon on my couch with my legs elevated and my compression socks on.
Prescription-grade compression socks are a must.
I wear prescription-grade compression socks (15-20mm Hg is the mercury reading) on Sundays after my long runs and I really feel like they help my legs to recover. Elevating the legs also helps recovery, as does an afternoon nap!
Veggies for their nutrients and protein
I’ve been focused on my nutrition lately, really having to dial it in with the increasing mileage. My appetite has increased, and I’m focusing on lots of veggies for their nutrients and protein to offset the catabolic nature of distance-running (catabolism refers to the body breaking down muscle, which is what happens on these long endurance runs).
It’s very important to have an increased protein intake to offset this muscle loss and help with injury prevention.
New York is now less than 6 week away!
Ashley Worobec is a chiropractor who specializes in sports medicine. A former Boston marathoner, Dr. Worobec often runs the Chilly Half marathon and Around the Bay 30K. She has lived in Burlington for ten years with her husband and their two children. She qualified to run in the New York City Marathon iin November.
By Pepper Parr
September 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It is going to be a fun night for the sports crowd and the supporters of the Burlington Foundation.
The local news is that $60,000 in new grant gifts to local charities through the support of 17 businesses who are members of the Foundation’s Brilliant Business Circle will be announced
Michael “Pinball” Clemons grew into an amazing charismatic speaker who was generous with his time and his financial resources.
The buzz though will be the words that Michael “Pinball” Clemons will give on the subject of community giving.
It all takes place at the Burlington Golf and Country Club on Tuesday September 24th; 6:30 to 9:00 pm.
Clemons was born in Florida but came to play for the Argos in 1989, going on to enjoy a remarkable 12-year career in the CFL before going on to coach the team. Clemons is now the Argos’ vice chair.
He and his wife Diane recently became Canadian citizens.
He knew what to do with the ball when you put it in his hands.
The Burlington Foundation is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year; the evening is an important celebration of giving across our community, both through the collective giving of local businesses as well as through the amazing work of local charities.
It should be a night to remember.
By Claire Nash
September 18th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Going by the endless headlines one gets, being a lottery winner can be a truly memorable and exhilarating experience for anyone. After all, these events transform regular people like you and me, into millionaires overnight.
It’s all about luck.
There are several accounts of the lucky Canadians buying a lottery ticket and thus a fortune for themselves. And many others continue to try their luck on a daily basis. The best ways to be one such winner is by playing reputed and well-known lotteries in Canada.
You can play Powerball online, Lotto 6/49 and more. Here in this article, we will tell you about the biggest lottery winner from Canada and the US Powerball which gives you a chance to win several more millions of dollars from Canada.
Record Lottery Winner from Canada
The biggest lottery winner from Canada is a woman named Zhe Wang from Mississauga, Ontario. In 2016, she won $ 64 million, the biggest jackpot ever in the history of Canadian lottery. As per the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., Zhe Wang had the single winning ticket for that jackpot. The ticket was for the Lotto 649 draw of October 17, and was purchased from a Petro Canada in Mississauga.
As per the gaming agency, Zhe Wang’s big win puts her at the top of the biggest lottery prize winners from Canada who won through a single ticket. Before her the largest Lotto 649 win record was held by 4 joint winning tickets – 1 from western Canada and 3 sold in British Columbia. That was for a total sum of $ 63.4 million, drawn on April 13, 2013.
US Powerball gives you a chance to score an even bigger win
US Powerball, which has had some of the biggest winners in the history of lottery ever, for instance this $ 768 million, 24 year old winner, requires you to match 5 numbers from 1 to 69, as well as the Powerball number ranging from 1 to 26 on the ticket. There are several other prizes as well, with a total of 9 prize tiers. Not to forget, the popular Powerplay multipliers. In the event that someone else also gets the same numbers, the jackpot amount is shared between them, and if no one hits the jackpot, the money is rolled over to the next draw, continuing this way till a winner comes along. Please note, it’s pretty common for such rollovers to happen, the reason why US Powerball jackpots are considered the biggest in the world.
With lotteries it is the luck of which ball comes down the chute.
