Two certified personal trainers weigh in.
Being an elite athlete can be extremely rewarding, but it’s also hard on the mind and body. Nobody knows that better than six-time Paralympic wheelchair racing medalist Susannah Scaroni.
This summer alone, Scaroni earned five total medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, in events ranging from the 800-meter women’s T54 event all the way up to the women’s T54 marathon race. (The T54 class includes people with spinal cord injuries who compete in track events using a wheelchair.)
Additionally, Scaroni is a World Marathon Majors champion and a wheelchair racing world record holder in the 5,000-meter distance. She’s also a registered dietitian and works part-time in that capacity with the men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams at the University of Illinois.
Scaroni, whose spine was injured in a car accident at 5 years old and resulted in her using a wheelchair, had a tough start to her season this year, missing both the Boston Marathon and London Marathon due to a shoulder injury.
“Ultimately, missing Boston and London were the right decisions,” Scaroni tells Well+Good. “As a result of taking time to heal from my injury, I felt amazing at the Paris Paralympics. I had fun in all of the distances I competed in there, and I’m really proud of what my body did.”
Scaroni’s start lines for the year aren’t over yet, though—she lined up for the Chicago Marathon in mid-October, but suffered a flat tire on her racing wheelchair only a few miles into the race and had to withdraw. Now, Scaroni is entirely focused on the TCS New York City Marathon on November 5.
“I won’t deny that I’m sort of nervous just because the New York City Marathon is one of the most important races I do,” Scaroni says. “But at the same time, my plan is to get the most out of my body that day and show what I’m capable of.”
As Scaroni begins to taper off her heavy workouts ahead of the TCS New York City Marathon, which is produced by the New York Road Runners, she shares six self-care tips that keep her emotionally and physically well year-round.
1. She uses mindfulness apps
With how much Scaroni travels, it’s essential that she be able to calm her brain wherever in the world she is—especially when she’s in the middle of an intense training session or key race.
Over the past few years, Scaroni has leveraged mindfulness apps like Calm and Headspace to help hone her ability to remain calm, present, and logical.
“For me, specifically, the breathing and sensory practices in most mindfulness apps help me to get a little more control over my thoughts,” Scaroni says. “I practice mindfulness every day, and I’ve gotten to where if I feel really overwhelmed, I’ll be able to reconnect with the present and focus on the task at hand, which is usually training.”
Scaroni actively works her mindfulness skills six days a week and views it as a non-negotiable when it comes to self-care, no matter where she is or what she’s doing.
2. She loves getting lost in a good book
Another non-negotiable self-care item for Scaroni is her Kindle ($280), which allows her to bring thousands of books “on the go” and indulge in her favorite novels across the globe.
“Reading helps me disconnect from my thoughts—if I ever were to forget my Kindle on a trip, I’d probably have to go buy a book just so I can get that relaxation that I love from reading,” Scaroni says. “I love reading, and love being able to open up a book and get lost in it.”
Scaroni’s favorite genre is fantasy, and ahead of the New York City Marathon, she’s revisiting an old favorite: The Lord of the Rings books ($17). She also re-read the Harry Potter series ($55) before and during the Paris Paralympics this summer.
3. She journals regularly
Before Scaroni went to the Paris Paralympic Games this summer, she worked with a sleep consultant who helped to refine Scaroni’s sleep hygiene. After all, being an elite athlete requires an elite amount of sleep.
The sleep consultant recommended Scaroni use journaling as a way to help her brain relax and process the day’s happenings before nodding off to sleep, and Scaroni immediately took to this suggestion.
“What I love about journaling is that if I need to have a conversation with someone or process a situation, journaling helps me get the initial reaction I may have out of the way,” Scaroni says. “Then, I can think more about how I actually want to have the conversation or handle the situation in real life.”
Scaroni says she always brings a journal to her races so she has an outlet for working through her emotions, allowing her to be focused and present when it’s time to give it her all. (If you want to take a page out of Scaroni’s book—pun intended—here are seven of our favorite journals.)
4. She blocks out all the noise
In line with her mindfulness practice, Scaroni likes to block out extraneous noise in her life—literally.
A good pair of headphones—Scaroni likes Beats ($100)—allows Scaroni to zone in on the things that are important to her during racing and training, like a phone call with her husband, sister, or mom, and not be distracted by the literal and figurative noise around her.
“I love having headphones on me during any trip so I have the option to talk with family,” Scaroni says. “It’s fun to connect with them, and they’re always willing to have a chat with me [ahead of a race].”
5. She nourishes her mind and body
Of course, as a registered dietitian, Scaroni makes it a priority to bring her favorite foods with her, even when traveling abroad. Having her usual snacks and treats on hand in any country makes her feel more at home and ensures her body can digest something familiar close to race day.
“I love food and I love traveling. I like to make sure I’ve got some food with me that I know I’m going to want,” Scaroni says. Some of her favorites to have on hand during a trip are Skratch Labs products—especially their super-high carb drink mix ($24)—and Clif Bars ($26).
Additionally, when Scaroni does get to catch her breath during an extended period at home, she says one of her favorite ways to practice self-care is by going to Costco with her husband and stocking up on their favorite foods.
“Every two weeks, my husband and I have a Costco date,” Scaroni says. “Costco is just a fun place to shop—we like to look at all of their produce, check out their dairy section, and choose some different proteins to cook.”
6. She makes time for the little things
As a highly dedicated athlete and registered dietitian, Scaroni spent years grinding towards her goals at all hours of the day. Now, though, Scaroni prioritizes self-care in the form of consciously setting aside time to simply enjoy life.
“It was life-changing when I finished graduate school and realized that in the evenings when my husband came home from work, we actually now had time to do things like play with our dog, go for a walk, and cook dinner together,” Scaroni says. “I was finally able to set a boundary with myself and have a personal life outside of sport and academics, which I don’t think I’d ever had before.”
Whether it’s making a delicious meal together, watching reruns of Psych (Scaroni’s current show of choice), or just decompressing on the couch, stepping away from the responsibilities of the day at a designated time is what allows Scaroni to approach the next day with renewed gusto.
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