BY: LINDSAY WALTER

I was born with a head of beautiful red hair, but then by age two it began to all fall out. First it was in small chunks but then within a few weeks I was completely bald. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Alopecia, causing total body hair loss.

It was tough growing up without any hair and using a wig to ‘hide’ my baldhead. I was so ashamed of having no hair. I didn't feel like I was pretty or worthy of love, happiness, or joy. I would look at all of the beautiful women I was surrounded by every day at school, on television and in magazines with their beautiful heads of hair and think “if only I could have hair.” I would come home from school crying; kids were so mean to me, making fun of me calling me names like ‘baldy’ or making fun of my lack of eyebrows or eyelashes. But, when they would call me a boy that really stung. I had no self-confidence and was so ashamed I never made a comeback or told anyone, because they were right…I was bald. I didn’t know anyone else who had alopecia, and felt like I was alone with no one to talk to. I was an outcast in so many ways. I wanted nothing more than to fit in and be like everyone else.

I can still vividly remember the time in gym class when a boy pulled off my hair. It was my worst nightmare come true. I can still see the faces of kids. There I was, exposed and vulnerable. I wanted to hide my alopecia, and never wanted anyone to know about it, because girls were pretty when they had hair. I thought this was the most important thing in the world. I was very fortunate to be blessed with athletic ability. It was in my later elementary school days that I discovered the game of basketball, and this game would open so many doors for me. I would race home from school every day to shoot hoops in my driveway for hours, pretending to make the game-winning shot. The crowd would chant my name and go wild. I never thought of my Alopecia, basketball became my escape into a perfect world where I was just like all of the other girls. My focus shifted to practicing and becoming the best player I could be. I started to stand out from the crowd, but this time it was in a positive way. I still wore my wig 100% of the time, and never talked about my Alopecia, but I thought about it less because I had basketball as a distraction.

I went on to have a great high school career breaking school records and I even received a scholarship to play college basketball. I am a very competitive person by nature, and every summer Duluth, Minnesota (my college town) hosted a marathon, so I thought to myself “I can run a marathon!” I was never a runner; in fact, I used to hate to run more than the length of the basketball court. I went on a few runs beforehand then laced up my sneakers race morning and took off. I will never forget this day. The whole time I kept thinking to myself ‘this is amazing! I am strong, tough and powerful’. I had never truly felt or believed those strong emotions before. As I crossed the finish line with a 4:17 time all I could think was “I could do better!” I didn’t know then, but this day would change my life in more incredible ways than I could have ever imagined.

I began to start racing all over the country, challenging myself and wanting to become better. I loved the excitement of being in a new city and taking on a new race. The more I ran, the stronger, more empowered and even beautiful I felt. There is just something so special to me about the road in the early morning, when it’s just me and I have time to think and feel so many emotions.

I began to gain a new confidence from running. I started to wear my wig less around my close friends, or just small errands, which was a big step for me. I will never forget the morning I came back in from a long run in the hot Charlotte heat, I was so sweaty I took my wig off right away and looked in the mirror and really saw myself for the first time. I had beautiful really green eyes! I had been so ashamed and embarrassed by my baldhead that I had never really looked at myself in the mirror because I hated the way I looked. But now I thought ‘wow I am kind of pretty’.

Through running I was able to learn so much about myself. It is hard to be a runner, it takes a lot of dedication, strength, determination and pure guts to get through all of the training, especially on days you don’t want to. But, I loved it! I looked forward to my long run every weekend and always had the next race to look forward to. Running was shaping me into this person I had always been, but just needed help getting to.

My life then changed forever on one hot May day on my 20-mile run. The whole run I kept thinking how much I’d grown, and all that I had accomplished, then suddenly I don’t know what came over me but I just ripped my wig off part way through my run with tears welling up in my eyes. I had always dreamed of the day I could be confident enough to not need my wig to ‘hide’ or be a security comfort, and this was the day! I had never felt more beautiful with my bald heading out shining for the world to see as the sun gleamed off of it. I got home from that run, hung my wig up (which was so disgustingly sweaty - I have no idea how I ever ran or played basketball with that thing on for all of those years!) and haven’t looked back since.

