In one of our favorite episodes as an encore we find out: What does it really take to move from 300 pounds to a 9:15 Ironman without losing your love of great food and a full life? We sit down with chef-turned-triathlete Will Liebig to unpack the habits, community, and mindset that reshaped his health over a decade. Will is open about the grind: he swapped isolation for master swimming, built cycling and running tribes, and embraced the 80/20 training rule—keep 20 percent truly hard, keep 80 percent easy. The gains came not from punishment, but from patience.

Food is a highlight. As a classically trained chef, Will rejects fear-based nutrition and shows how fats like olive oil, butter, and cream can fuel endurance when paired with smart timing, portion control, and macro awareness. He eats smaller meals throughout the day, anchors a larger mid-day plate, often skips starch at night for better sleep, and isn’t afraid of fasted zone-2 when the plan calls for it. He also defends cheat days as motivation, not failure—a double spicy Bloody Mary after a race or a well-plated steak dinner cooked sous vide because satisfaction matters.

We also explore resilience. Will shares the setbacks that tested him—career shifts, grief after his father’s passing, and a brush with body dysmorphia—and how he course-corrected by eating enough, tracking with intention, and leaning on his wife, Lisa, for logistics and encouragement. That partnership turns races into shared adventures and keeps training sustainable. Expect practical coaching cues, real-world nutrition, and the reminder that big change demands a wider timeline. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review—then tell us what habit you’ll commit to for the next five years.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What happens when a perfect Florida swim turns into a fight for your life from a 9-foot alligator grabbing onto your arm? In this riveting encore episode, Masters Swimmer Rachael Lilienthal takes us stroke by stroke through her 2015 alligator attack, the breath that steadied her in a death roll, and the unlikely chain of strangers who became heroes with a kayak paddle, a firm grip, and a medical-grade tourniquet. From river chaos to a trauma bay within an hour, the details are visceral, human, and unforgettable.

We talk about the kind of resilience that isn’t a poster—slow exhales, clear commands, and small choices that compound into survival. Rachel opens up about the ambulance regret, the angry nights, and why saying this is too hard can be the bravest move in the room. Then the story pivots to rebuilding: occupational therapy hacks, ditching zippers for simplicity, adaptive tools that return dignity, and the decision to keep swimming. Watching Paralympians changed her technique; masters coaching refined her form; breath set the rhythm. The result: a gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly and a body that moves with purpose instead of force.

We also explore the quiet scaffolding, or was it Angels?,  that made “luck” possible: lifeguard instincts, community readiness, and a deputy who fought to put tourniquets in patrol cars years before this day. Rachel’s mindset is a masterclass—silver linings as daily practice, spirituality as fuel, and service as a responsibility. She even launched a simple YouTube channel to share easy raw-food recipes, betting that one healthier meal a week can shift someone’s trajectory. And she leaves us with a clear warning: don’t feed wildlife. When animals lose their fear of humans, everyone loses.

If this story moved you, share it with a friend, leave a quick review, and follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next. Your support helps more listeners find real tools for mindset, health, and performance.

Check out Kelly's latest book an investigative journalistic book on a denied global health epidemic at https://www.False-Cure.com 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Pro Swimmer, Author, Screenwriter, Becca Mann's journey redefines what it means to be a swimming prodigy who grows beyond the confines of early success. At just 10 years old, she completed the 15K Maui channel, becoming the youngest to do so. By her teens, she was a seven-time US National Team member and two-time national champion. But after narrowly missing Olympic qualification three times, Becca made the courageous decision to step away from competitive swimming altogether.

What happened during those five years away from racing forms the emotional core of our conversation. Becca speaks candidly about needing to discover who she was beyond the lane lines. She pursued her passion for writing, earning a BFA in screenwriting from USC and working on hit shows like "The Morning Show." She traveled solo, climbed mountains, and experienced the unstructured life she'd never known during her regimented swimming career.

Her path back began unexpectedly through Masters swimming at West Hollywood Aquatics, where she jumped into lane one and "almost died that first practice."  Becca reveals. "I was always swimming the 1500 at Olympic trials." That return to the water sparked a realization: "How did I not swim for two years? This is what I love. This is who I am."

Becca opens up about her experiences with OCD, describing how intrusive thoughts affect her and the tools she's developed to manage them. Rather than seeing her mental health challenges as obstacles, she explores how neurodivergence shapes both her athletic career and creative pursuits. Her memoir "Outside the Lanes" documents this journey with raw honesty.

Now training in North Carolina with Olympic swimmer Ashley Twitchell, Becca has her sights set on qualifying for the national team and potentially even the 2028 Olympics. At the end of our conversation, when asked what word comes to mind when she's in the water, her answer is immediate and profound: "Peace."

Ready to dive deeper into stories of athletic resilience and transformation? Subscribe to Champions Mojo and join our community celebrating comeback champions and lifelong swimmers.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Kelly and Maria give you 22 Takeaways from 2022 To Ring In Your New Year.  They share  the best nuggets from experiences and interviews with champions throughout the year. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

When things are serious, lighten the mood with fun says Dr. Lynette Charity, a retired Anesthesiologist and now a stand-up comedian and speaker.  You'll love this micro-mojo flashback from the full episode here: https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/lynettecharity90

MORE ABOUT DR. LYNETTE CHARITY

Lynette Charity, MD, is a medical expert and Board-Certified in Anesthesiology with over 40 years of experience. She’s also a keynote speaker, humorist and author. 

As a young girl growing up in the segregated South, Lynette dealt with discrimination on her path to becoming a medical doctor. She persevered and now wants to “wake people up” to go after their dreams through sharing her story of overcoming obstacles of racial bias, gender bias and age bias. She often uses humor to deliver her message

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

In just two minutes you'll hear some advice for when road blocks come up, from Olympic Icon Amanda Beard,  and how to turn those into confidence.  This is a micro-mojo flashback from Amanda's full interview, Episode #139 which can be found here: https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/amandabeard139

Amanda Beard is a decorated American swimmer who qualified for four consecutive Olympics from 1996 to 2008, earning a total of seven Olympic medals. She set a world record in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2004 at US Olympic Trials, then became the Olympic Champion in that event in Athens a few months later. 

Besides being an NCAA Champion for the Arizona Wildcats and a 2X Pan Pac Champion, she was named a co-captain of the U.S. women’s Olympic swim team in Beijing in 2008. She’s been a model gracing the pages of some of the world’s biggest magazines and has been a TV sports correspondent.  

As a young woman, Amanda battled bulimia, body dysmorphia, depression and drug use throughout her swimming career, as described in her 2012 memoir In the Water They Can’t See You Cry. 

Since retiring from competition, Amanda has been busy teaching children to learn to swim through Beard Swim Co., a swim school in Gig Harbor, Washington, which she founded in 2017.  

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Two powerful tips in two minutes of this micro-mojo on how to deal with pain in a race from World Champion, World Record Holder (200 scm Freestyle) and Olympian for Hong Kong, Siobhan Haughey.

Siobhan is a citizen of Hong Kong and has represented Hong Kong in the Olympic Games. She is a double Olympic Silver Medalist in the 2020 Olympic Games, was the world champion in 2021 and set the world record in the women's 200 freestyle (scm). She swam in the NCAA while attending the University of Michigan, where she was a 14-time All-American and 15-time Big 10 Champion. She still holds University of Michigan school records in the 200 free and IM.

This episode is a flashback from her full interview which can be found here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1273526/7253071

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

3 minutes to relieve your anxiety from wellness and high performance coach Nordine Zouareg, author of the book Inner Fitness.  This clip is a flashback from the full episode which you can find here: https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/nordinezouareg127?rq=nordine

Nordine Zouareg is a French-American fitness personality, high-performance coach and author who has won Mr. France, Mr. Europe, Mr. World and Mr. Universe. He was a sickly infant, with a birth weight of two pounds. Poor health played a huge role in his childhood, resulting in a lot of spinoff problems, such as bullying. During his teens, he focused on becoming a gymnast, eventually finding bodybuilding and earning his first national title in 1985. He went on to win Mr. Universe twice - in 1986 and 1988. 

Today he is an author and promotes his “mind over body” philosophy.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

4 minutes of mojo from Olympic Champion Mary T. Meagher Plant who talks about how a big loss has haunted her in this flashback.  

