January 24, 2025 • 16 mins
Today, we’re diving into a truly memorable interview with Olympic champion Katharine Berkoff. Recorded during NC State’s 50th-anniversary celebration of women’s swimming, this episode is a heartfelt exploration of Katharine’s journey, her reflections on being part of the Wolfpack, and her post-Olympic life. Berkoff won gold in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games as the preliminary backstroke lead off swimmer for Team USA and was also an individual bronze Medalist in the 100 meter backstroke.
Katharine shares what it’s like to reconnect with alumni who paved the way for her success, her thoughts on NC State’s tradition of producing world-class backstrokers, and the emotional resilience required to secure her Olympic medal. From her thrilling journey to becoming NC State’s first female Olympic champion to her candid reflections on transitioning to professional swimming, this episode is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and a touch of humor.
You’ll also get a glimpse into Katharine’s personal life as she shares the story of her beloved rescue kitten, Peach, and how she’s embracing her new chapter with renewed focus on self-care and recovery. Whether you’re an athlete, a fan of swimming, or someone seeking motivation to tackle life’s challenges, this episode is a must-listen. Dive in and join us for an unforgettable conversation with one of the sport’s brightest stars!
Check out this week's blog post about the NC State Women's Swimming 50th Anniversary Celebration https://www.championsmojo.com/blog/50-years-of-wolfpack-womens-swimming-a-celebration-of-legacy-connection-and-pride/
Champion's Mojo is the #1 Masters Swimming Podcast and a top rated swimming podcast on Apple. Subscribe today and don't miss a single episode!
Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello friends, this is episode 270.
We have been producingChampions Mojo podcasts for six
years.
We're one of the originalswimming podcasts and we're so
grateful that you've been withus for all these years.
And today we have a veryspecial interview.
I wanted to give it a littlespecial introduction.
(00:21):
A little special introduction.
This is an interview withOlympic champion Catherine
Berkoff, who swam at NorthCarolina State for her college
career, and we just came fromthe celebration of 50 years of
NC State women's swimming.
If you want more details onthat event, then please check
out the Champions Mojo blogabout it, and this interview I
(00:45):
did at the meet with thecelebration.
So here we go.
Welcome to Champions Mojo.
Join us for conversations thatinspire and empower you as an
adult athlete, fitnessenthusiast or master swimmer.
Our goal is to make eachepisode insightful and
(01:06):
inspirational and to discoverwhat it takes to build or keep a
life of personal excellence.
I'm your host, Kelly Pallas,and we're here to champion you.
Okay, I am at the NC StateWolfpack 50th and you are coming
(01:26):
off the post-Olympic year.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
How has this celebration of seeing all your
alumni been for you?
It's been really cool.
I've really enjoyed getting tomeet alumni I've never met
before and it's been really goodto see old friends and old
teammates.
And it's so strange howdifferent every year is from the
last with the new group offreshmen that comes in.
But it's fun to reminisce onwhat was once there and I
definitely miss it a lot.
(02:15):
And it's actually really hardbeing an alumni, like I'm
watching them racing.
I'm just so jealous I want tobe in there too.
So after practice.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm just so jealous I want to be in there too.
So after practice, well, we dida little alumni swim for the
celebration.
This morning we're having abreakfast for all the alum, and
some of the ex-swimmers stood upand did 100 IM for time, and
you weren't in it, but you werecheering for them.
What did you think of that?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I was actually pretty impressed.
It was fun to watch.
They definitely looked likethey were hurting a bit but yeah
, I would have been nervous torace them.
They're still like really fastgirls out of college and they're
not that far gone, so I knewthey'd be pretty good, but I was
actually pretty impressedwatching them.
They did pretty well.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, yeah.
And so we have this traditionhere at NC State of a lot of
really obviously really fastswimming but some really fast
backstrokers.
So what is it like to meet someof these fellow backstrokers
that swam 10, 20, 30, even 40years ago, that you know kind of
(03:22):
set a foundation for somebodylike you coming along?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
It's really cool because I definitely, when I was
looking at schools, took intoconsideration like what their
backstroke program historylooked like.
And NC State really stood outas a school that had a great
backstroke history.