My next marathon was two weeks later in San Diego, my first race there and my first ‘bald’ marathon. I got my best time and even qualified for Boston! My dream come true! I had never felt so loved or celebrated as I did after that race. All of these strangers coming up and hugging and congratulating me, such an incredible feeling!

After this, running became about so much more than just me. I wanted to join in and help celebrate others and their victories as well. That is when I decided to join the Oiselle Volée team. I had always been a solo runner; I loved running on my own. But, through this incredible team, I have met so many wonderful runners from all over the place who have encouraged, loved on and believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. There is nothing like having the support of your running sisters. It brings such excitement to me when I see a fellow bird crushing a race, beating a PR, or running her first race. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this team!

Since my first marathon, my goal had been to run 27 marathons by the time I turned 27 years old. I was able to accomplish this task this past June in San Diego. It was truly so incredible crossing that finish line as I put my arms in the air. I have run a total of 29 marathons so far and can’t wait for all that is to come. Running has helped me to accept, love and embrace my Alopecia and baldhead!

It was through running I was able to get to the point in my life where I can confidently say, ‘Yes, I have Alopecia and I am beautiful!” and truly believe it. I am so beyond thankful for the sport and community of running. It’s my life in all the best ways, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. 

- Lindsay

BY: ALI SCHULTZ

Oh boy I’m sooo sore!! Like my first marathon all over again!

I'll be honest running my first 50 miler was really tough. I went from rolling along faster than I expected in the first 17 Miles to then trying to manage leg cramps from 20 on. Then at 26 I was coming down a really technical downhill section and rolled my ankle pretty bad. I honestly thought that was my end right of the race. Someone came along and offered my aspirin —never took anything during a race before. But it was that or DNF. I told myself going in that as long as I was able to move forward at a pace that the race allowed, I was doing this. I don’t purport to be the best mountain runner by a million years, but I did believe in myself to just keep digging.

I picked up Paulette at 27. She ran NYC 2 weeks earlier. It took us 6.5 hrs to cover the next 23 Miles. I went from 9:50’s in some spots to complete stops when cramping kept coming up. But probably the toughest section was maybe Mile 35. We had 6 miles with about 1500 ft climbing to cover in 1:20 or face getting pulled with a DNF. I did a ton of really emotional bargaining. “If I get pulled it’s fine. I ran my longest distance ever by 10 miles; longest time on Feet ever by 4 hrs. And I had a lot of time to catch up with my good friend that I don’t regularly see because distance.... but I’m still going to work.” 

She had a bunch of cards on her from Tara Caudle, Jess Graham, Lynn Carlson Emily Brain, Kim Pearlman, and Marilyn Keys (and Chopper) with a bunch of beautiful personal things to the effect of “I believe in you.” She gathered them weeks before, unbeknownst to me. We kept our phones largely off because it’s a long day and cell coverage is sketchy if nonexistent. This was like they were right there with me saying “Go. Go. Keep going forward.”

Paulette knows the trails here quite well and knew that the 6 mi section had a 3 Mile stretch of mostly flat (by comparison) runnable terrain and honestly said “if you feel like you can give it, you need to run. You need to dig in right here.”

I was 8 min from the aid station and cramping hit the worst. Then someone happened to have salt pills. Again, not a magic fix and not something I tried before but why not. Things slowly started to release and I made it back to a run at maybe a 11 minute pace and came up to the aid station with “ONE MINUTE!!”. We planned on me just pushing through; you need to clear the AS to be considered to have made it and the next AS was 3 Miles away (really close by Trail standards). Paulette would grab what I need from my last drop bag and catch up. I cleared it with radios blaring “30 seconds” and everyone at the AS shouting “RUN!!” to everyone that was close. 

I was told we were through, and could relax but then there was a timing mat that once the woman there came into view she gave me the most serious “dig deep right now” look to get across. If you know of 70 year old Gunhild Swanson from Western States 2016 and saw the video of her finish, it was so very similar except a 33 year old making a race cutoff of a 50 mi vs a 70 year old finishing the WS 100. (So not similar! But it was the most dramatic “DIG DIG DIG!!” I think I’ve ever personally experienced.

