Episode 25: She+ Maddie Stambaugh
In this episode:
Maddie and I have known each other for several years now— because we both attended Wake Forest University for college. We shared similar friend groups and she was always one of the most kind-hearted people among those that I met at Wake. I reached out to Maddie for a She+ interview because I’ve always been fascinated by her journey as a marathoner. I personally do not ascribe to running as a recreational activity, so I wanted to ask her what keeps her going.
In this episode, Maddie will take you to the very beginning of her running roots—kiddie soccer league. Maddie was a very athletic kid growing up. From soccer to lacrosse, she was cross-training year-round for one sport or another. In the beginning, running was just a required part of the sport. But she ran really fast miles, which impressed the high school coaches.
Her running carried over from high school and into college at Wake. She joined the running club and participated in club soccer. Eventually, Maddie shifted into a purely running mindset. In her words, she fell in love with running for different reasons in college than in middle or high school. So Maddie started running long-distance… getting lost in the music along the way.
Maddie also talks about her current running stats (which, wow.) She defines herself as a marathoner, but she’s run many different types of events, including the Boston Marathon. She describes the process of adapting to a Covid-19 world and how it has influenced her running and participation in running events.
We also discuss the difficulty of falling into a comparison trap when it comes to fitness. She addresses how, often times but not always, the data tracking apps and smart fitness watches can feed into this comparison trap. I fully endorse this, because it happened to me a lot. And finally, Maddie shares her advice on how people in fitness ruts can find their way back to the open road and back to a regular fitness routine.
Concerns about this episode? Email us at sheis.podcasting@gmail.com.
Episode Topics:
Maddie’s career as a middle school art teacher
Her passion for art and mentorship
The roots of Maddie’s running in middle school
How her passion shifted from recreational running to professional running
Maddie’s current running stats
Running marathons in a Covid-19 world
Her mentality towards running; just keep going
How Maddie stays consistent with her running routine and fitness
The highs and lows of Apple Watches and data tracking apps
The comparison trap in fitness
Maddie’s advice to someone currently in a rut and struggling to get back to a routine
What might be next for Maddie: coaching
