Hello Friends,

STORY is our theme – and rallying cry – for 2018.

This past weekend, we kicked off STORY by hosting a new kind of event here in Seattle: Runway Slam! (Part fashion show and part poetry slam). I can’t think of a better way to launch a season. As you know, we love design, and amazing fabrics, and fierce styles, but none of that matters without the women who wear the clothes. And as always, strong ass women inspire everything we do!

To see more on Runway Slam, check out this write up from Outside Magazine. Or you can view it, start to finish, on our Facebook page, or via this look book that Women’s Running put together right after the show!

So it’s a new season! It always feels like a big deal to share what we’ve been working on for more than a year. And Spring 18, all biases acknowledged, will not disappoint. We have taken giant leaps forward in many areas, from the smallest detail to the big ideas of fit and fabric and sizing.

Without further ado, here are my crib notes on what’s new and notable about Spring 18:

New shorts – and more lengths than ever before

Past: We’ve always been known for our great running shorts, in fantastic fabrics, with a lot of pockets. And while there are a good number of women who love short shorts, there are also a good number of women who want longer styles. Spring 18 is the season for everyone – of all the shorts lengths!

Future: I’ll be doing a full round up/review of our shorts collection very soon, but just know that we have an incredible new line-up that includes A LOT of longer lengths. Plus, Spandos Shorts in two lengths. And Long Flyout Shorts. And Pocket Jogger Shorts (in two lengths), and a Long Roga Skirt. Longer lengths, more pockets, updated fits… I mean c’mon, we’re going to win shorts this spring!

Extending our size grade to size 14

Past: As you know, for quite some time, our size grade has been XS-XL and 2-12. I’m the first to admit, it’s not ideal. There are women at both ends of the spectrum who get left out, and that’s the last thing we want. At the same time, we needed to approach extending our size grade with care (to make sure it’s done right, and the fit is on point) as well as incrementally (to see if there is demand for the products).

Future: For the past year, we’ve been working with a size 14 athlete to develop key styles in this size. Starting with Spring 18, we have eight key styles that are also available in size 14:

Tops: Gallery Window Tee, Go Tank, Brilliance Bra

Shorts: Roga Shorts, Long Roga Shorts, Long Pocket Jogger Shorts

Skirt: Long Roga Skirt

Bottoms: Pocket Jogger Capris

For our friends and teammates in this range, we hope you will give these styles a try. We are eager to hear your feedback, whether positive or negative, and look forward to continuing to evolve this collection. What we know for sure: all women deserve clothes that fit well and support their athletic endeavors!

Fabric improvements

Past: When we launched Pocket Joggers in Spring of 2017, they were an immediate hit. They were in our tried and true Nyelle™ fabric, and the stretch and softness is unrivaled. With Fall 17, we decided to move the style into our Plya™ Compression, but with mixed results. Although Plya is more compressive, it wasn’t as well-loved as Nyelle.

Future: With Spring 18, holla! We return the Pocket Jogger Capris (and now shorts) back to the Nyelle fabric. Unchanged: all the amazing pockets (both on the leg, and at the center back, and along the waistband). They will continue to support women who want/need/must have all those pockets for anything they damn well please.

New care/content/size system

Past: As you know, we dig simplicity. And that’s why we’ve used “heat transfers” as long as we have. These are the ovals inside the neck or waistband of your garment, that tell you the size, care, content, and country of origin. In the plus column: they’re minimal, usually durable, no scratchy tags. In the minus column: they often crack, peel and fall off over time.

Future: Starting with Spring 18, you’ll see our entirely new care/content/size system and I’m irrationally excited about it. It’s entirely unique to Oiselle (we haven’t seen it used by any other brand) and in my mind, it personifies design elegance. Essentially, it’s made up of two parts: 1) a grosgrain ribbon, printed with our brand and the garment size, that is sewn into the garment. 2) Wrapped around this ribbon is another soft woven label that is intended to be cut out before you start flystyle-ing. This label includes your care/content information. But since the care/content of almost all of our styles is the same (machine wash cold, tumble dry low), it’s unneeded for the long haul of the garment.

