Blog Posts

Peggy McDonnell never grew up thinking she’d be a national champion swimmer. Her early relationship with the water looked a lot like many summer stories do. Country club pools. Short races. Fifty-yard dashes under the sun. No high school team. No c…

Kirk Clear has a way of filling space, whether it’s on a pool deck, in a volunteer meeting, or lighting up an entire neighborhood in December. At 58, swimming with Swim Melbourne Masters, Kirk carries decades of Masters swimming history with him, bu…

Eddie Tiozzo brings an uncommon blend of precision and curiosity to the pool deck. At 52, racing for Fort Lauderdale, he swims with the focus of a scientist and the openness of someone who still enjoys being challenged by the work. His background sp…

Eve Maidenberg brings a certain kind of confidence to the pool deck. It’s quiet, earned, and rooted in years of showing up. At 49, racing for Agua Masters out of New York City, she moves through Masters swimming with both intensity and ease, balanci…

William Robinson didn’t wander back into swimming. He came back with intention, stayed with conviction, and now swims with a sense of purpose that goes well beyond the lane lines. At 69, William swims with Team Gold in Florida. He’s an attorney wh…

Tim Shead does not lead with numbers when he talks about swimming. He talks about people. Training partners who show up. Sets that stretch your patience. Long stretches of work where progress is slow enough that most people would walk away. And a b…

Healing does not always begin with more effort. Sometimes it begins with better fuel. Dr. Zulia Frost is a medical doctor whose work in light-based healing was shaped not by theory, but by lived experience. After surviving a devastating car acciden…

Fear rarely announces itself loudly. More often, it shows up as hesitation, delay, or the quiet decision to stay comfortable. Brian Bergford’s story reminds us that fear doesn’t fade on its own. It changes when we decide to meet it differently. Bri…

How Jeff Commings Trains Like a World-Class Masters Swimmer While Working Full Time Takeaways to Help You Live Well and Swim Well If you are a Masters swimmer, triathlete or busy adult trying to fit training into a full life, this episode with Jef…

If you watched Survivor Season 39, you remember her. Second-to-last person voted out. A brutal idol nullifier ended her run, but not her momentum. Janet Carbin didn’t just survive the island—she rewrote what “older” can do on national TV. You also …

From 300-Pound Chef to 9:15 Ironman: Will Liebig’s Playbook for Real Change Some stories land like a spark. Will Liebig’s lit a bonfire. On today’s show we sat down with Will, a professionally trained chef who once weighed 300 pounds and now cross…

Masters swimming did not just welcome Rachael back to the water. It rebuilt her. It gave her a lane to heal, a tribe to cheer her on, and a rhythm that turned pain into progress. Years after an alligator took most of her right arm, Rachael stood on …

We just re-released one of the most powerful and popular conversations we’ve ever had on Champion’s Mojo. Our guest on Episode 287 is world-class Masters swimmer, ER doctor, and all-around extraordinary human being—Kurt Dickson. I didn't get a chanc…

After nearly 300 interviews with Olympians, world champions, and top experts, I can say without hesitation that my conversation with Dr. Colleen Hacker was one of the most illuminating and transformative interviews I’ve ever done on mindset. That’s …

It’s a photo I love: me dancing with my father. Whenever I see it, I hear Luther Vandross in my head—“one final dance with him, a song that never ends.” The lyrics hold so much of what grief feels like: love distilled into a wish for just one more m…

Attending NC State’s celebration of 50 years of women’s swimming was a truly unforgettable experience. As a proud alum and former team captain of the Wolfpack women’s swim team, this milestone brought back a flood of cherished memories. It was a joy…

When it comes to representing world-class athletes, understanding their unique challenges, aspirations, and pressures is crucial. Enter Cejih (CG) Yung, a prominent sports agent whose unmatched expertise comes from not only advocating for Olympic st…

How to Win a High Point Award at Your Next Swim Meet like Chris Stickle, Alison Hayden and Mark Palace (pictured wearing their awards hats) did at the 2024 South Carolina Masters SCM State Championships is today's topic. If you've ever been inspired…

As a Masters swimmer who often trains with the SwimRVA Hammerheads, I’ve been lucky to witness Jonathan Kaplan’s incredible leadership and generosity firsthand. Whether it’s sharing training tools, cheering me on during a national record-breaking sw…

Swimming, Eczema, and the Hidden Dangers of Topical Steroids For swimmers, the joy of the water often comes with an unfortunate side effect: dry, itchy skin caused by chlorine. As a lifelong swimmer, I’ve experienced this firsthand, developing ecze…

Masters Swimming can bring families closer in ways that are unique and inspiring. In the world of sports, few stories are as heartwarming and motivating as that of Ian and Richard Neville, a father-son team whose passion for swimming has not only fu…

Do you compete against your spouse, best friend, roommate, sibling? Ever wondered how to keep the competitive spirit alive without straining your closest relationships? Tune in to this week’s episode of Champions Mojo, where I, Kelly Palace, share f…