36ième CHAMPIONNAT PROVINCIAL DES MAÎTRES NAGEURS
Nostalgia. The internet has many similar definitions for the word but they all land somewhere in the park of "a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time". That gem is taken directly from Dictionary.com. It turns out that I actually don't use the word properly based on that definition. Ya, there are lots of positive memories when I am using that word. But it is much bigger than that for me. It is a total recall, good or bad. Perhaps if I tried hard enough I could find a more appropriate word....but.....
Much of this past weekend was about nostalgia for me. Or at least my version of it.
In 2015 I went to Nationals with the largest Mavericks team to ever assemble. The event was held at the wonderful Claude-Robilliard Sports Complex.
For the record Cambridge, this is what we need. That aside - this was a great moment in my life. We had a lot of fun as a team, and I got to bomb around Montreal on the Metro again which was another nostalgic replay from 2014. I had a lot of excellent swims at that meet. It's one of those times you just don't forget.
This past weekend was the Quebec version of Provincials. I had an itch to go and was able to make it happen. The registration system was foreign to me and different than what we are doing here in Ontario but the meet manager was able to make it a go.
Friday I left later than intended due to unforeseen circumstances. I still had some leeway so I stopped at a swim gear store in Etobicoke called Splashables. If you have been to the Alderwood meet or were at the Milton meet you have seen them before. I needed a new racing suit BADLY. I tried on a bunch and looked at the current equivalent to what I had. I had to swallow some humble pie. I really wanted the $300 + suit.... but got the base model $90 one. Let's face it - I'm not going to the Olympics or swimming for money. I just needed a suit (for now anyways) to get the job done. I actually ended up with the exact same suit I started racing in 4 years ago. Apparently they brought back the model. It was a nice touch of nostalgia.
So - as you can imagine this took more of my leeway and left me with a tight schedule. I may have driven with a somewhat heavy foot. I went direct to the pool and was not late. Being late is one of the things I hate most in life.
It was a great feeling. Coming back to a place I was familiar with and could associate good memories to. On the flip side - I was alone with poor French skills. At Nationals they knew there would be many Anglophones and they were prepared to accommodate. Maybe it was only in my head, but at this meet I believed there would more difficulty. Fortunately I actually do well at communicating with zero language skills, just ask my wife. I was happy to bump into some Quebec swimmers that I do know such as my friend Yves from the Westmount club and Jessica from ACC. Familiar faces in foreign places make for good races.
As a swimmer - how could you NOT love this?
One of the things that struck me was how passionate the Quebecois are about their swimming. When I got the psych sheets for the meet I checked out all my swims.... and then all the swims. of the 18 personal events 13 of them had someone in my age category as the fastest overall swimmer, often 2 or 3 of them. It was a deep talent pool and there were some fine performances. I did well enough in my own swims. I was able to come away with 2 new official personal bests, and an unofficial personal best for an 800 IM which of course is not an actual event. It was done during the 800 free, and not without blunder on my part and controversy on the officials part. They sorted it all out on their end and let my initial DQ be overturned. I was grateful as nobody wants a DQ and it will stick out as yet another positive memory. In total I came away with 1 4th place finish along with 2 5th, 6th, and 7th places finishes. Instead of medals and ribbons they gave you this....
The little "position" tickets are metal with adhesive on the back. I didn't dare stick mine on as I have zero artistic ability and just getting them to line up half decent for the pic took me half an hour. This is a most welcome addition to my collection.
On Saturday the sessions ended shortly after noon. I had oodles of time to kill so I made the impulse decision to visit a small town 90 minutes away where I lived for 8ish years. This is where the nostalgia definition hits some speed bumps for me. I lived in Knowlton from 8 - 15 years old. I have many memories, both good and not so much. But I always want to go back and see it.
If you follow me on social media you may have seen a post about this lake in the following picture. In fact I think I've posted on this site about it before also.
People often ask me if I was a competitive swimmer growing up. This lake is all I had. For three summers I competed on our little swim team which only swam for a few weeks and only competed against the rich kids from the boat club next door. I think one time there were kids from somewhere else that joined in. But this is it. That island over in the distance has significance. I have some good memories from a winter camping trip on it with the scouts.... but otherwise it is a monkey on my back. I was supposed to swim to it when I was a youth and never did. I hope to do that this summer. The beach has changed. There are things that remain similar but many things are not. The dreary day and early visit did not help. I would love to tell you that it was all shiny like the pool memories above.....but it is not.