From there we were much more confident in officially finishing but had to cross the bridge and were told conflicting stories of “the Bridge closes at this time” and “yeah but the actual final time is...” Everyone was nervous about making it. But I really an attitude that I realized I had all day —take from your body what it gives you in the moment and be content that it’s enough. I think Paulette got me across the line with maybe 6 minutes to spare. And while I had no idea of where I’d finish exactly (most climbing in a race ever was 4,000ft; this was 10,000+ and I live in Flatlandia), I by no means thought I’d be second to DFL. But I also never thought I’d be happier to be in that spot. Officially finished. 13:53:45.

The most physically demanding thing I’ve ever done. Legs so sore. Having issues sleeping. But can I tell you how happy I am?

And maybe you saw. Outside from the cards, so many tweets. IG messages. Facebook messages. I mean part of the trail experience is that you DON’T have spectators, cowbells, or almost anyone besides every 5 Miles. It’s very isolating besides the shared suffering. And you find yourself rooting for your competitors and finding strength in “the guy that almost DNF’d because he cramped so bad ALSO made it through and just passed you!”. It was wonderful to finish, but also just unreal to see so much genuine care from the team about how I was doing. My friend in Bolingbrook, Heather Debelak: “I screamed when then text came across that you finished.”

Allie Bigelow left a comment of “it takes a a village and you had a damn nice village” but it was ultimately me that did the work. But I’d contend that what I had was way more than a village. Definitely not anything that I planned on or called up. But just so many people that showed up however they could because they wanted to. Nothing I’ve ever done compares to this. And that’s probably the biggest thing that’s taking time to absorb. And that’s really quite incredible. 

I’m going back to, “sore ankle and legs; can’t sleep!”

Literally two years ago I was on crutches and pretty much lost all of 2016. And I know that’s not the last. But really just recognizing “peaks and valleys; and there will be more of both” kept me optimistic and knowing that my situation was temporary. You always have more peaks and different peaks ahead.

When it comes to the US economy, small is big. Across the US, small businesses drive the lion's share of job growth, employment, and opportunity.

But from what I’ve seen, small businesses are also more dedicated to the heart and soul of the industries they serve. They are passionate about the activity far beyond the transaction.

For Oiselle, this view has often meant saying no to the wrong kind of growth. Saying no to big businesses, such as Dick’s or Amazon, that aren’t aligned with our mission to grow the sport and empower women on a very tangible level.

As a small crew of run lovers, we are committed to:

Craft. The art and science of creating apparel for athletes is something we live and breathe. The “by and for women athletes” consumes our research, our planning, and our passion for great product. We will design, and refine, and nerd out on the details of what makes women’s running apparel great. Being a small business allows us to do this.

Community. As lifelong runners, we know the best of the sport is the activity itself. And the friends who we share it with. From sponsoring pro athletes, to helping emerging elites reach the highest levels, to creating an all-are-welcome team, investing in community is something we will always do and care about. Big business frequently bypasses community because they view it as too difficult and expensive to manage. 

Cause. Within my own story, and so many women I talk with, I know that running has the power to transform lives. To create a foundation for growth, change, and healthy relationships. A big part of our mission is to help others find that. The Woman Up Fund, to which Oiselle and the Volée contribute, supports emerging elites on their path to success, and Bras for Girls, which puts sports bras in the hands of middle school girls in need.

One of the great things about the running community, is we have a healthy ecosystem of small businesses that are in place, and ready to offer you the myriad items you need/want to enjoy your sport.

We have our own killer holiday assortment and goodies for runners here.

But I also encourage you to support the hundreds of small businesses that are dedicated to our sport. From apparel to hydration to event promoters and shoe companies, your choices matter.

In particular, run specialty stores are incredibly valuable members of the run family. You likely have your favorites already. Please keep patronizing them. (Personally, I shop Super Jock n Jill for all my shoes and fuel). For a list of stores that carry Oiselle, go here.