So that was a huge reason forme coming here.
So it's really cool to be ableto meet previous backstro
history.
So that was a huge reason forme coming here.
So it's really cool to be ableto meet previous backstrokers.
And now our backstroke group isabsolutely insane.
I think we have at least halfthe national team in the 100
(03:55):
back.
So it's been really special andit just keeps growing.
So it's really exciting andit's cool to meet the past
backstrokers that kind of laidthe foundation for the rest of
us.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yes, so you are, like I said, the first Olympic
champion for NC State women andthe fact that you had that
pressure on you you know, notjust your dad, david Berkoff,
you know already being anOlympic medalist in backstroke
and then being an NCAA championand all that you had kind of
(04:28):
being ranked third.
You know second and third goinginto trials.
You know you had to perform toptwo.
Then if you, when you went tothe Olympics, you had to perform
top three, what was yourmindset?
Because, you know, I kind ofhelicoptered up and thought this
is really somebody that hasthis expectation, you know that
(04:50):
has to perform at trials and hasto perform at the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And you did both flawlessly, like you executed
what would you say kind of, someof the keys to doing that were
would you say, kind of some ofthe keys to doing that were, I
think, for me something I stillneed to work on.
A lot is really improving mydetails in my race and I feel
like three years ago Olympictrials I thought that since I
(05:17):
had a good NCAA season, a shortcourse season, I wouldn't need
to worry so much about longcourse.
So going into that year Ididn't do a lot of long course,
I just felt like, since I wasswimming fast, I would do about
long course.
So going into that year Ididn't do a lot of long course,
I just felt like, since I wasswimming fast, I would do a long
course and I had a pretty goodtrials.
But I missed the team by acouple of tenths and I was one
of like several contenders forthat second place spot in the
(05:38):
100 backstroke and that momentwas really tough but it was a
big like eye-opening experienceand it made me realize I never
wanted to be in a situationagain where I felt like I was a
contender.
I would rather be a lock for aspot on the team.
Just the way I had been trainingthe past three years.
I had no doubt in my mind I wasgoing to make the team at
(05:59):
trials.
It was still super scary.
I think I had a little PTSD.
From missing the team three,three years ago is like such a
terrible feeling being someonewho puts a lot of pressure on
myself.
So I was don't get me wronglike the most nervous I've ever
been in my life before that 100back final because I knew that
could be the moment that Iaccomplished one of my lifelong
(06:21):
dreams.
Accomplish one of my lifelongdreams.
But I just had so muchconfidence going into that meet
that I had no doubt in my mindthat I would make it.
If I just didn't slip on mystart and stuff like that.
And just the momentum of thepast three years gave me a lot
of confidence going into theOlympics because I knew my rank.
I was going in third andalthough I went too fast in
(06:44):
prelims on accident, I think I'mstill learning how to control
myself in prelims so I have moreenergy for finals and I don't
know.
I think the emotions of theOlympics got to me.
But being the number three seed, I knew I was a.
Really I was very confident Iwould get a medal if everything
went correctly and so I was notas nervous at the Olympics as I
(07:07):
was at trials.
But yeah, I think just thetraining I've done over the past
three years gave me no doubtthat I could do what I wanted to
do.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Yeah, and training is .
You know, that's the foundation.
I love that.
When you know you've done thetraining, it's so much easier to
have a great mindset.
So you know, last night, like Isaid, we had this big
celebration, a bunch of alumsand I'm with some of the older
people that swam at NC State andalmost everybody that I talked
to like was like, oh, I want toget a picture with Katherine
(07:35):
Verkoff, katherine Berkoff andthat post-Olympic kind of glow
and celebrity and you know, it'skind of hit you like you're
this big deal now where you usedto just kind of show up at
things and not everybody wantedto interview you in the hall,
like I am now, or they wanted aphoto with you.
How has that been juggling that?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's interesting because I'm like kind of
socially awkward.
It's interesting because I'mlike kind of socially awkward
but and just I'm a little weird,so it can be tough.
But I do think like if I wantto live the lifestyle I want to
live and be a professionalswimmer and make money from my
name, I need to get better atstuff like this.
