Red Gerard has spent most of his life chasing snow-covered peaks—and winning while he's at it. The Ohio-born, Colorado-raised snowboarder became an Olympic gold medalist at just the age of 17, known for his easygoing attitude and natural talent on the slopes.

Now 24, he's one of the sport's most exciting riders, splitting his time between globe-trotting competitions and off-season training back home. After coming in fourth at the 2022 Olympics, he's more determined than ever to get back on the podium. And with less than 100 days until the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, Gerard was just announced as one of the ambassadors for Ralph Lauren, the official outfitter of Team U.S.A.

He's also dating powerhouse female snowboarder Hailey Langland, who's helped him discover the benefits up upgrading his grooming routine. Despite all the early mornings and the grueling travel schedule that comes with his career, Gerard keeps things refreshingly simple when it comes to his mornings. We caught up with him in between runs to see how he starts his day.

I’m definitely a morning person.

But I'm not the 5 a.m. type. I'm usually up around 7 a.m., which feels like the right balance for me.

Sleep is incredibly important, especially for an athlete.

Most nights I'm in bed by 10 p.m., so that means I'm aiming to get at least nine, maybe 10 hours of sleep—which I know sounds like a lot, but with training and travel, it's what keeps me sharp.

I only use an alarm if I absolutely need to ...

Like I've got an early flight or training session. Otherwise, I like to wake up on my own, naturally. It just feels better, right? But when I do set one, I'm pretty good about getting up right away and I've learned not to hit snooze.

Right now, my nightstand is pretty standard.

The only thing on it is a water bottle and lip balm—which I have multiples of, everywhere—sometimes ChapStick, but it's usually Blistex.

I try to make the bed everyday.

I'd love to say 50/50, but it's probably less than that. My girlfriend, Hailey, usually beats me to it. I know I should be better about it.

The first notification I check on my phone ...

Text messages. If I've got any, those are the first thing I'll open and respond to, if it's necessary or time-sensitive.