Paralympian Melissa Stockwell shares her recovery routine

Melissa Stockwell is a three-time Paralympian who will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for the fourth time this year, representing Team USA in the paratriathlon. Like most athletes preparing for the biggest sporting event in the world, Stockwell is spending money a lot of time training for her competition on September 1. Still, the mother of three has made time for important extracurricular activities, including a partnership with P&G’s Athletes for the gooda new initiative that awards grants to important causes by recipient athletes.

Stockwell’s Charity, Dare2Tri, is one of the recipients of the Athlete’s for Good grant, and it’s another exciting part of this year’s competitions that she’s looking forward to. “I made it my mission to give other people with physical disabilities the opportunities I had,” Stockwell says. “The Athletes for Good grant will help us impact even more people and open even more chapters across the country.”

Before Stockwell heads abroad, we spoke to her about the fair, how she’s preparing for Paris and her beauty and lifestyle must-haves for the road.

On her favorite recovery routine

Stockwell has made it its mission to empower people with physical disabilities to feel their strongest. Combine that with raising a family of your own while training for a global event, and – as a new mother – I would definitely classify her as a superhero. However, Stockwell tells me there is no magic recipe for her game: just hard work and lots of rest.

“You’re a mom, so you get it,” Stockwell says. “I need to recover and rest where I can, and I’m lucky if I get massage therapy once a weekend.” When she can’t reach her massage therapist, Stockwell relies on recovery boots (our editors love the Normatec 3 Leg Recovery System, FYI) to help relieve pain and tension.

While professional help from a massage therapist is nice, Stockwell says don’t underestimate the power of a good old tennis ball. if you are trying to treat a painful part of the body. “I take a tennis ball with me pretty much everywhere, which is great, even when I’m flying or driving I can roll out my hamstrings or glutes,” she says. “It’s not expensive and it works.”

About her ideal sleep routine

“Easy and simple” is the theme of most of Stockwell’s current routines, including her sleep regimen, which is crucial to her recovery and performance. “This may not be popular, but I absolutely enjoy a few minutes of screen time before bed and use that time to catch up on everything I missed that day,” she says. “I brush my teeth, shower, put on my pajamas and spend some time on the phone – it really relaxes me.”

About the beauty products she uses during training

Although Stockwell isn’t big on makeup, she is committed to sun protection, using facial sunscreen and body sunscreen with SPF to protect her face and body. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that wearing sunscreen is essential because I’m in the sun a lot,” says Stockwell. “I use Olay Complete Sunscreen SPF 30 ($30), which is great because it applies nicely before and after training.”

Stockwell also spends a significant amount of time training in the pool, which has a number of consequences for her hair. “There’s a lot of chlorine in my hair, and I use the Pantene Daily Renewal Shampoo and Conditioner ($20) when I’m out of the water so my hair feels less stringy,” she says. [Editor’s note: Olay and Pantene are owned by P&G]

About how she spends her free time in Paris

Between matches and recovery, Stockwell is looking forward to spending time with her family, who will be on the sidelines cheering her on. “I have my phone with me and thousands of photos that I will look at when we can’t be together,” she tells me. ‘I’m quite sure of that too Mine children will write me little notes that I will definitely carry with me.” Stockwell also says she has started a tradition of making large cutouts of her family’s faces to keep in her room and at the racetrack. a A good reminder of why I am there and my reason for participating,” she says.

You can watch Stockwell compete in the paratriathlon on September 1. NBCUniversal is the official U.S. broadcaster for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, but you can also watch on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, US network, CNBCAnd E!.