New exterior branding

Past: We’ve loved our reflective logo! Silvery and bird up…the beauty mark of so much flystyle. But we don’t love it when it cracks and peels. The reason for this issue is highly variable, depending on fabric, temperature used at application, etc. Bottom line, as a detail obsessed designer, I was done with this small element not holding up 100% (the things that keep you awake at night… yes, this is one of mine).

Future: Introducing an entirely new exterior branding system, one that balances two things I value in design: subtlety and beauty. The exterior faux suede branding system is interesting in that it harkens back to our first season. In 2007, our first shorts had a small, faux suede “flag tag,” as it’s called. Starting with Spring 18, you’ll see these small, soft details show up across our line, whether it’s at the center back neck of a bra or tank top, wrapped around the hem of shorts, or on side seams of both tops and bottoms. Better yet, these labels will remain forever soft, washable, and easy to care for over many, many miles!

Details, details, details!

Across the line, we always look for ways to improve those small details that make a big difference. In no particular order, Spring 18 includes:

Roga Shorts – Small increase to leg openings and small increase to rear and front rise

Mile One Pullover – Increase in body length by 1”, and now in Plya™ Stripe

Lesko Bra – Now with our flock graphic!

Team Bra – Same silhouette as the Hi Ten, but in Plya Compression – plus logo screen print!

Ballard Bra – A gorgeous, strappy newcomer. Did you see Tori Franklin wearing it in the Runway Slam?!

Photo love – Our gallery styles include a classic bird flock, but also one of our fave photos: Lauren Fleshman racing cross country through the trees of Franklin Park in Seattle.

Diamond Print – a favorite from 2012 is back in black - and two beautiful blues!

Collared Roga Dress – with a neck placket that is sewn down, and won’t flip out.

Spandos Shorts – Long and short versions, with the rise on both reduced a bit – to prevent riding up.

New Runner Trucker Hats – in the “running women” print. This hat design (aka the trucker hat that actually fits women’s heads) remains a best seller, and this print by Filippa Edghill is perfection.

Women.

Running and flying.

Together.

All telling our unique stories.

It’s what 2018 is all about, and everyone at The Nest is honored to share it with you! And per usual, we’re here to answer any questions you might have… just email hello@oiselle

Cheers, and I look forward to seeing you out on the road, track, or trails.

In 2017, I reached a lifetime goal: qualifying for my 2^nd USA Marathon Olympic Trials. Not only did I qualify, but I also ran a solid PR (3.5 minutes). I believe in celebration and rest (I wholeheartedly enjoyed my December break after the marathon), but I also believe in setting goals soon after a big event. As most runners can relate, by the time I was eating my first meal after the marathon, I was plotting my next plan of attack. For most of us, post-race goal setting is fueled by endorphins, competition and exhaustion. Annual goal setting is a little different because you can more clearly self-examine your attitude/outlook on the sport, you can set your goals both long and short-term to guide you to success in the direction you would like to go.

I plan on sharpening my speed and taking my racing to another level in 2018 – my mantra this year is “Find a way. Be brazen!”

I am excited to tie up my pony tail and get after my 2018 goals. However, I have learned that chasing big goals works best when you have a team. Could be a team of 2, could be a local team, and could be all of the Oiselle Volée! I pursue my goals best when I know I am being watched. That sounds creepy… But I seriously like sharing my story and being accountable/vulnerable with the Oiselle family. Knowing that we are in this running journey together inspires me.

I call it the “Volée singlet effect.” When you put on your Volée race singlet, you feel stronger, fierce and more confident. I think we feel this way, not because of the awesome colors, sleek design or nice fabric, but because we are unified as a team! We are bigger than just one runner’s goal.  When I am chasing my goals in 2018, I will be channeling that same feeling I get when I put on my Oiselle race kit: brave, strong, fierce, and united. #HeadUpWingsOut - let’s get after it in 2018!

