September 5, 2024 • 39 mins
What if you could shatter world records while excelling as a top pediatric surgeon? Join us for a compelling conversation with Ellen Reynolds, a master swimmer extraordinaire and recently retired pediatric surgeon, who has done just that. Ellen who hails from Boise, Idaho, opens up about her journey from learning to swim at age three to setting 20 national and/or world records this year alone. We explore her groundbreaking medical career, including her innovative work with pectus excavatum patients, and discuss how she managed to balance her intense professional life with her passion for swimming. And how these two have pursuits have been synergistic.
In this episode, we delve into Ellen's meticulous training regime that evolved after 20 years of consistency in the pool. Discover how she initially focused on fitness routines involving walking, elliptical workouts, and strength training before ramping up her swimming workouts. Ellen shares the strategic importance of balancing hard and easy sessions, and why the myth of endless long-distance training is just that—a myth. Her experience illustrates how adapting workouts to fit an unpredictable career can lead to outstanding athletic achievements.
As we wrap up, Ellen offers invaluable insights into the community aspect of master swimming and the impact of hormone replacement therapy on women's health. We discuss her plans post-retirement, her personal motto, and some fun facts that give a glimpse into the champion's life outside the pool. Listen in for an episode filled with inspiration, practical advice, and the powerful message that it’s never too late to pursue your passions and achieve greatness.
The Menopause Society mentioned in the interview can be found at https://menopause.org/
Ellen's current swimming achievements:
- Meet results for Ellen M Reynolds (389 swims)
- Top Ten achievements (255 individual, 3 relay)
- All-American Honors (14 years pool individual, 6 years long distance individual, 1 years long distance relay)
- All-Star Honors (1 years long distance, 9 years pool)
- USMS Records
(pool individual: 53 currently held, 72 lifetime ,
pool relay: 1 currently held, 1 lifetime,
long distance individual: 4 currently held, 5 lifetime records)
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):
Welcome to the award-winning Champions Mojo
hosted by two worldrecord-holding athletes.
Be inspired as you listen toconversations with champions and
now your hosts, kelly Pallasand Maria Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello friends, welcome to the Champions Mojo
podcast and, as usual, I amco-hosting with Maria Parker.
Hey Maria, hey Kelly, it'sgreat to being with Maria Parker
.
Hey Maria hey.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Kelly, it's great to be here with you.
I've missed you.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yes, you know what I said, as usual.
But we've had kind of a breakthis past summer, and so we're
cranking back up for the fall,like everybody going back to
school or back to the fall, andso we are so excited for our
guest today.
We're kicking off this fallseason with Ellen Reynolds, who
(00:47):
is arguably one of the all-timebest master swimmers in the
world in the last severaldecades.
But just alone, we can't goback 30 years and say everything
that Ellen's done, or else we'dbe here all day.
But just in 2024, just thisyear alone, ellen has set 20
national and or world recordsand she is coming off freshly.
(01:10):
Last week, the US Masters LongCourse National Swimming
Championships in Mission Viejo,california, where she went five
for five golds and four for fiveworld records.
So we're super excited to talkwith her.
But not only is Ellen amazingin the pool, she's just coming
off a career that is trulyamazing on itself.
(01:33):
Maria, can you tell us a littlebit about that?
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Ellen's an accomplished pediatric surgeon
for 25 years In fact.
I think September 1st is goingto be her last day.
She's retiring very soon andshe's consulted for the American
Board of Surgery.
She served as the governor ofthe American Pediatric Surgical
Association and the surgeondirector of the National Board
of Certification andRecertification for Nurse
(01:58):
Anesthetist.
In 2023, she published anarticle in the Journal of
Pediatric Surgery titledPediatric Surgery from the Roads
Less Traveled ChallengesCommunication and Collaboration
from a Community Non-TeachingHospital.
She's also invented a device,an elevation hook, that's placed
underneath the sternum andraises it before placing in
(02:19):
stabilizing bars for patientswho have what's called sunken
chest or pectus excavatum.
That's really cool.
She's obviously had an amazingcareer outside the pool, so
let's meet her.
Welcome Ellen.
Welcome to Champions Mojo.
Welcome Ellen, thank you.
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Before we move off of pectus excavatum, we have to
say that is the condition CodyMiller has.
Correct, correct.
Yeah, that's just so cool thatwe've had Cody on the show and
that you have been out therehelping people with that
condition.
So, ellen, I am familiar withyou very much because we're in
the same age group, but for ourlisteners that are not, it looks
(02:58):
like you started masterswimming in your 40s, which
could be considered a littlelate for how successful you've
become.
So tell us your swimminghistory and you can take it all
the way back to swim lessons ifyou want.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Well, that's the fun part.
So I grew up in California andmy parents put me in some
lessons at age three and, trueto my stubborn nature, I refused
to get in the water.
And then when I finally did, Iapparently just started swimming
freestyle and I won my firstribbon when I was four and I
swam summer league and all theway through high school.
(03:34):
I played water polo in highschool too, and then when I went
to college I couldn't quitefigure out how to swim and be
sociable and study, so I didn'tswim collegiate.
I didn't really swim much pastthat, other than if there was a
pool or some time to just goswimming for fun I would.
So by the time I got to be 40,after spending my 20s and 30s
(03:56):
focusing on my career and myfamily, I was not in very good
shape and I really think it hastaken me these 10 to 20 years to
good shape and I really thinkit has taken me these 10 to 20
years to get to where I am now.
So that's kind of in a briefnutshell, but it has just taken
consistency over the last 20years of work to get the
strength that I have now.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know we love to hear about the specifics of
training, like before we startedrecording.
I told you this morning, youknow, I did a set of eight 50s
on four minutes, which is, youknow, it's not a typical workout
somebody might do, but itdefinitely creates the speed
which you need for endurance.
So when you started back duringthe 20 years off that you had,
(04:36):
did you walk, did you run?
Were you keeping in decentcardiovascular shape?
And then, when you got back tothe pool, what has been the
evolution of your workouts over,you know, the 20 years of your
training?
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm always active, I like to exercise, I feel like my
body needs it, it's a way toget rid of stress from work.
So that was mostly just walkingor even elliptical at the gym,
sometimes some bicycling.
I would never run Okay, runningwas never included.
So I really still wasn't ingreat shape.
(05:10):
Around 40s.
I probably started out withabout 3,000, 4,000 yards, just
getting my strokes back, gettingmy strength back.
I did have a personal trainerfor a while just to regain some
muscle strength, have a personaltrainer for a while just to
regain some muscle strength.
And then I'm sure a lot ofpeople know my mom was my coach
for till about five years agoand we would just read a lot
(05:33):
about what kind of sets peopledid and ways to regain strength.
And I worked with my nutrition.
My sleep has never been greatbecause I'm on call quite a bit,
so that was the tough part torecover.
But some of our favorite sets.
Then my focus was more onbackstroke.
So we would do things like four400 IMs where the first one is
(05:55):
split after the 50 fly and thenin the middle of the back and
the breast and the free, andthen we would take away each one
of those until you did a full400 IM or we would do five sets
of five, 50s of backstroke,keeping each 50 the same with
whatever you started out with,and then these last.
(06:15):
There was kind of a big changeabout five years ago.
Of course, at the pandemic timewhen I turned 55, I was really
lucky.
I got to be 55 for about sixmonths before everything shut
down and then I didn't race andwe didn't have much access to a
pool for a year or so and myfather has been very sick for a
(06:35):
long time and he passed away andmy mother's almost 90 now and
doesn't coach me.
So these last two years I'vehad a good friend, kristen Hill,
who's the former coach at BSU,riding knee workouts, and so
it's changed.
My workouts it's been morebased on my legs, on my kick,
and we do something fast everyworkout, whether it's a fast set
(07:00):
or a pace work or a very shortfast 50.
And so that's been fun.
I think that's really added inthe last couple of years to
where I am now.
I hadn't had that before.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Yes, personally, as a coach myself for many years, I
feel like most master swimmersjust don't do enough speed work
that they kind of just get inthere and grind.
And you know, the lore of EllenReynolds is just, it's always
been oh, ellen swims six days aweek, 5,000.
And when I heard that I'm like,yeah, that's just not cutting
it for me, that's, you know,that's actually kind of
(07:34):
antithetical.
I mean, I know that you can doit, but to hear that you're
really focusing on speed,focusing on pace, focusing on
IMs, focusing on backstroke, itmakes a difference.
