The Onna Print is a hand drawn pattern created exclusively for Oiselle by Brooklyn Artist Caitlin Foster. Her work is incredible, and we're thrilled to collaborate with her on two patterns this year. (For the other, you'll have to wait until Fall 18!)

What we love the most about Onna, is that it's also one of those unique patterns that has life and depth to it. That shares itself, but doesn't give it all away at once. It draws you in.

When you see certain prints, do they transport you?

For me, there are definitely times when a print is more than a print.

When it takes me back to art history class in college, when I learned to do more than observe art, but to really see it. To understand the fundamental principles of visual language: size, depth, color, pattern, proportion, and placement.

When it elicits a midnight sky. Are you lucky enough to live somewhere far enough away from city lights to see stars and planets and the occasional satellite streaming by? My memories of the sky above Yosemite live in this print... so many stars they can't fit in your vision.

When it takes the beauty of black (what Renoir called "the queen of all colors") and ups the ante. From a design and style standpoint, this print plus ANY color is a winning combo. It instantly adds depth and texture - while still providing that beautiful neutral.

When it's in motion on strong athlete women. Like all of our Spandos this season, Onna Print is ready to fly in four favorite silhouettes: racerback bra, mini shorts, longer shorts, and capri. All with the signature Spandos back panel. (As with all Spandos, they are made in single production runs, so if you love Onna, get it).

Thank you Caitlin for working with us and sharing your art. It is truly of the stars!

As Lauren Fleshman noted "Kind of beautiful together".  – Thanks to everyone who shared their ten word run love story.

1. She first knew what she meant to herself running alone.
2. It is still mine the feeling of flight so fly.
3. My favorite reflection is always my running shadow stretched ahead.
4. I can’t quit you even when you break my heart.
5. It was the first time I ever truly felt alive.
6. The road was the first to whisper “you are enough”
7. Outta my league? No. I wanted you. You were mine.
8. Turn off your mind. Feel the grind. You only have time.  
9. Growing. Overcoming. Becoming. Discovering a better me, mile by mile.
10. Time on the road made her better in every way.
11. My squad believed in me so I believed in me.
12. Laced Up. Pound the pavement. All my cares Fade Away.
13. The “real me” is on the far side of 26.2.
14. She ran until running became a part of her soul.
15. Stepping into her running shoes makes her feel more alive.
16. I can overcome my doubts, physical limitations, and feel strong
17. She found continuous growth even though it wasn’t perfectly linear
18. Lacing up and letting go, the world’s pressures melt away.
19. Quiet bird, running into the light. Watch how I’ll shine.
20. With every step her confidence grew, joy filled her heart.
21. Running gave me the freedom and courage to be me.
22. No judgements/You take me as I am/Every mile.
23. It is here, between the steps, that I found home
24. Her wild heart. Led her running shoes. And she healed.
25. With every step, her mind let go of society’s chatter.
26. I gave up on life. Then each mile saved me.
27. Deena, Kara, Shalane, and Molly. Heroes who drive me higher.
28. It is how I write a book... About being me.
29. Breathless under a dark sky, heart pounding, finding myself here
30. When she found her stride, she truly found her strength.
31. Success, you big flirt, I’m falling for you
32. And so we run, 4 paws 2 feet. Together always.
33. My feet. My legs. My soul. The road ahead. Open.
34. First mile pains Mid-run, mind battles Final mile joy
35. On a long run I achieve my deepest of breaths
36. The greatest barrier she broke was not physical, but mental
37. A moment of clarity Amidst the chaos, Mile. After. Mile.
38. Freedom by pushing myself to the limits of my ability.
39. I ran and discovered who I was meant to be.
40. I don’t hate you a bit, not even at all.
41. Shoes laced Feet to pavement Anger, fear melt into fierceness
42. Running allows me to see, explore and experience nature's beauty.
43. I make war with the road, and peace with myself.
44. Enthralled by the tap of my footfalls ; my dream calls.
45. Work hard, but keep it fun; always love the run.
46. In those moments she knew she could do difficult things.
47. Get out the door breathe in, out steps of thankfulness
48. The rush of feeling fast. I can run. Even fly.
49. She never knew she was lost until she found herself running.
50. Step by step, she took her body back from them.
51. Thought-less, I can think Breathless, I can breathe Exhausted, renewed.
52. When there was nothing else, there was the open road.
53. They said it would be fun. It has been more.
54. Silence allowed her to see life clearly through salty sweat.
55. Run toward your purpose, and trust you will get there.

