Susannah Scaroni, 23, finished eighth in the 2012 London Paralympic Marathon with a time of 1:58:37. In 2014 she won the Twin Cities Marathon, Los Angeles Marathon, and Grandma’s Marathon. This year, Scaroni finished fourth at the Boston Marathon and seventh the following week at the London Marathon.
Scaroni, who studied dietetics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will compete in the 800 meters T54, 1500 meters T54, and 5,000 meters T54 events at the Paralympic Trials this summer.
Breakfast
Almost every day, I have 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt with a spoonful of natural crunchy peanut butter stirred in, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and a chopped apple. I wash this down with a cup of aero-pressed coffee.
Lunch
For lunch I like to make sure there is a vegetable—the vitamins help make the most of my morning workout, and also keep me healthy and recovered for the second workout of the day. I often stir fry broccoli and spinach with an egg, and have that with a piece of whole grain toast with half an avocado smashed on top.
Dinner
Running in the Cold carbohydrate, a high-quality protein, fat, and a vegetable. One of my favorite dinners is a baked sweet potato, roasted beets, and roasted salmon. I love the flavor that roasting gives to food, and these ingredients are loaded with all kinds of strength-boosting goodies—vitamin A, omega 3s, nitrates, fiber, and antioxidants.
Favorite Indulgence
I have a very big soft spot for ice cream. While I won’t call peanut butter (my favorite food on this planet) an indulgence, adding it to my ice cream is my very favorite. It's a good way to treat a job well done.
Running in the Cold
I studied dietetics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after experiencing firsthand what malnutrition can do to an athlete.
In high school, I played wheelchair basketball and raced with my track team. Thinking I needed to be extremely thin to be fast, I learned the hard way how vital good nutrition is for an athlete.
I was unable to compete at the Beijing Paralympic trials because of a serious injury I’d developed as a result of malnutrition. My recovery and subsequent years of strength training revealed just how impressive our body can translate nutrients into optimal performances.
The months I spent consulting with a dietitian, and my firsthand experience led to a fascination for understanding all the science behind the ways our muscles use food for fuel.
Food Philosophy
A healthy diet for an elite athlete is simple. It doesn’t have to be composed of rigorous calorie-counting, or name-brand supplementation, or restrictive. Elite bodies just need a consistent and steady supply of wholesome food. You need it to start a workout and then you have to replace what you used. It doesn't have to be extravagant: carbs, fat, and protein.
Shoes & Gear Runner’s World, the author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a nine-time marathoner with a best of 3:23. She’s also proud of her 19:40 5K and 5:33 mile. Heather is an RRCA certified run coach.