She is a swimmer who broke the mold in  how fast one can swim butterfly, earning her the nickname Madame  Butterfly. She broke the world record five times and held it for 21  years --  35 years after her top swim performances, her world record  time would have still made all Olympic teams including 2008, 2012 and  2016. In the full interview, she shares advice for people who are  currently dealing with their dreams being postponed or not living up to what they expect. 

Check out the full episode here https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/marytmeagher62?rq=mary

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

10 Quick Tips to Shut Down Stress: Micro Mojo, Episode 183
4-MINUTES of micro-mojo to help you manage stress going into the holidays!

This is the best of episode 124. Listen to the full episode here https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/shutdownstress124

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Barbara Hernandez, World Open Water Swimmer of the Year (2020) is known as the Ice Mermaid.  She recently broke two world records in some of the world's most dangerous waters. From deadly ice water temperatures to poisonous creatures she has encountered in open waters,  she shares how she manages to excel at ice and extreme open water swims. Discussing an event she finished without the use of her one leg after a Man-o-war jellyfish attack. Barbara also shares with us how she sets no limits on herself,  trains for these glacier swims, how her body responds to the cold water, and the benefits she experiences.  

Barbara is from Santiago, Chile, and is on a mission to inspire others to dream big.  She’s on a journey to swim in all seven of the world’s seas. She has accomplished many records in the open water swimming world, breaking two in some of the worlds most dangerous waters. In our discussion with today’s champion, we hear from her how she prepares her mind and body for things most of us wouldn’t even dream of attempting! Tune in for today’s episode of Champion’s MOJO! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Barbara got the nickname Ice Mermaid.
• How she prepares, mentally and physically, to swim in the cold glacier waters.
• How they monitor her temperature and cardiac activity.
• She shares other ice swimmers that have inspired her.
• The longest time she’s spent [swimming] in cold water.
• How cold water affects her, and the benefits she experiences.
• The difference between swimming in cold versus warm water.
• The role focus plays in her preparation for cold water swimming.
• How they discern when she’s had enough cold; preventing hypothermia.
• She tells us about some of the dangerous creatures she’s come across while swimming.
• She shares her personal why behind her goals.
• Obstacles she’s overcome and how she navigates these challenges.
• Her advice to someone who wants to dream big.
• How she deals with fear.
• What’s next for Barbara.
• She tells us about the Winter Swimming World Championships. 
• More about her dream and where it started.
• Barbara’s rapid-fire answers!
• Maria and Kelly share impactful takeaways from the interview with Barbara.

“For me, these swims, in the cold water, in the long distances, in the most dangerous places is my opportunity to talk about the importance of dreaming big and giving our hearts and actions to those dreams.” — Barbara Hernandez

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What this Olympic Champion and the majority of champions and Olympic Coaches say is the Key to Success: Cody Miller explains in this MOJO MINUTE flashback.

Cody Miller  is a professional American swimmer who won gold and bronze medals at  the 2016 Olympic Games. He also has six World Championships medals, has  set eight American records and had a stellar NCAA career at the  University of Indiana.

Here's the full interview: https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/codymiller41

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Is there a comparison monster lurking in your mind? Comparison is the thief of joy, but it’s also the thief of confidence. Kelly and Maria give us 7 practical solutions to crushing the bad habit of comparing yourself

What are your triggers that make you compare yourself?

• Talent? It happens when you compare your abilities to another person’s gifts. Therefore, you don’t notice your uniqueness and get disappointed when you can’t do what another person can do.
• Financial resources? This is where you start comparing yourself to others in terms of financial capabilities.
• Career or Entrepreneurs pursuits comparison? Here you compare your success to someone who has been in the industry for more years and is, therefore, more successful. Or a person who has just started their career and has achieved more than you.
• Social influence? Involves comparing yourself to someone who has more friends, followers, or subscribers online.
• Personal stories or journeys? This is where you feel inferior to someone else because their personal or career story is more exciting or inspiring.
• Physical Strength, beautify or Performance?
• Tune in and hear 7 strong solutions for getting more joy and more confidence without comparing yourself to others. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Do you have a streak going? Laurie Hug, retired professional triathlete and masters swimmer, shares her 34 year streak, training wisdom and remarkable journey from the deck of YMCA Masters Nationals Championships in Orlando. Her approach to swimming, coaching, and competition showcases how consistency, smart training, and positive mindset contribute to athletic longevity and continued success at the highest levels. Laurie is a member the 1776 Masters and swims in the 60-64 age-group.

Laurie List:

• Coaches swimmers of all levels in the Philadelphia area with 1776 team
• Recommends swimming at least three times weekly for beginners to make real progress
• Adapts training for triathletes based on race distance, sometimes incorporating recovery swims
• Swims daily with a rotating group of 13 friends, many former college swimmers
• Incorporates strength training twice weekly alongside focused stroke/IM work
• Overcame undiagnosed anemia that severely impacted performance in her 30s
• Shares key differences between pool and open water swimming techniques
• Has a 31 year streak going, can you guess what it is?
• Transformed mindset during difficult races to maintain performance

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Linda Irish Bostic, 2022 US Masters Swimming Coach of the Year reveals some great mojo in her interview.  You are going to love the concept of brain dumping this champion shares and so much more to help make you a champion!

• Head Coach of Palm Beach Masters (PBM).
• Extraordinary Coach of the Palm Beach Masters with 500+ registered USMS members! 
• 2022 USMS Coach of Year. Currently 12 FINA world, 28 usms national records 5 usms relay. 491 Top Ten Award
• USMS Certified Level 4 Coach.
• Dan Lotano’s Coach,
• Earned the USMS 2016 Kerry O'Brien Coaching Award.
• Swam competitively for 15 years in my younger days.
• Swum for 3 Olympic Coaches, Paul Bergen & Eddie Reese.  
• Best time in 500 yd freestyle of 4:40.79 in 1980.
• Olympic Trial finalist
• 3 time U.S. National Swim Team Member,  
• 3X Time All-American, University of Florida
• NCAA Championship Team title (1982) UF

As a master's coach Linda has obviously been at the elite level and while she’s been a busy masters coach as a Masters Swimmer Herself she has earned All-American Honors in 16 different seasons in both pool and open water, earning the most elite All-Star Honor for open water! 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

In this quick flashback, Desmond Dunham, as he’s known to many, Coach Dez, asks us a powerful question that will inspire you!
 
Coach Dez is a nationally-renowned running coach, mentor, Under Armour Coach Ambassador and the author of the newly released book, Running Against the Odds. Coach Dez is a nationally acclaimed track and field and cross-country coach who has been teaching, mentoring and coaching in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area for over two decades. He’s also the founder of Kids Elite Sports which offers summer sports camp and youth sports training. This camp has positively affected nearly 800 students.

Catch the full episode at www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/desmonddunham129

https://www.coachdezdunham.com/

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

If you are an athlete, parent, or someone who is trying to keep multiple balls in the air successfully, you’re going to want to stick around and get some Mojo from today's guest. In this episode are joined by marathon swimming champion Morgan Filler. Morgan’s accomplishments include being a former member of the US National Open Water Team, spending five years on the FINA World Cup Marathon Pro Swim Circuit, winning the 28.2-mile swim around Manhattan, and Morgan becoming an honorary member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. She's also a coach, a mother, and, after creating her own swimsuit line See Her Swim, an entrepreneur. Today she shares her story with us. From the value of ingenuity to achieving balance in her life, and learning to love her body as it is, tune in to hear some of the profound lessons this inspiring champion has learned throughout her career!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to the impressive career of Morgan Filler.
• A race in Argentina that was one of the most overwhelming experiences of Morgan’s life and how she got through it.
• What she learned from this experience in terms of ingenuity. 
• How she applies this lesson to other aspects of her life.
• The inspiration and vision behind her swimsuit line See Her Swim. 
• The ‘Aha!’ moment that propelled her into starting this business. 
• How Morgan’s greatest obstacle was getting too wrapped up in competition and not having a balanced life.  
• Morgan’s definition of success for her company.
• Strategies and routines that make Morgan successful and how she makes herself feel alive.
• Her approach to nutrition and sleep and how she values downtime. 
• Morgan’s views on what it takes to be a female athlete and how she grew to love her body as it is. 
• Learn fun facts about Morgan in the sprinter round of fun questions!
• Listener's favorites key takeaways from our hosts

Morgan Filler on LinkedIn 

See Her Swim 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Need a quick confidence boost? This nugget of mojo from World-class confidence coach to multiple olympians, Christen Shefchunas, will do the trick!


