In March 2024, Maddy Elmore broke the University of Oregon’s 5K school record, cementing her place in the program’s history. While accomplishments like these often define athletes publicly, The Space Between Races intentionally focuses on everything beyond the record itself.

I met Maddy this past fall in the Master of Advertising and Brand Responsibility program at the University of Oregon. Early on, we worked together alongside Chelsea Kropp on a Louis Vuitton brand audit in Christopher Chávez’s class. At first, I primarily saw Maddy as an elite athlete, but it did not take long for her humor, kindness, enthusiasm, and fun energy to stand out to me. She is so much more than an accomplished distance runner.

This podcast video explores the memories, lessons, friendships, and personal moments that shaped Maddy throughout her running journey at Oregon. Rather than centering solely on performance or accolades, The Space Between Races captures the human experiences that exist outside of competition, reminding viewers that some of the most meaningful aspects of sport happen far away from the spotlight and stopwatch.