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 FacebookChampion’s MOJO on InstagramChampion’s MOJO on YouTubeChampion’s MOJO on Apple PodcastsKelly Palace on LinkedInTorpedo SwimtalkTorpedo Swimtalk on Apple PodcastsEmail 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