Every goal tells a story.

Every goal has a past, a present, and a future. It comes with baggage from where you once were, grounds you in the present, and makes you excited for the future. In a way our goals define us, they are linked to our values, they are rooted in our passions, and they challenge us to be better than we were the day before. 

The first thing I did when setting out on my goals for 2018 was to look back on 2017. Where did I meet success and where did I not. What would I choose to keep and what will I leave behind. Who inspired me and who hurt me. When did the stars align and when did I try to do too much. How will I learn from my successes and failures of 2017. 

Like so many other things I reflect upon, I often start with identifying the strength and weaknesses of what I had set out to do. I put my superhero thinking cap on and try and step outside my body for a moment. I call this a SuperPowers (Strengths) vs Kryptonite (Weaknesses) session.

I used to be afraid of confronting my failures and my weaknesses. I thought that admitting to failure or a weakness made me less of a human, that people would judge, that I wouldn’t be considered a ‘strong woman.’ What I learned along the way is these make you more human, no one is judging you, and this actually makes you stronger. Like successes there is often something positive to come out of a failure. And for me to truly be better than I was the day before I need to confront my weaknesses head on and try to make them a strength. 

As I get older I have to be smarter. I can no longer smash my body the way I once did when I was in my early twenties. With age does not necessarily come wisdom; I have spent an inordinate amount of time reflecting upon the things that work for me so that I could become wise in the ways of my mind and my body. I am no longer afraid to admit what works for you might not work for me, but more importantly to be okay with that. 

Heading into 2018 I am so excited for the things to come. To continue to embrace change. To continue to set forth on an adventure. To meet more of the amazing women of the Volée on my travels across the US and Canada. 

As you set out to plan your goals, make sure you do some soul searching on what your strengths and weaknesses are. As Lauren Fleshman said about goal setting ‘do not seek feedback if you really want affirmation.’ Be bold with your goal setting, but ground it in reality. And never be afraid to go back and revisit your goals, to change or reset them, or even let them go. 

All The Feels. Sasha

In Mels's first Road to Fast she described her early HS years and what it was like to be a "HS phenom." Now we get to dive in on how she approached the decision to run in college. 

SL: Mel, when did you decide you wanted to keep running in college? Was it just assumed? Did Collier play a role? 

ML: I probably decided to keep running after my freshman year (and I wanted to continue in college), but at the same time it seemed like it was assumed. Collier was going to be running in college, and I was running well so it just seemed to make sense that if my running success continued I would do the same thing. 

SL: Tell us the ins and outs of your recruiting process. How did you decide which programs to visit? How many trips did you take? What did you look for when you were visiting programs? Talking to coaches? 

ML: My recruiting process all went pretty fast. I had the early signing option, and I wanted to take advantage of that. I'd heard stories of people waiting too long to decide and having good opportunities and offers pass them by. I didn't want to be stuck in a situation like that. So I took 5 official visits and 1 unofficial visit all in the course of 2.5 months; it was a little bit of a whirlwind. 

I had an idea of places I wanted to visit, and after talking to college coaches over the course of the summer (they were allowed to start calling July 1st), I had my places narrowed down...kind of ;-) we'll get to that part in a second. Most of the places I visited had strong college programs, but weren't at the tippy top. I decided I wanted to be part of a strong team, but one that was also building something special and stronger. I wanted to be a part of that building process. I visited Arizona State, University of Oregon, Colorado, Washington State, University of Nevada (unofficial visit), and finally University of Washington.

I was looking for a program that was exciting to be a part of and was excited to have me be a part of it. When it came to talking to the coaches, I was mostly looking for someone that I had an easy time communicating with and who also seemed excited to talk to me. I'm pretty quiet now, and was even more quiet back then so being able to talk to someone easily was good for me. 

Mel and her roommate from her freshman year, Lauren Saylor, at Footlocker Nationals.

SL: You mentioned your dad was more involved in your recruiting process than you knew at the time. Can you tell us about that?