(08:15):
So I think just kind ofthrowing me into it has been a
good thing no-transcript.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So now that you are going more forward as a
professional so you've had yourNCAA career what would you say
is something you're reallylooking forward to as a pro?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Honestly, college swimming is so fun and I miss it
so much.
It's very exhausting, though,especially being a full-time
student and an athlete andtrying to put good energy into
both things and living a life.
Now I actually have time tosleep, so I just realized like
how sleep deprived I always wasin college, like I never felt
(09:16):
rested.
I was always exhausted.
I'd get to the weekend and belike just destroyed.
So now I feel like I'm able tonap a lot and actually take care
of myself.
So I think that's beensomething that's been really fun
about being a pro is I feellike I'm getting proper recovery
, but like I've been enjoyingthese few months of not doing
much, but I know eventually I'mgoing to lose my appreciation
(09:38):
for it.
I'm going to need somethingelse to do so trying to figure
out hobbies and such to keep meoccupied in the meantime.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I love it.
So one of your little hobbiesis your kitty cat.
Tell us, tell all the catlovers out here, what about your
little kitten or your littlecat?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So me and my boyfriend Noah Henderson he's an
alumni too and we bothgraduated the same year and well
, we both took our fifth yeardone something now for him.
But we were driving down AventFerry some of you know this road
and there's this littlefive-week-old kitten just
running down the sidewalk.
So he pulled over.
(10:16):
I jumped out of the car andchased this kitten under a
parked car in someone's drivewayand we ended up taking him and
I knew from the moment I saw himthat we were keeping him
Because I decided, like, onceI'm done with college, I'm
getting a kitten because Iliterally need one.
I can't live without a pet anylonger.
And so, yeah, we kept him andwe gave him a little flea bath
(10:39):
and the rest is history.
Now he's just my little angel,but he literally is like the
center of my world.
I love him so much.
He's my child.
What's his name?
His name is Peach.
I don't really know why wenamed him that, but I think he's
just cute and we think he's socute.
He's a peach.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yes, he's perfect.
Love it.
Yeah, I love it.
Thank you so much, reallyappreciate this time and we're
all cheering for you, obviouslyfrom the long line of Red,
legend, pride and all theWolfpack women and everybody
else out there, because I knowthere's a big Catherine Berkoff
fan club.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
Takeaways we've heard from youthat takeaways are one of your
(11:20):
favorite parts of the show.
We have a special guest to dotakeaways with me today and that
is my husband, mark palace.
He listened to the katherineburkoff interview and here are
our takeaways enjoy all right.
So I have my husband, markpalace, here to do the takeaways
(11:41):
of the Catherine Burkoffinterview.
And honey, you were at the 50thcelebration of NC State Women's
Swimming and you said you werevery moved by it and you know,
catherine is kind of theculmination of all the success
of NC State Women's Swimming,all the success of NC State
Women's Swimming.
What was your first takeaway ofjust listening to this
(12:02):
interview and hearing whatCatherine is doing?
What was your first takeaway?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
That she has realized now, after having completed her
college swimming career, justhow sleep deprived she was
during her entire swimmingcareer at NC State and that now
she can take naps, she can sleep, and I immediately thought,
kind of reading into that, thatshe may be able to go faster now
(12:27):
because she's going to havebetter sleep, better healing and
better rest and recovery, whichis extremely important.
So, yeah, I think she couldstill achieve lifetime best
times.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yeah, I think she could still achieve lifetime
best times.
Yes, I know you tremendouslyfollow sleep protocols and
you're a big sleep expert, sothis one must have really just
hit you.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yep, it did indeed.
I love my sleep hygiene and infact missed out on going to
dinner with the entire crew lastnight.
It was a late night, 9 pmdinner because I wanted to get
my sleep.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Oh, that's great.
Well, my takeaway there's morethan one, but it's a short
interview so we'll each justgive one.
My takeaway, my main one, isthat there was so much pressure
on Catherine going into Olympictrials and going into the
Olympics you know, third rankedin the world in a hundred meter
(13:21):
backstroke and she hadconfidence, utter confidence, in
her ability to perform at thatlevel, both at Olympic trials
which some say is the most highpressure swim meet in the world,
even more so than the Olympicsand then to perform again at the
Olympics, and that she did itbecause her training gave her
(13:46):
that confidence.
