A Firefighter Mom Returns To Racing And Wins Big, EP 311

A 20-year break doesn’t have to be the end of your swimming story. Kelly catches Christina Campfort right on deck for a high-energy chat that hits on something a lot of former swimmers quietly wonder: can you really come back and race fast again after life happens? Christina’s answer is loud and clear. She’s 44, a firefighter and driver engineer, a mom with a newborn, a former college swimmer at the University of Miami, and she recently returned to masters swimming and won four national titles at the YMCA National Championships.

We talk about the messy, honest side of being a swimmer: loving the thrill of racing while dreading practice, quitting in high school, returning for a breakthrough season, and later realizing that talent can only take you so far without consistent work. Christina shares how boxing reshaped her work ethic, and how that mindset now fuels her approach in the pool. If you’re looking for masters swimming motivation, sprint training ideas, or a realistic way to train around a demanding job, her low yardage, high intensity focus on speed, tempo, and timing will land.

Christina also opens up about life in the fire service, including years in the inner city, the transition to an airport station, and the safety discipline required on taxiways and runways. We connect the dots between athletic training and high-stakes work: staying calm, staying sharp, and showing up prepared. Then we look ahead to her next target, the Police and Fire Games and the World Police and Fire Games in Australia, where she already has her sights set on the competition.

• getting back into masters swimming after a long break and finding the right practice group
• swimming at the University of Miami, shoulder surgery, and stepping away from competition
• loving racing, hating practice, and what she would change about her younger work ethic
• building a masters training plan around shifts with low yardage, high intensity sprint work
• life as a firefighter and driver engineer, including the move to an airport station
• staying safe on taxiways and runways by assuming mistakes can happen
• using swim discipline to handle fire academy and medic school demands
• setting goals for the US Police and Fire Games and the World Police and Fire Games

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Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com