ML: In passing I mentioned to my dad that I wished I had talked to UW during my recruiting process. That little comment was all it took, and he went up to the UW coaches and said, "Hey, how come you haven't recruited my daughter?" Just like that...very much to the point, haha. They asked him who his daughter was, he said Mel Lawrence, and by the end of the meet I had talked to all three coaches and was going to be visiting in a week.

After I came back from Seattle I had it narrowed down between two schools. My dad called both head coaches and talked each of them about what they could do for me as an athlete and asked why I should go to their school. Coach Metcalf (UW coach) laughs about it now and says my dad was really getting in his bucket. I didn't know he was doing that in the moment, but I'm really glad he did. My parents always told me it was my decision, but he was happy with my decision and it was his preference as well. 

My dad is no longer with us today, and it's memories like these that really bring a big fatty smile and happy-sad (is that a thing?) tear to my face.

SL: Is there anything looking back on that recruiting process now that you wish you would've known? 

ML: That's a tough question, but I don't think so. As a 17 year old it's kind of crazy to be visiting all these places and trying to make a decision about your future. I felt very well informed along the way, and had a great high school that was very helpful when needed during the process. 

Mel racing in a purple uniform at Footlocker Regionals her senior year after she knew she would be running for UW.

SL: How did you ultimately decide where to attend college?

ML: The first thing I tried to do when looking at schools was thinking of a place where I would be happy if I couldn't run. Someone gave me that advice (I can't remember who it was now), and it's probably the best advice I could have received. Every visit I took, I always thought about that. In most cases I think you can be happy wherever you are if you're surrounded by your friends and good people etc, but I was really looking for a place that grabbed my attention. Everyone says that you get a gut feeling for a place and you just know, and it's true. I really liked all the places I visited, and the coaches, but as soon as I visited UW I just knew that was where I wanted to be. 

Funnily enough though, I didn't start talking to them until Pac 10's (so about 2 week before the dead period, right before the signing period starts and the schools can't contact you). My friend Lauren Saylor had visited there and really liked it. We were in the corral at Mt. Sac getting ready to race and she was raving about it. At this point I thought I had my mind made up, but was feeling unsettled in my decision. So hearing her gush about it made me feel like I had missed out on something. The next weekend my family and I went to watch my sister (WSU runner) at Pac 10s at Stanford, and walking past the UW tent I mentioned to my dad that I wished I had talked them about school. Next thing I know the coaches are talking to me at the race and I'm on a plane the next weekend. My whole recruiting process with them was about 2 weeks long, but once I was up there I had that gut feeling about it and I loved the energy of the coaching staff. So I became a UW Husky and love that it's the school where I ended up. It wasn't always easy, and I had my struggles, but I loved, and still love that place.

SL: What's new with your December training...and what is your next race? 

ML: I'm still doing a lot of classic fall/winter strength workouts, but we're also starting to do more speed work since I'll be racing indoors. At least once a week Lauren writes a workout to get me to tap into my speed and to feel the pace of a 3k since that's what I'll be focusing on this indoor season. My first indoor race will be a 3k at the Indoor Preview in Seattle. I love racing at the Dempsey!

Lesko: Devon! I'm excited to catch up on your plans. I know when we were co-cheering at CIM, you were just back to running after an injury. Now you're running free! This year it seems you have renewed energy for the marathon...how does your brain treat the marathon compared to an ultra? How are marathon goals different (other than, I'm assuming, more time-based than ultra racing)?

Devon: After spending a few years focusing on the challenge and the process of taking on the 100 mile distance again, I have become invigorated by swinging back the other direction and seeing what I can do at the marathon. I feel like I have a lot of untapped potential left at the marathon distance and I am finally back at a place where I am excited by the process of trying to see what that potential is. I am curious about what I can do at the marathon distance and feel far enough away from my goal to really be engaged with the work it will take to get there. I tend to pick my goals based on the challenge and immensity of the process it will take to “put myself in the position” to do something.

