Parker Valby In Workout Gear Says “It’s Official, I’m an Olympian”

Track and field star Parker Valby got through the Olympic trials and is thrilled to be heading to Paris to compete in the women’s 10,000 meters race. Valby, 21, shared pictures of the experience, including one of her wearing shorts and a blue Nike cropped jacket, blowing a kiss. “Can’t spell Paris without Parker🤌🏼🕺🏼💅🏼 (ok maybe you can without the k e r). Anyhoots it’s officially official I’m an Olympian😮 this past week has been quiteee a journey full of some of my highest highs and lowest lows.” Here’s how Valby trains and lives her best life.

1. Running 25-40 Miles a Week

Valby runs between 25-40 miles a week, depending on her training schedule. “It’s not like I’m jogging on those days [that I’m running] or that I’m cross training easily,” she told Citius. “I think people underestimate what I’m doing. When I cross-train, there are puddles of sweat on the floor...Workout days are quality miles. That’s where all the miles come in–workout days.”

2. Cross-Training All Week

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Valby does cross-training twice on Wednesdays and takes one day a week off for active recovery. “I’ll do a cross-train double on Monday,” she told Citius. “Tuesday is typically a track workout or a grass workout depending on whatever we have coming up. So that’ll be running on the ground that day. Thursday, some weeks we have workouts, some weeks we don’t depending on if we’re working out on Saturday. And then Friday will be a cross-train double. Sunday is cross-training.”

3. She’s a Graduate

Valby just graduated from the University of Florida, which is perfect timing for the Olympics. “Some graduate with honors, I’m honored to graduate 💅🏼 (all jokes guys I actually did graduate with honors). Thank you @uflorida and @gatorstf for the best 4 years 🥲 *swipe to see my mood abt leaving #gogators5ever 🤍,” she captioned an Instagram post.

4. Recovering From Injury

Valby knows what it’s like to recover from injury after fracturing her foot. The athlete was forced to try different methods of working out while her foot healed. “I learned how to cross-train for the first time and actually cross-trained really hard for three months while I was on crutches and in a boot, mostly in a pool. You’re still getting the aerobic fitness,” she told Track & Field News. “It’s just a little bit of a shock to the legs when you come back.”

5. Big Dreams

Valby still can’t believe how much her world is changing, and says she never planned on becoming an Olympian. “If you would have asked me two years ago, I wanted to be in business or an orthodontist,” she told Runner’s World. “For a while, I wanted to be a vet. I’ve been all over the place. I never once said I wanted to be an Olympic athlete.”

Track and Field star, Emma Oosterwegel, works hard towards her fitness goals and remains grateful. “Off season has started! I am proud to look back at my completed competitions, even though the year started a bit rough due to medical issues. Thanks to everyone who came all the way to France to cheer for me! And can't forget to thank my coach Ronald, my physio Luc, my doctor Petra and the best teammates @sofiedokter and @anoukvetter for all the hard work and laughter🧡 Also a big thanks to @adidasrunning @starolbv @qandaretail and @atletiekunienl for the support. I am grateful for the journey and the people around me😇 Time to recharge and on to next season,” she said on Instagram. Here’s how she stays healthy, strong, and feeling her best.

1. She lifts weights

Weight lifting is a part of her workout routine to build muscle. Seen in this video on Instagram, captioned “clean pb 🤩 #100kg,” or again here, in a series of clips of her working out and lifting in various ways captioned “Monday weights 🏋‍♀️,” she has incredible form.

2. She’s positive and supportive

Even if she has a setback, she wishes her teammates luck and remains positive. “Unfortunately I wont be able to start the @hypomeeting_goetzis this weekend. Due to a minor injury I will have to delay my first heptathlon of the season. I wish my teammates and all the contestants good luck,” she said on Instagram, disappointed, but still supportive.

3. She celebrates

She celebrates her milestones and achievements. “Second best score ever and 7th of the WORLD!!🤩 Enjoyed this heptathlon so so much 🧡 Really proud of my teammate @anoukvetter for smashing her national record and winning the silver medal! 📷: @erki67,” she said on Instagram.

4. She’s proud

She’s proud of what she can do, and is there to lift up others. “Still can't believe we actually did this🥺 I am so happy we could share these moments together. I am very proud of you, @femke_bol . On to many more adventures together🧡📷: @coopsrun,” she said on Instagram photos of her celebrating.

5. She runs

She spends time in nature, running and getting fresh air. On a beautiful video following her running, Emma said “fall run 🍂🍁,” while fitting in some cardio. According to Better Health, “regular running or jogging offers many health benefits. Running can help to build strong bones, as it is a weight bearing exercise, strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, [and] burn plenty of kilojoules.”