We also support other businesses, large and small, that are dedicated to their community, and to the causes that help others grow and succeed. Among many others, thank you REI, Patagonia, and Title Nine for leading the way.

Most of all, we hope this holiday season - you will simply get outside and run. 

It's a small act, but as we know, small is big.

Cheers, and head up, wings out!

Hello Friends and Family,

We like to say running is a gift and our community is magic.

It was true when we founded the company ten years ago (ten years!) and it's as true as ever today.

With gratitude, your support fills us with purpose and inspiration. And the firm belief that sports + women can change the world.

So thank you...for being our muses, our allies,

our champions, and our sisters.

With love and thanksgiving, here's to you and yours.

Head up, wings out!

It’s been two weeks since I raced the NY Marathon. Somehow, it feels like it was both yesterday, and a lifetime ago. The passage of time is often attached to the feelings we have towards a memorable event, whether good or bad. Like many other pros, I’m taking a short break post-race to rest and reflect. And as I look back at the experience and take inventory of what remains, I’m realizing I’ve learned a lot. 

NYC is a reminder that on the course, and in life, we’re all running our own race. I need to acknowledge that, own it, and run with confidence. I got beat by some women I thought I could beat, but I also beat some women who maybe I "shouldn't" have beat. My point being — you may be on a certain path towards achieving something, and you are making excellent progress, only to be passed by others moving faster than you. That doesn’t mean you’re not heading down the right road, it just means you're on a different timeline. As a professional athlete, we are never quite satisfied with our performance, unless perhaps we win our event, run a PR, or make a team. However for me, for that race, I was satisfied. I poured out all I had on that day. I have no regrets about how I raced, or how hard I fought. I only regret that I wasn’t better than I was on the day. But that will come with time. I still have more miles, hours, and work to put in to get stronger and fitter, and that is exciting. 

But the next chapter of training begins with rest. It’s a 2 week bender post marathon. Well… a bender for a mom of toddlers, whose idea of crazy is finishing a bottle of Pinot Grigio in 2 nights! In all reality, my 2 week break consists of no exercise, no running. That's right I haven't done anything athletic in 2 weeks, aside from a little dancing. I went to a college friend’s bachelorette party, and another good friend’s wedding. I’ve gotten to that part of my career where my health feels so precious, that to plan an unforced break from running is such a refreshing feeling that I don’t mind not running. We put so much mental and physical energy into training for a marathon, that in my mind, a break is essential. These pauses rejuvenate passion and dedication - the stuff that I need to put my head down and begin another training block. 

And with that pause comes a new set of daily routines. I find myself going HAM on my house — sorting, organizing, and trying to complete all the tasks I put on hold during marathon training. Last week I went crazy on our garage, filled picture albums, and decorated. I feel like I have more energy to invest in other aspects of my life. I like that I can be on my feet all day, eat cake for breakfast, and not feel guilty about the degree to which I’m “properly” recovering from training. 

Yet I do miss the rush of workouts. The feeling after I completed something I didn’t believe was possible on paper. I miss the feeling of butterflies as I drink my coffee before a really tough session. But I know it will return soon enough, so I’m at peace during my break.

Truthfully though, I’m already dreaming and visualizing my next marathon. I’m silly like that - I can make a new goal the day after I finish a big race. I’m able to reflect upon my training cycle, and the race itself, to find the highs and lows. Take the time I need to digest them, but then dive right into the next goal shortly after. Meeting with my coach - we chat about the coming year. Figure out what makes sense, and find the fire to stoke. Asking and answering the question — “what’s going to get you fired up again”. 

Because the big goal, the big fire, is looking at 2020 and working backwards. Defining what I want to accomplish before the Olympic marathon trials. You’ll most likely see me racing two marathons a year from here on out, and sprinkling in shorter races like 10ks, halfs, and stints on the US Road Circuit. I’m still seeking a national title, working toward PRing in the marathon, and mixing it up every race I run!

More than anything, I want to shout a huge thank you to everyone who followed along and supported me throughout this build up. Your words and messages meant more than I can express.

Head Up, Wings Out!