For me, the goals I have set out for myself in the marathon are big, hairy, scary, goals and I know that I can’t shortcut my way there. In comparison to my ultra training, marathon training is much more rooted in the details and discipline. Ultra running is in my wheelhouse and comfort zone, so I feel ready to execute in an ultra because going long is my jam!! With the marathon, it is the speed, not the distance that is my challenge. I know I can’t shortcut my way to speed and to having my body run fast for 26.2 miles. Thus, marathon training for me is much more intense and detail based. It is about executing specific workouts with specific paces instead of the much more “run by feel” approach to ultra running (given terrain/vertical/etc). Marathon goals are different for me because I know that in order to achieve them I have to be all in and do all the little things: disciplined diet, strength work, mobility work, physical therapy, rest, etc. I have to do everything right to be able to get exactly what I want out of my peformance.

Devon getting back on the road with the Hot Chocolate 15k

I have always been a process based person. I go towards new goals when I stop having a process to sink my teeth into and where it becomes too easy to get sucked into results. Thus, after pursuing the 100 mile distance for a few years, it is natural for me to want to try to go after my potential in the marathon again. I don’t think I’ve reached my potential yet and I am now in my marathon prime, so I am excited and curious to take on the process of becoming.

Lesko: Let's talk about team. What does team mean to you? Can you think of a time when team buoyed you? As an independent and fierce thinking person, what do you value most about team? 

Devon: Before I was a runner, I played team sports and teams have always been central to sport for me. I feel like having a team or squad of training partners is essential to reaching goals. Whether that means having an awesome group of people crewing and pacing you at an ultra, or having a training partner to pull you through a hard workout, it really elevates the experience. I don’t think I could run at the same level as I do without support and team is essential! I think ultimately I value the unconditional support, the encouragement, and the belief in myself and my goals that a team provides and that I can provide for my teammates.

Lesko: You've really focused on the process goals recently (I'm thinking Leadville)...what have you noticed most about process goals vs outcome goals? Are there big differences or similarities? 

Devon: I’ve always been a process based goal setter. I love the process of becoming much more than I enjoy the act of being. Becoming is the journey and being is the destination. Ultimately, arriving at the destination is thrilling, especially when you get where you want to go, but that is a short-lived thrill. After running my current PR in the marathon of a 2:38, I was over the moon and so proud, but at the same time was drawn back to the process and immediately wanted to set my sights on the next challenge. I feel that I underperform when I fall into the outcome goal trap. There is less curiosity and openness in that for me and I tend to mentally not thrive. That is one of the reasons I love being both a marathoner and an ultrarunner; there is an endless supply of process based goals to move between. And when I go towards the open end of the spectrum (like running 100 miles) for a while, then the other end of the spectrum becomes a wide open playground once I have satisfied my curiosity or process. If you look at the last 7 years of my career, I have fearlessly gone after the goals that challenged me the most even when it wasn’t the cool or popular option. The quickest route to failure for me (for me!) is through outcome goals. Yes, I have a time I want to run this year, but the process of becoming the type of person that can run that time is what I am invested in most.

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome professional runner Allie Kieffer to the Oiselle family. Allie is a running veteran with a fresh hunger to compete. Allie has been a national class athlete since she graduated college in 2010 (she actually raced with our own Mel Lawrence at the 2003 Foot Locker National Championships!), but after qualifying for and missing the Olympic Trials in 2012 with an injury, Allie made an attempt to “retire” from the sport. Back in New York with a full-time job, her body repaired; the love of running and the desire to connect with the running community drew Allie back in. She slowly began to regain fitness and recharge her heart and desire to compete.

Coaching herself as well as a group of other athletes preparing for marathons, Allie continued to build fitness in 2016 and 2017. She decided that she had unfinished business with her competitive running career and worked her way back onto the road racing circuit. We noticed her return to the track last year with a new 10,000m PR and her continued momentum in the fall. At last November’s NYC marathon, a group of Oiselle Volée and Sally Bergesen were watching the lead runners roar down 5^th Ave at the 23^rd mile mark. Allie was running tall, springing off her toes, eyes wide open, and flying toward and past a host of world-class marathoners from around the world. What an athlete!