I used to ski here.
Now it is a private home. Speaking of homes - I had 2 when I lived in Quebec. Neither are in their former glory and frankly are an embarrassment. They are shadows of their former selves. Places I used to know are gone. Things that were once new are now old, worn, and broken. I already knew this.... but I still had to look. What would you call this?
I will likely make this journey several times in my life. There really is no closing the door or finishing the book. It may sound like I've made Knowlton out to be this horrible place which it really isn't. Just like anything else it's easy to only find the negative. Even though the ski hill is closed Knowlton really is a neat place. I feel like it is having a resurgence. There is talk of building a pool there which I find exciting, and as I understand it they are getting a Tim Hortons. In recent years friends of mine have rekindled the swimming lessons at the beach. Childhood friends have a thriving coffee business. People that were only children when I left now have their own.
This really is the story of our lives isn't it? When you read a book there is a journey. There are ups and downs, good and bad. If it is a good book we read it again even though we know how it will all turn out. It's a funny thing really if you think about it... turning page after page, going through it all again, knowing that it doesn't change. I have to see it again from time to time.
I only stayed in Knowlton for a few hours with the grande finale being a visit to some very dear friends. I drove back to Montreal with a smile on my face and joy in my heart (meeting a baby for the 1st time will do that). I switched on the radio to something in French and realized that in some ways Montreal reminds me of my time in Brazil. Or - when I was in Brazil it reminded me of my childhood in Quebec. Not sure which way really. I think it is a two way street really.
I have already told you how all the swimming went, Sunday included. What wasn't mentioned was that some of my newer friends from Ontario came up for the final day. Nadine, Mike, and Fillipo all came up (not together) to swim and my Ottawa twin Jacey was also there as the muscle. Familiar faces in foreign places makes for good races.
To wrap this thing up I think it should be said that I had yet another fantastic experience to add to memory. It really is an incredible thing when you step outside your front door. I intend on doing that. You might find me at the pool.
Until I touch the wall.....
Michael Kenny
Masters Swimmer
Cambridge Mavericks
Marathon Open Water Swimmer
2015-16 Global Swim Series Champion
Much of this past weekend was about nostalgia for me. Or at least my version of it.
In 2015 I went to Nationals with the largest Mavericks team to ever assemble. The event was held at the wonderful Claude-Robilliard Sports Complex.
For the record Cambridge, this is what we need. That aside - this was a great moment in my life. We had a lot of fun as a team, and I got to bomb around Montreal on the Metro again which was another nostalgic replay from 2014. I had a lot of excellent swims at that meet. It's one of those times you just don't forget.
This past weekend was the Quebec version of Provincials. I had an itch to go and was able to make it happen. The registration system was foreign to me and different than what we are doing here in Ontario but the meet manager was able to make it a go.
Friday I left later than intended due to unforeseen circumstances. I still had some leeway so I stopped at a swim gear store in Etobicoke called Splashables. If you have been to the Alderwood meet or were at the Milton meet you have seen them before. I needed a new racing suit BADLY. I tried on a bunch and looked at the current equivalent to what I had. I had to swallow some humble pie. I really wanted the $300 + suit.... but got the base model $90 one. Let's face it - I'm not going to the Olympics or swimming for money. I just needed a suit (for now anyways) to get the job done. I actually ended up with the exact same suit I started racing in 4 years ago. Apparently they brought back the model. It was a nice touch of nostalgia.
So - as you can imagine this took more of my leeway and left me with a tight schedule. I may have driven with a somewhat heavy foot. I went direct to the pool and was not late. Being late is one of the things I hate most in life.
It was a great feeling. Coming back to a place I was familiar with and could associate good memories to. On the flip side - I was alone with poor French skills. At Nationals they knew there would be many Anglophones and they were prepared to accommodate. Maybe it was only in my head, but at this meet I believed there would more difficulty. Fortunately I actually do well at communicating with zero language skills, just ask my wife. I was happy to bump into some Quebec swimmers that I do know such as my friend Yves from the Westmount club and Jessica from ACC. Familiar faces in foreign places make for good races.