Christen Shefchunas is a professional Confidence Coach who works with athletes who are Olympians, World Champions and NCAA All Americans, as well as high school athletes. As a former Division I head coach, Christen watched too many women miss out on their potential because of their lack of confidence. Realizing that there was a significant lack of resources for these athletes, Christen left her 16-year coaching career and started Coach Christen, a business focused on helping female athletes.She is the creator of Confidence Nuggets, a bracelet line created to remind women of their truth and she is the author of 30 Days to Confident: A 30 Day Confidence Challenge for Female Athletes.

For the full episode https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/christenshefchunas125

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Kelly and Maria break down 10 Lessons they take from Katie Ledecky's traits, actions, history and performances, and how we can use these in our everyday lives to be our best.  Katie Ledecky is arguably the most prolific female champion in  competitive swimming  with seven Olympic gold medals and 19 world championship gold medals under her belt.  What has gotten her to this point? She's a true champion in and out of the pool and this episode's 10 lessons will inspire you, entertain you and may even make you a bigger Katie Ledecky fan than you already are.... or a new one, if you are not.

Join us as we take the time to learn from Katie Ledecky and hear what we think gives her mojo!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Learn some interesting facts about Katie and her background in the sport.
• Highlights of her accomplishments as a competitive swimmer.
• How she genuinely enjoys training and competing. 
• Her ability to change and adapt while training and competing. 
• An outline of the various changes Katie has made to remain competitive. 
• Why being hard working and passionate is essential to her success.
• Katie’s ability to overcome obstacle that she faces. 
• An example of her ability to push herself and adapt within the pool.
• Why we think her sportsmanship is an important factor in her success. 
• A moment where Katie displayed true sportsmanship.
• The thing we love most about Katie
• The various ways she gives back to the sport. 
• The character trait she is most known for among her peers. 
• How she is constantly learning in order to maximize her performance. 
• What might help Katie deal with the immense pressure of being a world-class swimmer and celebrity.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Emma Weyant loves training and racing difficult practices and events. Is it her secret weapon?

2020 Olympic Silver Medalist Emma Weyant joins the Champion's Mojo podcast to talk about her recent swimming reset, her love of hard training, her new training group and you'll also hear her thoughts on consistency, pre-race routines, who inspires her and the five words that describe her life! 

More About Emma:
Emma is one of the top women in US swimming right now, hitting the 2020 Olympic Podium with a silver medal in the 400 IM in her first major International meet. She’s from Sarasota, Florida, where she swam for the Sarasota Sharks since the age of nine and after  1 year at the University of Virginia, she’ll now be swimming for the University of Florida. 

Besides swimming the individual medley events  Emma is a talented freestyler as well and was the runner-up women’s 2022 NCAA Champion in the 500 freestyle.  She’s an ambassador for Swimoutlet and sponsored by Arena. In this engaging and informative interview find out more about this champion’s mojo!

Photo Credit Mike Lewis. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Quick MOJO from Olympic Champion Aaron Peirsol on Evolving from Intensity

Aaron Peirsol is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist -- and five of those medals are gold. Aaron has been retired from swimming for a decade, but still cares very much about the sport. He is involved with several great causes, including being an ambassador for the Global Water Foundation and the Surfrider Foundation. He is also a spokesman for Oceana, which is the largest international ocean conservation and advocacy organization in the world. 

Catch his full episode here https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/aaron-peirsol120

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Whether you are an experienced open water (OW) swimmer or a complete rookie, this episode is for you! Host Kelly and Co-Host Maria dive deep into the world of open-water swimming with co-host, Maria Parker, a newbie to the sport and Host Kelly Palace a National Champion and veteran of over 100 OW races.  In our conversation, we detail Maria's first-ever open-water swim experience, the 2-Mile Cable Nationals 2022 Open Water National Championship. Our discussion will help listeners interested in the sport to gain the insight they need to be a success.

Learn about the mindset and performance of a rookie, the striking similarities in perspective between rookie and veteran swimmers, and some key lessons we learned during our most recent competition in Lake Placid's Mirror Lake. Talking to Maria, we learn about the most challenging and straightforward aspects of an open-water swim, the unexpected challenges she faced, and what her performance was like, as well as what would like to have known before the event. We also share some essential tips and tricks for listeners wanting to dive into open-water competitive swimming (excuse the pun!) Tune in today to hear a rookie's perspective on open-water swimming with your two favorite podcasters and athletes, Kelly Palace and Maria Parker!

Key Points From This Episode:

• We start the show by sharing our experience of the beautiful city of Lake Placid.
• How Maria got involved in the 2-Mile Cable Nationals 2022 Open Water National Championship.
• Find out what happened to prevent Maria from training leading up to the competition.
• An aspect that newbies need to be aware of: the minimum time required.
• Hear the results of Kelly and Maria’s swim and how close they were to a record.
• What surprised Maria the most about her first open-water swim experience.
• How Maria’s performance compared to that of her husband’s.
• Kelly shares what she thought about her recent open-water swim experience.
• Maria tells us what she thought was the most challenging aspect of the swim competition.
• Her approach to overcoming the mental challenges she experienced during the competition.
• The similar thoughts and mindsets that rookie and veteran swimmers share.
• Ways in which Kelly dealt with anxiety and stress during the event.
• Kelly tells us what she thought was the most difficult aspect of the event.
• The aspect of the race event that Maria and Kelly found the easiest.
• Why swimming the course before the event is beneficial and good practice.
• What Maria and Kelly would like to have known before the event at Mirror Lake.
• We wrap up the episode with a summary of the key takeaways for listeners.

Champion’s MOJO 

Champion’s MOJO on Facebook

Champion’s MOJO on Instagram

Champion’s MOJO on YouTube

Champion’s MOJO on Apple Podcasts

Kelly Palace on LinkedIn

Torpedo Swimtalk

Torpedo Swimtalk on Apple Podcasts

Torpedo Swimtalk on Spotify

Take Your Mark, LEAD!

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

In just a couple of minutes you can hear why this top college coach thinks it is important to make a connection with your coach!

Braden Holloway keeps piling on the awards for his swimmers and himself:
- 8x ACC Men’s Coach of the Year (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
- 2017 ACC Women’s Coach of the Year
- 6 NCAA Relay Champions
- 9 NCAA Individual Champions
- 7 Men's Team ACC Championships
- 2 Women's Team ACC Championships
- 454 All-America selections
- 78 ACC Individual Champions
- 46 ACC Relay Champions
- Career Dual Record at NC State: 129-45-1 [Men: 65-15-1 | Women: 64-30]
- 2019 World University Games Men's Head Coach for Team USA
- 2017 World University Games Assistant Coach for Team USA
- Coached 12 Olympians in his career
- Coached 1 Olympic gold medalist
- Completed Seasons at NC State: 11

Here's the full interview with Braden https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/bradenholloway11

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Today’s guest believes that by simply enhancing the quality of your breathing, you can improve your health, performance, and happiness. Dr. David Deppeler incorporates the simple, scientifically proven breathing technique detailed in the best-selling book The Oxygen Advantage in his roles as an advanced Oxygen Advantage instructor, master swimmer, physical therapist, and the founder of Breathe Your Truth. His qualifications include a physical therapy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a doctorate in science and physical therapy from Andrews University. Tuning in you’ll learn how people are breathing differently now from how they did 50 years ago and you’ll discover shocking statistics about the percentage of people that have a breathing dysfunction. From how to do belly breathing differently to why you should maintain nose-breathing as much as possible, in this episode, David breaks down a number of practical key tips on what you can do to improve your breathing. He also explains how these exercises will benefit you mechanically, chemically, and psychologically. Whether you are swimming for fitness, competition, or you just wanna be healthier or happier, you're going to want to stick around to hear this interview!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Dr. David Deppeler, his career, and his book The Oxygen Advantage. 
• An introduction to David’s simple, scientifically proven, breathing technique.
• How people are breathing differently now from how they did 50 years ago. 
• Shocking statistics about the percentage of people that have a breathing dysfunction.
• The signs and symptoms that you are an “over-breather”. 
• How the science of this is starting to become mainstream.
• Tips on what you can do to improve your breathing, starting with how to do belly breathing correctly.
• Tip number two: maintain nose-breathing and avoid mouth-breathing as much as possible. 
• How to work up to nose-breathing during exercise.
• The three dimensions of benefit that you derive from nose-breathing: mechanical, chemical, and psychological. 
• How we can leverage the psychological effects of breathing for our benefit.
• Tip three: how to lower your breathing and an exercise to help you slow and savor the first part of the exhale. 
• Why you should consider taping your mouth shut when you sleep. 
• Tips on how to tape your mouth shut when you sleep and what types of tape to use. 
• What self-terrorism is and a tough breathing routine that David challenges you to try. 
• Where you can find tests that you can do on your own to determine the quality of your breathing.  
• David’s closing words on the importance of the psychological part of this breathing technique and how to approach this. 
• Kelly and Maria’s takeaways from this conversation.