Allie’s 5^th place finish in the NYC Marathon was a breakthrough, particularly when you consider she set a 15 minute PR and negative split the challenging course (1:16:36, 1:13:03). We believe Allie is poised for more breakthroughs over the next few years leading up to Tokyo.

When we were introduced to Allie we immediately asked her to fly to Seattle to visit the Nest. Allie straightaway impressed us with her quiet self-confidence, no-fuss attitude, and honesty. Allie has been through hard things. You’ve probably read her article about body image in SELF Magazine. Allie isn’t afraid to tackle some of running’s toughest issues. She may be a professional runner at the highest level now, but her grit is unmatched given her pathway to get there – 2 years ago she was a full-time nanny running before and after work.

Allie is determined, poised, humble, and focused on the path that lies in front of her. We are very excited to partner with her and hope that Oiselle’s support will help propel Allie to her full potential. Get ready to cheer: Allie is racing this Friday, as she guns for a PR at the Doha Half-Marathon! Fly, Allie!   

"My comeback is two-fold, setting new PRs and rediscovering my love and happiness for running and the community it’s brought into my life,” said Kieffer. “I couldn’t be more excited to join the Oiselle family. It was important for me to partner with like-minded individuals who embrace women in sport. I can’t wait to fly together!” - Allie

"Our approach to athlete sponsorships has always been focused on rising stars who have a story to tell. From the day Allie shocked the world and finished second American at last year's NYC Marathon, we knew she had drive, talent, and insights. Everyone at Oiselle is incredibly excited to support Allie as she not only aims to make Worlds and Olympic Teams, but also talks openly about issues that face many women athletes - from body image, to loss, to recovering from injury." - Sally

Oiselle subscribers always hear news first! Subscribe below to be in the know!

2018: The Year of Team!

As we reflected back on 2017, the stories that stuck were all from our meetups: races, Birdcamps, cowbell corners, the CIM Expo, the IRL magic we all know and love. So for 2018 we’ve decided to double down and go back to our roots…and put our focus on events + people. Call us old-fashioned!

Life is better with a team: a squad in your corner, run-partners to show you around new terrain, a friendly face in the race. We are so pumped for 2018, and have a full slate of shenanigans we are working on. We hope to see you in the neighborhood!

2018 Oiselle Team Schedule

January: Team Month! A celebration of everything team. Volée opening, Tenacious Ten store registrations, and a special coaching contest (stay tuned).

March 18th: NY Half Marathon! Chief Bird @oiselle_sally is running, and wants to see as many singlets on the course as possible! And word is, some extra cowbelling appreciated as well.

April: Whoa this month is jam packed with:

• Boston Marathon weekend April 14^th-17^th. Oiselle is organizing runs, an epic cowbell corner (of course) and a few other surprises. Nothing like Boston!
• Tenacious Ten: Oiselle’s first and only race, April 21^st around beautiful Lake Union in Seattle, with a full weekend of activities planned. We will have pace groups led by familiar Oiselle faces!
• Eugene Marathon: Haute Volée Becki Spellman will be leading our Eugene birds…that course is flat and fast!

June:

• Grandma’s Marathon in beautiful Duluth, weekend of June 16th. I mean, we can’t pass up Kara Goucher’s hometown for a Oiselle event!
• USATF Nationals, last weekend of June. We’re looking so forward to cheering on our runners and jumpers!

August 24^th-27^th: BIG (emphasis on big) Birdcamp in Pennsylvania! All Volée invited to attend this special weekend…be on the lookout for details.

October 5^th weekend: Twin Cities Marathon in, you guessed it, the Twin Cities! We keep hearing raves about this marathon and will be there in force this fall!

October 28^th weekend: Marine Corps Marathon in our nation’s capital.