While in the United States, the age limit to play Powerball is 18 (19 in Nebraska and 21 in Arizona, Iowa and Louisiana), in Canada too you should be minimum 18 years to play this lottery. In the event that you win the jackpot, or any prize for that matter, there will be no tax due from you in Canada. You stand to win exactly the same amount of money as any winner from the United States.
By Ashley Worobec
September 17, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
How does a 40 year old medical professional explain to her two children that she going far away to run a marathon?
Lacing up while daughter Casey looks on. Casey is now close to completing a 5k run.
The 7 year old daughter, Casey and my 10 year old son Drew are old enough to start to understand all of the work that goes into a lofty goal like this. I have been running with them since they were babies and I would push them in our running stroller – back then, I would often load both kids into the double Chariot and off we would go for 5-10km.
As they got older, once in a while they would bike beside me, and now we’re at the point where they are starting to ask to come and run with me; I will sometimes finish my run, and then loop back home and pick them up and we’ll do a run around the block together.
We also regularly sign them up for local 1km kid’s races. With almost every event, there’s a kid’s race option, and they regularly do the Good Friday 1k “Bunny Hop” at Aldershot High School and the Moon in June kid’s race in downtown Burlington.
It’s a family affair.
They are getting to the age where a 5km race is within reach, so that’s what they’ll likely start doing quite soon. We almost always do Burlington’s Santa 5k in December, and have been since the kids were tiny. The picture of us a few years ago is a treasure; my daughter ran a lot of the 5km that year as a 3-year-old! I really believe that if kids see their parents being active, the likelihood of them being active too dramatically increases- the reality is, my kids just don’t know any different, we’ve always lived a really active lifestyle and my identity as a runner has always been a part of their lives.
Two other valuable lessons that my running taught me were:
1- qualifying for the New York marathon- I failed to meet the qualification standard twice, and finally reached it on my third try. The kids saw my tears and my disappointment after those two unsuccessful attempts, and they also saw my perseverance in trying yet again, and ultimately succeeding.
No word on whether or not the dog participates in the actual run.
2- They’ve learned about relying on others for support. My husband was away this weekend and I asked my father-in-law to come over and watch the kids on Sunday morning while I went for my group run. He was with them for more than 3 hours so that I could fit my training in; I truly appreciate his support, and I think it helps the kids to see the importance of family and friends, and the magnitude of what I’m trying to accomplish.
The data from the device on her wrist is a critical guide during every run.
This weekend my training group did a 30km long run; I’ve only got 3 long runs left! I’ve got a 33km, 36km, and 38km to tackle before I start to taper and recover and prepare for the marathon!
By Staff
September 10th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
This will be the 39th Annual Terry Fox run. What a record! The Terry Fox Run for Cancer has raised over $2 million in the 38 years during which 23,00 people have participated.
The event has raised more than $81,000 in Burlington last year – tens of thousands of people have taken part; great research has been done with the funds raised.
Last year there were 941 runners registered, 115 volunteers and they raised $75,000.
The Run location start and finish is east of the pier on grassy area south of Waterfront Hotel
The route is 2.5 km along waterfront and promenade so 5 km round trip
Registration at 8 am runners leave at 9 and walkers strollers dogs leave at 10 am
Monument marking the 3582nd kilometer of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Run that took place 35 years ago. The plaque noting that the historical Brant Inn used to be located a dozen yards or so to the south sits to the left of the monument.
The 2019 T-shirt
We will have usual suspects politically to kick it off Sunni Gennesco of Klite fm is MC
We have two live bands on the route including the ukulele busker band doing an all Canadian set in honour of Terry
Burlington Gymnastics Club will be working with kids on various equipment in a tent. Free food, massages, balloon animals, henna tattoos and face painting
No entry fee no minimum donation – this is a Family event – dogs welcome
By Claire Nash
September 10th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Considering the hectic lives we lead these days, going about your day-to-day work without taking a break can take a toll on your health. This is where the importance of taking a vacation every now and then comes into the picture. And what better way to take some time off than indulging in your favourite casino games!