She said I knew that I had donethe training, I knew how I was
performing, I had swum fast, Iknew I could do it again.
So I think that gives you sucha solid foundation and a mindset
of I've performed in practiceand therefore just happens in
the meet.
It's like you're confident.
What do you think about honey?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Yeah, I agree, Definitely.
I mean, if we have protocolsand routines just in general in
life like I get up every singlemorning to do sit-ups, push-ups,
pull-ups, dips, life Like I getup every single morning to do
sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups,dips and myrtle hip girdle
exercises.
So if I'm on the road I stilldo them.
If I'm tired, I still do them.
The only time I won't do thatis if I'm sick.
(14:29):
So by having this, it's almostlike a default, it's almost like
breathing.
That is pretty much exactlywhat she experienced there.
She just was like automated.
I mean, it was like anautomatic process.
What she experienced there, shejust was like automated.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I mean it was like an automatic process, right, that
the champions do those things.
You just keep.
You keep doing things that youknow are going to make you
successful.
And, in the same vein, while weheard her say several times,
you know she was confident shecould do this, she was confident
that she could do that, thateven someone who wins an Olympic
bronze individually, an Olympicgold for USA Relay in the
(15:04):
Olympics, can feel that she issocially awkward.
It's just she doesn't seemsocially awkward, she seems like
incredibly confident.
But I love the fact that shehas that little vulnerable side,
that authentic side, to sharethat in an interview, that we
all have these things where wemay be A plus in one area and
(15:26):
then another area where we don'tfeel as confident.
But we can work on it.
She said she's working ongetting less socially awkward
and I loved that real raw,vulnerable, authentic part of
her.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, I totally agree .
It's great that she canacknowledge that self-awareness
is hugely important in generalin life and perhaps the first
step in becoming more sociallyintelligent or more socially
articulate is to accept the factthat one is sort of weak in
that area and then one can grow.
(16:02):
I think that's great, I thinkit's beautiful and, by the way,
I agree with you, I think shedid a wonderful job and I don't
think she appeared to besocially awkward at all.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yes, yes.
Well, there's one in the booksfor the NC State legacy
celebrating 50 years of NC Statewomen's swimming and, of course
, like I said, the wholeCatherine Burkoff fan club,
which there are many far andwide across the world.
What a great chance to get totalk with Catherine.
Thanks for joining me, honey,love you.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Thank you for listening to the Champions Mojo
podcast.
Did you enjoy the show?
We'd be grateful if you wouldleave us a five-star review on
iTunes to help others find us,and we'd also love to hear from
you.
We're on all social mediaplatforms or you can reach us at
championsmojocom.
Hello friends, this is episode 270.
We have been producingChampions Mojo podcasts for six
years.
We're one of the originalswimming podcasts and we're so
grateful that you've been withus for all these years.
And today we have a veryspecial interview.
I wanted to give it a littlespecial introduction.
(00:21):
A little special introduction.
This is an interview withOlympic champion Catherine
Berkoff, who swam at NorthCarolina State for her college
career, and we just came fromthe celebration of 50 years of
NC State women's swimming.
If you want more details onthat event, then please check
out the Champions Mojo blogabout it, and this interview I
(00:45):
did at the meet with thecelebration.
So here we go.
Welcome to Champions Mojo.
Join us for conversations thatinspire and empower you as an
adult athlete, fitnessenthusiast or master swimmer.
Our goal is to make eachepisode insightful and
(01:06):
inspirational and to discoverwhat it takes to build or keep a
life of personal excellence.
I'm your host, Kelly Pallas,and we're here to champion you.
Okay, I am at the NC StateWolfpack 50th and you are coming
(01:26):
off the post-Olympic year.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
How has this celebration of seeing all your
alumni been for you?
It's been really cool.
I've really enjoyed getting tomeet alumni I've never met
before and it's been really goodto see old friends and old
teammates.
