Cuse’s Fastest Mom

If you struggle with work-life balance, you need to read her story.

By Maggie Nerz Iribarne

Sascha Scott Competing in July of 2024 | Photography. By Shawn St Jean

Sascha Scott holds two national running records, a relay world record, and she participates in bike racing and sprint triathlons.

Although her accomplishments stand out, Scott is a grounded and relatable mother, wife, and Syracuse University art history professor. She makes parenting and athleticism seem possible for every woman and admits that nothing is done easily, flawlessly, or without support from her husband, family, colleagues, and friends.

Finding Her Own Way To The Top

Scott credits setbacks and challenges for her well-honed resilience and adaptability.

Diagnosed with osteoarthritis at age 38, Scott suffered from terrible pain before, during, and after running. At first she was told to quit altogether, but then she switched from running every day to every other and mixed in low-impact activities. She researched and taught herself a less destructive running form (hips over knees over ankles) that reduced pressure on her knees and improved cadence.

“It was pretty devastating,” Scott said. “But that diagnosis brought me back to other sports I had stopped doing [like swimming] and new sports that I now love [like biking]…I kept doing what I love — which is competing in various sports — by being adaptable.”

The osteoarthritis diagnosis wasn’t the first time that Scott faced hardship: growing up, she had to overcome dyslexia, a speech impediment, and severe test anxiety. Despite these educational roadblocks, she went on to achieve a doctorate in art history and has become an award-winning scholar of U.S. and Indigenous art.

“I just kept plugging away,” she said. “Athletics is a lot like that too!

Scott and her family on vacation in Peru.

Family Always Comes First

Scott is aware of the impact of an action-packed life and monitors her patience level to know when to slow down.

“I really try to prioritize my kids,” she said. “Supporting their activities, making sure they get good meals, being present comes first.”

To balance home, work, and athletic schedules, she trades off responsibilities with her husband, Kevan Edwards, a Syracuse University philosophy professor and avid bike racer.

“One of us can always be home if a kid is sick… I don’t sweat it if I can’t exercise for a day or two because of kids, work, etc.,” she said. “The body needs rest too. Being an athlete-mom is about being adaptable.”

Scott never strays from a sense of gratitude for the life situation which allows her to pursue high-level athleticism.

“I was raised by a single mother of five girls who was a civil servant,” she said. “She is a superwoman and an incredible mother, but there is no way she could have spent the time I do on my own athletics. It simply wasn’t possible.”

Finding joy in all endeavors is their family’s secret sauce.

“In parenting and athletics, I try to focus on the process instead of some desired outcome because so much can go wrong,” Scott said. “For me, both are driven by joy, so I also try to dwell on and celebrate what’s going well.”

Scott and Edwards apply this joy-based approach to their family life and the pursuits of their 14-year-old son, Moby, and 12-year-old daughter, Moxie. They encourage social, fun sports that are not hard on the body. They eat meals together as much as possible, including nightly dessert and occasional huge weekend breakfasts at Mother’s Cupboard in Syracuse. They ski at Drumlins, swim at Cazenovia Lake and Green Lakes, take easy hikes, and play pick-up soccer or baseball at the park. Doing all the things they love together is the name of the game.

Advice For Others

Scott emphasizes that exercise can be fun, simple, and social. She recommends a slow approach with small goals, even 15 minutes per day, and self-care.

“People often try to do too much too soon,” she said. “They get sore, injured, unmotivated. Build what you are doing over time. Be patient with yourself.”

She also focuses on the social benefits of her athletic endeavors.

“Over the last eight years, I’ve prioritized forming relationships with friends I can meet to run, bike, and swim with,” Scott said. “Now, 60% of my exercise is done with other people.”

No doubt, Scott’s running record and teaching career are impressive, but her down-to-earth nature truly inspires, summed up when relating her dreams for her children.

“My hope is to help nurture my kids to grow up to be kind, empathetic, thoughtful, curious, and open-minded,” Scott said. “Other than that, I just want them to be who they are without heaping any expectations of success, career, accomplishments onto them. I try not to project their future. They are already spunky, fun, bold little humans. I’m lucky to have them.”