Thanks go to Doug Piercey who organized the club social on the weekend that saw 16 of us entertained by a Toronto Marlies hockey game (but not by the 6-3 loss) and later at a small pub, Brazenhead, for dinner. He also organized a number of draw prizes for those who arrived early. Food at the pub was excellent if you’re ever looking for a good pub in the up and coming area called Liberty Village. It was good, also, to have there a couple of spouses we haven’t seen much of, Nancy Piercey and Bev Mannering. Overall a great night out with friends. Nice work Doug!
Editor Musings
In early November last year I headed to Virginia with friends for a golf week but we broke up our trip there with a stay overnight in Punxatawney PA where “Punxatawney Phil”, the groundhog, is famous for February weather predictions (like our Wireton Willy). We even stayed at the hotel made famous in the movie “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray. The hotel is a massive old structure with a patchwork of renovations over its 80-year history. The rooms were spartan but comfortable. The reason we even made this side trip was that one of our foursome found out that there was going to be a big Halloween parade in town the night we’d be there so we thought it would be fun. We even considered dressing up for it as hockey players or Shania Twain and walking in the parade.
After checking in we discovered that the parade was the night before (nice planning J) so we asked about restaurants, figuring a town with such notoriety would have many. The hotel clerk told us about a sort of family restaurant about 3 blocks away that was good. We said thanks and that we’d walk but he said “Oh no, it’s much too far to walk, you should drive.” We walked and talked about why so many in America are overweight - they all drive to restaurants. We arrived in a half-full diner-type place with waitresses in uniform and were led to a corner table. Everyone in the place was overweight.
We were told this was a good place to eat and you could tell because the featured dish that night was fish sticks and baked beans.
As we perused the menu four big, red-necked guys in camouflage came in and were seated about 5 tables away from us. We got this creepy ‘Deliverance’ sort of feeling amongst us and kept our eyes alert but not focused on these guys in case they thought we were giving them the eye, you know, that nudge nudge wink wink type of eye.
Somehow all four of us managed to turn down the ’special’ - but still dinner was not that good. We managed to keep ourselves out of trouble and left in search of a good bar. Never found one but we did find 4 smoky, ratty dives that served cheap beer. So much for Punxatawney. Had we seen a groundhog while there and had it seen its shadow I’m sure it would have meant another 50 years of us never going back. ~Michael B
New Handicap Rating Program for Runners
Specific Ontario running races designated as “Road Warrior” races offer a new category of prizing that ALL runners – slow, medium or fast - have a chance of winning. How so?
Men and women with a ‘Road Warrior Handicap Rating’ at those races will run ‘virtually’ against each other. The ‘handicap rating’, like a golf handicap, lets all compete as if on a level playing field.
Everyone with the ‘rating’ earns points at each ‘Road Warrior’ race and after each race and at year’s end, prizes go to those with the most points. All Ontario runners qualify.
REGISTER FOR FREE on the Road Warrior site to receive a Road Warrior ID number. Sign in and check the ratings to see if you’re already listed with a rating. If you don’t have one, then run 3 running or trail races anywhere in the province and a ‘handicap rating’ can be created from your results at those races.
Enter any ‘Road Warrior-designated race (use your new ID number when you register for races so that YOU, and not someone with your same name & city, is awarded points correctly). That rating is applied to your race time, then compared to everyone else’s to see who were the top finishers in the ‘Road Warrior’ category.
Everyone has a chance of winning that category. Sign up as a Road Warrior then enter those races!RoadWarriorRunning.com
An initiative of Ontario Track & Field Association and Eveque. Supported by Trillium Foundation & RoadRaceResults.com