Professional skier and snowboarder Ester Ledecká isn’t content with being a double threat—she wants to add ice hockey to that list, too. Ledecká, 29, shared a funny video of herself wearing black joggers and a blue and white sweatshirt, pretending to play hockey while cleaning up a cow barn with a broom. “I'm still working on the farm and waiting for a call from @nhlbruins 😁,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the Olympian focuses on her many sports, and lives her best life.

1. Skiing and Snowboarding Training

Ledecká worked hard to excel at both skiing and snowboarding but admits it’s difficult. “Inside, I still feel like [I am] half snowboarder and half skier,” she told Olympics.com. “The thing is that we wanted to see what is possible for me in the overall rankings in skiing... But the problem is that when I want to try it, it's even more difficult to fit the snowboard racing schedule because it's at the same time. And if I want to compete in both, then I have to cancel some ski races, and that means that I lose a lot of points in the overall rankings.”

2. Double Threat

Ledecká can’t decide between snowboarding and skiing. "Inside, I still feel like [I am] half snowboarder and half skier," she told Olympics.com. “I can still do a triple or even a quadruple. There is still a lot of space for improvement… It depends on my feeling in that exact time of the season. And if I just feel that if I want to go snowboarding, I go snowboarding and nothing is going to stop me. And it's also the other way around!"

3. Mikaela Shiffrin Is a Fan

World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin is a big fan of Ledecká. “She’s an incredible athlete—obviously she has to be to compete in both sports so well,” Shiffrin told Powder. “I think she has a really natural feeling for speed and really great technique. Watching her ski, I wonder what everyone else is doing.”

4. Friendly Competition

Ledecká jokes about the competition between skiers and snowboarders. “As long as I’m having fun and doing it for myself, I think I’m in a good way,” she told Powder. “Sometimes, I want to stay in bed (in the morning), but as long as I’m on the hill, I feel like I’m at home.”

5. Always Improving

Ledecká is improving with every single training session. “It's not like going to the top and then back, like that one race in South Korea,” she told Olympics.com. “But when you see [all of the results], I was improving that season too. I just wasn't on that level that I would be able to reach [the podium] more than once through the season. Then the next season, I [took] a step a little [further] and then more, and more. So, I feel I'm going in [the] right direction, for sure. Even though I am now a much better skier, and I have much more experience, I still [don't have the] experience, which I would consider is enough for me to be able to win every race.”

Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner welcomed her first baby in September 2023, and is working hard to be her healthiest postpartum self. Skinner, 27, shared a video of herself doing an intense cardio workout with friends, wearing brown leggings and a white sports bra. “Don’t worry we’re actually both trying our best 😂 @mykaylaskinner2016 is killing it 3 months postpartum 😮‍💨 ,” the Instagram caption reads. Here’s how Skinner stays fit and happy.

1. Trainer Sessions

Skinner was forced to take a step back after getting COVID and recovering from a bone spur in her foot. “I was out of the gym for a little over a month in total,” she previously told ELLE. “For a gymnast, that’s a lifetime. It has definitely set me back, which sucks. But it did give me extra time for my foot to heal. Right now I’m training in the gym for five and a half hours every day, with Wednesdays and Sundays off. I also go to a trainer twice a week, and physical therapy twice a week.”

2. Gymnastics Foundation

Skinner loves trying new sports and workout routines. “I feel like gymnastics really makes you good at any sport,” she told Bustle. It will be fun to try different things and see what else that I'm good at. In Arizona, pickleball has become a trend, so I'm excited to be done with gymnastics and really get into it. I would also love to explore and go hiking.”

3. Gluten on the Weekends

Skinner avoids caffeine and gluten. "[I'm] always trying my best to stay hydrated, but it never seems good enough,” she told Delish. “I drink my 32-ounce water bottle for gym time and sometimes a bit more. Whenever I go out to eat, I drink water. So, yeah, [I don't drink] that much. But I’m getting better since water helps with recovery… I used to eat whatever I wanted. I’m now gluten-free except for the weekends.”

4. Positive Mindset

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Skinner went through periods where she felt self-doubt, something that led to her changing her overall mindset for the better. “It's hard being a high-level athlete because there are so many times you get really down on yourself,” she previously told Bustle. “For me, if I'm not perfect, after a meet I'll text my husband and say, ‘I'm going to quit. I'm done. I suck.’ But then I'm like, wait a second—if I suck I wouldn't be here. Now I have a mental trainer that I talk to in order to change that mindset.”

5. Excited For the Future

Skinner is excited for the future, and showing her daughter what her mother once did. “"I'm so excited. I hope I can be that mom — that cool mom," she told PEOPLE. "Just to be able to compete at the Olympic Games and to hit four events, do the best that I did was something that will last for me forever. It'll just be cool to be able to tell my kids one day that I went to the Olympics."