David Deppeler

The Oxygen Advantage 

Breathe Your Truth

Breath

Cover Roll 

Somnifix 

Champion’s MOJO 

Champion’s MOJO on Facebook

Champion’s MOJO on Instagram

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

A disqualification that turns into one of swimming's most viral moments. A champion brought to his knees in tears as officials strip away his victory. And a redemption exactly one year later that proves sometimes, the universe does give second chances.

NC State NCAA All-American and ACC Champion in the mile (1650), Owen Lloyd's journey from heartbreak to triumph embodies everything we love about sports comebacks. After winning the mile at the ACC Championships during his senior year, Owen experienced the crushing disappointment of being disqualified for inadvertently falling into a competitor's lane during celebration. The moment – captured on camera just as he was about to be interviewed as champion – amassed over a million views online and sparked outrage throughout the swimming community.

Rather than let this devastating moment define him, Owen returned for a fifth year with renewed determination. He meticulously developed mental techniques to maintain focus during his grueling event, including playing specific songs in his head throughout different phases of the race. His disciplined approach to training included benchmark test sets that built unshakable confidence, even when facing Olympic-level competition.

The story reaches its perfect conclusion when Owen returns to ACCs one year later, executing a flawless strategic race to reclaim his rightful title with the best time of his career. As he touched the wall in victory, the basketball phrase "ball don't lie" said everything that needed saying. His improvement from a 15:24 freshman to a 14:29 fifth-year stands as testament to what's possible when defeat becomes fuel rather than a final chapter.

Whether you're a swimmer or simply someone who appreciates inspiring comebacks against the odds, Owen's story reminds us that our greatest setbacks often precede our greatest triumphs. Listen now and discover how the discipline of distance swimming creates not just champions in the pool, but individuals equipped to overcome life's most challenging moments.

• NC State All-American and ACC Champion in the mile (1650)
• Improved from 15:24 as a freshman to 14:29 in his fifth year
• Masters Student focusing on coaching, leadership and psychology
• Recently retired from competitive swimming at 2023 NCAAs
• Uses carefully selected music in his head to maintain focus during races
• Created a strict 3-hour pre-race routine for the mile
• Endured a heartbreaking disqualification after winning ACCs
• Returned one year later to win the event legitimately against stronger competition
• Planning to pursue coaching at the collegiate level
• Values "pressure is a privilege" as his guiding philosophy

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Olympic Champion Penny Oleksiak talks openly about mental health and how she suffers from anxiety on and off throughout her life.  Enjoy this powerful  quick MOJO on what Penny does when she has bouts of anxiety.

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode #88

MORE ABOUT PENNY OLEKSIAK 

Canadian Olympic gold medalist Penny Oleksiak is the most decorated Olympian in Canadian history.  She earned her spot on the Canadian Olympic team as a 15 year old who had only been swimming for 5 years. At the Rio Olympics in 2016, she earned gold in the 100 free and a sliver in the 100 butterfly. She also anchored the 4x100m freestyle relay to bronze and added another bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay to become the first Canadian to win 4 medals in a single Olympic games. 

Penny Oleksiak came to swimming as a 9 year old and made incredible progress quickly. She began swimming for Toronto Swim Club, under coach Bill O’Toole. Raised in an athletic family, Oleksiak’s brother plays professional hockey for the Dallas Stars, and her sister  was a competitive rower at Northeastern University.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Jeff Commings keeps defying age as a Masters Swimmer. We learn his secrets and hear some of the best taper advice out there for Masters.  Jeff has been involved in swimming since his college days at the University of Texas at Austin. He won many awards during his time there and was an Olympic trials qualifier. His passion and drive for swimming are relentless and keep him performing on a world-class level. We learn about his training routine, how he tapers from an intense training block, why it is essential to stretch after a workout, the importance of keeping an eye on the competition, and what his best performance in the pool is. He also shares advice for people who want to switch from endurance swimming to sprint swimming, and how to bring more diversity to the sport. Want some of the MOJO that makes him a champion? Then tune in for this awe-inspiring conversation with special guest, Jeff Commings!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Jeff maintains a balance between his passion for swimming and his personal life.
• His mental approach to pushing through the pain barrier during training or a race event.
• Ways in which he is able to maintain his speed as an older swimmer.
• We find out what his best performance and intervals are.
• Advice for switching from endurance swimming to sprint swimming. 
• What type of training he does outside of the pool and how he maintains his muscle mass.
• Details of his weekly training schedule and how he tapers from an intense training block.
• An outline of the common mistakes that swimmers make when tapering.
• Why it is essential to stretch after a workout.
• Whether he takes rest periods during a hard training block.
• Other routines and rituals he has outside of swimming.
• Reasons why he is not a full-time vegan and examples of what he eats.
• Some of the health benefits he felt when he was a full-time vegan.
• Jeff shares his opinion on how to encourage more diversity in swimming.
• Our usual fun sprinter round of questions for Jeff.
• We wrap up the show with Maria and Kelly’s favorite takeaways. 

Jeff Commings on Twitter 

Jeff Commings on Instagram

Jeff Commings on Facebook

Odd Man Out

USA Swimming

The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey on PodBean

The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey on Apple Podcasts

University of Texas at Austin

Episode 21: Putting Joy in your Life

Swimmers For Change

Champion’s MOJO 

Champion’s MOJO on Facebook

Champion’s MOJO on Instagram

Champion’s MOJO on YouTube

Champion’s MOJO on Apple Podcasts

Kelly Palace on LinkedIn

Torpedo Swimtalk

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Olympic Champion Nathan Adrian's quick MOJO will have you looking at the details of what you do on a daily basis.  How can we maintain integrity?

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode #118

MORE ABOUT NATHAN ADRIAN

Earning five Olympic gold medals and 27 gold medals in international competition, Nathan  is referred to by many as the swimming sprinting G.O.A.T.  His heart stopping Olympic victory in the 100 meter free in 2012, by 1/100th of a second, is still one of the most memorable races in Olympic history. Then in 2016 Nathan was on the podium again twice individually for the 50 and 100 meter free races. 

Adrian is a professional swimmer, swimming for the L.A. Current and his main sponsor is Speedo. Collegiately Nathan was a multiple time NCAA champion at Cal Berkeley and impressively was recently their Winter Commencement speaker in 2018. He has recently battled back to the top of the health podium after getting a testicular cancer diagnosis after early detection. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

 

Does 100 years of age sound too old to start everyday with a dozen full push-ups? Or too old to be a swim champion, swimming 5 days a week, driving yourself, playing bridge weekly? How about traveling to Japan from the US?  Attending a podcast interview recorded on Zoom?  Too old for that? Or too old to be using an iphone? Well, if you said yes to any of these, you’d would be wrong.

In today’s episode, we speak to a true inspiration, Charlotte Sanddal, who turns 100 years old in August of 2022. Charlotte recently made news when she finished a 500-yard freestyle at the US Masters Spring Nationals while doing all flip turns, something many younger swimmers cannot even do. Charlotte entered the sport of swimming at age 72 as a member of the Montana Masters Team and  this year alone has won nine gold medals from two national meets, has over 400 Master races under her belt, and holds multiple national and world swimming records.

Wish Happy 100th Birthday to Charlotte at her GoFundMe Page.

In today’s conversation, we find out Charlotte’s secret to success and how she stays so fit and healthy. We start our conversation by learning more about her, the role swimming plays in her life, and why she first decided to start swimming later in life. We also talk about her mental approach to overcoming challenges, the importance of continually learning, how to live a long and healthy life, the role of friends and family in her life, and why morning push-ups are so important! Don’t miss out on a conversation with true inspiration and champion, Charlotte Sanddal!