Because if maybe I'm just beinga distance swimmer, I kind of
just imagined you face downgrinding out 5,000 with no, you
know no pace or no particulargoal in mind, which you know
(07:55):
that would never translate tothe things that you're doing so
fantastically on all that stuff.
What as far as strengthtraining?
Because you seem you know verystrong?
Are you doing any dry land?
Or you know weights, or whatwould you describe there?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Yeah, I'll describe that.
I just want to go back to, yeah, this myth of you know 5,000.
Yes, yeah, first six days,because I've thought about that
and really I swim pretty muchevery day and I think in the
past 20 years up until theselast two years where I have cut
back to part time, the reason Iswim every day is because my
(08:32):
work schedule is sounpredictable, and so the days I
knew I could get a hard workoutin, I would get a hard workout
in and sometimes even then Iwould be interrupted.
But the days either I was oncall or I was going to do a big
surgery that day, I would justswim easy.
I might still swim four or5,000, but it wasn't very hard
and so it was so unpredictable.
(08:53):
I just took the day I could,even if I didn't feel well that
day, to swim as hard as I couldto get the workouts in.
Fortunately, the last year and ahalf it's much more consistent,
so I can plan like I can workhard these three days.
And then you know, everyThursday is my operating day, so
I'm going to just do an easyswim in the morning to stretch
my back and stretch my neck, soI feel good standing all day.
(09:16):
So I do really swim every day,but it's not, you know, grinding
out 5,000.
It's whatever my body could dothat day and, and you know,
whatever I needed for my surgeryor my work, my work life.
You know, there's only so muchenergy in the pie and sometimes
the swimming got it and a lot oftimes work got it.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Thanks for that clarification.
Yeah, but with the dry land.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
You know, interestingly enough I don't
lift heavy weights, I just don'thave that kind of muscle
strength.
And I do do a trainer aboutaverage once a week, sometimes
twice a week, sometimes onceevery two weeks, but it takes me
about two days to recover afterI do sort of a hard 45 minute
to hour.
I would say you know a lot ofcore work For me, extra leg work
(10:04):
, a little bit of like jumping,which I can barely get my toes
off the ground because I'm not asprinter.
But it's hard for me to do morethan that.
I'd rather swim and I feel likeI do better swimming, more than
I do the dryland stuff.
But it definitely helps me.
It's just it's hard.
I'm just not a heavyweightlifter.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And when you say you do a trainer bout, what does
that mean?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Oh, so there is a fitness place here where there's
a couple of good people thatseem to understand swimming
mechanics, and so I have atrainer there who works with me.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Okay, and nutrition wise, what do you focus on there
?
Okay.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Well, I try to stay hydrated.
I must admit I really likeFrench fries and ice cream.
I do try to get two or threeservings of fruits and
vegetables a day.
I've definitely tried to getenough protein.
That has really helped thislast year.
Working on the protein, sureyou don't get dinner or you're
(11:06):
working all day, so I just dothe best I can.
I'm really not the best.
I'm sure that could improve.
There's always so many thingsthat could improve and nutrition
is definitely one of them.
I do think for me, like a twohour workout, I drink a mixture
of Gatorade and a whey proteinpowder and that really helps.
(11:26):
Like I can't just go through atwo-hour workout without having
any calories.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, You're retiring this September.
Right, I am Okay.
So up to this point you've hada limited schedule, like you
just said, and you swim when youcan.
Is there certain days that youdo focus on speed, like on
Tuesdays or Fridays or something?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I would say probably once a week, yeah, towards the
end of the week, on Fridays.
It's more of a quote speed day.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Okay, cool.
And then mental training.
Do you do visualization?
Do you do goal setting?
I mean, how do you, when youset out to, or do you set out
like what?
What are your goals when you gointo a new age group?
I know a lot of us masterswimmers like, yay, we can't
wait to age up.
And then you know, we set goals.
What are your goals for the 60to 64?
(12:21):
How do you set them and how doyou put those mentally in place,
in place?
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Yeah, I am a very goal-oriented person.
I think that's just me.
And yes, I'm very satisfied.
I mean I've had an amazing year, far better than I expected.
My main goal this year was togo to the World Championships
and be five for five golds andworld records, which I didn't do
, and I think there's no suchthing as perfection, but in my
(12:46):
mind that was just so satisfyingI could have stopped there.
I've tried to really work onbeing just very positive and in
the moment I do think a lot ofmy mental strength comes from my
work as being a pediatricsurgeon.
I think there's a lot of justdetermination and consistency
and very detail-oriented from mywork.
(13:08):
That I apply to my swimming.
No parent wants me to come outfrom an operation and say, oh I
got tired, I can't do it, I'mdone, sort of thing.
And so I just apply that toswimming.
That I always try to work ashard as I possibly can.
Sure, there's days I can't whenI'm just really tired, and I've
learned to give myself a breakon those days, because you can't
(13:30):
do that at work.
And as I look back on my career, you know, naturally, of course
I probably only had a littlebit of that.
But I think after 25 years ofconstantly doing that every day
at work, it really sticks inyour brain and that's what I
bring to the pool.
They've just been socomplimentary my surgery and my
(13:51):
swimming.
You know, my swimming gives mea physical strength to stand and
be strong while I'm working,and then my working is just
giving me a lot of mentalstrength.
So I'm very grateful to haveboth.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yes, absolutely.
Is there something in masterswimming that you have not
accomplished, that you wouldlike to accomplish?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
No, we got to have our first relay world record
this last weekend and that waswonderful to be part of that
group.
No, if I had to stop swimmingtomorrow, other than not
swimming, I think I would begood.
And you know, the pandemictaught me that too, because we
couldn't race for a while.
And at first, when I back tothe pool, I thought, well,
should I swim if I can't race,if I can't see what I can do?
(14:33):
And then after a few months, Iwas just grateful to actually
swim and be in the water.
That I realized, even if Icouldn't race, just swimming is
just lovely.
Oh, of course, of course.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
So, in looking at your records, you literally hold
the world record in the 50 back, which obviously is the
shortest sprint that we can doin Masters, and I don't know if
you've set it yet, but I knowyou've set the national record
in the 1500, which is thelongest race we can do in
Masters swimming.
Is there any event that you donot swim?
(15:08):
Well, because you swim, you getall the freestyle records, the
backstroke records, thebreaststroke records, the IM
records.
I know you swim the 100 fly andI guess the roundabout is do
you not swim the 200 fly or areyou going to do that?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
I don't think I'll do the 200 fly.
I'm maybe short course, but flyhas kind of been my last thing
to really work on.
Last year I really worked onthat breaststroke to improve
that.
I highly doubt I would ever seta record in the 50 breaststroke
book, because I think that'swhere true technique comes in.
That I don't have.
I pretend to be a breaststrokerfor the longer distance.
(15:46):
I think the only reason for the200 breaststroke is I can hold
the same split every 50, but Ican't go any faster.
So yes, probably not ever that200 fly.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah, I'm right there with you.
I've never swum one in my life,so the first 100 of the 400 I
am is scary enough for me.
So in speaking of this newworld record on a relay I
noticed you moved from you usedto be with was it Snake River?
Snake River, lmsc, but Sawtooth.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Masters here in Boise .
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Okay, and what prompted the move to the
Southern Pacific, lmsc andRedbird?
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Well, so for us here in Boise for Sawtooth Masters,
it's been on and off over theyears in terms of having a team
or having a workout to go, andeven being part of a team, I
usually train by myself, usuallywith a training partner, John
Rubaki.
He's awesome.
He just shows up whenever Iwant and will work as hard as he
(16:42):
possibly can.
So last year, when I startedracing again, jelena Kinovac and
Arlette God just reached out tome and said hey, would you like
to be part of our team?
And that was just the reallybest thing to be invited to be
part of a team of several womenalmost 60 or in their 60s.
And then, of course, theyinvited my fiance, who's the
(17:02):
only male non-swimmer, but he'sdoing a great job.
We don't train together.
They're all sprinters and do alot of dry land training, so I
don't think we could actuallyprobably swim together in terms
of workouts, but for a swim meetand the mental and social
support we give each other, I'mvery grateful to be a part of
that.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yes, I mean, it happens everywhere, all over the
country.
We're on a team in Florida andwe have people from all over the
nation that you know.