Although the ideal scenario would be you travelling to some land-based casino resort, spending a few days (and nights!) there and coming back refreshed, if it’s something that you don’t have the inclination or the budget to do, you can always play exciting casino games on your mobile phone too! For instance, these are the best mobile casinos available to Canadian residents.
The Burlington residents on the other hand can try out any of the below detailed land-based gambling options closest to the city. And if you’re in the mood to venture a little farther, here are four of the best land-based casinos in and around Ontario.
OLG Slots Casino & Flamboro Downs Racetrack Dundas
The Flamboro Downs is essentially a horse racetrack based out of Dundas, Hamilton. It houses close to 800 OLG slot machines for people wanting to indulge in some exciting gambling. The place is close to 20 minutes’ drive away from Burlington and once you are done gambling, you can admire Hamilton’s popular peak and two scenic waterfalls – Tew’s Falls and Webster’s Falls.
OLG Slots Casino & Campbellville Mohawk Racetrack
Around 30 minutes’ drive from Burlington, OLG Slots Casino & Campbellville Mohawk Racetrack is counted amongst the most visited gambling venues in Canada. You can witness plenty of contests and races happening here on a daily basis, with many bars and restaurants in the vicinity. The casino enthusiasts can play at 912 slot machines installed by OLG Slots at the venue. Who knows, if it’s your lucky day, you might win big like this woman from Ontario.
OLG Slots Casino & Woodbine Racetrack
Situated 59 km and 40 minutes’ drive away from Burlington is the OLG Slots Casino & Woodbine Racetrack, 20 miles west of Toronto. The establishment houses 2500+ slot machines and various other electronic gambling options including Sic Bo, poker, roulette, baccarat and blackjack. The Woodbine racetrack offers bets on Greyhound and horse races, apart from many more.
OLG Casino Brantford
While OLG or Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation owns several different casino facilities in leisure centres across Ontario, it has its own establishment in Brantford known as the OLG Casino Brantford. This casino facility is 56 km and 40 minutes away from Burlington. Spread over an impressive 30,000 ft² area, it offers 540 gaming machines, 59 casino gaming tables, several poker games and an exclusive poker room.
OLG Slots Casino & Elora Grand River Racetrack
Also known as the Grand River OLG Slots, this facility is situated in Wellington’s South Boulder Highway, inside the Grand River racetrack. On offer are a wide range of bingo games, slot machines and live harness racing. You can reach here in 1 hour by car from Burlington, and once here you can also sample a wide range of culinary options around the racetrack.
By Ashley Worobec
September 10th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
I was asked about the technology I use in my running and how that’s changed over the years.
Worobec says the watch is the best technology investment she ever made.
The truth is, I only jumped on the “running technology” bandwagon a couple of years ago. I bought a Garmin watch in August 2017 (my sister-in-law worked for Garmin, so that’s why I chose that particular brand) and now I can’t imagine running without it!
On going data.
This watch does EVERYTHING for me – it tracks my heart rate (via my wrist; there’s no chest straps involved like older versions), my step count, my pace per kilometre, my distance, my elevation, and much, much more. One of the functions I use regularly is programming workouts- as shown in the example below, I’ve programmed it to run hard for 1 minute, recover for 2 mins, hard for 2 mins, recover for 1 minutes, and repeat that 7 times; this watch will then guide me through that workout and beep at the appropriate times to alert me when to rest and when to push hard.
The results of a morning run.
The other technology I use is run mapping. The main website I use for my routes is www.runningahead.com. I’ll map the route ahead of time so that I’m sure I’m going the appropriate distance. This comes in handy when I’m not running with my training group; when I’m running with them, our routes are all pre-planned out for us.
I’ve also linked my watch to Strava (www.strava.com), which is like social media for endurance athletes.
The watch is tougher than most coaches. Unforgiving!
I’m connected to lots of running friends on there and I can go onto the Strava app and see what runs others have been doing, as well as give them “kudos” (similar to a “like” on Facebook). I find Strava to be a good source of accountability and a bit of a competitive tool as well.
