One Stroke at a Time: How Ultra-Endurance Swimmer Steve "Moby" Leitch Is Conquering the Oceans Seven (and Life)

What if the hardest thing you ever did had nothing to do with the water?

In this gripping and deeply moving episode, we sit down with Steve "Moby" Leitch, an elite endurance athlete who is one swim away from completing the Oceans Seven Challenge which is one of the most exclusive feats in all of sport. Fewer than 50 people in history have done it. To put that in perspective, more than 7,000 people have summited Mount Everest.

Steve's story is not just about swimming across oceans. It is about sobriety, resilience, faith, family, and what it truly means to endure.

Why the Strait of Gibraltar Will Humble You

Steve joined us fresh off completing the Strait of Gibraltar — swimming between Europe and Africa — just days before recording. What sounds like a nine-mile crossing is anything but simple.

With the Atlantic and Mediterranean colliding through a narrow funnel, unpredictable winds governed by both Spanish and Moroccan authorities, and commercial freighters sharing the same water, Gibraltar demands patience before you even get in. Steve's team endured two false starts and days of canceled windows before a narrow opening on a Tuesday morning finally let them go.

Four hours and 44 minutes later, he had crossed from one continent to another.

From Clemson to 26 Years Away…and Back

Steve swam Division I at Clemson University before stepping away from the sport entirely at the end of his freshman year. He did not swim again for 26 years.

His return to the water came through a simple suggestion from a colleague: try open water. Six weeks later, Steve completed a 2.4-mile race and was hooked. What he found in open water was something the pool never gave him: freedom, purpose, and a place to process everything he had been through.

Sobriety as Strength

More than 15 years ago, Steve faced what he calls "spiritual, physical, and relational bankruptcy." His journey through addiction and recovery reshaped everything — his identity, his relationships, his definition of what it means to be strong.

Today, his Oceans Seven swims are intentional acts of service. He calls them "sweat equity" and each crossing raises awareness and funds for long-term sobriety living facilities. As he puts it, when you stop hiding your pain and start sharing it, it becomes something you can give to others.

He is deeply involved with Overcomers, the Miracle Hill rehab program in the Greenville, South Carolina area, and continues to receive messages from people finding hope through his story.

The Partner Behind Every Crossing

One of the most beautiful threads in this conversation is Steve's wife, Kelly. She had no formal athletic background when they married in 2014, but she has shown up on every single channel boat, which includes six crossings and counting.

Kelly developed an entire logistics system for their swims: pre-packed bags, post-swim debriefs, detailed checklists. She feeds swimmers, films, communicates calm under pressure, and reads Steve better than anyone. Steve is clear: there is no one he trusts more on that boat. And the unexpected bonus? These swims have deepened their marriage in ways neither anticipated, by teaching them how to communicate clearly when everything is hard.

Training for the Worst Day, Not the Best

When asked how he prepares for swims that average eight to twelve hours, Steve's answer reframes what endurance even means.

Endurance, he explains, is not a fitness level. It is the ability to keep going through pain, unforeseen circumstances, and problems until you reach your goal. His training reflects that. He trains tired, trains sick, trains while juggling a blended family of six kids and four grandchildren, two businesses, and a full schedule. He deliberately creates what he calls a "pain cave" so that the worst moments of a long swim feel like something he has already survived.

He does not just swim to prepare. He lifts, does mobility work, visits the chiropractor, gets IV drips, and has pushed himself to average nearly seven hours of sleep a night. Recovery, he has learned, is not optional.

What the Pain Cave Actually Sounds Like

Some of the most powerful moments in this episode come from inside the swims themselves.

In the English Channel, Steve was sick within 45 minutes of a 13-hour crossing, swam nine of those hours with a completely seized hip flexor, and still made it across. What kept him going? The smell of a cigarette from the boat that made him mad enough to focus. A seal nuzzling his feet in the cold water. Finding out mid-swim he was going to be a grandfather.

In Cook Strait, the current pushed him so far off course that he swam 21 miles instead of 14, spending four hours swimming sideways until the tide finally turned and pulled him in. When his pilot told him they still had five kilometers to go after he had been chasing what he thought was the landing point, Steve had to recalibrate in real time. His reset? One hand in front of the other. That is the whole strategy.

What a Champion Mindset Really Means

At the heart of this conversation is a question Steve has clearly lived with: what makes a champion?

His answer is not about podiums. It is about knowing who you are, not needing to fit in, and building from the inside out — faith, marriage, family, friendship — then letting that foundation carry everything else. He says the version of himself that tried to fit in is the one who walked away from swimming and walked into addiction. The version who knows his purpose is the one swimming across oceans and helping others find their way back.

Your pain becomes your purpose, but only if you stop hiding it.

One Swim Left

On July 19th, Steve will board a boat in San Pedro Harbor and swim from Catalina Island to the shores of Los Angeles, the final crossing in his Oceans Seven journey. He will finish on U.S. soil, hopefully with his wife and children watching from the shore.

Fewer than 50 people have ever done what he is about to complete.

Share this with a masters swimmer, a triathlete, an open water dreamer, or anyone who needs a story about what the human spirit can endure. And subscribe to the podcast for more conversations to help you live well and swim well.

If you have a moment, leaving a quick review helps more swimmers discover the show. You can also stay connected by joining our Mojo Messages, short encouraging messages sent straight to your inbox to help you live well and swim well. We’re cheering you on!

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