I see them alone at a meet andthey're swimming by themselves.
I'm like, hey, you want to joinour team, and they do, you know
.
So I think it is nice.
It's one of the beauties ofmaster swimming that you can,
you know, swim with other people, that you just kind of have
(17:43):
something in common with, orclick, or something that adds to
your master's experience.
Because that's what we alwayssay masters is about the
community, and if you'reswimming alone, then find a
group to swim with.
That's what I say.
So if, um, you are now retiring, I'm terrified, ellen, of what.
(18:04):
What the future swimming Ellenlooks like if you've been doing
this level of swimming with aincredibly demanding job.
What is the future of EllenReynolds and your training
program and your goals look likeafter you retire?
What is your retired life goingto look like?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
I thought you were going to say you're more
terrified of what I'm going todo in retirement in general,
because that's where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Well, then go there, go wherever you want, but I know
I know a lot of people.
When we, when we retire or slowdown, then you kind of focus on
swimming and you'll see thatyou'll see some woman who's 63,
who you've never seen, and shepops up in our age group and
then she's like doing incredibleand you're like where have you
been for the last 20 years?
So you know, you've been in thesport, you know, so share with
(18:50):
us just whatever, wherever yourterrified mind goes.
I'm just terrified.
To end, you know those records.
You did break my 1500 metershort course record.
So more power to you.
I'm inspired by people who arejust doing amazing things and
it's okay, if you know peoplebreak their records.
But I'm teasing, yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Well, it's a good question.
I don't know so much about theswimming.
I do have a few more things.
I like to swim short coursemeters, short course yards
because my birthday's in thesummer, so I don't really get
the yards in there until you ageup.
I was just really fortunatethat worlds were in February,
even though I was technicallyquote 59, but for that even
though I was technically quote59, but for that I was in the 60
to 64 age group I'm just reallyexcited about life, to live
(19:34):
life outside of the hospital.
I have a fiance.
I want to go see my kids Like Isaid, my mom's going to be 90
in a couple of weeks, so tospend time with her.
To travel, so I'll keepswimming, I think it will come
and go.
Travel, so I'll keep swimming,I think it will come and go.
The intense focus I just don'tthink I want to do that all the
time.
You get tired of being twohours in the pool every day and
(19:57):
resting and trying to do dryland, so I don't really know.
I have worked so much that Idon't think I've really been
able to sit and think about whatelse will interest me after
work.
I get kind of in the routine.
Now, in the sense, I think it'salmost easier when you have
this very set schedule, likeI've had over the years.
(20:18):
So I'm just going to have totake a deep breath and keep an
open mind and I will always swimin.
Whether I compete always acrazy level just remains to be
seen.
Just, you know, life can changeand we'll just wait and see.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Maria and I have had severalrequests from women that are,
you know, in the 50 plus masterscategory, because we've
interviewed elite cyclists andelite runners, elite triathletes
, and you would be the idealperson with your medical
background.
So we women that are goingeither into menopause, through
(20:58):
menopause, we have the option,as women, to take hormone
replacement therapy,bioidentical hormone replacement
therapy.
I started taking bioidenticalhormone replacement therapy at
54 and I took it actually 53,because that's about when I went
(21:19):
through menopause and I took it.
It was progesterone, estrogen,testosterone.
I took it for two straightyears and I really felt like I
slept better, I felt like Iwasn't gaining, I didn't have
the little menopause belly, Iwas swimming really strong, I
felt great.
And then I got breast cancerseven years ago.
(21:41):
So I did it for two years andthen, of course, when found out
that I had breast cancer, I went.
I went off of it and I haven'tbeen taking it.
But I know I talked to tons ofwomen in sports that are like do
you think that this enhances us?
And then I've heard, you know,rumors of all kinds of different
performers that are ahead of us, maybe five or 10 years ahead
(22:04):
of us, I'm not going to name anynames because it's totally
legal and you know this ismaster swimming.
It's not a huge deal.
But, as a doctor, do you feellike that this is an enhancement
and is it something that, if wewant to get better, that we
could consider, or what are yourthoughts around this topic?
Well, I'm so glad you asked.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
I always thought that if I were a celebrity and you
know how a celebrity would picka cause mine would be menopause,
because no one talks about it.
I don't think it still seemslike a hush hush just even
mentioning you have a period orlack of periods.
So it is something that I thinkshould be explored.
I am not an expert on it.
(22:48):
I don't want to take it asradical advice, especially since
I take care of kids, but fromreading and looking at the
studies that have been done, Idon't think it's well studied
medically in terms of good.
There are older studies outthere that was like oh it's bad,
you shouldn't do it, blah, blah, blah.
So I started exploring it whenI was about 52.
(23:09):
I'm very fortunate to have sortof a nurse practitioner in town
in my area that has kept upwith menopause.
I do take hormone replacementtherapy.
I don't take it, I would say,for elite swimming purposes.
I take it because I hadhorrible migraines when I
(23:30):
stopped having any meaningfulhormones in my body.
I would get very anxious andjust extremely irritable, with
mood swings.
I felt like I had a brain fogand I couldn't think well at
work, which really bothered me,and you know I'm worried about
my bone health.
(23:50):
I'm very fortunate that I don'thave a history of breast cancer
or blood clots or othercontraindications to using it in
my family.
So, yes, I think if it'sreasonable for a person to do it
in terms of their healthbackground and in discussion
with their own doctors, if theycan find that I know not
everybody can, because there'sstill, I think, a feeling out
(24:13):
there that you go to yourgynecologist and they're just
like oh well, here's someestrogen, progesterone and they
don't check your blood work andkeep the levels steady at a
certain appropriate range.
So it probably does keep ourmuscle tone better.
I know it keeps our mentalstrength better.
I don't think anybody's reallystudied physically we are
(24:34):
stronger and faster in terms ofhormone replacement therapy, but
I do think in terms of ourlongevity, I think there's some
links to potentially lessdementia as we age.
That's the reason I thinkpeople should look into taking
it.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Oh, I am so glad to hear you say that because again,
before we started recording, wewere talking about all the
doctors that are in our family,maria and my.
You know she's married to adoctor.
There are so many reasons thatwomen should look into it that
have nothing to do withperformance.
That, just like you said, bonehealth.
You know I have a little IrishEnglish background and I'm
already osteoporotic, if I'msaying that word right, and it's
(25:12):
terrible.
I mean you think about that,and my mom died of Alzheimer's
and so I do wish that I couldreally replace the estrogen and
progesterone and testosteronethat I don't have, but, being a
breast cancer survivor, theywon't let me do it.
But I do feel like that forgeneral health, we do need to
have these conversations andtalk about them, and I'm glad to
(25:36):
hear from your perspective thatyou've looked into it and your
training.
Has this helped your sleep andjust your overall general
well-being?
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Yes, because that was part of it too is just this
terrible fatigue I've had for along time.
And I mean the other part is Iactually do have sleep apnea.
So I've been working with thattoo, believe it or not, because
I'm not a heavy person orsomeone you'd think classically
would have it.
But estrogen for sure helpsjust your general overall
well-being, that you just enjoylife more, you're more joyful,
(26:08):
you want to see what every dayis going to bring and then to
work with the sleep part of it,I think is extremely important.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yeah, I love that.
So, Ellen, one of the questionswe love to ask our guest is
what has been your biggestobstacle in your life that you
have overcome?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Oh, that's a good question.
I think I've had a prettyfortunate life.
There hasn't been much thathard work couldn't overcome and
get me where I wanted to be.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Have you had any injuries or any illnesses or
anything during all this hardwork that you put in?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
I have.
I've had to have actually botheyes for cataract surgery Not
that anybody want to hear thatas a surgeon, but I do see very
well.
I have really bad asthmaexercise-induced asthma that
I've gotten over.
And then for me it's been twoyears ago.
I had major abdominal surgerythat I had to recover from but
(27:09):
had very good kind of a cancerscare but fortunately was not so
.
I think honestly, sometimes thebiggest things I've had to
overcome are just my own brain.
I tend to be shy and quiet andnot put myself out there and I
think obstacles in terms ofbeing a female in a male world
(27:29):
and growing confidence andself-esteem over the years I
think is probably my biggestobstacle, which isn't really
fair because that's allself-inflicted, but very
grateful for my life.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
So Ellen Maria and I, we're going to like joyfully
poke fun at you because you aresuch a champion that we always
say, when we you know, we'veinterviewed a lot of Olympians
and a lot of super successfulathletes and coaches and they
never realize what theirobstacles are.