Keep spreading the love by sharing your ten word #RunLoveStory

Let’s be real if you are into someone (or even find someone remotely attractive) while watching them finish a race, then it’s probably true love. It’s honestly remarkable you were able to look past the claw hands battling the air, the strained neck that has grown five additional veins, and the eyes holding a primitive gaze suggesting they may actually kill their competitors.

Yet it is possible. Here are Lauren's, Lesko's, and Kara’s love stories - stories that derived from the most unlikely of circumstances. Or who knows, maybe it was the all too natural and honest state of running that really drew them in…

Lauren Fleshman: Recruiting’s “Mystery Column”

On my recruiting trip to Stanford, at 17 years old, I met a real bonafide Oregonian. The coach dropped me off in a culdesac next to some freshman dorms where a group of freshmen on the cross country team were waiting. He sauntered up late, with his loping stride and his mop of overgrown curls. He had faded blue mom jeans with tapered ankles, and battered purple converse sneakers covering formerly-white socks. He had a north face backpack that actually looked like it had been on outdoor adventures, and inside the bungees that covered the front was a longboard skateboard, poking right out the top of his head. It sounds cheesy but I knew right away. I wrote in my diary that night, "I met my future husband today."

Stanford was my fifth and final official visit for cross country and track programs, and while the other schools were great and all, only Stanford had a Jesse Thomas. And so it was decided.

Lesko: Speed Goggles

It’s true I don’t remember the first few times I met Bob. It was fall ’87, I was a freshman in college, and completely in the zone. I was chipping my way through freshman Organic Chemistry (8am up on science hill), playing oboe in the Yale Symphony Orchestra, and running my ass off as 5th woman on the cross country team. Our XC captain was really strict, because she knew we had a chance to do something big that year (love you Kelly Groteke!); she told us if she found out any of us had gone to a party she would kick us off the team herself. So I didn’t do much socializing. And the men’s XC team had a ton of freshman…and a lot of Mikes. So apparently Bob road-tripped down to NCAA’s in Charlottesville with a bunch of the guys to cheer us on. After we got 3rd he came up to congratulate me. And I said, “thanks, is your name Mike?” 

Sorry, honey! (Bob was an 800m runner in HS, so let’s just say his college freshman XC season - 8k/10k races - was not eye-catching.)

But then, indoor season started. The team got to come back early, stay at the Holiday Inn off campus, and train. I started mixing and mingling. And then at the first meet at Coxe Cage, in the men’s 1000, I saw this total stud crush the competition and storm to victory by 3 seconds over the last 200m. Well, that caught my attention; I had to find out his name. Nature’s call. And that night at a party I got up the courage to say, “Hey, you’re Bob right? Awesome race!” The rest is history.

Kara Goucher: #RunLove Connection

I met Adam way back in 1993. He was a senior in high school who had just won the Footlocker Cross Country Championship. I was an extremely introverted sophomore who had just finished 9th at the nationals. The night after the race, Adam approached me. I couldn’t believe it, I mean he had just won and I had barely said two sentences to anyone that weekend. “You’re friends with Carrie (Tollefson) right? Where is she?” Ah, true love. To be fair I only weighed about 80 pounds at the time, and half of that was my hair. But needless to say, I didn’t leave a lasting impression on Adam. 

Fast forward a few years and we were running at the University of Colorado together. I was really good friends with his friends, and he and I had a decent, but not deep, relationship. I admired his dedication and his drive. I feared his temper. My junior year of college Adam became the volunteer assistant woman coach. This is when I really got to know who Adam is. He was so kind and encouraging to the team. I was the favorite to win NCAA Cross Country that year and when I finished a disappointing 9th (due to both an undiagnosed case of anemia and being overwhelmed in the favorite position) he was there for me. I remember being so sad when we got back to Boulder and I knew I wouldn’t see him again for a month. A few months later I told him I loved him, and although he was a little shocked, he admitted he was feeling the same way too.

So without running, there would be no Adam and Kara.  And what a sad world that would be!

BY: DEVON YANKO

Mostly everyone is familiar with Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare. From it we glean that “slow and steady wins the race”, the turtle doesn’t just win, he becomes the champion and symbol of endurance and persistence. And poor speedy rabbit is just left looking stupid sleeping under a tree, a symbol of how not to run a race.

And from this tale, we extrapolate: be the turtle, not the rabbit. But can that really be it? I mean rabbit lost the race because of hubris and downright stupidity, not because he lacked the speed or guts to do it. Turtle won the race, but not out of better strategy but luck, a bit of determination and well because he plain just didn’t quit.

