Champions Mojo for Masters Swimmers

Sleep is the most powerful legal performance enhancer you’re not fully using yet. We brought in Derek Hales, founder of NapLab and one of the most trusted voices in mattress testing, to strip away hype and show how smarter choices at night translate to stronger training, faster recovery, and better moods.

We dig into the single biggest mattress mistake—price extremes—and map the sweet spot where quality and longevity meet: a queen in the $1,500–$2,000 range. Derek explains why most athletes thrive on a medium to medium-firm hybrid for balanced pressure relief, spine alignment, and airflow, and when memory foam’s contouring or latex’s buoyant feel makes sense. Sensitive to smell? We break down off-gassing, VOCs, and why natural latex still carries a rubber odor even if it’s less concerning than polyurethane foam.

If you run hot, you’ll appreciate our deep dive on cooling—what truly works, what’s marketing, and how to build a cooler sleep system from the mattress up. We compare active cooling options like Eight Sleep, ChiliPad, and BedJet, weighing performance, noise, and cost so you invest wisely. Beyond gear, we focus on habits that move the needle: ideal room temps in the high 60s, blackout and fans for stubborn climates, consistent bedtimes, device-free wind-downs, and 5-minute mindfulness to quiet the mental to-do loop. Derek also shares intriguing evidence around Celliant fabrics for circulation and recovery, plus practical strategies for couples—from twin XL splits to separate rooms—so both partners get deep, uninterrupted rest.

Whether you’re a masters swimmer or a wellness-driven listener, expect clear, actionable guidance to turn sleep into your competitive edge. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, share it with a teammate who trains early, and leave a quick review—your support helps more athletes find the recovery they deserve.
Email us at [email protected]. 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

26 year-old Bryanna Lacey is fresh off a Masters Meet High Point win and a year into a bold return to the sport she left behind seven years ago after an excellent college swimming career. We sit with her on the tiles at Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center to unpack what it takes to walk on, walk away, and walk back stronger.

Bryanna started late, carved out high school records, and earned her place at the University of Indianapolis by promising nothing but relentless effort. She battled through a rib injury to post best times and earn a team perseverance award, then stepped away for seven years while life moved—Virginia, Hawaii, and the intensity of medical school. The spark came back when she missed structure, competition, and the friends who make the grind worthwhile. Now she’s a third-year med student rotating in pediatrics, a masters distance swimmer chasing her college marks, and an open water age-group national champion with a 500 free that’s flirting with her old pace.

We dig into the training that makes this possible: 4:20 a.m. alarms to medicate her epileptic dog, 5:30 practices, hospital shifts by 8, weekend doubles, open water miles, and the distance staples she loves—21x100s and 18x200s, often pulling to build rhythm and strength. She talks about balancing ambition with joy, using community as a performance tool, and why masters swimming turns structure into freedom. There’s room for the human details too—admiration for Katie Ledecky’s mindset and a home “Bree’s Bakery” where sourdough teaches patience and process.

If you’re navigating a demanding career, plotting a comeback, or searching for a team that lifts you higher, you’ll find a playbook here: set a steady routine, choose a supportive lane, and chase progress without losing the fun. Enjoy the story, share it with a teammate who needs a nudge, and subscribe for more candid conversations from the pool deck.
Email us at [email protected]. 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