Like they don't see, like theysay, oh no, I've just had a
perfect life.
And then that's why I drilleddown like, oh well, have you
(28:05):
ever had any surgeries?
Have you ever had anysicknesses?
If it, and there you are, youhave abdominal surgery, you've
had cataract surgery, but youjust breeze through them and you
don't look at them as anobstacle.
And I love for our listeners tohear that, to just know that,
yeah, this is how a championthinks.
They just they work hard andthey, they don't see these
(28:25):
things as huge obstacles.
So I love that.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Me too.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
So, maria, if you want to ask about, yeah, just
like I read that your mom'sstill around and she's part of
your retirement plan, apparentlytaking care of her a really
great close relationship with mymom and she'll be 89 soon and
we still mourn my father.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
I don't know if people remember him at the pool
at all.
It was really special.
This meet in Mission Viejo wasfive years ago, was the same
nationals in Mission Viejo andthat's the last swim meet that
my dad made it to.
He was on oxygen for a long,long time and passed away from
his long-term illness.
But my mom everyone aspires, Ithink, sometimes to be daughters
, to be like their mothers.
(29:12):
She lives independently whereshe and my dad lived about 10
minutes from where I live.
They lived here in Boise about20 years, partly so I could help
take care of my father with hismedical needs, and she went by
herself on a Vikings cruisetwice this last year.
Once was from Venice toIstanbul and the other one was
(29:36):
from Fort Lauderdale through thePanama Canal.
So my mother is still goingstrong and really the only quote
here we give her is if sheneeds the toilet fixed or the
light bulb changed.
So and a lot of company.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
But yeah, she's a pretty tough lady.
Wow, it sounds like you gotsome good, good genes there.
So before we ask the lastquestion, ellen, is there anyone
within the master's communitythat has particularly been an
inspiration to you, or a mentoror some?
You know somebody out there inthe the Masters community that
has particularly been aninspiration to you, or a mentor
or somebody out there in theMasters community that this
inspired you?
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Well, I think anyone that we see over 90 that's doing
the 100 fly or the 400 IM istruly amazing.
So I would say all of the olderswimmers.
I very much appreciate thoseswimmers whose records I've been
breaking, because that alwaysjust gives you the motivation.
I'm so competitive that if youput something like that in front
(30:30):
of me I'll try to go get it.
So I don't really want to namenames, but I think it's the
whole Masters community.
That is just amazing, yeahabsolutely All right.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
The last question that we always ask before we
play a fun sprinter round.
So we're not going to let yougo until we find out some fun,
little fun facts on you.
But is there anything that wehave not asked you that you
would like to share with ourlisteners?
It can be anything.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
I know I've said it several times, but I'm grateful
for my family and my mom and mydad.
I'm just a very fortunateperson who's worked hard.
I think maybe the only thingnow that I think about it, that
I had made little notes ofthoughts I wanted to share was
just my overall motto, and ifyou ask both of my kids what
(31:20):
would mom say to do, it would beto just work as hard as
possible as you can on whateverit is you want to do.
It didn't matter for them whatit is they were actually doing.
It didn't matter the outcome ofwhat finally happened.
But if they could look at meand say, mom, I worked as hard
as I possibly could, then that'sall I ever expected of them.
(31:41):
Love that, so, so great.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
All right, are you ready to answer some fun?
These are generally one wordanswers, just kind of like a
quick round.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
It's like a sprint.
I don't know.
I might have to think Take yourmark.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Favorite sandwich Tuna.
Oh, I love it.
What do you own that you shouldthrow out A lot of old bathing
suits.
Scariest animal to you A spider.
Okay.
What celebrity would you mostlike to meet?
Katie Ledecky.
What is the hardest swimmingevent in the pool?
(32:18):
400 IM.
The last favorite movie youwatched.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Favorite movie I watched.
I don't have time to watch alot of movies.
There you go.
That's about time.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
It's called About Time.
Oh, About Time, Okay, Maria goahead.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Favorite smell Lavender.
Do you make your bed everymorning?
No, but my fiance does.
That sounds like a keeper.
Kickboard or no kickboard, nokickboard.
If you had to listen to onesong for the rest of your life,
what would it be?
Speaker 4 (32:50):
oh, and I don't know the name because I'm not very
good at that either, but it'sthe song that says it doesn't
matter if we're right or we'rewrong.
You know, I want to be with youtonight.
It's a love song.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I know it came to me and then it went, I'm sorry.
Okay, window or aisle Window,describe your life in five words
Busy.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
Exciting, adventurous , enjoyable and fun.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Okay, Last one.
What word comes to mind whenyou dive in the water?
Just how lovely cool anddelightful.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
The water feels.
Yeah, yeah, yes.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Then you get the spiritual, the spiritual meaning
there.
Oh, Ellen, this has been sowonderful to spend this time
with you and just keep pushingthe limits and inspiring us.
It really is just fun to watchyou and you're really setting
the bar in doing things thatpeople should know.
That can be done with all thethings that you're doing.
(33:48):
So congratulations and thankyou so much for being with us
today.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
Yes, thank you so much for inviting me.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Stay tuned for the takeaways.
Want to succeed like a championa champion, Five-time Olympic
coach Bob Bowman, coach ofOlympic legend Michael Phelps,
says Kelly's book Take your MarkLead is a powerful addition to
your personal improvementlibrary, and learners from all
walks of life will gain keyinsights and enjoy this
inspiring book.
(34:16):
Take your Mark Lead debuted asan Amazon number one bestseller
in five categories and isavailable online.
And now the takeaways.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
All right, maria, we're back to takeaways.
We love it.
Ellen Reynolds amazing Again.
All the things she's done arejust so inspirational.
What was your first takeaway?
Speaker 3 (34:51):
every day but she gets in the water every day and
I think you know she said thatshe did that in part because it
helped her neck and her back.
But just I think the habit,just stacking, building, just
every you know six days in thewater, I think that's a great
lesson for all of us Not hardevery day, but just going to the
doing the thing that you do.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Yes, I love that.
We hear that from a lot of ourchampions consistency.
My first takeaway and we'regoing to do two each is that you
know it's really never too late.
So for our listeners out there,it doesn't matter what age you
are.
Ellen did not start reallyswimming until she was in her
40s.
She said she had a 20-yearhiatus and she kind of walked
(35:27):
and did a little gym work butnot any swimming.
And so to start in her 40s andreally kind of get cranked up,
about 10 years later she startedsetting a bunch of records in
her 50s.
That is so inspirational.
Yeah it's just never too late.
So, whatever age you are, andeven if you're in your 60s or
your 70s, there's always agegroups above you that you can
(35:49):
improve in.
I love that.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yes, that's great.
My second takeaway is that shesaid there's no obstacle that
hard work won't overcome.
I mean, that's one of my greattruths too, and you know, I mean
, when we asked her aboutobstacles, she was like you know
, I can't think of any, whichalways makes us laugh, because
really successful people don'tthink about their obstacles,
(36:10):
they don't dwell on the hardthings, they just work and get
through them.
But once we Kelly, you drilleddown and there's nothing, and
she's like well, I did have thatmajor abdominal surgery and my
dad was sick for five years andon oxygen, and just kind of the
things that a lot of us wouldconsider obstacles she didn't
think about.
And so I love that.
I guess the lack of focus onthe heart, on things that most
(36:35):
of us would consider obstacles,and just having that attitude
that I can get through this withheartburn.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Yes, yeah, we love that.
And again, champions seem tojust say, okay, I'm just going
to get through this.
They don't tattoo it onthemselves, so I do love that.
So again, lots in there thatyou can get as takeaways.
My second, and to wrap this up,ellen is looking after her
total well-being and I love that.
(37:01):
We talk about the M word,menopause, and what happens to
women, and I know men listen tothis podcast, obviously, but
you're either a woman that'sgoing to go through menopause,
is going through menopause, ormen you're going to be with a
woman that's going throughmenopause, or you know somebody
a mom, a sister, a wife that wehave to start addressing these
(37:23):
things that happen to us inmenopause and whether that's
migraines or bone loss ordementia or cardiovascular
health, and we do have theoption, as women, to use
bioidentical hormone replacementtherapy.
There are all kinds of that, andeven as a breast cancer
survivor, I have used it myself.