I think in life and in running, we can all be a little bit more like Turtle and we can all be a little bit more like Rabbit. Sometimes you need to go slow and steady and sometimes you need to go fast and take chances. I think the hard part is examining our natural tendencies towards one or the other and looking for ways to welcome the other into our skill set.

There is no one to me that has ever personified the energies of the Turtle and the Rabbit better than my Aunt Chris did. She often had the energy of a Rabbit that was hopped up on too much Easter candy. She was eccentric, she was wild and unpredictable, she was very very strange. She was the type of person who gives her pre-teen niece a fanny pack that was shaped like a trout for Christmas (much to my dismay and embarrassment). She was the type of person who collected things like buttons, among many many other things. She was the type of person who hand-sewed coats for people out of polar fleece that looked straight out of Harry Potter. She was also the type of person to start a loud argument with someone just to get a rise out of them and see if she could win. She was the type of person who smuggled small water turtles in from Canada and had a kitchen filled with huge aquariums full of illegal turtles. She was clever, confident, creative, emotional and spontaneous.

But she was also the epitome of the Turtle. My Aunt Chris was a high school teacher in one of the worst parts of Seattle and she worked with some students who were most vulnerable and who had the most stacked against them. Her determination and persistence in helping her students succeed was immense; her emotional strength and understanding enabled her to connect with students in a way only few teachers ever can. Despite a chaotic school environment, she was able to stay grounded, focused and moving towards the goal, even if at a Turtle pace. When I was in high school and going through very turbulent times, she was someone I could always count on. When she passed away my senior year in high school, the public school she taught at had to close school because so many students and teachers attended her funeral. She deeply and profoundly was able to effect change in people’s lives.

Since her passing, I have always been a turtle person. I have two turtle tattoos, the first one was a tribute to her. But really, she was the personification of both turtle AND rabbit. She found a way to let both things exist and thrive and guide her. She embraced both and it is what made her who she was. Even almost 20 years later, she is still someone who inspires me to live my life with fervor. She reminds me that there is a time for the Turtle and time for the Rabbit.

We all have our natural tendencies, in life and in running. I think we all lean either more Turtle or more Rabbit. But how do we invite the other into our lives? How do we learn to slow down and be steady or patient when we are used to going a million miles an hour? How do we learn to go fast, take chances and gamble on ourselves when we have taught ourselves to take the reliable, safe path. You make a choice; you stay open to the reality that just because you’ve done something one way or been one way, doesn’t mean that is always the right/best strategy all of the time. You may have started out running PR’s in the marathon by going slow and steady, but you will never know your true potential if you never take any risks, if you never run “eyeballs out” as my mentor Hollis says. Alternatively, if you find yourself crashing and burning and not living up to your potential in racing (or life) perhaps a more restrained approach might yield a better result.

The spirits of Turtle and the Rabbit both have a place in each of our emotional, logical, strategic skill sets. By embracing the energy of both, we open up to not only a greater range of possibilities and outcomes but to a deeper, more rich version of ourselves.

FROM: MEGAN CLARK

It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling this season. On the flight home following a no-height at the Millrose Games (which is hosted at what I consider my home track) I started to feel a little discouraged and frustrated, so I began to write a letter to myself to strengthen my resolve. At some point while we were flying over the Grand Canyon, I realized that this letter is not just for me, but for all of the us. We all go through patches of frustration when we don’t feel like we’re living up to our potential. So this one is for all of you out there who feel like you’re struggling and need a little reminder of just how powerful you are.

Hey,

This is not how the story ends and I know because you are the author. Sure, you’re having a rough time, but girl, you’ve got grit. Your last practice, performance, or race doesn't define you. What defines you is what you do next. You’ve got so much potential, and you were made to be resilient. There’s a lot to be learned through the struggles and you can’t get bogged down by negativity. This is your story, so stop licking your wounds and get back to writing it.

Frustration is part of the game, but there’s no point in dwelling in it. It’s too draining and completely unproductive. Take a deep breath, and find a positive way to channel that passion. It’s fuel, and if you’re going to turn this around, that is exactly what you need.

First, don’t discount the value of the lesson you’ve been given in failure. Don’t fixate on it; study it. Figure out what you did wrong and how to proceed. Maybe this particular meet, race, or time trial was just the jolt you needed to take some initiative and make changes. It’s an opportunity to reevaluate your mindset and your training. If it’s not working, then something has to change, whether that be what you do or how you do it. Go back to what works mentally and/or physically, Doing the same thing and expecting different results is quite literally the definition of insanity. And you, dear, are not insane.