Ready for a great love story? Former national and world-record-holding Masters swimmer Joe Wotton joins us on deck to share the stories, nicknames, and love that shaped a champion’s life in and out of the pool. Joe Wotton, 66 years young, swims for Swim Melbourne Masters—the Mahis—and brings with him a lifetime in aquatics. His journey began in Massachusetts, continued in backyard pools after his family moved to Florida, and grew through high school swimming and water polo. One of the highlights of his early career includes racing at the Florida state championships alongside Olympic legend Rowdy Gaines, an experience he recounts with humility, humor, and deep appreciation for the moment.
Service, Swimmer Motivation, and Staying in the Water
Joe went on to swim and play water polo at the Air Force Academy, where he captained the water polo team, earned MVP honors, won a national title, and found success in sprint freestyle events. His career later came full circle when he returned to the Academy as a coach, using swimming as both motivation and connection with the athletes he led. Along the way, Masters Swimming became a constant thread—one that provided community, competition, and lifelong friendships wherever life and service took him.
Nicknames, Teasing, and the Gift of Belonging
One of the most entertaining threads in this conversation is Joe’s collection of nicknames, each tied to a distinct chapter of his life. As a young cadet, he was called “Stiletto” for his lean build. In water polo, his squinting without vision correction earned him the name “Squint.” Later, in a moment of good-natured teasing during weight training, an ironic Yoda impression led to the nickname “Power,” a call sign that followed him so persistently that some teammates assumed it was his actual last name. Even today, he still hears it called out in airports by fellow Air Force pilots. These nicknames aren’t just funny—they represent belonging, shared history, and the deep bonds formed through sport and service.
His Greatest Comeback of All Is Love
The most powerful comeback Joe shares, however, has nothing to do with swimming. He tells a beautiful love story about reconnecting with Debbie, the woman he dated in college but didn’t yet understand how to fully love. Years later, after both had gone through divorce, they found their way back to each other. More than 35 years into a happy marriage, Joe describes Debbie as his greatest accomplishment in life—a story that resonates deeply and reminds us that growth, timing, and second chances matter.
Why Masters Feels Like Home
Joe also speaks with gratitude about Masters Swimming itself, describing every meet as a kind of homecoming. He reflects on the joy of seeing familiar faces, encouraging one another, and sharing a love of the sport that transcends age and performance. Whether he’s training for the 50 freestyle, lifting weights, walking golf courses, or spending a month each year in the Florida Keys lobster diving with family, Joe radiates appreciation for a life well lived and shared.
Email us at [email protected]. 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

Lauren Anderson proves that speed and joy in swimming are still within reach after 25 years away from the sport. She rebuilt her training from the ground up, and made big time drops in her best events the breaststroke. Her story blends performance insights with honest life change, turning Masters swimming into a blueprint for structure, community, and a fresh start. Lauren is a member of the Palm Beach Masters.

We dig into the practical tools that moved the needle: broken 200s tailored to breaststroke pacing, non-negotiable kick sets to power the second 50, and all-out block work that makes starts, turns, and breakouts automatic under pressure. Lauren shares why many Masters swimmers stall—too much freestyle, not enough stroke specificity—and how to fix it with simple, repeatable sets. She recalls a standout meet in Irvine, racing alongside elite talent, Gabrielle Rose, and explains how those moments of shared excellence energize training for months.

Along the way, Lauren opens up about navigating divorce, moving, and starting a new job during COVID while rediscovering her athletic identity. The pool became a steady ritual and the Masters lane mates a vital community. If you’re ready to return to swimming, sharpen your breaststroke, or find structure amid change, this conversation gives you the mindset, the sets, and the spark to get going.

If this story fires you up, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review on Apple to help more swimmers find us. What’s your best comeback moment? We’d love to hear it.
Email us at [email protected]. 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

She calls herself a swimming vagabond! The deck at Fort Lauderdale buzzes, and at 70-years old, Peggy McDonnell brings the kind of energy that makes you want to put on your goggles. She didn’t swim in high school or college. She found Masters after a move to Florida, chased a national title in the 200 IM, and shocked herself with an All-American time that arrived like lightning. Then life happened: knee surgery, a finicky neck, and an honest reckoning that made butterfly and breaststroke hard. Instead of stepping back, she pivoted—leaning into the 200 freestyle, rebuilding confidence, and choosing smarter, kinder training.

We walk through how she trains mostly solo with plans from a trusted friend, then found a 20-year-younger partner who “busts her tail” and helped her return to racing after a multi-year competitive break. She shares practical details that Masters swimmers crave: three swim days a week, 3,400 to 3,800 yards when the stars align, and a simple long course test set that benchmarks fitness without breaking spirit. Her facility routine is a masterclass in persistence—Indian River State College, Leisure Square, and any open water that keeps the habit alive through closures, heater issues, and shifting schedules. It’s the consistency, not the perfect pool, that moves the needle.

Peggy’s story widens beyond the stopwatch. She talks about a broken hand right as she aged up to 60 and still made nationals, her pick for a dream lunch with Mark Spitz, and two and a half decades of volunteering at a dog shelter that led to adopting a sweet, big shepherd after saying goodbye to a tiny chihuahua. And she lights up when recalling the “Golden Girls,” the relay crew who broke five yards records in a single season—only to be topped the next year, and loved the chase anyway. The throughline is grit with warmth: adapt your events, find a partner who pushes you, keep your rituals flexible, and let team joy carry you through.

If you love Masters swimming, comeback stories, and practical training wisdom for aging athletes, you’ll feel right at home here. Listen, share with a teammate, and tell us the one adjustment you’ll make to keep your swim life strong. Subscribe, leave a quick review, and drop your next race goal—we’re cheering for you.
Email us at [email protected]. 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