And there are things that weshould be talking with our GYNs
(37:45):
about and that when you takecare of your overall health,
then you can perform at yourbest and so Because you can
forget, because you're notfalling down, you can sleep, you
don't have a migraine.
You don't have brain fog, so mytakeaway is that I hope that
people will hear that there'snothing wrong with looking into
(38:05):
that option for making us haveoverall well-being, especially
if we want to perform at thehighest level and if you don't
have a doctor who's willing towork with you on that.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Find one.
Find one.
It's really important.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Yeah, in fact there is the menopausesocietyorg.
You can find a GYN who'strained in menopause, because
the stat is that when GYNs gothrough medical training they
get five minutes on menopause.
You know, this is a groupthat's more focused on it, so
anyway, Maria, another greatinterview in the books.
Thanks for being with me, loveyou.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Thanks.
It's great to be back back inthe saddle, kelly.
I loved it, bye, bye.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
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.
Welcome to the award-winning Champions Mojo
hosted by two worldrecord-holding athletes.
Be inspired as you listen toconversations with champions and
now your hosts, kelly Pallasand Maria Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello friends, welcome to the Champions Mojo
podcast and, as usual, I amco-hosting with Maria Parker.
Hey Maria, hey Kelly, it'sgreat to being with Maria Parker
.
Hey Maria hey.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Kelly, it's great to be here with you.
I've missed you.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yes, you know what I said, as usual.
But we've had kind of a breakthis past summer, and so we're
cranking back up for the fall,like everybody going back to
school or back to the fall, andso we are so excited for our
guest today.
We're kicking off this fallseason with Ellen Reynolds, who
(00:47):
is arguably one of the all-timebest master swimmers in the
world in the last severaldecades.
But just alone, we can't goback 30 years and say everything
that Ellen's done, or else we'dbe here all day.
But just in 2024, just thisyear alone, ellen has set 20
national and or world recordsand she is coming off freshly.
(01:10):
Last week, the US Masters LongCourse National Swimming
Championships in Mission Viejo,california, where she went five
for five golds and four for fiveworld records.
So we're super excited to talkwith her.
But not only is Ellen amazingin the pool, she's just coming
off a career that is trulyamazing on itself.
(01:33):
Maria, can you tell us a littlebit about that?
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Ellen's an accomplished pediatric surgeon
for 25 years In fact.
I think September 1st is goingto be her last day.
She's retiring very soon andshe's consulted for the American
Board of Surgery.
She served as the governor ofthe American Pediatric Surgical
Association and the surgeondirector of the National Board
of Certification andRecertification for Nurse
(01:58):
Anesthetist.
In 2023, she published anarticle in the Journal of
Pediatric Surgery titledPediatric Surgery from the Roads
Less Traveled ChallengesCommunication and Collaboration
from a Community Non-TeachingHospital.
She's also invented a device,an elevation hook, that's placed
underneath the sternum andraises it before placing in
(02:19):
stabilizing bars for patientswho have what's called sunken
chest or pectus excavatum.
That's really cool.
She's obviously had an amazingcareer outside the pool, so
let's meet her.
Welcome Ellen.
Welcome to Champions Mojo.
Welcome Ellen, thank you.
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Before we move off of pectus excavatum, we have to
say that is the condition CodyMiller has.
Correct, correct.
Yeah, that's just so cool thatwe've had Cody on the show and
that you have been out therehelping people with that
condition.
So, ellen, I am familiar withyou very much because we're in
the same age group, but for ourlisteners that are not, it looks
(02:58):
like you started masterswimming in your 40s, which
could be considered a littlelate for how successful you've
become.
So tell us your swimminghistory and you can take it all
the way back to swim lessons ifyou want.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Well, that's the fun part.
So I grew up in California andmy parents put me in some
lessons at age three and, trueto my stubborn nature, I refused
to get in the water.
And then when I finally did, Iapparently just started swimming
freestyle and I won my firstribbon when I was four and I
swam summer league and all theway through high school.
(03:34):
I played water polo in highschool too, and then when I went
to college I couldn't quitefigure out how to swim and be
sociable and study, so I didn'tswim collegiate.
I didn't really swim much pastthat, other than if there was a
pool or some time to just goswimming for fun I would.
So by the time I got to be 40,after spending my 20s and 30s
(03:56):
focusing on my career and myfamily, I was not in very good
shape and I really think it hastaken me these 10 to 20 years to
good shape and I really thinkit has taken me these 10 to 20
years to get to where I am now.
So that's kind of in a briefnutshell, but it has just taken
consistency over the last 20years of work to get the
strength that I have now.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
You know we love to hear about the specifics of
training, like before we startedrecording.
I told you this morning, youknow, I did a set of eight 50s
on four minutes, which is, youknow, it's not a typical workout
somebody might do, but itdefinitely creates the speed
which you need for endurance.
So when you started back duringthe 20 years off that you had,
(04:36):
did you walk, did you run?
Were you keeping in decentcardiovascular shape?
And then, when you got back tothe pool, what has been the
evolution of your workouts over,you know, the 20 years of your
training?
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm always active, I like to exercise, I feel like my
body needs it, it's a way toget rid of stress from work.
So that was mostly just walkingor even elliptical at the gym,
sometimes some bicycling.
I would never run Okay, runningwas never included.
So I really still wasn't ingreat shape.
(05:10):
Around 40s.
I probably started out withabout 3,000, 4,000 yards, just
getting my strokes back, gettingmy strength back.
I did have a personal trainerfor a while just to regain some
muscle strength, have a personaltrainer for a while just to
regain some muscle strength.
And then I'm sure a lot ofpeople know my mom was my coach
for till about five years agoand we would just read a lot
(05:33):
about what kind of sets peopledid and ways to regain strength.
And I worked with my nutrition.
My sleep has never been greatbecause I'm on call quite a bit,
so that was the tough part torecover.
But some of our favorite sets.
Then my focus was more onbackstroke.
So we would do things like four400 IMs where the first one is
(05:55):
split after the 50 fly and thenin the middle of the back and
the breast and the free, andthen we would take away each one
of those until you did a full400 IM or we would do five sets
of five, 50s of backstroke,keeping each 50 the same with
whatever you started out with,and then these last.
(06:15):
There was kind of a big changeabout five years ago.
Of course, at the pandemic timewhen I turned 55, I was really
lucky.
I got to be 55 for about sixmonths before everything shut
down and then I didn't race andwe didn't have much access to a
pool for a year or so and myfather has been very sick for a
(06:35):
long time and he passed away andmy mother's almost 90 now and
doesn't coach me.
So these last two years I'vehad a good friend, kristen Hill,
who's the former coach at BSU,riding knee workouts, and so
it's changed.
My workouts it's been morebased on my legs, on my kick,
and we do something fast everyworkout, whether it's a fast set
(07:00):
or a pace work or a very shortfast 50.
And so that's been fun.
I think that's really added inthe last couple of years to
where I am now.
I hadn't had that before.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Yes, personally, as a coach myself for many years, I
feel like most master swimmersjust don't do enough speed work
that they kind of just get inthere and grind.
And you know, the lore of EllenReynolds is just, it's always
been oh, ellen swims six days aweek, 5,000.
And when I heard that I'm like,yeah, that's just not cutting
it for me, that's, you know,that's actually kind of
(07:34):
antithetical.
I mean, I know that you can doit, but to hear that you're
really focusing on speed,focusing on pace, focusing on
IMs, focusing on backstroke, itmakes a difference.
Because if maybe I'm just beinga distance swimmer, I kind of
just imagined you face downgrinding out 5,000 with no, you
know no pace or no particulargoal in mind, which you know
(07:55):
that would never translate tothe things that you're doing so
fantastically on all that stuff.
What as far as strengthtraining?
Because you seem you know verystrong?
Are you doing any dry land?
Or you know weights, or whatwould you describe there?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Yeah, I'll describe that.
I just want to go back to, yeah, this myth of you know 5,000.
Yes, yeah, first six days,because I've thought about that
and really I swim pretty muchevery day and I think in the
past 20 years up until theselast two years where I have cut
back to part time, the reason Iswim every day is because my
(08:32):
work schedule is sounpredictable, and so the days I
knew I could get a hard workoutin, I would get a hard workout
in and sometimes even then Iwould be interrupted.
But the days either I was oncall or I was going to do a big
surgery that day, I would justswim easy.