You are also more powerful than you think. Don’t you dare forget that. When things get hard, when you miss your target pace, when you miss an attempt, when you’re struggling with something technically, or when you start to second guess yourself, remember this: you’ve never been better prepared to handle adversity than you are right now. You have more experience, more wisdom, and more strength than you’ve ever had, not to mention the most supportive lady gang in the game is there to back you up.

And last, but definitely not least, have some confidence! You spend entirely too much time questioning whether you’re good enough and if you have what it takes. Newsflash! If you waste your time teeming with self-doubt, you’ll never find out. Give yourself a fighting chance, because whatever it is that you’re up against, you’ve got this. So go get it.

Head up, wings out!

Megan

Left: Tortoise Tank, Right: Rabbit Tank

When it comes to athletic apparel, we frequently hear the terms “performance” or “technical." But what does that mean? 

The short answer is: it’s complicated. Climate, distance, pace, individuality (not all bodies do the same things when they exercise!) and more – all contribute to a complex set of needs when we run. At times, the goal is cooling. At times, it’s wind/rain shielding. At times, it’s insulation. And at times it’s all of the above – releasing water from your body while also resisting water and cold temps from the environment.

By and large, however, one of the biggest needs all runners have is simple: sweat management. When we run, our bodies heat up, and its genius self-cooling mechanism is to produce sweat which then reduces body temperature. While this is sufficient over short distances, running multiple – or many – miles, turns sweat into a problem.

Excessive moisture on the skin can be everything from uncomfortable (damp, cold) to painful (causing chafing). And so any tech fabric worth its salt is mostly aimed at helping move moisture away from your skin, through the fabric, and into the air.

The solution? Again, it’s complicated. There are hundreds of different types of technical fabrics. Everything from yarn type, to knit type, to finishing’s and additives that claim to solve for the issue of excessive moisture.

What we’ve seen, however, both through our own wear testing with runners of all paces, as well as via the labs of our fabric mills, is that the ideal solution is one where the moisture management is accomplished via the structural design of the fabric.

In other words, it’s not just a yarn type (such as polyester or nylon – which is hydrophobic, i.e. resists water) but also the way the yarn is knit. With the right knitting method, the structure acts as a kind of bridge for water. It gives the water somewhere to go, as it travels away from your skin, and up the complex yarn structures, out to the surface of the garment, and evaporates in the air.

The much anticipated Tortoise Tank Jess Barnard was seen wearing, is made from our new Breeze Knit Fabric.

This is a really long, textile nerd introduction to our newest fabric: Breeze Knit. Like all Oiselle fabrics, it is soft, it is durable, it doesn’t shrink or change in the wash, but it’s also “high performance” and “technical” in that it, by the nature of the design that you can see with your eyes, it moves moisture away from your skin, through its channels, and out into the world. 

Along those same lines we're excited to bring back Flyout this season - in new colors! As the runner women will attest, Flyout is among the best in class in terms of dealing with sweat. We call it HoverFit™ because it literally hovers above the skin, helping with that heat and water transfer.

Oh yeah, and sometimes "performance" means you look and feel good - any time you wear it at all.

Left: Rabbit Dress

Breeze™ Knit (95% nylon, 5% spandex)

Breeze Knit is our new custom jacquard that offers sophisticated performance. Jacquard means the pattern is knit directly into the fabric, giving it a richness and depth with softness and lightweight. Slightly translucent, we pair Breeze Knit with a layer of Mio Mesh in some garments for opacity.

Learn more about Oiselle fabrics

Hey lovers, no pressure, absolutely none at all, but Valentine’s Day is around the corner and from my past experiences working in the Oiselle store, this is a time of year when even the most veteran couples need advice. So, if you have been aimlessly wandering around department stores picking up random items waiting for one to scream your sweetheart’s name, I have news for you… inanimate objects will never speak. But we sure will!

Here are some ideas about items we love, for the one you love. 