Key Points From This Episode:

• We start our conversation by finding out how swimming helps her stay healthy.
• A rundown of her previous swimming experience before entering the sport.
• Reasons behind her decision to start swimming at the age of 72.
• We learn what Charlotte’s secret to staying fit and healthy is and how she starts her day.
• How she has been finding learning butterfly and why having a coach is so important.
• The age when Charlotte decided to master the butterfly stroke.
• Her perception of age and what getting older means to her.
• The best part about living a long and happy life.
• What she regards as the biggest challenges that she has had to face.
• The role and inspiration that her mother played in her life.
• An outline of the different milestones in her life and what she aims to achieve in the future. 
• Background about her professional career as a social worker.
• Lifestyle choices that have helped Charlotte to stay fit and live long.
• How her diet has been throughout her life and the vitamin supplements she takes.
• We get the insider scoop about what’s in her morning smoothy.
• A brief breakdown of her swimming and exercise routines. 
• Other routines or rituals that Charlotte has for keeping healthy and fit.
• Charlotte explains her mental approach to overcoming challenges in swimming and life.
• We find out about her swimming community and what she enjoys about it the most.
• Details about her upcoming 100-year-old birthday bash!
• Charlotte tells us what her swimming goals for the future are.
• Aspects other than family, friends, and swimming that are important to her.
• Commonalities and traits that champions share in her opinion.
• What she regards as the biggest obstacle in her life and how she overcame it.
• We find out about her life before swimming. 
• The biggest challenge as a 99-year-old: getting up in the morning.
• Advice that Charlotte has for younger and older swimmers.
• An always entertaining part of the show is our fun, rapid-fire questions.
• We wrap up with a listener favori

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Our special guest today joins us all the way from Melbourne, Australia! Want the scoop on all things Australian Swimming? Aussie Danielle Spurling is a FINA World Masters Top 10 Ranked pool swimmer, has had a life-long involvement in swimming, first as an Australian Age swimmer and then Open National medalist in her youth.  She is also an open-water enthusiast.  She's had a long career teaching swimming and physical education teacher. Danielle is the Founder and host of Torpedo Swimtalk, a popular Masters swimming podcast that she started during COVID lockdown in 2020 and has published over 80 episodes and chatted with some of the top masters swimmers around the globe. 

! Get the local insider scoop on Australian swimming culture and some Champion's MOJO from down-under with our special guest, Danielle Spurling!

Key Points From This Episode:

• We start the show by learning about the swimming culture in Australia.
• Danielle shares details about how her journey in swimming started. 
• She explains why swimming is a part of the school curriculum in Australia. 
• Learn about the competitive swimming scene in Australia.
• Who subsidizes and compensates competitive Australian swimmers.
• Whether competitive swimming is a respected sport in Australia. 
• A discussion about Masters swimming culture in Australia.
• What she has learned from interviewing a range of Master swimmers.
• An outline of the cross-training approaches of Australian swimmers.
• Danielle tells us what it was like returning to swimming after so many years.
• Details about her training and swimming routines.
• A breakdown of her training schedule and what her training goals are.
• Find out if there is a coach in her swimming club.
• Why Danielle and her team choose to train early in the morning. 
• The routines and rituals that Danielle thinks are important for champions.
• Her approach and mindset to overcoming challenges in swimming and life.
• Recommendations and advice for US swimmers who want to come to Australia.
• Something to remember about swimming in Australia: sharks!
• The fun sprinter round of questions for Danielle.
• We wrap up the show with Maria and Kelly’s popular Takeaways

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Danielle Spurling on LinkedIn

Torpedo Swimtalk

Torpedo Swimtalk on Apple Podcasts

Torpedo Swimtalk on Spotify

Torpedo Swimtalk on YouTube

Masters Swimming Australia

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Today’s guest believes that goal-setting is a part of what led to her success.  Hear the path this Olympic Champion took to now Masters Swimmer. In honor of the this summer's 50th anniversary of when she brought home three Olympic golds, today we are joined by Melissa Belote Ripley. Melissa represented the USA at the 1972 Summer Olympics at the age of 15. She was the Olympic champion in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke and was part of the 4x100 medley relays, setting world records in these events along the way. She also made her second Olympic team in 1976 before she went on to swim at Arizona State, where she won six individual National Collegiate swimming titles and led ASU to two national championships. Melissa has also had an impressive career as a coach for many years before returning to competing in swimming at the age of 60. She has since gone on to win three US Masters Swimming national titles and six more national titles. In this episode, she shares her journey with us. Tuning in you’ll hear what inspired her to start competing again at 60, what commonalities Melissa has recognized in champion swimmers, the importance of believing in yourself even when you do not see results, and Melissa’s advice for setting goals. If you want to discover Melissa’s secret weapon that led to her success and get some mojo from this inspirational champion, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Melissa Belote Ripley and her impressive swimming career. 
• The success Melissa has had since she returned to competing in swimming the year she turned 60.
• In light of the 50th anniversary of Melissa’s Olympic victories, what this has meant to her. 
• How things in competitive swimming have evolved since the 1970s. 
• What inspired her to start competing again at 60.
• How an injury from her childhood is her greatest challenge currently.
• What consistent training looks like for her now.
• Melissa’s secret weapon that led to her success in swimming. 
• Why Melissa competes in master swimming, considering how few Olympians do.
• What commonalities Melissa has recognized in champion swimmers.
• Why goals should be stepping-stone goals, not far-reaching goals. 
• The importance of believing in yourself even when you do not see results.
• A key piece of advice for setting goals.
• Learn more about Melissa’s favorite things in the sprinter-round of fun questions. 
• A wrap-up of the top takeaways from today’s interview.

Tweetables:

“Consistency is the key to everything. You’ve got to be consistent.” — Melissa Belote Ripley [0:10:31]

“There wasn’t a day in my swimming career that I second-guessed what I was doing.” — Melissa Belote Ripley [0:15:15]

“I have always known where I’m going. Even from a very young age, I knew where I wanted to go to next. I knew how I wanted to get there. I had a path. I had major goals.” — Melissa Belote Ripley [0:21:38]

“I don’t have far-reaching goals, I have stepping-stone goals. And that’s the key!” — Melissa Belote Ripley [0:21:51]

“You have to believe in yourself. And when it gets really hard and you haven’t seen a best time in six months, you have to keep believing. You have to believe that you’re doing the work, that you’re putting the time in, and it’s going to turn around for you. ” — Melissa Belote Ripley [0:23:17]

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

We can all benefit from finding ways to fuel our heart and soul. Is surfing yours? Olympic Champion Michael Andrew talks about what he does to fuel his heart and soul outside of pool swimming.  Can you guess?

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode #118

MORE ABOUT MICHAEL ANDREW

Michael Andrew is a 2020 Olympic Champion, Professional Swimmer and  owner of the Michael Andrew Swimming Academy.  He first gained notoriety for breaking numerous National Age Group Records in his teens, currently holding more than 100 National Age Group records and besides being an Olympic Champion he is a multiple time US National Champion and World Champion for team USA. 

Coached by his father Peter Andrew, Michael credits much of his success to his training style, USRPT, aka Ultra Short Race Pace Training

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Today we have an amazing interview with a man whose life reads like a best selling novel. Our enchanting guest served as a Judge for over 50 years, the longest running judgeship in Florida history, presiding over mostly criminal cases. He was instrumental in starting US Masters Swimming, and he is credited with overcoming much of the early resistance to Masters swimming within the swimming community.  He has a swim meet named after him that has been running for 51 consecutive years, the longest in US Masters history! We are talking about none other than swimmer and internationally loved, 91 years young, Robert (Bob) Beach. 