As a swimmer - how could you NOT love this?
One of the things that struck me was how passionate the Quebecois are about their swimming. When I got the psych sheets for the meet I checked out all my swims.... and then all the swims. of the 18 personal events 13 of them had someone in my age category as the fastest overall swimmer, often 2 or 3 of them. It was a deep talent pool and there were some fine performances. I did well enough in my own swims. I was able to come away with 2 new official personal bests, and an unofficial personal best for an 800 IM which of course is not an actual event. It was done during the 800 free, and not without blunder on my part and controversy on the officials part. They sorted it all out on their end and let my initial DQ be overturned. I was grateful as nobody wants a DQ and it will stick out as yet another positive memory. In total I came away with 1 4th place finish along with 2 5th, 6th, and 7th places finishes. Instead of medals and ribbons they gave you this....
The little "position" tickets are metal with adhesive on the back. I didn't dare stick mine on as I have zero artistic ability and just getting them to line up half decent for the pic took me half an hour. This is a most welcome addition to my collection.
On Saturday the sessions ended shortly after noon. I had oodles of time to kill so I made the impulse decision to visit a small town 90 minutes away where I lived for 8ish years. This is where the nostalgia definition hits some speed bumps for me. I lived in Knowlton from 8 - 15 years old. I have many memories, both good and not so much. But I always want to go back and see it.
If you follow me on social media you may have seen a post about this lake in the following picture. In fact I think I've posted on this site about it before also.
People often ask me if I was a competitive swimmer growing up. This lake is all I had. For three summers I competed on our little swim team which only swam for a few weeks and only competed against the rich kids from the boat club next door. I think one time there were kids from somewhere else that joined in. But this is it. That island over in the distance has significance. I have some good memories from a winter camping trip on it with the scouts.... but otherwise it is a monkey on my back. I was supposed to swim to it when I was a youth and never did. I hope to do that this summer. The beach has changed. There are things that remain similar but many things are not. The dreary day and early visit did not help. I would love to tell you that it was all shiny like the pool memories above.....but it is not.
I used to ski here.
Now it is a private home. Speaking of homes - I had 2 when I lived in Quebec. Neither are in their former glory and frankly are an embarrassment. They are shadows of their former selves. Places I used to know are gone. Things that were once new are now old, worn, and broken. I already knew this.... but I still had to look. What would you call this?
I will likely make this journey several times in my life. There really is no closing the door or finishing the book. It may sound like I've made Knowlton out to be this horrible place which it really isn't. Just like anything else it's easy to only find the negative. Even though the ski hill is closed Knowlton really is a neat place. I feel like it is having a resurgence. There is talk of building a pool there which I find exciting, and as I understand it they are getting a Tim Hortons. In recent years friends of mine have rekindled the swimming lessons at the beach. Childhood friends have a thriving coffee business. People that were only children when I left now have their own.
This really is the story of our lives isn't it? When you read a book there is a journey. There are ups and downs, good and bad. If it is a good book we read it again even though we know how it will all turn out. It's a funny thing really if you think about it... turning page after page, going through it all again, knowing that it doesn't change. I have to see it again from time to time.
I only stayed in Knowlton for a few hours with the grande finale being a visit to some very dear friends. I drove back to Montreal with a smile on my face and joy in my heart (meeting a baby for the 1st time will do that). I switched on the radio to something in French and realized that in some ways Montreal reminds me of my time in Brazil. Or - when I was in Brazil it reminded me of my childhood in Quebec. Not sure which way really. I think it is a two way street really.
I have already told you how all the swimming went, Sunday included. What wasn't mentioned was that some of my newer friends from Ontario came up for the final day. Nadine, Mike, and Fillipo all came up (not together) to swim and my Ottawa twin Jacey was also there as the muscle. Familiar faces in foreign places makes for good races.
To wrap this thing up I think it should be said that I had yet another fantastic experience to add to memory. It really is an incredible thing when you step outside your front door. I intend on doing that. You might find me at the pool.
Until I touch the wall.....
Michael Kenny
Masters Swimmer
Cambridge Mavericks
Marathon Open Water Swimmer
2015-16 Global Swim Series Champion