• Running Lingerie, a win for you and a win for them. Lux Bralette, Lux Underwear, Rundies, Randies, and the Mojo Bra are ideal rundergarments.
• Single Snuggler? We see you, and we like your style. A little self love never hurt anyone. All the Women Hoodie, a Cat Lady Scarf, or a Cat Lady Jacket because you do you best.
• Flowers die but Fightin Floral is forever, Fightin' Floral Spandos that is.
• In need of a small gift because you don’t believe in the Valentine’s hype? The Runner Trucker Hat, and the Manifesto Bandana, are the perfect casual “Hey I’m into you” statement gifts.
• If you’re in love with someone who loves another… the other being track, this Run Love Racerback Tank is the obvious choice.
• Another idea: just off the cuff here, serenade them with Light My Fire by The Doors, while slowly (and dramatically) revealing Blaze Roga Shorts. Get it, because obviously they light your fire and these Roga’s are also… fire.
• Sweet treat for their sweet tooth? Fill a Runner Stuff Pouch with your lovers favorite chocolate treat. Not a sugar lover? A pouch filled with inspirational quotes or love notes would be just as sweet.
• Has your love already made it to the “baby production” phase? We’ve got you: Wee Bird Flock Onesies.
• So you say “well they’re picky” we answer “Black Aero Tights, Black Roga Shorts, or a classic Flyte Long Sleeve”
• Oh so they are really, really picky… a Gift Card with a special note and you’re in the clear my friend.

A big hello to our newest Haute Volée additions Regina and Sabrina Lopez! Fraternal twins from Southern California who love empowering other women, especially each other. They caught our eye as they cruised to an Olympic Qualifying time at CIM this past year and we are excited to cheer them on as they continue to push themselves in their running careers.

SL: We loved cheering for you both at CIM! Regina and Sabrina, can you talk about that race with each other? How much did you talk/communicate during it? Do you have a special twin mantra? 

R+S: We competed at CIM together last December (2017) and qualified for the USA Olympic Trials, Sabrina ran 2:41:06 and Regina ran 2:42:06. Our goal throughout our running careers was to reach this moment in time together. It was so much easier reaching it because we have each other. We train together, workout together, eat together, and we are mainly inseparable. We engage in tons of self-talk to one another before, during, and after races; including CIM. Our twin strategy for CIM was to stick together like glue and hit our goal pace, just like the way we train. At the starting line before the race at CIM, we reminded each other, “We are qualifying today, we are beasts, let’s push each other and we must stick to together like glue.” During the race, we noticed that there were so many rolling hills. When we saw a hill in the distance, we looked at each other and we had the same thoughts, “you are strong”, “Griffith Park hills are worse”. Even after the race when we talked about the hills, it was amazing to know that we were thinking the same. Throughout the course, we helped each other with nutrition. Regina missed her bottle at one station and Sabrina shared her drink with her. Sabrina missed her gel at another station and Regina gave her one. We were racing as a team and knew we needed to support each other just as we did during training. We both made it to the end together and accomplished our dream together. It has always been in our hearts to make it to the USA Olympic Trials and now that we are here, nothing can stop us. We both told each other, “be strong and keep pushing through obstacles, pain, and endurance no matter what.” We communicated throughout the race and our twin mantra was, “We are strong!”

Regina Lopez

SL: You went to college together (OSU), and then transferred to different schools. Can you talk about that decision? 

R+S: We both attended Oregon State University (OSU) on full ride scholarships. Our first year at OSU, we red-shirted. The weather was drastically different from California weather. Two years in, during our summer break, it was clear that we missed the warm California weather and our families. Attending a new school that was out of state was scary for both of us because we have always been close to our parents and family. The first three months felt like a mini vacation for us, but then the cold rain and the clouds never left. We did not have any family in Oregon and attempted to settle in but coming from a small Catholic School, we felt it was very hard to train and focus without the sun, our family, familiar trails and the beaches. Oregon is a beautiful state, with many trees and clean weather. However, not being with our family was too difficult. Looking back, we agree that Oregon is a specular place and we did not appreciate it like how we do now. We were just not used to the cold and cloudy weather and grew depressed missing the California sun and running in 90-degree weather. We decided to return to Los Angeles and transfer to different schools.

Regina transferred to Cal Poly Pomona and Sabrina transferred to California State University of Los Angeles, both on three years of NCAA scholarship eligibility for their respected schools. We decided to attend different schools close to home. Our choice of school was decided based on our different choices in degrees, Regina received a degree in Kinesiology and Sabrina in Sociology. We didn’t mind attending different schools because we still lived in the same home. We also continued to study and train together when not at school. That is the great thing about running. On and off-season, we always had each other. During races, if people paid close attention, you could see us encouraging one another. Being separated taught us that we are not only twins but sisters. If we could do it over, we would not have changed our college years for anything. We will not lie; we did have a twin separation anxiety because we were never separated and the feeling of having half of your soul missing hit us in the heart. It was like a heartache but we got through it together by being there for each other and staying close.

