‘Amazing’ Susannah Scaroni Is Dominating The Wheelchair Marathon Circuit

If you watched Susannah Scaroni win marathon after marathon and tried to guess which song she sings in her head during the race, well, you might be surprised.

“I go through hymns that I know,” Scaroni said. “Like, for example, ‘Amazing Grace.’”

Yes, the emotional ballad is one of Scaroni’s songs of choice as she zooms on her wheelchair through those intense 26.2-mile courses. She also will count her strokes or recite positive mantras — whatever it takes to distract her brain from the realities of the race.

Those strategies are working.

In recent years, the Tekoa, Washington, native has emerged as one of the top wheelchair marathoners in the world. This year, she has elevated her performance to legendary status.

“It’s been quite a year for me,” said Scaroni, the reigning champion of all three major U.S. marathons — Boston, Chicago and New York — as well as the Sydney Marathon. “What stands out about this year is the level of competition at each race. To come ahead against really strong athletes means a lot to me.”

Scaroni punctuated her special season with a dominant win in the women’s wheelchair division at the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2. She finished more than five minutes ahead of her closest competitor that day (fellow American and 22-time Paralympic medalistTatyana McFadden), clocking in at 1 hour, 42 minutes, 10 seconds.

Typically, Scaroni isn’t one to celebrate before she crosses the finish line. But this was a clear-cut victory for the 34-year-old, and the cherry on top of a magical marathon season.

“When I heard them announcing that it was clear I was going to win, that was the first time I was like, ‘Oh, this is awesome,’” Scaroni recalled. “I said, ‘I’m going to finish with a huge smile on my face.’”

A deeper look at Scaroni’s resume reveals three career wins in New York and two in Chicago and Boston, respectively. On the national stage, she has taken part in four Paralympics and won six medals (one gold, one silver and four bronzes).

Scaroni focused more on track races earlier in her career, events such as the 1,500- and 5,000-meter, before devoting much of her recent time to marathons. 

“I’ve just always been a person who loves training,” said Scaroni, who lost the use of her legs following a car accident at age 5. “Training is such an outlet for me, physically and psychologically, and it’s helped me physiologically too. That is probably why I innately turned to longer distances, and that’s a big part of why I’m so skilled at those distances. I think it all boils down to the mental enjoyment.”

Still, Scaroni hesitates to call marathons her signature event. If anything, she says that track events are more fun — though she certainly loves the challenges that marathons bring.

“I am a strong athlete on marathon distances, and I’ve worked really hard there,” she said, “but I love shorter distances so much.”

Generally, Scaroni trains for about 90 minutes, six days a week, splitting the time between the “track” and the “road,” as she says. She trains with both women and men, which gives her extra motivation to go faster, but more importantly, it exposes her to a wider range of tips and tricks.

“Our sport has a billion different variables,” said Scaroni, who lives and trains in Champaign, Illinois. “Our chair positions, our gloves, our stroke styles. A humungous element to my training is just the community aspect I have here.”

Scaroni is in the midst of a “long block of recovery” from the fall season and “winding up to our pretty intense winter training.” 

Next on her radar is the Honolulu Marathon in December, an event that she’s doing mostly for fun, before the Tokyo Marathon in March ramps up her 2026 competitive slate. 

Further in the distance, of course, are the Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028. Scaroni has competed in previous four Paralympics, but the Games being in her home country would give her a special sense of pride.

“I think about it, but I’m mostly living in the moment,” she said. “I try to not focus too far ahead. I want to stay healthy and focus on short-term training and performance goals. That mindset helps me be at my best when I need to be.”

That contrast is fitting. 

While Scaroni’s performances are defined by power and precision, the quiet hymn she sings in her head during races underscores the deeper journey that brought her here. If you take a deeper listen to “Amazing Grace,” you’ll hear lyrics about being lost, finding yourself and receiving a shot at redemption.

In many ways, that’s the story of Susannah Scaroni — the woman who could have gone down a path of pity, but instead has found her calling, persevered in every sense, thrived at the highest level of athletics and inspired many along the way.

“It’s such a rare and incredible opportunity to represent a humongous body of people,” Scaroni said. “To know that I’m representing the United States of America, a country where I’ve been given an opportunity to do a sport at the highest level, is really incredible. I always hold onto the hope that what I’ve been given can help inspire others to tackle life, do their best, and get the most out of themselves.”

Drew Silverman is a freelance contributor to usatf.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.