The sunrise Ashley Worobec witnessed on her 40th birthday. Blessed
I turned 40 on Saturday, and of course I started my day with a run. I’ve included a picture of the sunrise that morning- sunrise runs are my favourite, and I ran along Burlington’s waterfront, which is also my favourite. It was the perfect start to a wonderful day.
November 3rd – the marathon date. I’ve been excited about this for a long time. The fee to take part – once you qualify is $385.
By Staff
September 3rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Motorists are reminded that thousands of cyclists will be out on Sunday September 8, 2019 from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm in north-west Milton and north Burlington areas. The cyclists will be part of the Epic Tour, which partners with Lighthouse for Grieving Children.
Britannia Road will be closed to all westbound traffic from Tremaine Road to Cedar Springs Road from approximately 7:00 am until just after 11:00 am. Eastbound will remain entirely open and north/southbound will only be allowed access when directed by an officer and when safe and clear.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area during the busy period along Britannia Road from 7:00 am to 11:00 am.
Daunting – but there are rest stop along the way and a rescue service if you just can’t finish.
What is the EPIC Tour?
A one-day granfondo road cycling event, held in Milton, Ontario on the beautiful fall roads of the Niagara escarpment.
The event starts and finishes at Kelso Conservation Area.
Epic Tour offers a variety of different routes, ranging from 50k to 180k in order to cater to cyclists of all abilities.
Whether you are a newbie just getting into road biking, an avid enthusiast looking to challenge yourself, or even a triathlete looking for a training ride, we’re the event for you!
Since 2013, we have always put the needs of our cyclists first, offering an extremely well-supported endurance event on terrific roads close to the GTA. Neither a pledge ride nor a race, Epic Tour is unique in that it’s a lifestyle event that promises a great day on the bike as well as a great post-ride off-the-bike experience!
It all starts and finishes at the Kelso Conservation area.
From start to finish, the EPIC people pride themselves in the top-notch support provided on event day. The day starts with a breakfast bar in the morning with coffee, bagels, and yogurt. Mechanics are available on site all morning for any last-minute tune-ups. While on the route, they have multiple rest stops – loaded with snacks, hydration, washrooms, mechanics and nurses – available for you if you need a break.
As well, if you have a mechanical issue or need to be picked up along the way, just give them a call and they will come to your rescue!
Upon return to Kelso Conservation Area, we have an awesome finish-line-festival that features live music, 40+ exhibitors, complimentary rider food, free massages and a free beer!
By Ashley Worobec
September 2nd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette first met Dr. Ashley Worobec when she was part of the team that carried the Torch for the Pan American games in June of 2015.
We asked her to keep in touch – She did – told us she was going to do the New York City Marathon. We asked if she would keep a sort of diary of her training – she said yes.
Ashley has run marathons in the past – when she was a 27 year old adult with no children. This time around she is a 39 year old mother with two children and a sports therapy practice. Last week she took a break – now it is back to the grind. Here is the latest installment of the story.
We returned yesterday from a week’s vacation at Disney World and Universal Studios Florida. We had a wonderful time – my training took a backseat to family fun at the amusement parks!
Disney World for the family – an a run along a canal while the kids sleep in.
We walked everywhere and my step-counter read close to 20,000 steps per day! We did have one non-park day where I fit in a run along one of the paths on a Florida canal- I didn’t feel great on that run – heat and humidity were big factors, as was my diet. I tried to focus on healthy dining options this past week, but of course some extra treats on vacation work their way in and I could certainly feel it on that run!
But I focused on lots of water all week, and I didn’t stress about the two training runs that I missed, because I know in the grand scheme of things that two workouts are not a make or break in marathon training- and in fact, I don’t think my legs could’ve handled a run PLUS a day on my feet at Disney!
The backbone of marathon training is the long run, and I made sure to alter my schedule so that I ran my 26km long run last weekend before we left, and I ran my 28km long run this morning, the day after we got back.
Data – let’s you record how well you are doing. Critical part of marathon training.
This morning was a struggle, which I knew it would be, but I’m proud of myself for getting out there and getting the miles in. Marathon training really is a team effort, and I couldn’t be chasing this New York City marathon dream without the incredible support of my family – my husband and kids met me at the 10km mark and the 20km mark of my route today, with water and electrolytes (my brand of choice is Nuun; which is an electrolyte replacement tab that’s added to water and is very low in sugar) and some sweaty hugs of encouragement.
