It's the Friday afternoon before Christmas and Amber Glenn has just finished up at the World Arena Ice Hall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The two-time and reigning U.S. champion curls up on the cozy lobby couch, where she candidly talks about her outlook heading into the most important two months of her 17-year competitive skating career.

"I'm still in the mindset of I can do more, I can do more, I can be better. Because it's like, 'If not now, when?'" said Glenn, who trained at the rink on Christmas Eve and worked out in her garage Christmas Day. "I'm having to really manage the, 'If not now, when; push, push, push,' and the, 'Hey, I've got to be careful, I've got to be safe, anything could happen at any moment, especially when you are pushing your hardest.' That's something I'm having to ride the line of because I've put in the work to be on this [Olympic] team, I don't want to do something stupid, just pushing a little too hard and breaking … after I've put in all of this work.

"But that's where you find the difference between like fourth, fifth, sixth and first, second, third  — kind of that line. It's a tough place to be in. I don't know of anyone has figured out the perfect formula for that."

Her unconventional rise to the world's elite level — she won the U.S. junior title at age 14 and the ISU Grand Prix Final at 25 — is well documented, with her phenomenal talent and mental battles making headlines.

At age 26, though, the Texas native appears to have found that sweet spot. Since fall 2023, Glenn has won consecutive U.S. titles, the Grand Prix Final, five Grand Prix Series medals (three gold) and earned a top five finish at the World Championships.

Her focus in recent weeks leading up to the Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis and potentially the Olympic Winter Games in Milan has been to maintain her physical and mental wellbeing, while not overdoing it in practice.

Her coach, Damon Allen, said his star athlete is in the best shape ever. "She's lean, mean and ready to go," he said.

Her recent track record, Allen said, speaks volumes.

"These last two seasons she's been over 200 points in every event, which is great for her," Allen said. "She's training smart."

Glenn's introduction to neurotherapy in 2024 has played a pivotal role in her climb to prominence.

"That has been 100 percent a game-changer for her," Allen said. "Figuring how to have coping mechanisms to keep her in her zone, where she needs to be. When she makes a mistake, she can figure out now how to brush it off and refocus. The [Grand Prix] Final, she popped the Axel, made the rest of the program amazing. The old Amber would kind of spiral downward; she's figured out how to refocus and get it done."

Allen said he and Glenn "click" and he's excited about being part of the process in her drive toward the Olympics, the pinnacle of the sport in which he fell just short as a skater.

 "I was close," he said. "That was kind of my goal as a coach to have an athlete get where I couldn't get, be better than what I was. So very it's been rewarding and I'm very proud."

Outside of skating, Glenn finds sanctuary with her beloved dog, Uki. They can be found most of the year playing outside and going on long walks.

"It's been so nice because here's this creature who relies me, depends on me, loves me, regardless," Glenn said, "She has no idea I skate. She's just like, 'Oh, my mom's home.'"

By going on walks, Glenn meets other dog owners and interacts with them.

"It's helped me out of my shell a bit and it's been nice to have something who loves me for me and has no idea about the rest of the stuff."

Also helping to make her late-career charge meaningful has been the burgeoning bond and friendships with fellow U.S. champions, and World medalists Isabeau Levito, 18, and Alysa Liu, 20.

Each member of the trio has regularly occupied the podium domestically and internationally at nearly every event they've competed in this quadrennium.

"It's so interesting," Glenn said. "Of course, I'm the oldest by a lot, but then there's Isabeau who won a national title before I did, who had success really young and is still successful and has so many qualities in her skating that I admire so much. I've gotten to see her grow from that young, young age consistently all the way through now.

"Whereas with Alysa, I saw her from when she was about 10 and watched her skyrocket, doing crazy, impossible feats, and then just leave the sport. … Then coming back and getting to re-meet Alysa is so interesting because she's been to the Olympics; she has the most experience out of all of us. She has now won Worlds and the Final and she's been to the Olympics. Those are incredible feats and she's only 20 years old. Talking to her, you would never know that this is the current World champion — in the best way possible. She's so humble, so herself and so funny and just enjoying life."

Glenn, who has struggled with depression, anxiety and ADHD, admires Liu's ability to perform as her authentic self, something she hopes to embrace.

Defending her title once again, Glenn has worked to arrive in St. Louis as the "best version of herself."

"I need to embrace where I am right now and do the best I can with that," she said.