Since Kindergarten, we have been in the same school and the same classroom. Our decision to attend separate colleges and sport teams was the best decision that we made. It taught us to be individual women, individual athletes and not to be overly dependent on each other. It taught us to be safe, focused and to continue moving forward as individuals. It may be strange to others but as twins, there can be separation anxiety. To understand a twin, you must be a twin or a parent of twins. We know what the other is thinking, feeling emotionally and physically. If one twin is speaking, the other twin may finish their sentence. The twin separation was inevitable and bound to happen. We are happy we did it though. We gained great friends that we keep in contact with to this day and we have our own experiences to share. To this date, we continue to have the same passion and ambition for running. We love to run, we love to run together and we love each other so much. 

Sabrina Lopez

SL: How much of your training do you do together? 

R+S: We do all our training together. Easy runs, workouts and gym work. We cook together and prepare the same meals for breakfast. We have the same love for our bodies, so we are careful what we put in them. We both have the same interest such as the love for running and God and we do not smoke or drink alcohol. There is nothing stopping us, if one is unable to run due to fatigue or illness, we continue to encourage and support each other. It is great to have someone who motivates you to want to succeed with no excuses. We wake up at the crack of dawn every morning to train. When the alarm goes off in the morning and when one twin doesn’t want to get up, the other twin helps them up. It is amazing to have someone who is working toward the same goals. The great thing about our workouts are that we have each other, we take turns pacing each other, we run with other runners like us, and we push positivity into each other.

SL: Do you believe in twin telepathy? Do you have a special twin language? 

R+S: Yes, I believe that twins do have twin telepathy. Sometimes we may be thinking the same thing without telling each other. It is crazy! We do have a special twin language where we can finish each other’s sentences and understand each other. When one of us looses our chain of thought, the other will usually step in because we understand what the other twin is trying to say. Fun fact, we didn’t start talking until the age of 5 because we were so shy. Our mom said we had our own twin talk and she couldn’t understand us.  We would speak to each other and no one had a clue what we were saying. That is called Twin Talk! How cool is that! We also feel each other’s emotions and sense when the other twin is bothered, sad, angry and hurt. We understand each other’s emotions easily and try to help each other not think negatively when the other twin feels down. We may at times speak to each other of certain topics and no one understands because it is a continued conversation that others are not included in. We laugh at each other’s jokes and when someone does not understand why we are laughing then we then laugh even harder. We definitely do engage in sibling rivalry for short periods but try to get over it quickly. It’s hard to stay mad at each other. Our friends and boyfriends have learned to not get in to our arguments and not get between us.

SL: Tell us about a funny story when you've been mistaken for each other. Have you ever pretended to be each other on purpose? 

R+S: Our grandparents and family members often mistake us, including our baby brother.  A story I remember is my mom telling us that she fed one twin twice because she couldn’t tell the difference. People will call one of us the opposite name and we would just correct them. At times, whenever we meet friends that do not know the other twin, they start having a conversation with the twin they do not know; thinking it is the other twin. We pretend that we are the other twin and then tell each other later what happened.  We try to pretend to be each other and play with family and some friends, it sometimes works.  

SL: Tell us about your next race plans and goals! 

R+S: On March 10th our season opener will be held at Occidental College, "Occidental Distance Carnival" and we will be in the 5k race. Our race schedule for our up coming season is still under construction as we are looking to race Internationally this year. We will finish our season at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Pittsburgh, PA. Our plans and goals for the Marathon are to train smart and make it to the USA Olympic Trials A standard.  We also want to continue to focus on the positive things in life, appreciate everything the Lord had blessed us with, our home, parents, and friends. We want to inspire and help others to accomplish their dreams by presenting ourselves as good role models. We want to have a strong voice and speak up for women and empower many of them. We are truly grateful and excited to represent Oiselle, for seeing our strength and ambition. We are very excited to what 2018 has in store for us this year.

BY: TORI FRANKLIN

My senior year of college I was assaulted by someone I had cared about and it brought me to an incredibly dark and low place. 

Everything I cared about or worked for suffered, my grades, track and field. I even secluded myself from my friends. But they never stopped pursuing me. My family never stopped pursuing me. My season suffering was a real blow to me because it was senior year, regardless I did make it to regionals in Jacksonville to try and secure a spot for the National Championship in Oregon.

Although the competition wasn't going well. My fire wasn't burning, if anyone has seen me compete you know I do with plenty of energy, but this year there was no spark. Coming into my last jump I was sitting in 13th place, but only top 12 qualify. Mentally, I had already given up, until two of my best friends came over to the fence screaming, "YOU GET UP TORI!! You go FRANK FRANK! you can do this! GET UP!"