During his high impact leadership career, Bob became an accomplished swimmer having earned multiple US Masters All-American honors,  set national and world record holder in Masters swimming. And he’s been selected as a USMS long distance all star over 10 times!  In 1974,  Bob was the "first judge" to swim from Alcatraz Island across San Francisco Bay, completing the swim in 33 minutes. He also attempted to swim the English Channel on his 50th birthday, but had unfavorable currents causing him to stop.  Bob has visited 140 countries, currently drives a red Porsche convertible and has some interesting rules that he lives by. We can’t wait for you to hear this interview!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introduction and background about today’s guest, Bob Beach.
• We learn about Bob’s swimming history and how he first started.
• The impact that Masters Swimming has had on his life.
• Whether Bob continued working as a judge while swimming.
• How Bob was able to be a judge for so long and how swimming kept him inspired.
• What Bob does to keep healthy and happy besides swimming: traveling
• Why he enjoys body-surfing so much.
• Some of his favorites out of all the countries he has traveled to.
• Bob shares some highlights from his career as a judge.
• How old Bob was when he retired.
• Ways in which Bob keeps his mind active and keeps busy.
• We find out what Bob’s rules are concerning dating.
• The routines that he has in his life that make him successful, besides swimming.
• What he does with all the medals he wins from swimming competitions.
• Bob tells us a funny story from the Masters Swimming meet he organizes.
• The traits that he thinks are common amongst champions.
• Who the people are that positively influenced his swimming career.
• His approach to overcoming challenges and obstacles in his life.
• Reasons why he decided to go to law school.
• A final takeaway message that Bob has for listeners.

Tweetables:

“It has had a great impact on my life. I cannot imagine my life without swimming.” — Bob Beach [0:06:37]

“Once you get into a routine like that you get things done.” — Bob Beach [0:17:38]

“I think you have to tell yourself, ‘This will be over some time and you have to not lose your confidence for the future.” — Bob Beach [0:23:00]

“I don’t believe there is another sport like swimming that gets to be that important in peoples’ lives.” — Bob Beach [0:26:23]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

In honor of the Month of July being US Masters Swimming's Try Masters Swimming promotion, Champion's Mojo Co-hosts Kelly Palace and Maria Parker debunk 10 common myths about Masters Swimming that may be holding you back.  If you've ever fancied the idea of joining an adult swim team, swimming for fitness in a group,  or just learning more about Masters Swimming, this show is for you!

Maria is a brand new masters swimmer and Kelly is one with 30 years of experience, so it's the perfect combo for Maria to voice the concerns, fears and myths about Masters Swimming and for Kelly to debunk them. It's a quick show, chocked full of great information.

MYTH #1: You have to be a fast swimmer, having swum in high school or college. Just like the word Master suggests, you’ve mastered it!

MYTH #2:  Masters must do swim meets or open water races.

MYTH #3:  To enter local Masters meets you have to have a qualifying time, or be a certain speed.

MYTH #4: Meets and races are hard to enter and are pressure filled! I’ll be embarrassed and/or humiliated! 

MYTH #5: You have to dive off the blocks.

MYTH #6: You have to know how to do all four strokes.

MYTH #7:  You have to have a fancy swim suit or tech suit.

MYTH #8: You have to swim everyday.

MYTH #9: Goggles always leak and swim caps are uncomfortable.

MYTH #10:  Swim equipment is for experienced swimmers only. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Can you and should you push past that pain threshold in practice? Should you eat before training? In today’s episode, we speak with Susan Ingraham, Head Coach of Masters of South Texas, a large and successful swim team with over 160 swimmers and the winners of many different prestigious coaching awards. Susan is also a successful competitive swimmer, with various competition podium finishes under her belt. In this informative discussion, we find out about Susan’s professional background, why she thinks coaching involves more than sport, and how she can work with different levels of swimmers, as well as the importance of a morning meal before training, why pushing through painful training sessions is important, and why a schedule is essential to improving. We also discover what it takes to be a champion swimmer and learn some useful advice for aspiring athletes! Tune in for this jam-packed episode with expert coach and champion swimmer, Susan Ingraham!

Key Points From This Episode:

• A brief overview of Susan’s professional background as an athlete and coach.
• Susan on why she believes that coaching doesn’t just involve sport.
• Details about her coaching approach and what levels of athletes she works with.
• How to manage differences in fitness levels and capabilities during training.
• Discover her team’s special goal for the one-hour swim.
• How Susan got 67 people in her team to swim butterfly-style for an hour.
• When she finds her own time to swim during her busy schedule.
• Advice has for the average swimmer who wants to improve.
• A walkthrough of some workout plans for people to improve and who have a busy schedule.
• Susan’s daily routine and how she maintains balance in her life.
• What she eats before a morning workout and why it is so important.
• A surprisingly simple tip for aspiring swimmers!
• An inspirational moment that had a lasting impact on Susan.
• The negativity that comes before a competition and how Susan deals with it.
• Why pushing through the pain during practice sessions can be important.
• Specific characteristics that Susan believes true champions share.
• Closing the show with the sprinter round of questions for Susan!

Tweetables:

“Having some structure allows me not to waste time and makes sure that everything gets in.” — Susan Ingraham 

“I worked really hard the last six months and I didn’t come here not to do my best. I don’t care who is in the pool.” — Susan Ingraham

“I completely appreciate the people that are national and world record holders. I know what they are doing. I am in awe of their work ethic that they put into the pool.” — Susan Ingraham

"Be a life-long-learner. Try something new and try to improve; everyone can be better at something.” — Susan Ingraham 

MORE ABOUT SUSAN:
Susan Ingraham is the Head Swim Coach of the Masters of South Texas (MOST) Coaching this large successful team, with over 160 swimmers.  Susan has many accolades as a coach, in 2017 Winning the Jesse Coon Inspirational Award and National Coach of the year in 2008. She’s been a speaker for the American Swimming Coaches Association and is celebrating over 40 years of coaching swimmers. 

While Susan is a great coach she is arguably just as good as a swimmer herself, earning a podium finish at each of the FINA World Championships since 2007 and winning several US Masters National titles in Long Distance swimming and #1 rankings. In 2000, Susan was named the head swim coach for USA Modern Pentathlon National Team, which sent three athletes to the Olympics, including the Women’s Silver Medalist. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Nancy Steadman Martin is the only woman in the world, over 70, to break 21 minutes in the 1500 freestyle! What does it mean to be truly unstoppable at 70? Steadman Martin embodies this question as she continues to shatter world swimming records while maintaining a thriving career as a senior law partner. Her remarkable journey defies every notion about aging and physical limitations. She's also a mermaid--really! hIc3Qts4TFYqJBKxLkAP

Nancy's swimming resume reads like a fantasy novel: world records in the 800 and 1500 freestyle (70-74 age group), swimming the English Channel in record time for women over 50, completing the coveted Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, and winning national titles that often beat competitors decades younger. All while working full-time in law.

The secret to her extraordinary success? A 5:05 AM daily plunge into the pool for a 4,500-yard workout before heading to the office by 8:00, coupled with an unwavering commitment to goal-setting. "I couldn't just get in the pool and swim up and down," Nancy explains. "I need something that I'm looking forward to." This forward-looking perspective has carried her through every challenge, including a life-threatening bout with pneumonia that required lung surgery in 2017.

Perhaps most touching is the legacy connection—Nancy now competes to break her late mother's backstroke records as she ages into each new bracket, describing the feeling as if her mother is swimming in the lane beside her. This familial connection extends to her chosen swimming family, the Mighty Mermaids, a legendary team of women in their 60s and 70s who have been breaking relay records together for 20 years.

When asked what word comes to mind when diving into water, Nancy's answer is profoundly simple: "I'm home." For anyone feeling limited by age or circumstance, Nancy's extraordinary journey proves that with the right mindset and community, our greatest achievements may still lie ahead, regardless of age.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Olympic Champion Ryan Murphy on how he's valued those that have come before him and what he gets from his role models. Who are your role models? 

Ryan  Murphy is a three-time Olympic gold  medalist and world-record holder in the men's 100-meter backstroke (long  course). At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Murphy swept the backstroke  events by winning gold in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. Murphy also  won gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay and his leadoff backstroke leg  broke Aaron Peirsol's former world record set in 2009.

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode #67

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

There's never been a faster 50-year-old woman swimmer than Erika Braun. Learn her secrets to being so fast and much more.  In today’s show, we speak with Erika, who holds 18 FINA Masters Swimming world records and swims for the North Carolina Masters . We check in with Erika on her 10 year anniversary of the amazing feat of making USA Olympic Trial standards as a 40 year old. This tough champion has continued her world bests for the last decade. She balances a full time job with training. Recovered one year ago from back surgery. And gets inspiration from her husband, Eric, who has a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, is her biggest supporter and cross-training partner. 

Although Erika left the sport for many years due to burnout from the pressures of competitive swimming, she re-entered the sport as an older athlete, but this time on her terms. Erika feels her openness to learning and improving, mental preparation, and the supportive role of her swimming community, have been key to her success. 

