Mindset, Mental Health & Wellness Topics Episodes

Fewer than 50 people on the planet have completed the Oceans Seven Challenge. Putting that in perspective over 7,000 people have summited Mt. Everest , Steve “Moby” Leitch is one swim away from being in such an elite club. You can train for months and still get humbled in minutes when the ocean decides to change the rules. After swimming the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe to Africa, elite endurance athlete, Steve “Moby” Leitch, joins us to break down what makes ultra marathon open water swimmin...

Brand New episode! What if the missing link in your recovery isn’t another supplement or stretch, but energy at the cellular level? We sit down with Dr. Zulia Frost—medical doctor, researcher, and co-founder of Recharge Health—to unpack how photobiomodulation, neuromodulation, and sound can help your body heal faster, perform better, and sleep deeper without side effects. Zulia’s story is a powerful one: a devastating car accident, spinal fractures, and paralysis in her right leg. Conventional c...

What if the thing you’re avoiding is the doorway to your best self? In this fan favorite encore episode: that’s the challenge Brian Bergford accepted when he took a lifelong panic response to water and turned it into masters swimming medals, national podiums, and a practical playbook for courage you can use today. We sit down with Brian—peak performance coach, certified dog trainer, and author of Transformational Dog Training—to unpack the crucial difference between fear and phobia and the wise ...

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 per...

THIS EPISODE WON TWO 2022 W3 AWARDS SILVER HONOR FOR BEST INTERVIEW AND BEST CO-HOSTS. What happens when a perfect Florida swim turns into a fight for your life from a 9-foot alligator biting off 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 tourn...

In an encore presentation, we sit down with Dr. Colleen Hacker, Olympic mental performance consultant and author of Achieving Excellence: Mastering Mindset for Peak Performance in Sport and Life, to unpack the real tools champions use when it counts. No fluff here—just clear methods backed by science and forged in the fire of world-class competition. We start by redefining confidence as a moving target and show how to build it by fixing your focus. If you’re replaying missed sessions, old result...

Hello friends, it’s Kelly. You may have noticed I’ve been away from the show for over a month—the longest break I’ve taken in more than seven years of podcasting. The reason is deeply personal: my father passed away in August at the age of 95. I’ve spent these weeks with him, with family, remembering him, celebrating his life, and navigating the bittersweet gift of grief. In this episode, I want to honor my dad, who first taught me how to swim. Through his simple “swim to Daddy” lessons on Lake ...

Swimmers are more likely to get eczema because of the drying nature of chlorine. 31 Million Americans have eczema, an itchy skin condition. What if the solution to your itchy skin is causing more harm than good? Join me, Kelly Palace, for an authentic look at my chilling encounter with topical steroids. It all began with a little tube of ointment prescribed for the eczema caused by my swimming goggles—a quick fix that spiraled into a full-blown nightmare. As I navigated through this ordeal, my r...

What if the key to swimming faster in 2025 lies in how you navigate the holiday season? In this energizing episode of Champion’s Mojo , hosts Kelly Palace and Maria Parker share eight actionable strategies to maintain fitness and motivation between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. With the average American gaining up to 10 pounds during the holidays, they provide expert advice on avoiding setbacks and staying on track to crush your fitness goals. From setting a January swim meet as your motivati...

Meet Angela Staab, the octogenarian dynamo whose running shoes have blazed a trail through the world of track and field, capturing 16 national titles after lacing up for the first time at the tender age of 57. Her zest for life and competition has not only shattered records but preconceptions about what it means to grow older with gusto. In our conversation, Angela opens up about her late bloom into athletic prowess fueled by her daughters' encouragement and a desire to live life to the fullest....

Unlock the secrets to mastering your mental game with sports psychology expert Ashley Eckermann, our guiding light through the mental mazes we often find ourselves in. Ashley unravels how mental blocks, far from being sheer acts of willpower, are instead physiological responses to stress that can throw off even the most skilled performers. Together, we delve into the root causes—fear, anxiety, and the stress response in the brain—that result in these daunting obstacles. Armed with Ashley's insig...

Have you ever wondered what can ignite a flame to rekindle a long-lost passion? Discover the answer as we engage in an energizing conversation with the inspiring James Lucere, a 67-year-old who recently dove back into his first swim meet after a staggering 48-year hiatus! Listen in as James shares about his journey back to the pool, his unexpected catalyst, and the refreshing perspective he holds on what it means to be a swimmer irrespective of age. Get ready to be enlightened by James' candid a...

We're poolside with the extraordinary Penny Noyes, a woman who epitomizes the phrase 'age is just a number'. The 69-year-old swimming legend, with nine world records and 14 national records to her name, shares insights into her phenomenal career and her secret to maintaining athletic excellence despite personal health challenges and a string of injuries. We dive deep into Penny’s rigorous training routine, which intriguingly involves training with a USA swim club team, consisting of 14...

We're elated to introduce one of Team USA's Sports Psychologist, Dr Colleen Hacker, a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC), author, and professor. Dr. Hacker uncovers the keys to achieve excellence in sports and life. This enlightening conversation is rooted in her latest book, Achieving Excellence Mastering Mindset for Peak Performance in Sport and Life. How often do we consider confidence as a dynamic entity, especially for world champions? Dr Hacker challenges our underst...

Can this former overweight chef convince you to do an Ironman? We delve into the captivating story of 38-year-old Will Liebig, a former chef who went from weighing 300 pounds to becoming a high-performing Ironman triathlete. Now he weighs a lean 174 pounds! Will's journey of transformation and inspiration is nothing short of remarkable as he shares his insights, tips, and lessons learned from his incredible journey. Whether you're a seasoned athlete, a fitness enthusiast, or someone seeking moti...

This episode is about the impact of emotions on athletic performance and how using the most powerful positive emotions can make you perform your best! Kelly and Maria agree that an athlete's (or any kind of performer's) emotions before an event, can impact their results in a big way. Positive emotions such as love, gratitude, and compassion produce oxytocin and norepinephrine, which make us feel good and powerful, while negative emotions such as fear, guilt, and shame produce cortisol and make...

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 ...

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

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 ...

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...

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 E...

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 re...

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, e...