And it's so strange howdifferent every year is from the
last with the new group offreshmen that comes in.
But it's fun to reminisce onwhat was once there and I
definitely miss it a lot.
(02:15):
And it's actually really hardbeing an alumni, like I'm
watching them racing.
I'm just so jealous I want tobe in there too.
So after practice.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm just so jealous I want to be in there too.
So after practice, well, we dida little alumni swim for the
celebration.
This morning we're having abreakfast for all the alum, and
some of the ex-swimmers stood upand did 100 IM for time, and
you weren't in it, but you werecheering for them.
What did you think of that?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I was actually pretty impressed.
It was fun to watch.
They definitely looked likethey were hurting a bit but yeah
, I would have been nervous torace them.
They're still like really fastgirls out of college and they're
not that far gone, so I knewthey'd be pretty good, but I was
actually pretty impressedwatching them.
They did pretty well.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, yeah.
And so we have this traditionhere at NC State of a lot of
really obviously really fastswimming but some really fast
backstrokers.
So what is it like to meet someof these fellow backstrokers
that swam 10, 20, 30, even 40years ago, that you know kind of
(03:22):
set a foundation for somebodylike you coming along?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
It's really cool because I definitely, when I was
looking at schools, took intoconsideration like what their
backstroke program historylooked like.
And NC State really stood outas a school that had a great
backstroke history.
So that was a huge reason forme coming here.
So it's really cool to be ableto meet previous backstro
history.
So that was a huge reason forme coming here.
So it's really cool to be ableto meet previous backstrokers.
And now our backstroke group isabsolutely insane.
I think we have at least halfthe national team in the 100
(03:55):
back.
So it's been really special andit just keeps growing.
So it's really exciting andit's cool to meet the past
backstrokers that kind of laidthe foundation for the rest of
us.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yes, so you are, like I said, the first Olympic
champion for NC State women andthe fact that you had that
pressure on you you know, notjust your dad, david Berkoff,
you know already being anOlympic medalist in backstroke
and then being an NCAA championand all that you had kind of
(04:28):
being ranked third.
You know second and third goinginto trials.
You know you had to perform toptwo.
Then if you, when you went tothe Olympics, you had to perform
top three, what was yourmindset?
Because, you know, I kind ofhelicoptered up and thought this
is really somebody that hasthis expectation, you know that
(04:50):
has to perform at trials and hasto perform at the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And you did both flawlessly, like you executed
what would you say kind of, someof the keys to doing that were
would you say, kind of some ofthe keys to doing that were, I
think, for me something I stillneed to work on.
A lot is really improving mydetails in my race and I feel
like three years ago Olympictrials I thought that since I
(05:17):
had a good NCAA season, a shortcourse season, I wouldn't need
to worry so much about longcourse.
So going into that year Ididn't do a lot of long course,
I just felt like, since I wasswimming fast, I would do about
long course.
So going into that year Ididn't do a lot of long course,
I just felt like, since I wasswimming fast, I would do a long
course and I had a pretty goodtrials.
But I missed the team by acouple of tenths and I was one
of like several contenders forthat second place spot in the
(05:38):
100 backstroke and that momentwas really tough but it was a
big like eye-opening experienceand it made me realize I never
wanted to be in a situationagain where I felt like I was a
contender.
I would rather be a lock for aspot on the team.
Just the way I had been trainingthe past three years.
I had no doubt in my mind I wasgoing to make the team at
(05:59):
trials.
It was still super scary.
I think I had a little PTSD.
From missing the team three,three years ago is like such a
terrible feeling being someonewho puts a lot of pressure on
myself.
So I was don't get me wronglike the most nervous I've ever
been in my life before that 100back final because I knew that
could be the moment that Iaccomplished one of my lifelong
(06:21):
dreams.
Accomplish one of my lifelongdreams.
But I just had so muchconfidence going into that meet
that I had no doubt in my mindthat I would make it.
If I just didn't slip on mystart and stuff like that.
And just the momentum of thepast three years gave me a lot
of confidence going into theOlympics because I knew my rank.
I was going in third andalthough I went too fast in
(06:44):
prelims on accident, I think I'mstill learning how to control
myself in prelims so I have moreenergy for finals and I don't
know.
