Chloe Kim Says That the ‘Stress’ of Training for Olympics Never Goes Away: ‘I’m a Human Being Too’ (Exclusive)

"It's the need to keep snowboarding, to keep pushing myself and seeing how much more I can do," the Roxy athlete tells PEOPLE about what keeps her going

Chloe Kim continues to conquer the slopes and look good while doing it.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist is preparing for a year of snowboarding competition and qualifiers and says partnering with Roxy for her new collection makes training a little easier.

“Being able to make really baggy snow pants made me excited because when I'm competing, I can't do tight, it stresses me out,” Kim tells PEOPLE. “It's like rule 101 in snowboarding — everyone's like, ‘Bend your knees.’ I'm like, ‘I can't bend my knees if it's not loose.' ”

If you had asked a much younger Kim if she thought that, at 24 years old, she would be releasing her second snowboarding line with Roxy and training for her third Olympics, she definitely would have said no. “I never thought that I would be good at snowboarding,” she explains.

“I never thought I'd make it this far, but to be quite frank, it feels really damn good to be really good at something and be able to do it with people who support you.”

Related: Olympian Chloe Kim Couldn't Cry After Winning Gold: 'I Worked So Hard on My Eyeliner!'

Kim credits the “brilliant” people who support her for making her snowboarding career an even more enjoyable experience. “I’m so blessed and so grateful to have such incredible people around me,” the Olympian says.

“They’re so proud of me when I accomplish things and it’s a very healthy environment. Everyone gets it and is like, ‘Oh, cool, you need to go for four months to train. We will see you when you’re back.' ”

In addition to traveling to Switzerland for training, Kim’s regimen for staying in Olympics-ready shape involves both enjoyable and not-so-fun aspects.

“Training on snow is a breeze. I’m smiling, I’m giddy, but I hate the gym,” the 24-year-old says. She adds, “It’s necessary and allows me to achieve what I want to, but it's too much - lifting, running, cardio, physical therapy, pilates… Well, I actually love pilates.”

Related: Olympic Athlete Chloe Kim Taking Break from Snowboarding for Her Mental Health: A 'Reset'

Though the 2026 Winter Games would be Kim’s third Olympics, she tells PEOPLE that the nerves never go away. “Don’t get it twisted… I’m in my head,” the gold medalist laughs.

“I'm a human being too. I get stressed, I cry myself to sleep. Like this is no joke and it's really intense. I know it's going to be stressful and suck sometimes, but it's also going to be great. And that's all I can look forward to. And at the end of the day, I know that I will always be doing my best and that's all I can strive for honestly.”

After two gold medals, lots of training and continued stress, Kim says her hunger for snowboarding is not nearly finished. “I think it's a goal to achieve the Olympics and the gold medals and the awards. But after that, what keeps us going?” the snowboarder says.

She continues, “And I think for me, after two gold medals, I still want more, but I wouldn't say it's the accolades or the accomplishments specifically. I think it's the need to keep snowboarding, to keep pushing myself and seeing how much more I can do. And I think I've always had that since I was a little girl. I could never quit.”

Related: 17-Year-Old Snowboarder Chloe Kim Earns Sweet Success With Gold Medal in 1st Olympic Event Ever

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

At 24, Kim says that even when her competitive snowboarding days are over, she plans to keep her relationship with the sport forever. “I think it'll always be a really big part of my life. I think that it is something that I would love to do for the rest of my life. It is something that I want to introduce my kids to one day, and it's a big part of me and it's given me so much,” she says.

“I've had to make a lot of personal sacrifices to pursue this, but it's been so worth it. So, I think at the end of the day, I just want to enjoy it as much as possible, understanding that I can't do it forever. So whatever place it takes in my life, I just want to enjoy it for as long as I can.”