It really helped me to know that I had checkpoints to the family; my 10-year-old was quite impressed that “Mom can run for more than two hours!”.
Route of the first run after the vacation break – with kids and husband at check points along the way.
I’m now looking forward to back-to-school routines, and getting into some big, big mileage in September and October. I’m also thankful that next weekend is a drop-back week where my long run distance drops to 16km; it’s funny how perspective on that distance changes. At the start of my training, 16km felt monumental, and at this point it feels like a much-needed break!
By Ashley Worobec
August 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s been a real juggle this week, especially to fit in my long run.
I’m leaving for a week’s vacation on Wednesday, working all day today and tomorrow, and I’m working all day today, so it had to be done really early this morning. Thankfully, my friend Sarah agreed to meet me at the crazy hour of 5:00am, and we did our 26km together.
Garmin is a real task master.
The first hour was in the dark, and for the last 1.5 hours we got to enjoy the beautiful sunrise and early morning hours. I had time for a quick shower and a quick breakfast, and off to work I went. My ever-supportive husband got up really early and drove out to meet us at both the 13km and 20km marks. He brought water and some energy gels and it was really nice to have that help – with runs that last this long, it’s very tough to carry enough water on your person.
Compression socks -about as bright a colour one could find.
Recovery is still a huge focus of mine, so I’ve been wearing my compression socks after many of my runs. I really find they help with that heavy-leg feeling I sometimes get with the longer distances. My watch keeps track of my step counts and I’m easily hitting that 10,000 steps/day default goal that Garmin sets!
Today after that 26km, I’m at 25,000 steps! I also work on my feet, so these legs are taking a beating. I’ve been getting bi-weekly massages to help my muscles stay healthy.
Not sure how my runs will pan out while I am on vacation.
We are headed to Walt Disney World (my first Disney trip, and a first for my kids as well), so if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll run a couple of times, and if I’m not, then I’ll miss the 2 runs that I’ve got scheduled next week.
Data is critical to proper training – knowing what you’ve done and keeping track of the changes is critical to a training program that is going to have you fit for Marathon Day.
I’ve fit in my long run this weekend before we go, and I’ll fit in my 28km long run next weekend after we return. The weekly long runs are the most vital part of marathon training, so it’s a juggle to prioritize those and make sure I get that mileage in.
The Gazette publisher wants me to come back with a photo of me and Mickey!
By Ashley Worobec
August 20th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
I had a good week again this week, but mid-week I verged into over-training.
Each of the 24 km Worobec ran when doing her marathon training.
I could feel that my legs were getting heavy, and I have been training for a solid two months now, so volume is something I need to be mindful of. The last marathon I ran was 12 years ago, and recovery is much different for a 27-year-old versus a 39 year-old working mother of two!
Worobec squeezing out the rain from her shirt after a run in a rain storm,
Although I’m following a training plan, I added in a couple of extra workouts this week (including a Crossfit competition last weekend) and that put me over the edge. My Garmin watch tracks all of my stats, and it gave me an “overtraining” alert on Thursday, so I listened to it and took a rest day and also added in some early bedtimes. I am feeling back to normal now, and I had a great 24km long run on Saturday morning.
I’ve included a picture of the aftermath (me squeezing out the rain from my shirt), as about 20 of our 24km were run in those torrential downpours on Saturday morning; I could not have been more soaked if I’d jumped into a swimming pool!
A tired marathoner.
My sunrise runs continue to be the best way for me to fit all of my training into my schedule. I’m usually back home before my children are even awake, so it really doesn’t affect family life much at all. I meet my training group at 5:30am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and most Sundays at 7:00am, and I fit in the rest of my training on my own when I can.
Last week, we got an email from the New York marathon to choose our transportation to the start line, so things are starting to line up for all of the logistics of the race. I will be catching a bus from midtown Manhattan that will take me to Staten Island for the start line, and my husband will meet me at the finish line in Central Park. Excitement is building!
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