I think the emotions of theOlympics got to me.
But being the number three seed, I knew I was a.
Really I was very confident Iwould get a medal if everything
went correctly and so I was notas nervous at the Olympics as I
(07:07):
was at trials.
But yeah, I think just thetraining I've done over the past
three years gave me no doubtthat I could do what I wanted to
do.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Yeah, and training is .
You know, that's the foundation.
I love that.
When you know you've done thetraining, it's so much easier to
have a great mindset.
So you know, last night, like Isaid, we had this big
celebration, a bunch of alumsand I'm with some of the older
people that swam at NC State andalmost everybody that I talked
to like was like, oh, I want toget a picture with Katherine
(07:35):
Verkoff, katherine Berkoff andthat post-Olympic kind of glow
and celebrity and you know, it'skind of hit you like you're
this big deal now where you usedto just kind of show up at
things and not everybody wantedto interview you in the hall,
like I am now, or they wanted aphoto with you.
How has that been juggling that?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's interesting because I'm like kind of
socially awkward.
It's interesting because I'mlike kind of socially awkward
but and just I'm a little weird,so it can be tough.
But I do think like if I wantto live the lifestyle I want to
live and be a professionalswimmer and make money from my
name, I need to get better atstuff like this.
(08:15):
So I think just kind ofthrowing me into it has been a
good thing no-transcript.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So now that you are going more forward as a
professional so you've had yourNCAA career what would you say
is something you're reallylooking forward to as a pro?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Honestly, college swimming is so fun and I miss it
so much.
It's very exhausting, though,especially being a full-time
student and an athlete andtrying to put good energy into
both things and living a life.
Now I actually have time tosleep, so I just realized like
how sleep deprived I always wasin college, like I never felt
(09:16):
rested.
I was always exhausted.
I'd get to the weekend and belike just destroyed.
So now I feel like I'm able tonap a lot and actually take care
of myself.
So I think that's beensomething that's been really fun
about being a pro is I feellike I'm getting proper recovery
, but like I've been enjoyingthese few months of not doing
much, but I know eventually I'mgoing to lose my appreciation
(09:38):
for it.
I'm going to need somethingelse to do so trying to figure
out hobbies and such to keep meoccupied in the meantime.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I love it.
So one of your little hobbiesis your kitty cat.
Tell us, tell all the catlovers out here, what about your
little kitten or your littlecat?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So me and my boyfriend Noah Henderson he's an
alumni too and we bothgraduated the same year and well
, we both took our fifth yeardone something now for him.
But we were driving down AventFerry some of you know this road
and there's this littlefive-week-old kitten just
running down the sidewalk.
So he pulled over.
(10:16):
I jumped out of the car andchased this kitten under a
parked car in someone's drivewayand we ended up taking him and
I knew from the moment I saw himthat we were keeping him
Because I decided, like, onceI'm done with college, I'm
getting a kitten because Iliterally need one.
I can't live without a pet anylonger.
And so, yeah, we kept him andwe gave him a little flea bath
(10:39):
and the rest is history.
Now he's just my little angel,but he literally is like the
center of my world.
I love him so much.
He's my child.
What's his name?
His name is Peach.
I don't really know why wenamed him that, but I think he's
just cute and we think he's socute.
He's a peach.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yes, he's perfect.
Love it.
Yeah, I love it.
Thank you so much, reallyappreciate this time and we're
all cheering for you, obviouslyfrom the long line of Red,
legend, pride and all theWolfpack women and everybody
else out there, because I knowthere's a big Catherine Berkoff
fan club.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
Takeaways we've heard from youthat takeaways are one of your
(11:20):
favorite parts of the show.
We have a special guest to dotakeaways with me today and that
is my husband, mark palace.
He listened to the katherineburkoff interview and here are
our takeaways enjoy all right.
So I have my husband, markpalace, here to do the takeaways
(11:41):
of the Catherine Burkoffinterview.
And honey, you were at the 50thcelebration of NC State Women's
Swimming and you said you werevery moved by it and you know,
catherine is kind of theculmination of all the success
of NC State Women's Swimming,all the success of NC State
Women's Swimming.
