Marissa Papaconstantinou still remembers being 12 years old at the Phoenix Track Club in Scarborough, Ont., and getting her right leg fitted with her first running blade at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
“When I got my running blade, this whole new world of possibilities opened up to me with mobility,” she said. “I literally felt like I had two feet for the first time. That was crazy and I could already run so much faster.”
“When I got my running prosthesis, it felt a lot easier and fluid. I felt much more mobile,” said the now 24-year-old. “Having that opportunity to see what was out there and learning about parasport — specifically track and field — was awesome because I was now in a space where I could truly thrive and dream of potentially competing for Team Canada one day.
And compete she has. As a sprinter, she has won medals and accolades in track and field, representing the country in national and international events — and working as an ambassador to grow the para-sport movement. Papaconstantinou said a vital part of her journey has been proper nutrition.
“There are many aspects that are important to take your performance to the next level,” she said. “For me, nutrition has been a huge focus, especially in the last few years. The thing about nutrition is that it is not one size fits all. For me, adding more protein has helped boost to my nutrition, especially my recovery.”
Jessalyn O’Donnell is a Registered Dietitian and has worked with Athletics Canada for the past seven years. She helps athletes, including Papaconstantinou, to ensure they get the proper nutrition needed to fuel their performance and recovery.
“Marissa’s nutrition plan focuses on giving her the energy, nutrients and fluids she needs to support her health and performance goals, on and off the track,” O’Donnell said. “A big focus this season has been becoming more conscious of hitting her protein intake goals and drinking milk is an easy way for her to achieve that goal.”
She said milk provides 15 essential nutrients, including nine grams of high-quality protein per glass. It is also a good source of calcium and contains vitamin D, which are key players in bone health.
“Milk is made up of high-quality protein, which makes it a great addition to a post-training snack or meal to support the repair process of the body and muscles after training. Milk is also a great way to achieve rehydration after training,” said O’Donnell.
Papaconstantinou said she tries to have 120 grams of protein a day, and milk helps make this possible. It starts with her morning latte or a coffee with milk, a protein shake mixed with milk between her training run and the weight room, and then a milk-based smoothie in the afternoon.
“It is a really easy way to sneak in those extra grams of protein during training outside of my meals,” she said.
“My relationship with running is just second nature now. There are definitely ups and downs to training, and I push my limits on a regular basis to see what I am truly capable of, whether it is on the track, in the weight room or my mental performance. Sprinting provides me with this level of freeness because it gives me this opportunity to chase my dreams and do what I love.”
This spring, Dairy Farmers of Ontario has partnered with four Canadian athletes to show how milk is helping to fuel their athletic performance. You can help reach your performance goals by incorporating milk’s 15 essential nutrients into your everyday routine. Learn more by visiting milk.org or on The Kit’s Instagram page.