Prep phenom Marie (Mel) Lawrence was one of the nation's most highly recruited HS runners going into college (she was 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, and 5th in Foot Locker Nationals over her HS career). After a stellar first 18 months at the University of Washington (helping her team win XC NCAA's, running 9:40 in the steeple), Mel ran into an injury cycle that took her 6 years to escape. Mel, now 28, is still improving after PR'ing in 3 distances last year (5K, steeple, and 1500m) and capturing 5th place in a loaded steeple at USA's. Mel carries a quiet confidence and low-key demeanor, which paired with her unique bond with animals makes her an unlikely running ninja. Don't doubt it: Mel gets fierce in races! Mel's story is unique, in that she somehow found a way to hold on to her love of running through the years. We are excited to feature Mel in a new blog series: The Road to Fast, which we hope will be a resource for HS, college, and post-collegiate athletes who may be experiencing the extreme highs and lows that running can bring.  

SL: Mel, you burst onto the prep running scene early. How did you get into running? 

ML: I 100% got into running because of Collier. I was doing other sports/activities (dancing and diving), and once I got into middle school, where they had a cross country and track team, I joined the team. Collier was good at running and showing a lot of improvement, so I thought 'why not?' Seventh grade was an introduction to it all, but by the following year I was stopping all the other sports to focus on running. 

SL: You had success so young. What was freshman year in HS like for you? How did running factor in to the rest of your social life? 

ML: Freshman year was pretty normal for me. I was lucky to have my twin brother to go into high school with, and we also had Collier there who was a senior. When it came to running I pretty much just tried to do what she was doing...especially when it came to races. I had the classic rush to prom from a track race moments, but I never felt like running was this big factor when it came to my social life. I would go to practice when I was supposed to, and would hang out with my friends when I could. I never felt like running prevented me from doing that, I just tried to go to bed earlier than my friends.  

I felt like I was improving each year because I was getting older and had another year of running in my legs every go around. I never felt like I had huge improvements year to year, but slow consistent improvements. 

As a high schooler, Foot Locker was a really really cool experience. 11 was my four year score. I was 2, 2, 2, 5.  I don't think I really thought about the pressure until my last year. I had been 2nd for 3 years in a row, and if I couldn't win I really wanted to just get 2nd. They did such a good job taking care of everyone, and made the experiences of the weekend very memorable. Everyone is always a little nervous to race of course, but it felt like there was more excitement around the weekend because it was so fun. All the other runners were always so nice as well, and I think as kids we were excited to meet other runners from different regions. I formed some lasting friendships during those weekends spent in San Diego

SL: How did your family treat your running success? Was there any weirdness associated with it? 

ML:I think a great thing about my early success in running was that my parents knew nothing about running. They were happy if I was happy and would be encouraging if I was disappointed. My mom spent her weekends helping my coach drive us to various meets, and was always available to help. My dad was a little more involved in my recruiting process than I realized at the time, and he's the reason I ended up at Washington (which I am SO grateful for). Outside of those moments, they were pretty hands off and only supportive.

SL: What about your HS team and coach...how did they address your early running success? What was to communicated to you from your HS coach. Were there psychological aspects to early success that surprised you or that you can recognize now in retrospect? 

ML: First, my high school coach is the best! His name is Bruce, and he's 85 now (he retired when I graduated high school) and he has always been a grandfather figure in my life. He coached me in middle school during the Club season and was already coaching Collier for high school and Club. I think he was excited to have me come out and join the Club team since Collier was already a good runner. 

More than just being a good coach, looking back on it, he also taught us a lot about hard work and dedication, and about commitment. He wasn't lecturing us on those things, but I think you learn a lot of that during your early years of sports without even realizing it; and your early coaches are the ones to implement those. I think more than anything, he communicated the value of hard work and commitment.

SL: What advice do you have for families of early achievers in sports? Specifically, for running "phenoms"? 

ML: Let your kid have fun. I see it more and more how serious sports are becoming at younger and younger ages. I think one of the reasons I still like running is because it was fun and my parents never put any pressure on me to do it. The first few years we didn't take it too seriously either. 