What was your first takeaway ofjust listening to this
(12:02):
interview and hearing whatCatherine is doing?
What was your first takeaway?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
That she has realized now, after having completed her
college swimming career, justhow sleep deprived she was
during her entire swimmingcareer at NC State and that now
she can take naps, she can sleep, and I immediately thought,
kind of reading into that, thatshe may be able to go faster now
(12:27):
because she's going to havebetter sleep, better healing and
better rest and recovery, whichis extremely important.
So, yeah, I think she couldstill achieve lifetime best
times.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yeah, I think she could still achieve lifetime
best times.
Yes, I know you tremendouslyfollow sleep protocols and
you're a big sleep expert, sothis one must have really just
hit you.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yep, it did indeed.
I love my sleep hygiene and infact missed out on going to
dinner with the entire crew lastnight.
It was a late night, 9 pmdinner because I wanted to get
my sleep.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Oh, that's great.
Well, my takeaway there's morethan one, but it's a short
interview so we'll each justgive one.
My takeaway, my main one, isthat there was so much pressure
on Catherine going into Olympictrials and going into the
Olympics you know, third rankedin the world in a hundred meter
(13:21):
backstroke and she hadconfidence, utter confidence, in
her ability to perform at thatlevel, both at Olympic trials
which some say is the most highpressure swim meet in the world,
even more so than the Olympicsand then to perform again at the
Olympics, and that she did itbecause her training gave her
(13:46):
that confidence.
She said I knew that I had donethe training, I knew how I was
performing, I had swum fast, Iknew I could do it again.
So I think that gives you sucha solid foundation and a mindset
of I've performed in practiceand therefore just happens in
the meet.
It's like you're confident.
What do you think about honey?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Yeah, I agree, Definitely.
I mean, if we have protocolsand routines just in general in
life like I get up every singlemorning to do sit-ups, push-ups,
pull-ups, dips, life Like I getup every single morning to do
sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups,dips and myrtle hip girdle
exercises.
So if I'm on the road I stilldo them.
If I'm tired, I still do them.
The only time I won't do thatis if I'm sick.
(14:29):
So by having this, it's almostlike a default, it's almost like
breathing.
That is pretty much exactlywhat she experienced there.
She just was like automated.
I mean, it was like anautomatic process.
What she experienced there, shejust was like automated.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I mean it was like an automatic process, right, that
the champions do those things.
You just keep.
You keep doing things that youknow are going to make you
successful.
And, in the same vein, while weheard her say several times,
you know she was confident shecould do this, she was confident
that she could do that, thateven someone who wins an Olympic
bronze individually, an Olympicgold for USA Relay in the
(15:04):
Olympics, can feel that she issocially awkward.
It's just she doesn't seemsocially awkward, she seems like
incredibly confident.
But I love the fact that shehas that little vulnerable side,
that authentic side, to sharethat in an interview, that we
all have these things where wemay be A plus in one area and
(15:26):
then another area where we don'tfeel as confident.
But we can work on it.
She said she's working ongetting less socially awkward
and I loved that real raw,vulnerable, authentic part of
her.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, I totally agree .
It's great that she canacknowledge that self-awareness
is hugely important in generalin life and perhaps the first
step in becoming more sociallyintelligent or more socially
articulate is to accept the factthat one is sort of weak in
that area and then one can grow.
(16:02):
I think that's great, I thinkit's beautiful and, by the way,
I agree with you, I think shedid a wonderful job and I don't
think she appeared to besocially awkward at all.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yes, yes.
Well, there's one in the booksfor the NC State legacy
celebrating 50 years of NC Statewomen's swimming and, of course
, like I said, the wholeCatherine Burkoff fan club,
which there are many far andwide across the world.
What a great chance to get totalk with Catherine.
Thanks for joining me, honey,love you.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Thank you for listening to the Champions Mojo
podcast.
Did you enjoy the show?
We'd be grateful if you wouldleave us a five-star review on
iTunes to help others find us,and we'd also love to hear from
you.
We're on all social mediaplatforms or you can reach us at
championsmojocom.
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