December 2^nd weekend: California International Marathon in Sacramento. We had such a fun time there in 2017, can’t wait to see what magic happens this year. One thing’s for sure: that race is a guaranteed OTQ factory!

So much to look forward to this year… we hope you join us!

*these targeted events are tentative we reserve the right to make changes! Suggestions welcome! 

Team has always been at the center of everything we do at Oiselle. So naturally, back when the Volée was born we intimately connected Volée memberships to our Haute Volée team ($25 from each Volée membership was immediately and directly applied to support our Haute Volée). It has been so gratifying to watch this team linkage take shape and strengthen, and our Volée team can truly take credit for the success of our elites.

In 2017 we wanted to expand our team support vision, and created the Woman Up Fund. Starting last year, the $25 from each Volée membership that goes to the Woman Up Fund directly supports not only our Haute Volée team, but philanthropic projects that impact women and girls in sport.

We are very pleased to report that in 2017 the Woman Up Fund enabled the following and more...

32 Fierce Haute Volée chasing their competitive dreams, including 13 athletes at the USATF National Championships in Sacramento, and our first marathon OTQ of the 2020 Olympic cycle (Lyndy Davis at CIM).

Our Bras For Girls donation program, which gave 2,600 sports bras to girls in need across the US and a few international programs, along with an accompanying educational booklet encouraging girls to stick with sports. Among others, Oiselle sports bras were distributed to the following programs.

• Salida del Sol Academy
• Cristo Rey Dallas XC Program
• City Heights Runners
• Cascade Middle School 6^th Grade Basketball
• Millenium HS
• Homeless Children’s Playtime Project
• YouthRunNOLA
• Girls on the Run Snohomish and King County Chapter
• Girls Gotta Run
• Lamoille Union Middle School XC
• Southern Middle School XC
• Hampstead Middle School Running Club
• Es Posible Una Sonrisa
• MLK Junior Middle School XC
• Hudtloff Middle School XC
• Faith Family Academy of Oak Cliff
• Face the Race
• Park Place Outreach
• Raub Middle School Girl Scouts Troop
• Pinckneyville Middle School Girls Run It

Mailing Lauren Fleshman’s “Dear Younger Me” letter to more than 500 HS and College running programs in the country. 

“You'll see girls react to a changing body in three ways: give up, ride it out, or fight against it. With 100 percent confidence, I can tell you the best choice is to ride it out. The best is yet to come.”

We are grateful for your support of these programs, and welcome suggestions as we continue to put our team dollars to work. Click here to learn more about the Volée (we have a team opening coming soon)!

Woman Up indeed!

XO,

Sally: One of my favorite my favorite racing memories of you was the Olympic Trials Marathon in 2012. That was a crazy race, coming down to you, Shalane, Desi, and Amy Hastings in the final miles. With Amy on your heels, what was going through your mind, and how did you will yourself to pull away?

Kara: The 2012 race was a high-stress situation. I was coming off of a very serious injury and didn’t start running again until 11 weeks out from the race. I had a new coach and a new team. I felt like I was in a pressure cooker! But the day of the race I felt remarkably calm. As the pack whittled down to four athletes left, I knew a move had to be made to drop one of the athletes. Shalane and Desi started to pick up the pace and even though I knew the pace was too hot for me, I decided to gamble and go with them for one mile and see if it dropped Amy. Even though she had just surged in the race, my gut was telling me that she was struggling and I thought I had a window to break her. So I ran that mile a little too hard with Shalane and Desi until I could feel myself pulling away from Amy. After that I slowed down a bit but still kept the pressure on as best I could. With 3 miles to go my coach yelled that I had broken clear and that I should go after Desi, but I was happy to just protect my spot and earn my position on my second Olympic team.

BY: NELLE HORSLEY, Oiselle Designer

I can’t actually remember the first time I saw Leah Goren's work, but you know that feeling when you see something you like, and then suddenly, you see that thing everywhere? That's what happened when I started seeing Leah's beautiful and sweet drawings all over the design blogs, Pinterest boards, and illustration websites I frequent for inspiration. 