There is so much time to get serious and get on the grind of heavy training, and I feel like it will result in early burnout if taken too seriously. Even if there are signs of being a phenom. Sports can be so pure and raw at a young age if you let them, and I think it's important to experience those moments in sports. Of course, all this being said, some kids excel when they get right into the serious nitty gritty of it all. But have fun with it first, please.

SL: Current training update: What are you doing now?

ML: Right now I'm grinding away at the fall training (Tempos, fartleks, hills...that sort of good stuff), which I like. I always feel like I come off this type of training feeling really strong. I'm running a Turkey Trot in San Jose on Thanksgiving morning, and just did a cross country race in Portland over the weekend to gear up for that.

I'm changing things up with my strength training this year, and one of my PTs (Jay Dicharry) is the brains behind that. Jay has been working on me for the last four years, and he has seen me come a long way in those four years. He knows exactly what and where my weaknesses are, and what problems I've had in the past. Jay is a really reaally smart guy, knows his stuff, and is a miracle worker. When looking at what I was going to do this season in the gym, it just seemed to make the most sense to have him work on that with me. We've started with some basic body movements and mobility to get my body ready for the main gym workouts, which I'll start in another few weeks.

SL: Thanks, Mel! We'll be cheering for you Thursday, and can't wait to talk more on your Road to Fast next month! 

This weekend was a big weekend for trail running! It marked the end of the season for many athletes before the holidays and a period of downtime and recovery from racing. On the east coast and the west coast, two of the nation’s most competitive and prestigious ultras were run: The JFK 50 Mile and The North Face Endurance Challenge (50 mile championships, 50k, 26.2, and Marathon-Relay).

Devon Yanko and Sarah Bard were in attendance at The North Face 50. Crewing, cheering, tweeting, and soaking up the run-community love on a gorgeous Marin day.

There was screaming, there was laughing. There were cold hands and there were pastries. There were views and there were spectating logistics. There were tough days and there was some crying. There were pats on the back and words of encouragement. There was understanding and inspiration.

There were hundreds of runners and even more supporters. There are uncountable stories to tell, but here are some highlights from the weekend:

Devon delivers pastries to the masses (of spectators) at our first aid station stop: Tennessee Valley. It’s early and cold and we are antsy to see the first runners come through. 

I am SO thankful for her Super Puff Mittens to quickly heat my hands between photos and tweets. 

We find FREE parking at our second spectating stop! This is maybe the most epic part of our day! Devon runs into friend, Ricky Gates, who recently ran across the US! He gets a pastry!

This view!

Babies, views, coffee, friends, and all the runners!!

Back at Tennessee Valley, runners have 9 miles to go, we witness the depths of their grit. We also witness the strengths of the crew, some balancing childcare, social media, and ensuring that their runner gets all the fuel and care they might need as they head for the finish.

Allison Barr comes flying through!

I ran across the Golden Gate Bridge (alongside many runners in their last 3 miles to the finish). Moments after I arrive, 3 Oiselle runners cross the line.

Sunny

Sarah

Carly

Kristina Mascarenas places 17^th overall female in the 50 mile championship race!

Devon’s foot is on the mend, but that doesn’t stop her from leading part of Sunday’s shakeout!

Sunday is for the spectators to explore the gorgeous Marin trails – Elisa and I top out on the East Summit of Mt. Tam. 3 hours of running and 2 hours of eating later, everyone goes home to rest and enjoy a sunny Sunday.

Congrats to all who raced (and crewed/spectated!) – there were lots of birds out there on the course, and we were thrilled to see a handful of them as we darted along the course!

We are so grateful for a weekend full of inspiring performances and grit, sunshine and beautiful trails and being able to be a part of such a special weekend with the trail running community. 

Sarah Bard

Hard to believe it’s already Thanksgiving week! And what a great prompt for us to give thanks to all of you for supporting our Bras for Girls donations this year. We are thrilled that we have given away over 2,500 bras to girls in need in 2017, along with our educational booklets. We are planning to donate more than 4,000 in 2018, so please let us know here if you would like to nominate a program! Hear from some of our Bras for Girls recipients, and thank you again for your involvement with Bras for Girls. Girls + Sports = A Beautiful World!