In this chat, we learn about Erika’s swimming background, her use of visualization, the goals that she has set for herself, what it is like competing as an older athlete, the ways Erika prepares for races, who the inspirations are that keep her motivated, her ideal daily-routine, and so much more. Tune in to hear from a dedicated champion who is making big waves in the pool: Erika Braun!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introduction and a brief rundown of Erika’s swimming background.
• Erika reflects on the last 10-years in her swimming journey.
• What are the goals that she has for herself as an older competitive swimmer.
• How long she has been training with her teammates and the supportive role they play.
• The differences between competing at age 40 compared to age 50.
• We find out Erika’s ideal training schedule and what she does differently.
• Erika’s mental approach to achieving the goals she has for herself.
• Ways in which Erika uses visualization to prepare for a race or competition.
• Other routines and methods that help Erika be successful and maintain a balanced life.
• Who the people are that inspire her to be successful and reach her goals.
• We learn what her recent world record was in the 100-meter sprint.
• The role that swimming plays in her life and how she keeps motivated.
• The ways in which Erika forms her goals and measures her success.
• Some advice that Erika has for listeners to become faster swimmers.
• Erika's message that she has for listeners who want to swim competitively.
• We close the interview with our famous sprinter-round of fun questions for Erika.
• Finally, Kelly and Maria give their own Takeaways from the interview. 

Tweetables:

“If you do get inspired by competing, just having that goal to work towards is really key.” — @ErikaSwims [0:05:18]

“It’s my competitive outlet because I really do enjoy competing. It’s my social outlet but it’s also my stress outlet.” — @ErikaSwims [0:12:18]

“There is no limit on what you can do as an older athlete, as an adult. I think we swim smarter.” — @ErikaSwims [0:29:19]

“Even though a lot of those meets may not be successful in your mind, it is a part of the process, so that you can get to those times where you do feel great. ” — Erika Braun

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What does it mean to be an "All-Day" Champion?  UVA Head Swim Coach Todd DeSorbo gives us some great mojo in this  QUICK 2-MIN FLASHBACK

To listen to the full episode of this interview at www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/todddesorbo91

Todd DeSorbo is the head coach of the University of Virginia’s men’s and women's swimming and diving programs. In five years at UVA, he has created a women’s team that has won two NCAA team titles, four ACC titles, mulitple individual NCAA titles and Olympic team births.  His men's team is climbing the rankings too. DeSorbo is now a main stay on the US National Team coaching staff and his swimmers perform collegiately and internationally at the elite level. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

There are many myths about whether Dan Lotano truly did not swim before he quickly broke into the national and world rankings as a 35 year old first time competitive Masters swimmer.  Get ready to hear the inspiring truth about an athlete that ended up under the lane rope in his first race in 2016 and was world number 1 in multiple events in 2021.

Ever think you are too old or busy to start something? Then this episode is for you!  Although Dan has an athletic background, he only really started swimming at age 35 and has achieved immense success as a competitive swimmer. He is a member of the Palm Beach Masters swim team, has been ranked number one in multiple events both in the US and FINA World, and is also a US Masters National record-holder. 

Dan has been able to catapult his swimming career while balancing a full-time job and family, which is a tribute to his passion for the sport. Join hosts Kelly and Maria to learn Dan’s secret to success in this inspirational episode of the Champion’s Mojo podcast!

More great episodes at www.ChampionsMojo.com 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introduction and background on today’s guest and his achievements, Dan Lotano.
• We learn about Dan’s swimming history and how he picked up swimming. 
• What is it about swimming that got Dan hooked on the sport.
• How much Dan had to learn when he first started swimming.
• We hear a funny story about an early training experience he had.
• Dan shares details about his athletic background before he started swimming.
• The lightbulb moment he had when he swam butterfly for the first time.
• Details about Dan’s training routines and the role his wife plays.
• How many corrections Dan required from his coach when he first started.
• Whether Dan is still learning new aspects about the sport.
• Find out how many strokes he takes for his freestyle and butterfly.
• Details about Dan’s tapering routine and his current progress.
• How he balances competitive swimming with other aspects of his life.
• A unique method that Dan uses to prepare his mindset before a race.
• Ways in which Dan pushes through pain during a race or competition.
• Dan’s approach to staying motivated and inspired for training every day. 
• The future plans and goals that Dan has for his swimming career.
• What swimming means to Dan and the role it plays in his personal life. 
• An outline of Dan and his family diet plan. 
• We learn more about his full-time job and his current role.
• The three important things that Dan thinks aspiring swimmers should focus on.
• Who the biggest inspirations are for him and a final piece of advice for listeners.
• Find out some fun facts about Dan with a sprinter round of questions.
• Closing the show with some takeaways from Kelly and Maria for listeners.

Quotes from Dan:

“I wanted something that was more competitive that would be great for my health and just get some mojo back.” 

“I was always athletically inclined but didn’t achieve a sort of level of success that I have been able to have in the swimming world.” 

“It took me a decent while to appreciate just how technical the sport (of swimming) is.”

Dan Lotano on LinkedIn

Palm Beach Masters

NextEra Energy Resources

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Control Your Mind, Olympian Natalie Hinds' 5-MIN FLASHBACK, Episode 155

This week, get your mojo from a champion in 5 minutes or less! Enjoy this powerful MOJO from  Olympian Natalie Hinds on how to control your mind! Hinds made her first Olympic team in 2020, earning a bronze medal, and says it was her new mindset that paved the way. 

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode #122

https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/nataliehinds122

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Mute until she was 6 years old, World Champion Masters swimmer, coach, and “mountain mermaid”,  Eney Jones learned the power of observation. She joins Kelly and Maria to discuss how she approaches her own masters swimming and coaching with courage -- and why observation is such a key component of her success, both in and out of the water.  How do you overcome fear and pain to grow as an athlete and person? This episode will give you inspiration to do just that. 

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT ENEY JONES

Eney Jones is an entrepreneur, inventor of the EneyBuoy, a swim coach, and a writer for SwimSwam and her own blog. A few of Eney’s swimming accomplishments include:

• Masters National Champion, 100-200-400-500-1500-1650 5k freestyle multiple times
• Open Water 5k World Champion 
• Overall Champion Aumakua 2.4k Maui Hawaii, September 2008
• Waikiki Rough Water Multiple top 3 finishes
• European Record Setter and Masters Swimming Champion
• Over twenty time finalist in U.S. Swimming Nationals, including Olympic Trials 1980
• Gold medal NCAA 800 yd freestyle relay 1979, silver Medalist 200 yd freestyle 1979. 
• United States National Team 1979-1980.

During her professional triathlete career, Eney was the first woman out of the water in every Hawaiian Ironman race she participated in which was six.  Eney Online: EneyJones.com and IG @eneyjones

 Episode Mentions and Topics

 Burwell “Bumpy” Jones

EneyBuoy

SwimSwam

Triathlon

Siesta Key

Italy

Crested Butte, Colorado

Sarasota, Florida

Pain threshold

Women in sports

Takeaways

Kelly

1. “Make the bad pancake.” Just get out there and try things, even if they aren’t perfect on the first try. 
2. Allow yourself to cross the threshold of pain and not be afraid.

Maria

1. Observe, listen, watch. You will learn so much.
2. Remember that you can do what you are doing because of the people who came before you. Give credit to the amazing athletes and leaders who blazed the trail.

Quote of the Week

“Everyone has a story, or some inspiration, or a connection that can help you.” -- Eney Jones

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

 In this week's 5-MINUTE FLASHBACK Olympic Champion Swimmer Lilly King exhibits her excellent sense of humor and talks about how she and training partner Cody Miller use  distraction to get through tough swims.  Give yourself a smile by listening.

King will be competing in the 2022 World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary June 18-24th with a chance to win all three breaststroke events.

This flashback is from episode 87, Training Partner Power with Lilly King and Cody Miller. LISTEN to the full show HERE.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Marc Middleton, best selling author, world record setting masters swimmer and founder of Growing Bolder media, believes that how we age is most affected by our mindset.  If we don't buy into the negative image around aging we can achieve anything we set our minds to. Marc is on a mission to change the way society views the aging process through his media company, Growing Bolder. Marc joins Kelly and Maria to talk about his passion for changing conversations about aging in America and how he became such a champion himself.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT MARC MIDDLETON

Marc Middleton is the Founder and CEO of Growing Bolder, a multimedia platform redefining aging by sharing inspirational stories of those aging in a revolutionary way. He’s a speaker, educator and author of the book, Growing Bolder: Defy the Cult of Youth, Live with Passion and Purpose. 

