Hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is dealing with the seasonal ‘May gray’ in Los Angeles by donning her favorite warm workout gear. McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, shared pictures of herself wearing sneakers, white pants, and a warm sweatshirt, posing by a sunny window. “These LA summers got me like 🌬️❄️,” she captioned the post. “LA Polar bear,” a fan commented. McLaughlin-Levrone is preparing for the Olympics In Paris—here’s what her training routine looks like.
McLaughlin-Levrone trains and works out for hours every day. “I’ll wake up around 7:00 a.m., head to practice at about 9:30 a.m., practice for two hours, pick up some food, then head to weights where I lift for around an hour to an hour and a half,” she told PEOPLE. “Then I go to get some treatment which could be anywhere from an hour to two hours, find some dinner and then just rest and recover until I do it all again the next day.”
McLaughlin-Levrone swears by ice baths for rest and recovery. “I know a lot of people hate the cold and sitting in ice for 10 minutes does not sound appealing to anybody, but I love an ice bath,” she told Marie Claire. “After three minutes everything goes numb, so you’re golden for the next seven. It’s so good for the body and inflammation. I’m more alert and more awake after.”
McLaughlin-Levrone has good advice for young athletes. “I would just say focus on your lane. Literally and figuratively,” she told PEOPLE. “Other people are going to peak at different times. And I think even to this day in my pro career, people will run fast at different times and it can throw you off if you’re not focused on what’s ahead of you.”
McLaughlin-Levrone says she would tell her younger self that wellness is about the journey, not the destination. “It’s always changing,” she told Marie Claire. “You’re always growing and finding new things that either work for you or don’t work for you. Wellness isn’t so much a goal that can be completely attained, but rather something to always continue to strive towards. I was always thinking that once I got to a certain point, then I would be good. But, it’s a never ending growth cycle.”
McLaughlin-Levrone’s perfect day is all about rest and relaxation. “I would probably wake up and start with a cold glass of lemon water to help my body reset and detox. Then I would probably go get a facial—the whole thing,” she told Marie Claire. “Hydration, relaxation, extractions, all the good stuff. I love getting my nails done. That, to me as an athlete, is really taking care of myself. My toes and my fingernails can get really dirty, especially working out all the time. Then I would go to the beach. I would read and soak in the sun, while getting some vitamin D. Then I would come home, relax with my husband, and get some good food in me.”