“Many of our girls are on the free and reduced lunch program so this was a great donation for them to receive. They were so appreciative of the support they received (very bad pun!), but seriously, you have made a difference with our girls. Thank you!”

“The girls were so excited to receive new sports bras! They entered the classroom with squeals of excitement and left with plans to wear their new bras at the next meet on Saturday.  We discussed bringing our best selves to every practice by getting enough sleep, eating right, and staying on top of school work.  Now, we are able to also talk about our unique bodies and equipping ourselves to maintain health.  We are so grateful for your generous donation and partnership.  Thank you!”

“Saturday after practice, the girls came over to my house for a bra party. They chose their bra and tried it on, trading with others if needed. For most, it was their first sports bra ever! "What a relief," said R., "my other bras get all gross and sweaty and aren't even comfortable to run in!" We read the booklets that came in the box and talked about breasts and their shapes and sizes. It was a sweet time, because some of the girls have only brothers or don't talk about "girl stuff" in their families. We talked about the gender inequality and double standards they face within their families/cultures. Many girls expressed that they want to have daughters so they can encourage them to play sports and give them the parental support they wish they had for themselves. In our neighborhood of immigrants and refugees, not many women play sports, let alone run. These brave young women have chosen to commit to a different path!”

Meet Karen! Our Kara Goucher Podium Retreat Winner! I think it’s safe to say that we enjoyed giving her the call saying she won, as much as she enjoyed her free retreat. Of course, we had to follow up and ask her how the weekend went.

So, here is Karen’s official timeline starting from the day she got the call from Kara, to the moment got an airplane and headed back home. 

GETTING THE CALL FROM KARA 

When I got the call from Kara and Meg, I was shocked. I think I actually said “But I never win things!” I’ve been watching Kara compete since I was in 7^th grade and accidentally joined the cross country team, so it was very much a “pinch me” kind of moment. After I hung up the phone I had a moment of total panic. I thought, “What did I just get myself into??” I was nervous for sure, and thoughts like “Am I fast enough?” and “What if the altitude wipes me out?”, but I kept reminding myself of what a total gift this was and then I would get excited again. 

PACKING TO LEAVE 

Packing was easy for me—I pretty much stuffed all of my Oiselle gear into a suitcase and was ready to go! I intentionally left all of my work folders at home, though I did bring my readings for the graduate coursework I’m taking for downtime at the airport. Looking at the schedule, I was intimidated by the track workout and the session with Kara’s strength coach, but excited about the times to run in Boulder and enjoy Lottie’s food! 

GETTING ON THE FLIGHT TO COLORADO

The week leading up to the retreat was so busy for me at work that it really didn’t hit me that I was going until I got off the plane in Denver. I spent the night before at my parents’ house near Albany, NY because the Albany airport is easier to travel from than the Burlington, VT one. I kept trying to explain to my family what I was doing but the fact that I enjoy running is mysterious enough to them. That I was taking a run-cation and hanging out with Kara Goucher was confusing to them. I knew that soon enough I would be surrounded by other women runners who would get excited about similar runner-nerd things J

ARRIVING AT THE RETREAT 

After checking in and getting our swag bags (amazing), the first thing we did was a happy hour. I walked up to a couple of people and introduced myself. One of them was from Alaska (hi, Melissa!) and the other was being coached by Adam Goucher and training for the Olympic trials in the marathon (hi CB!). Gulp. I shouldn’t have worried though, because everybody I met was so kind and genuinely excited to be there. I ended up really connecting with both of those women, and so many others! 

MID-RETREAT HIGHLIGHTS

On Saturday, Kara and Emma Coburn (yup) led a group run on some stunning trails just outside the city. Everybody ran their own pace and just enjoyed the beautiful weather and gorgeous scenery. On this run, I talked with a woman named Wendy. There is something pretty magical that happens in running with other people, and we were really open, honest, and vulnerable with each other. She shared her story of being hit by a car and her experience getting back into running afterwards. I shared my own story of dealing with some significant medical challenges and learning to work with my body instead of against it while dealing with the chronic illness that resulted from that experience. There were a lot of moments of connection and vulnerability like that one, but something about that particular run was really special to me. 