In 2021, Marc earned 4 All-American honors in one year in the men’s 70-74 age group. But over his career Mark has earned World records, and had a #1 time in 7 different seasons since he began his Masters Swimming Career in 2009 (almost 40 year break). He is also a nationally ranked high-hurdler! 

Episode Mentions and Topics 

Growing Bolder Media

Growing Bolder: Defy the Cult of Youth, Live with Passion and Purpose by Marc Middleton

Rowdy Gaines

Florida State University

College track/high hurdling

Masters swimming

Gordy Shields

Compressed morbidity

Quilting

Takeaways

Kelly

1. There are difficulties at every age - aging is not inherently “worse” than younger phases of life. 
2. Eliminate “no” from your vocabulary so you do not deal with decision fatigue. Just assume everything will be a “yes.”

Maria

1. People who age well try new things and are not afraid of trying new things.
2. Remember that your primary care physician is yourself. 

Quote of the Week

“No matter how old you are, you never lose the ability to extract moments of joy from life.” -- Marc Middleton

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to hello@championsmojo.com.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

This week's 5-MINUTE FLASHBACK is with University of California at Berkeley Head Women's Swim Coach, Teri McKeever.  In this episode she answers the question, "What is your team's culture?"

McKeever was the first ever female head coach of the U.S. Olympic women's swim team, earning this honor at the 2012 Olympics.

McKeever is under fire from allegations of former and current team members for verbal and emotional abuse. 

LISTEN HERE for to the full interview with Teri McKeever, Episode #79

More on Teri McKeever:

McKeever was the first ever female head coach of the U.S. Olympic swim team, earning this honor at the 2012 Olympics.  She has served for the past 29 seasons as the head women’s swim coach at the University of California at Berkeley.  McKeever has also been a two-time U.S. Olympic team assistant coach, seven-time U.S. World Championships team assistant coach, two-time U.S. Pan Pacs head coach and U.S. World short-course championships head coach. She’s also coached 26 Olympians who have won 36 Olympic medals.  

McKeever’s UC teams have won four NCAA titles and she’s been voted Pac-12 Coach of the Year eight times. She has won four Pac-12 team titles and an an unprecedented 11 years in a row of top three finishes at the NCAAs, She has coached six national Swimmers of the Year, including greats like: Natalie Coughlin, Missy Franklin and most recently, Kathleen Baker. Her Golden Bears have captured 65 NCAA individual or relay titles. 

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

How do you build a successful masters swim team?

World Class Masters Swimmer and Coach, Rick Walker says that difficult swim practices motivate his team, the renowned Sarasota Sharks, to work harder and that a spirit of camaraderie keeps morale high. Rick joins the show to talk about how he started the Sarasota Sharks Masters Team, his coaching and swimming successes -- and shares tips for others who aspire to do the same .

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT RICK WALKER

Rick Walker is a US Masters swimmer and the founder of the Sarasota Sharks, one of the most successful US Masters Swimming teams. Rick founded the Sarasota Sharks Masters in 2006 and they quickly grew to prominence, consistently carrying over 300 swimmers on their roster, which includes world record holders, national record holders, All-Americans and many happy sharks that swim for fun and fitness. 

The team has earned several YMCA National Championships and placed in the Top 10 clubs at USMS National Championships. The Sharks have also been honored as the USMS Club of the Year. In 2020 Rick earned an outstanding coaching honor, the U.S. Masters Swimming Kerry O'Brien Coaches Award. 

In 2021, Rick earned 7 FINA World #1 rankings and 9 USMS All-American honors in the men’s 70-74 age group. Rick did the swim around Manhattan in 1999 and won the 3K World Championships of Open Water in Budapest in 2016.  Over his career, Rick has earned world records, national records, and had at least one #1 in 17 different seasons since he began his Masters Swimming career in 1985. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Sarasota Sharks

US Masters Swimming

YMCA National Championships

Kerry O’Brien Coaches Award

Deb Walker

Breaststroke

Consistency

Melanoma

Budapest

Rick Colella

The “Shark Tank”

Veganism

Hello Fresh

Talenti ice cream

Wall Street Journal

Takeaways

Kelly

1. Consistency is key -- keep showing up.
2. People like to work hard, especially people who have gone through the trouble to show up to a practice.

Maria

1. Create routine wherever you go and even in the busiest times -- it brings peace.
2. It is so much better to just get along with others. It makes it smoother for everyone. 

“I believe that all my swimmers want to work hard and get a hard workout. We go at it pretty hard.” -- Rick Walker

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.
Have something you want to share with us? Email it to hello@championsmojo.com.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

"Swimming for me was huge therapy," Matt explains. When Matt lost his beloved wife Christina in the January 2020 helicopter crash that also claimed Kobe Bryant's life, his world shattered. Just weeks later, COVID lockdowns isolated him further as he faced the daunting challenge of raising three children alone. In this profoundly moving conversation, Matt reveals how he returned to swimming—a passion from his youth—as a form of therapy during his darkest days.

From the depths of unimaginable tragedy emerges a story of remarkable resilience, as Matt Mauser—musician, author, and masters swimmer and former NCAA All-American swimmer—shares his journey of rebuilding life after devastating loss.

"Swimming for me was huge therapy," Matt explains, describing how he improvised with a harness in his jacuzzi when pools closed during lockdown. This determination to keep swimming symbolizes his broader approach to grief: showing up even when it's difficult. "I go not because I want to go, but because it's the right thing to do."

Matt's story weaves together his journey from competitive swimmer to successful musician fronting the popular Tijuana Dogs band, his marriage to Christina (whom he met at one of his performances), and their eventual connection to Kobe Bryant through basketball coaching. Through it all emerges a powerful philosophy about finding joy after loss: "Life is for the living, and I intend to live."

Now, through his heartfelt memoir "Bittersweet Treasures" and the Christina Mauser Foundation (which has provided over $100,000 in scholarships to female athletes), Matt honors Christina's legacy while embracing a future filled with purpose. For anyone struggling with grief or seeking inspiration to overcome life's challenges, this conversation offers a roadmap to finding those "treasures" that make life worth living again.

Subscribe to Champions Mojo for more stories of resilience, achievement, and the healing power of swimming in our lives.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

This week, get your mojo from a champion in 5 minutes or less! Enjoy this powerful MOJO from Olympic Swimming Champion, Cullen Jones! What do sports teach us?

LISTEN HERE to the full interview on Champion's Mojo podcast in episode 85, Cullen Jones: Breaking Barriers.  https://www.championsmojo.com/episodepage/cullenjones85

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Sheera Goren, CEO and Co-Founder of Zygo joins Kelly and Maria to talk about this game-changing product for swimmers. Zygo is the only underwater streaming audio product on the market. 

This micro pod explains in just 10 minutes how Zygo came to market, how it works and how the Champion’s Mojo community can get a discount by listening to this episode. 

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Zygo: stream audio underwater

Masters athletes

Masters swimming

Fitness Swimming

Mindset

Music

SwimP3

“Swimming is an amazing workout and I love to do it.” -- Sheera Goren

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Why do we rarely hear the words adult and athlete used together? What is a masters athlete? Generally, we think of being an athlete for the young or being a masters athlete for the elite. But Kelly and Maria talk about their own mindset when it comes to being adult athletes, masters athletes and how keeping it fun and/or competitive is your choice. Whether you are a weekend warrior exerciser who wants to get back into being an athlete, or already an elite masters athlete—this episode of the Champion’s Mojo Podcast will inspire you to new heights. 

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

6 Ways to Own Your Adult Athlete

1. Stop saying “I’m retired from my sport” or “I used to be a swimmer” or runner, etc. Your relationship may change with the sport or exercise, but you can always do it. 
2. Use future thinking and do what you can WHILE you can.
3. Surround yourself with other adult athletes, join a team and hire a coach. 
4. Change your mindset and OWN the title of athlete.
5. Try something new and fun to keep movement enjoyable.
6. Start with small goals and build from there.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Masters athletes

Masters swimming

Mindset

“You don’t run a marathon by running 26 miles; you run a marathon by putting on your running clothes and going out the door for a training run, and then another.” -- Maria Parker

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to hello@championsmojo.com.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com