Immediately, I awakened. On my last attempt, I jumped into first place, tears streaming down my face as I walked out of the pit. Dusting sand off my legs, I walked over to them as they cried for me as well. This is the love and community that I see in the ladies of Oiselle and I am so incredibly excited to be here and to be a part of this family. 

Let me take you back…to Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, 2014.

It was a big day. BIG DAY.

Well yeah, the Seattle Seahawks were in the Super Bowl – an unlikely perch for our birds. (Pro sports lovers in Seattle know it all too well… we’ve not had consistent luck with the winning).

But the bigger news, MUCH bigger news, was that Kara, Adam, and Colt were in town to visit Oiselle and consider us as a sponsor. As fate would have it, Adam’s beloved Denver Broncos were our opponent that year. At first, we heard he planned to watch the game at their hotel room, and we were like, “Nooooo, of course we’ll all watch it together!” 

Fast forward to the game. A whole group of us gathered in the Leskos’ TV room. The Gouchers arrived in full Denver garb. Kara demurred and rolled her eyes a bit, not a huge football fan she said. Yeah we said. Us neither. (I mean, from our point of view, we were still mostly busy pinching ourselves that we were hanging out with the Gouchers on a Sunday afternoon. Game, what game?!)

For those of you who don’t remember (or didn’t watch or care), I’ll just put it this way: Super Bowl 2014 was a game in which the only thing that interrupted Seattle's winning was more winning. From the opening play, when they scored two points on a Denver safety, to multiple TD’s where it seemed like the ball simply fell out of the sky into the open arms of a Seattle receiver, it was by all measures, a total blowout (final score: 43-8 Seattle).

While at first, each side pulled for their teams, it quickly devolved to us consoling, hoping, (wishing), that Denver would score so that our out of town guests would feel more welcome. More happy. That they’d actually like us! And not associate the hangout with a pro sports humiliation.

Well, it all ended okay. In fact, we quickly got off on long conversations about Track & Field, the who-what-where of pro running, and hearing the Gouchers’ stories of all the many places and races they’d been. I mean, c’mon, it’s not every day you get to hang out with two iconic Olympians. 

And for what it’s worth, Seattle would have its comeuppance the next year, getting beat by the Patriots on a game ending half yard play that should have been a no-brainer handoff to Marshawn Lynch. And in 2016, Denver would take the Super Bowl win against Carolina.

Super Bowls come and go, but I like to think we all won in 2014. Right, Adam, right?!

We are very excited to cheer on four Oiselle athletes at the storied Millrose Games this weekend (watch information). It is an honor for athletes to compete in these deep fields, and Maria Michta-Coffey (1 mile racewalk), Megan Clark (pole vault), Kendra Chambers (4x800, NY AllStars team), and Mel Lawrence (3k) are looking forward to the challenge. We wanted to get inside Mel's head about her recent 3k breakthrough and race prep! 

SL: Mel, we love cheering for you! It was a nice notch in your belt for you to break 9 in the 3k at the Dempsey Preview. Can you talk about the 2 weeks of training leading up to that race? What were some workouts that gave you confidence? 

ML: It felt so good to dip under 9 minutes for the first time and get a PR for a season opener. Good way to start.

Looking at my training log, a lot of the stuff I've been doing has been with short recovery, and I think it's been helping me a lot. Lauren's the brains behind it all and she knows what she's doing. She's been my coach for 4.5 years now and knows what works and doesn't. Two weeks leading into the race, some of the race pace stuff didn't feel that great, but a lot of the tempo style stuff has been feeling really great. My tempo work seems to have made a lot of improvement over the last year and a half and I think it has helped my fitness a lot. 

SL: What are your thoughts on/how you are approaching Millrose?

ML: I'm really excited for Millrose. I'm excited to have the opportunity to race against a really strong field and race at such a historic meet. 

I'm feeling pretty positive and I'm trying to keep similar thoughts I had leading into the UW Preview. I know the energy, physicality, and racing on a 200m banked track will be a lot different at Millrose, but I'm confident in my training and fitness and need to roll with those two things.

SL: How is Albuquerque training? Anything new this time around? 

ML: It's been great. I've been matching up and staying with the Brooks Beasts, and they have been extremely nice in letting me tag along for runs and workouts (if the workouts match up). The Littlewing crew came here three years ago, and this time around it is so much different. Last time I was nursing a bum achilles, and ran maybe 4 times total. I spent a lot of time in the pool and on the elliptical watching house hunters haha (seemed to always be on the TV at the gym). I honestly wasn't a big fan of Albuquerque since I didn't get to experience much of it. Being here and running now, I see how great of a place it is to train. There are so many paths, trails, and tracks. It's a great running community and everyone is so open and welcoming. 