I might still swim four or5,000, but it wasn't very hard
and so it was so unpredictable.
(08:53):
I just took the day I could,even if I didn't feel well that
day, to swim as hard as I couldto get the workouts in.
Fortunately, the last year and ahalf it's much more consistent,
so I can plan like I can workhard these three days.
And then you know, everyThursday is my operating day, so
I'm going to just do an easyswim in the morning to stretch
my back and stretch my neck, soI feel good standing all day.
(09:16):
So I do really swim every day,but it's not, you know, grinding
out 5,000.
It's whatever my body could dothat day and, and you know,
whatever I needed for my surgeryor my work, my work life.
You know, there's only so muchenergy in the pie and sometimes
the swimming got it and a lot oftimes work got it.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Thanks for that clarification.
Yeah, but with the dry land.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
You know, interestingly enough I don't
lift heavy weights, I just don'thave that kind of muscle
strength.
And I do do a trainer aboutaverage once a week, sometimes
twice a week, sometimes onceevery two weeks, but it takes me
about two days to recover afterI do sort of a hard 45 minute
to hour.
I would say you know a lot ofcore work For me, extra leg work
(10:04):
, a little bit of like jumping,which I can barely get my toes
off the ground because I'm not asprinter.
But it's hard for me to do morethan that.
I'd rather swim and I feel likeI do better swimming, more than
I do the dryland stuff.
But it definitely helps me.
It's just it's hard.
I'm just not a heavyweightlifter.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
And when you say you do a trainer bout, what does
that mean?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Oh, so there is a fitness place here where there's
a couple of good people thatseem to understand swimming
mechanics, and so I have atrainer there who works with me.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Okay, and nutrition wise, what do you focus on there
?
Okay.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Well, I try to stay hydrated.
I must admit I really likeFrench fries and ice cream.
I do try to get two or threeservings of fruits and
vegetables a day.
I've definitely tried to getenough protein.
That has really helped thislast year.
Working on the protein, sureyou don't get dinner or you're
(11:06):
working all day, so I just dothe best I can.
I'm really not the best.
I'm sure that could improve.
There's always so many thingsthat could improve and nutrition
is definitely one of them.
I do think for me, like a twohour workout, I drink a mixture
of Gatorade and a whey proteinpowder and that really helps.
(11:26):
Like I can't just go through atwo-hour workout without having
any calories.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, You're retiring this September.
Right, I am Okay.
So up to this point you've hada limited schedule, like you
just said, and you swim when youcan.
Is there certain days that youdo focus on speed, like on
Tuesdays or Fridays or something?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I would say probably once a week, yeah, towards the
end of the week, on Fridays.
It's more of a quote speed day.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Okay, cool.
And then mental training.
Do you do visualization?
Do you do goal setting?
I mean, how do you, when youset out to, or do you set out
like what?
What are your goals when you gointo a new age group?
I know a lot of us masterswimmers like, yay, we can't
wait to age up.
And then you know, we set goals.
What are your goals for the 60to 64?
(12:21):
How do you set them and how doyou put those mentally in place,
in place?
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Yeah, I am a very goal-oriented person.
I think that's just me.
And yes, I'm very satisfied.
I mean I've had an amazing year, far better than I expected.
My main goal this year was togo to the World Championships
and be five for five golds andworld records, which I didn't do
, and I think there's no suchthing as perfection, but in my
(12:46):
mind that was just so satisfyingI could have stopped there.
I've tried to really work onbeing just very positive and in
the moment I do think a lot ofmy mental strength comes from my
work as being a pediatricsurgeon.
I think there's a lot of justdetermination and consistency
and very detail-oriented from mywork.
(13:08):
That I apply to my swimming.
No parent wants me to come outfrom an operation and say, oh I
got tired, I can't do it, I'mdone, sort of thing.
And so I just apply that toswimming.
That I always try to work ashard as I possibly can.
Sure, there's days I can't whenI'm just really tired, and I've
learned to give myself a breakon those days, because you can't
(13:30):
do that at work.
And as I look back on my career, you know, naturally, of course
I probably only had a littlebit of that.
But I think after 25 years ofconstantly doing that every day
at work, it really sticks inyour brain and that's what I
bring to the pool.
They've just been socomplimentary my surgery and my
(13:51):
swimming.
You know, my swimming gives mea physical strength to stand and
be strong while I'm working,and then my working is just
giving me a lot of mentalstrength.
So I'm very grateful to haveboth.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yes, absolutely.
Is there something in masterswimming that you have not
accomplished, that you wouldlike to accomplish?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
No, we got to have our first relay world record
this last weekend and that waswonderful to be part of that
group.
No, if I had to stop swimmingtomorrow, other than not
swimming, I think I would begood.
And you know, the pandemictaught me that too, because we
couldn't race for a while.
And at first, when I back tothe pool, I thought, well,
should I swim if I can't race,if I can't see what I can do?
(14:33):
And then after a few months, Iwas just grateful to actually
swim and be in the water.
That I realized, even if Icouldn't race, just swimming is
just lovely.
Oh, of course, of course.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
So, in looking at your records, you literally hold
the world record in the 50 back, which obviously is the
shortest sprint that we can doin Masters, and I don't know if
you've set it yet, but I knowyou've set the national record
in the 1500, which is thelongest race we can do in
Masters swimming.
Is there any event that you donot swim?
(15:08):
Well, because you swim, you getall the freestyle records, the
backstroke records, thebreaststroke records, the IM
records.
I know you swim the 100 fly andI guess the roundabout is do
you not swim the 200 fly or areyou going to do that?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
I don't think I'll do the 200 fly.
I'm maybe short course, but flyhas kind of been my last thing
to really work on.
Last year I really worked onthat breaststroke to improve
that.
I highly doubt I would ever seta record in the 50 breaststroke
book, because I think that'swhere true technique comes in.
That I don't have.
I pretend to be a breaststrokerfor the longer distance.
(15:46):
I think the only reason for the200 breaststroke is I can hold
the same split every 50, but Ican't go any faster.
So yes, probably not ever that200 fly.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah, I'm right there with you.
I've never swum one in my life,so the first 100 of the 400 I
am is scary enough for me.
So in speaking of this newworld record on a relay I
noticed you moved from you usedto be with was it Snake River?
Snake River, lmsc, but Sawtooth.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Masters here in Boise .
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Okay, and what prompted the move to the
Southern Pacific, lmsc andRedbird?
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Well, so for us here in Boise for Sawtooth Masters,
it's been on and off over theyears in terms of having a team
or having a workout to go, andeven being part of a team, I
usually train by myself, usuallywith a training partner, John
Rubaki.
He's awesome.
He just shows up whenever Iwant and will work as hard as he
(16:42):
possibly can.
So last year, when I startedracing again, jelena Kinovac and
Arlette God just reached out tome and said hey, would you like
to be part of our team?
And that was just the reallybest thing to be invited to be
part of a team of several womenalmost 60 or in their 60s.
And then, of course, theyinvited my fiance, who's the
(17:02):
only male non-swimmer, but he'sdoing a great job.
We don't train together.
They're all sprinters and do alot of dry land training, so I
don't think we could actuallyprobably swim together in terms
of workouts, but for a swim meetand the mental and social
support we give each other, I'mvery grateful to be a part of
that.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yes, I mean, it happens everywhere, all over the
country.
We're on a team in Florida andwe have people from all over the
nation that you know.
I see them alone at a meet andthey're swimming by themselves.
I'm like, hey, you want to joinour team, and they do, you know
.
So I think it is nice.
It's one of the beauties ofmaster swimming that you can,
you know, swim with other people, that you just kind of have
(17:43):
something in common with, orclick, or something that adds to
your master's experience.
Because that's what we alwayssay masters is about the
community, and if you'reswimming alone, then find a
group to swim with.
That's what I say.
So if, um, you are now retiring, I'm terrified, ellen, of what.
(18:04):
What the future swimming Ellenlooks like if you've been doing
this level of swimming with aincredibly demanding job.
What is the future of EllenReynolds and your training
program and your goals look likeafter you retire?
What is your retired life goingto look like?
Speaker 4 (18:24):
I thought you were going to say you're more
terrified of what I'm going todo in retirement in general,
because that's where I'm at.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Well, then go there, go wherever you want, but I know
I know a lot of people.
