Marla Runyan is a legally blind, former world-class American track and field athlete and marathon runner, and one of only two visually impaired athletes to ever qualify and compete in both the Paralympics and the Olympic Games.

Runyan was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a form of juvenile macular degeneration causing progressive vision loss, at age nine. She was left with limited peripheral vision, only able to make out shapes and shadows. Not letting low vision get in her way, Runyan began competing in several sporting events while at university and went on to become one of America's most versatile track and field athletes of all time.

In 2000, Runyan captured the world's attention when she became the first legally blind American track and field athlete to qualify and compete for the United States Olympic team. A five-time Paralympic gold medallist and holder of nine world records among visually impaired athletes, she earned her status as one of America's top middle and long-distance runners by also winning three consecutive US outdoor track and field championship 5000m titles and seven US road championship titles.

Runyan made it to her second Olympic team in 2004 and became a US national marathon champion in 2006.