Sydney Lawrence was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to parents Larry and Pam Lawrence. She has four sisters - Mandy, Melody, Magen, and her twin sister Lauren. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation.

Lawrence attended Stilwell High School in Stilwell, Oklahoma. She was the first in school history to earn All-State Cross Country honors. She was also the first in school history to earn multiple state titles including two in track and field and two in cross country. In addition, she earned Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-State honors her senior year in recognition of her athletic achievements and faith.

After high school, Lawrence went on to run cross country and track for Oklahoma Baptist University. During her sophomore year, she won the 3,000 meter championship title in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Track Championships in Houghton, NY. During her junior year, she earned NCAA Division II All-American honors by finishing in the top 40 at the National Championship in Evansville, Indiana. She also earned Great American Conference honors and was on the podium at the conference, regional, and national level.

In 2020, Sydney went on to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. In 2023, she graduated and began working while discovering a passion for triathlon competitions. She competed in the XTERRA North American Championship in Birmingham, Alabama where she qualified for the XTERRA World Championship in Molveno, Italy.

Sydney currently resides in Northwest Arkansas as a physical therapist where she runs and participates in endurance sports in her spare time.