When we, when we retire or slowdown, then you kind of focus on
swimming and you'll see thatyou'll see some woman who's 63,
who you've never seen, and shepops up in our age group and
then she's like doing incredibleand you're like where have you
been for the last 20 years?
So you know, you've been in thesport, you know, so share with
(18:50):
us just whatever, wherever yourterrified mind goes.
I'm just terrified.
To end, you know those records.
You did break my 1500 metershort course record.
So more power to you.
I'm inspired by people who arejust doing amazing things and
it's okay, if you know peoplebreak their records.
But I'm teasing, yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Well, it's a good question.
I don't know so much about theswimming.
I do have a few more things.
I like to swim short coursemeters, short course yards
because my birthday's in thesummer, so I don't really get
the yards in there until you ageup.
I was just really fortunatethat worlds were in February,
even though I was technicallyquote 59, but for that even
though I was technically quote59, but for that I was in the 60
to 64 age group I'm just reallyexcited about life, to live
(19:34):
life outside of the hospital.
I have a fiance.
I want to go see my kids Like Isaid, my mom's going to be 90
in a couple of weeks, so tospend time with her.
To travel, so I'll keepswimming, I think it will come
and go.
Travel, so I'll keep swimming,I think it will come and go.
The intense focus I just don'tthink I want to do that all the
time.
You get tired of being twohours in the pool every day and
(19:57):
resting and trying to do dryland, so I don't really know.
I have worked so much that Idon't think I've really been
able to sit and think about whatelse will interest me after
work.
I get kind of in the routine.
Now, in the sense, I think it'salmost easier when you have
this very set schedule, likeI've had over the years.
(20:18):
So I'm just going to have totake a deep breath and keep an
open mind and I will always swimin.
Whether I compete always acrazy level just remains to be
seen.
Just, you know, life can changeand we'll just wait and see.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Maria and I have had severalrequests from women that are,
you know, in the 50 plus masterscategory, because we've
interviewed elite cyclists andelite runners, elite triathletes
, and you would be the idealperson with your medical
background.
So we women that are goingeither into menopause, through
(20:58):
menopause, we have the option,as women, to take hormone
replacement therapy,bioidentical hormone replacement
therapy.
I started taking bioidenticalhormone replacement therapy at
54 and I took it actually 53,because that's about when I went
(21:19):
through menopause and I took it.
It was progesterone, estrogen,testosterone.
I took it for two straightyears and I really felt like I
slept better, I felt like Iwasn't gaining, I didn't have
the little menopause belly, Iwas swimming really strong, I
felt great.
And then I got breast cancerseven years ago.
(21:41):
So I did it for two years andthen, of course, when found out
that I had breast cancer, I went.
I went off of it and I haven'tbeen taking it.
But I know I talked to tons ofwomen in sports that are like do
you think that this enhances us?
And then I've heard, you know,rumors of all kinds of different
performers that are ahead of us, maybe five or 10 years ahead
(22:04):
of us, I'm not going to name anynames because it's totally
legal and you know this ismaster swimming.
It's not a huge deal.
But, as a doctor, do you feellike that this is an enhancement
and is it something that, if wewant to get better, that we
could consider, or what are yourthoughts around this topic?
Well, I'm so glad you asked.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
I always thought that if I were a celebrity and you
know how a celebrity would picka cause mine would be menopause,
because no one talks about it.
I don't think it still seemslike a hush hush just even
mentioning you have a period orlack of periods.
So it is something that I thinkshould be explored.
I am not an expert on it.
(22:48):
I don't want to take it asradical advice, especially since
I take care of kids, but fromreading and looking at the
studies that have been done, Idon't think it's well studied
medically in terms of good.
There are older studies outthere that was like oh it's bad,
you shouldn't do it, blah, blah, blah.
So I started exploring it whenI was about 52.
(23:09):
I'm very fortunate to have sortof a nurse practitioner in town
in my area that has kept upwith menopause.
I do take hormone replacementtherapy.
I don't take it, I would say,for elite swimming purposes.
I take it because I hadhorrible migraines when I
(23:30):
stopped having any meaningfulhormones in my body.
I would get very anxious andjust extremely irritable, with
mood swings.
I felt like I had a brain fogand I couldn't think well at
work, which really bothered me,and you know I'm worried about
my bone health.
(23:50):
I'm very fortunate that I don'thave a history of breast cancer
or blood clots or othercontraindications to using it in
my family.
So, yes, I think if it'sreasonable for a person to do it
in terms of their healthbackground and in discussion
with their own doctors, if theycan find that I know not
everybody can, because there'sstill, I think, a feeling out
(24:13):
there that you go to yourgynecologist and they're just
like oh well, here's someestrogen, progesterone and they
don't check your blood work andkeep the levels steady at a
certain appropriate range.
So it probably does keep ourmuscle tone better.
I know it keeps our mentalstrength better.
I don't think anybody's reallystudied physically we are
(24:34):
stronger and faster in terms ofhormone replacement therapy, but
I do think in terms of ourlongevity, I think there's some
links to potentially lessdementia as we age.
That's the reason I thinkpeople should look into taking
it.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Oh, I am so glad to hear you say that because again,
before we started recording, wewere talking about all the
doctors that are in our family,maria and my.
You know she's married to adoctor.
There are so many reasons thatwomen should look into it that
have nothing to do withperformance.
That, just like you said, bonehealth.
You know I have a little IrishEnglish background and I'm
already osteoporotic, if I'msaying that word right, and it's
(25:12):
terrible.
I mean you think about that,and my mom died of Alzheimer's
and so I do wish that I couldreally replace the estrogen and
progesterone and testosteronethat I don't have, but, being a
breast cancer survivor, theywon't let me do it.
But I do feel like that forgeneral health, we do need to
have these conversations andtalk about them, and I'm glad to
(25:36):
hear from your perspective thatyou've looked into it and your
training.
Has this helped your sleep andjust your overall general
well-being?
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Yes, because that was part of it too is just this
terrible fatigue I've had for along time.
And I mean the other part is Iactually do have sleep apnea.
So I've been working with thattoo, believe it or not, because
I'm not a heavy person orsomeone you'd think classically
would have it.
But estrogen for sure helpsjust your general overall
well-being, that you just enjoylife more, you're more joyful,
(26:08):
you want to see what every dayis going to bring and then to
work with the sleep part of it,I think is extremely important.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yeah, I love that.
So, Ellen, one of the questionswe love to ask our guest is
what has been your biggestobstacle in your life that you
have overcome?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Oh, that's a good question.
I think I've had a prettyfortunate life.
There hasn't been much thathard work couldn't overcome and
get me where I wanted to be.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Have you had any injuries or any illnesses or
anything during all this hardwork that you put in?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
I have.
I've had to have actually botheyes for cataract surgery Not
that anybody want to hear thatas a surgeon, but I do see very
well.
I have really bad asthmaexercise-induced asthma that
I've gotten over.
And then for me it's been twoyears ago.
I had major abdominal surgerythat I had to recover from but
(27:09):
had very good kind of a cancerscare but fortunately was not so
.
I think honestly, sometimes thebiggest things I've had to
overcome are just my own brain.
I tend to be shy and quiet andnot put myself out there and I
think obstacles in terms ofbeing a female in a male world
(27:29):
and growing confidence andself-esteem over the years I
think is probably my biggestobstacle, which isn't really
fair because that's allself-inflicted, but very
grateful for my life.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
So Ellen Maria and I, we're going to like joyfully
poke fun at you because you aresuch a champion that we always
say, when we you know, we'veinterviewed a lot of Olympians
and a lot of super successfulathletes and coaches and they
never realize what theirobstacles are.
Like they don't see, like theysay, oh no, I've just had a
perfect life.
And then that's why I drilleddown like, oh well, have you
(28:05):
ever had any surgeries?
Have you ever had anysicknesses?
If it, and there you are, youhave abdominal surgery, you've
had cataract surgery, but youjust breeze through them and you
don't look at them as anobstacle.
And I love for our listeners tohear that, to just know that,
yeah, this is how a championthinks.
They just they work hard andthey, they don't see these
(28:25):
things as huge obstacles.
So I love that.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Me too.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
So, maria, if you want to ask about, yeah, just
like I read that your mom'sstill around and she's part of
your retirement plan, apparentlytaking care of her a really
great close relationship with mymom and she'll be 89 soon and
we still mourn my father.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
I don't know if people remember him at the pool
at all.