So excited for Saturday! Head up, wings out! 

Mel

Confession: feeling a little #deepthoughts. But that’s where I go when I reflect on the idea of Girl Gang… a group of women, connected to and supporting each other. It’s in what we do - and beautifully represented in our new Running Women Collection.

I was having dinner with a friend recently and we started talking about our women friendships; how they had shaped our lives, our very personalities, from early on. For both of us, high school and college was the beginning; when our girlfriends consumed our days and nights. And while (for me at least) boys were of high interest, they were still only one or two stars among a firmament of women.

The Girl Gang was lifeblood. The Girl Gang was without sexual demands or complications. A connection built on solidarity; on understanding the challenges we faced together. A network of woman-up mojo, empathy, connection, and laughter.

I still remember piling into my friend Julia’s gold Dodge Dart convertible one hot summer during college, loaded with an old futon and groceries, on our way to spend the night on the sand of Stinson Beach. With the sun warming our bare arms and legs, whispy hair flying, we settled into a Tattoo You reverie, our future stretching out as endless and interesting as the curves of the road.

“Nothing will harm you and nothing will stand in your way…” Heaven

After college, my girl gang evolved. It became a running team. With the new pressures of adulting, also came the emerging needs that a running girl gang could foster: personal growth, mental stability, stress management, and continued physical health.

Oiselle is a product of the Girl Gang. An immaculate woman to woman conception. I know you know it, but along this running road of life, the Girl Gang brings us friendship, humor, support, absurdity, love, anger, confidence, creativity, renewal, curiosity, humanity.

What I’ve also seen is that while some women didn’t start with a Girl Gang early on, that hasn’t prevented them from finding one. Like the Coco Chanel quote: “If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.” So it is with the Girl Gang. It’s never too late to find yourself a crew.

This collection, the Running Women styles, adorned with the beautiful fluid artwork of Filippa Edghill, is an ode to the Girl Gang. Women. Birds. All connected, moving together.

Per usual, with us and everything we make, it starts with incredible fabrics. Fabrics that, even when put in lifestyle pieces, can go from couch to 5K with zero training. Specifically, these pieces use our Breeze Woven (with stretch) and our Summer Roga™ fabrics. Yum.

Distance shorts worn by highschooler, Allison Bunker, in the Runway Slam

Distance Shorts. Um YES. You’ve been asking. We’ve been stalling. Well no more my friends. The Distance Shorts are BACK - and better than ever! The silhouette is the same, but the fabric gets a slight upgrade… same beautiful drape, but with a bit of stretch.

Volée team member, Mandy Lane, wearing the Story Shirt in the Runway Slam

The Story Shirt. A relaxed v-neck that is simplicity itself, with a wide band at the bottom to give Filippa’s artwork its framing. 

Volée team member, Jenn Wilson, rocking the Backstory Shirt.

The Backstory Shirt. Artwork in the front, sports bra party in the back. 

Did you see Jess Barnard rock them at the Runway Slam? If not, here it is. 

The Story Capri. Not gonna lie, there’s been a lot of oohs and ahhs in the office over these pants. The wide leg capri is THE pant you’ll see out and about this spring. 

The Story Shorts. Inspired by the drape and fit of a pair of fancy pants shorts from Lauren Fleshman, these shorts are simply next level in terms of tailoring and comfort. Ready to run - or wear with a halter top for a dance party.

Hello Oiselle staffer Beth McAlpine at Runway Slam.

The Story Dress. Dresses can be the ultimate one-piece solution. Throw it on and go. We love this silhouette as it brings a cinched waist that adds shape, without being tight. 

The Story Jacket. Have you ever longed for a long jacket - but without the bulk? Long no longer. The Story Jacket has beautiful drape and lightweight convenience - the perfect over layer to finish any look.

A note about the artist: Filippa Edghill leads one of those Instagram worthy lives I like to follow if only because it looks incredibly exotic and peaceful. Following our collaboration with her in 2017 in our Run Strong Collection, we knew we wanted to do more.

Her art, both water color and pen and ink, achieves what some female-centric art struggles to do: celebrate our natural form without contributing to the single story of what a woman is supposed to look like. Filippa’s art is revealing - but reverent.

A painter, traveler, surfer, sometimes runner - she has spent her career sharing beautiful images of female strength. We’re so honored to include just a bit of it in this collection.

All of us are…the running women.