In particular we love Leah's drawings of women. No vacant Barbie gaze here... just strong women pumped up on their pursuits. In motion, on track, owning their space in the world. The brush stroke style brings their strength to life in a way that is also light hearted. The whimsy game is strong!

First and foremost, we wanted to work with Leah to make us a print showing women runners in action. A representation of many fab and fast women.

In Leah's words, why she was down to collab with O:

"Staying active is so important in helping me feel confident in my body and sane. While I'm at a Pilates class or running through Brooklyn, I'm able to meditate in a way I would never be able to otherwise. My drawings are fun and playful, but it's important to me to show only strong, empowered women in my work. I hope that feeling can give a little boost to everyone who wears these pieces! All of my work is painted in gouache on paper, and then scanned onto the computer to finish the piece. Because these pieces are screen printed, I set up the images in layers, so each color could be printed on top of the next. For inspiration, I looked at a lot of photos of women in action, and drew from my favorite poses."

Once Leah's artwork was complete, we worked with our factory partner to turn it into an all over print, and then onto fabric. There are many incremental steps in this part of our development. Testing different colors, different fabrics, and making sure all the details come together.

The Hoodie, Sleeveless Sweatshirt, and Ball Cap are all original Oiselle designs, from start to finish. For the Hoodie, we knew we wanted that classic hoodie fit, but with an extra plush and yummy hood/collar. The sleeveless hoodie is fun and versatile, and we felt did a good job of matching Leah's style - strong, empowered women! The ball cap rounded it out, taking a basic style and making it special... with all the women!

You can follow Leah at @leahreenagoren on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or on her website.

Life's better with a goal.

Not just because they stick up like a telephone pole on the horizon, but also because they help us envision our lives as part of something bigger... the bigger picture of who we are, who we want to become.

Enter the Believe Journal. First published by you and Ro (Roisin McGettigan-Dumas) about five years ago, it provides one of the best frameworks I've found - for both inspiring running goals, and tracking them along the way.

I’m an Anne Lamott fan, and there are two passages from her book, Bird by Bird, I have always held dear:

“Thirty years ago, my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report written on birds that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books about birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

And:

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.” 

A lot has been written about goal setting. There are books and seminars and retreats and gurus. But what I’ve found to work, both personally and professionally, more than anything else is the simple premise of daily dedication combined with a willingness to be vulnerable and even fail.

What if we set goals while being free of fear?

What if we chased success, but also knew failure could make it an even better story?

What if we always remembered, as Lauren Fleshman says, that the best of sport is a playground, not a proving ground?

So it’s 2018.

And we’d like to get things kicked off - and ask for your help in creating a community "Prologue." In literary terms, a prologue is not just an introduction, but more importantly, a setting of the stage. It’s the pause before the first step. For running goals, we see it as a gathering of ideas and information – and dreams and thoughts. It can be for the year, or simply the near term. It can be big and dreamy. Or it can quiet and personal. It can be something you share. Or it can be a secret note to the self.

But there is always a goal. And a moment of knowing…when you go from turning it over in your head, like a smooth rock found on the beach, to something you can see with your eyes, and feel in your heart. Something that lights the horizon.

The last couple weeks of 2017 had me dreaming about goals in a way I hadn't done in awhile. My eyes lifted, and I got excited to refresh the things that fuel me (writing; could I do it daily or weekly?), to see the people that inspire me (run lovers; as a brand, could we show up big for our team, our community?), to keep fighting for equal rights and visibility (feminist voices rising), and yes, to do those small, bird by bird activities that ultimately form the bigger picture.

Prologue. The start of a story. The story of 2018...

We hope you’re scheming and dreaming on some goals for 2018. To help you on your way, look for limited edition Prologue cards in web orders starting this week. Or download here. 

Dream them and write them. And share with #MyPrologue. The story is just beginning, and we can’t wait to hear yours.

Happy New Year friends! I hope to see you on the road, track, and trails sometime soon.

Xoxo