It was really special.
This meet in Mission Viejo wasfive years ago, was the same
nationals in Mission Viejo andthat's the last swim meet that
my dad made it to.
He was on oxygen for a long,long time and passed away from
his long-term illness.
But my mom everyone aspires, Ithink, sometimes to be daughters
, to be like their mothers.
(29:12):
She lives independently whereshe and my dad lived about 10
minutes from where I live.
They lived here in Boise about20 years, partly so I could help
take care of my father with hismedical needs, and she went by
herself on a Vikings cruisetwice this last year.
Once was from Venice toIstanbul and the other one was
(29:36):
from Fort Lauderdale through thePanama Canal.
So my mother is still goingstrong and really the only quote
here we give her is if sheneeds the toilet fixed or the
light bulb changed.
So and a lot of company.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
But yeah, she's a pretty tough lady.
Wow, it sounds like you gotsome good, good genes there.
So before we ask the lastquestion, ellen, is there anyone
within the master's communitythat has particularly been an
inspiration to you, or a mentoror some?
You know somebody out there inthe the Masters community that
has particularly been aninspiration to you, or a mentor
or somebody out there in theMasters community that this
inspired you?
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Well, I think anyone that we see over 90 that's doing
the 100 fly or the 400 IM istruly amazing.
So I would say all of the olderswimmers.
I very much appreciate thoseswimmers whose records I've been
breaking, because that alwaysjust gives you the motivation.
I'm so competitive that if youput something like that in front
(30:30):
of me I'll try to go get it.
So I don't really want to namenames, but I think it's the
whole Masters community.
That is just amazing, yeahabsolutely All right.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
The last question that we always ask before we
play a fun sprinter round.
So we're not going to let yougo until we find out some fun,
little fun facts on you.
But is there anything that wehave not asked you that you
would like to share with ourlisteners?
It can be anything.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
I know I've said it several times, but I'm grateful
for my family and my mom and mydad.
I'm just a very fortunateperson who's worked hard.
I think maybe the only thingnow that I think about it, that
I had made little notes ofthoughts I wanted to share was
just my overall motto, and ifyou ask both of my kids what
(31:20):
would mom say to do, it would beto just work as hard as
possible as you can on whateverit is you want to do.
It didn't matter for them whatit is they were actually doing.
It didn't matter the outcome ofwhat finally happened.
But if they could look at meand say, mom, I worked as hard
as I possibly could, then that'sall I ever expected of them.
(31:41):
Love that, so, so great.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
All right, are you ready to answer some fun?
These are generally one wordanswers, just kind of like a
quick round.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
It's like a sprint.
I don't know.
I might have to think Take yourmark.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Favorite sandwich Tuna.
Oh, I love it.
What do you own that you shouldthrow out A lot of old bathing
suits.
Scariest animal to you A spider.
Okay.
What celebrity would you mostlike to meet?
Katie Ledecky.
What is the hardest swimmingevent in the pool?
(32:18):
400 IM.
The last favorite movie youwatched.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Favorite movie I watched.
I don't have time to watch alot of movies.
There you go.
That's about time.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
It's called About Time.
Oh, About Time, Okay, Maria goahead.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
Favorite smell Lavender.
Do you make your bed everymorning?
No, but my fiance does.
That sounds like a keeper.
Kickboard or no kickboard, nokickboard.
If you had to listen to onesong for the rest of your life,
what would it be?
Speaker 4 (32:50):
oh, and I don't know the name because I'm not very
good at that either, but it'sthe song that says it doesn't
matter if we're right or we'rewrong.
You know, I want to be with youtonight.
It's a love song.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
I know it came to me and then it went, I'm sorry.
Okay, window or aisle Window,describe your life in five words
Busy.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
Exciting, adventurous , enjoyable and fun.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Okay, Last one.
What word comes to mind whenyou dive in the water?
Just how lovely cool anddelightful.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
The water feels.
Yeah, yeah, yes.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Then you get the spiritual, the spiritual meaning
there.
Oh, Ellen, this has been sowonderful to spend this time
with you and just keep pushingthe limits and inspiring us.
It really is just fun to watchyou and you're really setting
the bar in doing things thatpeople should know.
That can be done with all thethings that you're doing.
(33:48):
So congratulations and thankyou so much for being with us
today.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
Yes, thank you so much for inviting me.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Stay tuned for the takeaways.
Want to succeed like a championa champion, Five-time Olympic
coach Bob Bowman, coach ofOlympic legend Michael Phelps,
says Kelly's book Take your MarkLead is a powerful addition to
your personal improvementlibrary, and learners from all
walks of life will gain keyinsights and enjoy this
inspiring book.
(34:16):
Take your Mark Lead debuted asan Amazon number one bestseller
in five categories and isavailable online.
And now the takeaways.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
All right, maria, we're back to takeaways.
We love it.
Ellen Reynolds amazing Again.
All the things she's done arejust so inspirational.
What was your first takeaway?
Speaker 3 (34:51):
every day but she gets in the water every day and
I think you know she said thatshe did that in part because it
helped her neck and her back.
But just I think the habit,just stacking, building, just
every you know six days in thewater, I think that's a great
lesson for all of us Not hardevery day, but just going to the
doing the thing that you do.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Yes, I love that.
We hear that from a lot of ourchampions consistency.
My first takeaway and we'regoing to do two each is that you
know it's really never too late.
So for our listeners out there,it doesn't matter what age you
are.
Ellen did not start reallyswimming until she was in her
40s.
She said she had a 20-yearhiatus and she kind of walked
(35:27):
and did a little gym work butnot any swimming.
And so to start in her 40s andreally kind of get cranked up,
about 10 years later she startedsetting a bunch of records in
her 50s.
That is so inspirational.
Yeah it's just never too late.
So, whatever age you are, andeven if you're in your 60s or
your 70s, there's always agegroups above you that you can
(35:49):
improve in.
I love that.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yes, that's great.
My second takeaway is that shesaid there's no obstacle that
hard work won't overcome.
I mean, that's one of my greattruths too, and you know, I mean
, when we asked her aboutobstacles, she was like you know
, I can't think of any, whichalways makes us laugh, because
really successful people don'tthink about their obstacles,
(36:10):
they don't dwell on the hardthings, they just work and get
through them.
But once we Kelly, you drilleddown and there's nothing, and
she's like well, I did have thatmajor abdominal surgery and my
dad was sick for five years andon oxygen, and just kind of the
things that a lot of us wouldconsider obstacles she didn't
think about.
And so I love that.
I guess the lack of focus onthe heart, on things that most
(36:35):
of us would consider obstacles,and just having that attitude
that I can get through this withheartburn.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Yes, yeah, we love that.
And again, champions seem tojust say, okay, I'm just going
to get through this.
They don't tattoo it onthemselves, so I do love that.
So again, lots in there thatyou can get as takeaways.
My second, and to wrap this up,ellen is looking after her
total well-being and I love that.
(37:01):
We talk about the M word,menopause, and what happens to
women, and I know men listen tothis podcast, obviously, but
you're either a woman that'sgoing to go through menopause,
is going through menopause, ormen you're going to be with a
woman that's going throughmenopause, or you know somebody
a mom, a sister, a wife that wehave to start addressing these
(37:23):
things that happen to us inmenopause and whether that's
migraines or bone loss ordementia or cardiovascular
health, and we do have theoption, as women, to use
bioidentical hormone replacementtherapy.
There are all kinds of that, andeven as a breast cancer
survivor, I have used it myself.
And there are things that weshould be talking with our GYNs
(37:45):
about and that when you takecare of your overall health,
then you can perform at yourbest and so Because you can
forget, because you're notfalling down, you can sleep, you
don't have a migraine.
You don't have brain fog, so mytakeaway is that I hope that
people will hear that there'snothing wrong with looking into
(38:05):
that option for making us haveoverall well-being, especially
if we want to perform at thehighest level and if you don't
have a doctor who's willing towork with you on that.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Find one.
Find one.
It's really important.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Yeah, in fact there is the menopausesocietyorg.
You can find a GYN who'strained in menopause, because
the stat is that when GYNs gothrough medical training they
get five minutes on menopause.
You know, this is a groupthat's more focused on it, so
anyway, Maria, another greatinterview in the books.
Thanks for being with me, loveyou.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Thanks.
It's great to be back back inthe saddle, kelly.
I loved it, bye, bye.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
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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