WEEKEND TAKEAWAYS

This retreat was so full of connection, authenticity, laughter, and strength. I feel so fortunate to have shared a room with each and every one of these women: some are new mothers, some are nearing retirement, some are recovering addicts, some are dealing with injury or illness, and some are elite athletes. This retreat wasn’t about shying away from those differences and challenging experiences. Instead, it was about telling our own unique stories and listening to the stories of others in order to better support one another and continue to build each other up instead of tearing each other down. Kara modeled this so well in her interactions with everybody and in sharing her own story so honestly, and she created the space for others to do the same. 

I am just filled with so much gratitude: for all of the women who made the experience what it was, and to Oiselle for providing me with this opportunity (and sending some awesome flystyle!). #spicy

Karen

Happy 5th annual #rungiving! One of our favorite times of the year. This is the week where we go beyond the black and cyber madness and find ways to reflect and gather. If you're new to the challenge, don't worry, the rules are simple. Just follow Oiselle on Twitter, and every morning at 8am PST look for the challenge of the day. RT, complete it, and share a photo with us on Twitter or Instagram (don't forget to tag @oiselle + #rungiving)!

We'll announce winners on Twitter daily! 

We all have that friend. 

She’s the social coordinator, the connector, the one who drags everyone away from work and chores and life to come together as a group. Let’s for illustrative purposes, call this familiar friend-group role-player… Erin. 

Maybe she’s an unapologetic extrovert…
Maybe she played a litany of team sports growing up (and captained them all)…
Maybe she gave the best maid of honor toast, ever…
Maybe in her own wedding, had north of 14 people in her bridal party…
Maybe she’s so good at connecting people, she does it for a living at Twitter…
These are totally just hypotheticals…
(Hi Erin!)

I want to talk about people like Erin. Because I am not an Erin. I tend to hermit when given the opportunity. Often I’m overwhelmed in groups greater than 8 people. Most nights I retreat home to read poetry or dorky business magazines. And I love running alone.

But I miss Erin. I miss her putting dinner reservations on my work calendar. I miss her threatening to come over to my apartment to drag me out for drinks with our friends. I miss her inviting herself to run with me when she saw me lacing up my shoes. I miss her looking for every excuse, every window, every opportunity to bring us together. I’m pretty sure she got married because she thought it was critical we all find ourselves in the same physical location this year (Peter… you’re great… but let’s be real). 

So what secret does Erin know? What incredible combination of knowledge, motivation, and ability cause her to go to such great lengths to keep us all connected throughout the years. 

It’s not as much what Erin knows… it’s what she feels - far greater than any one of us. Erin feels the magic of being together. The way laughter soaks through your skin and makes a home in your heart. The way that no one remembers the venue or food or topics of conversation - just that we were all there, all together, and it was nice. And Erin knows that magic isn’t found — it’s made. By people like her that bring people together. It’s a gift, and like me, the world is thankful for the Erin’s who fill our hearts, memories, and calendars. 

Sometimes, the Erin’s of the world — the connectors —aren’t just people. They can be places (that lovely neighborhood coffee shop), ideas (intersectional feminism!), events (Friendsgiving), or activities (yes… running). So this holiday season — we have a challenge for our community, because we need you to help us create this magic IRL! Here’s how you can join in on this very important fun. 

1.     Gather: Share your favorite ways to bring people together during the busy holiday season in the comments section of the blog. 

2.     Post: Post your best gathering pics on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with #RunGathering to be featured in our Holiday campaign!

3.     Win! We’ll be picking the best gatherings each week and sending winners a limited edition Oiselle print — made by illustrator Filippa Edghill.

Let’s give each other the gift of gathering this holiday season and celebrate our runfamily near and far. 

Head Up, Wings Out!

Turns out, the 4th time's the charm for Volée member, Sarah Byron. An unusually cold day did not stop this badass lady from crushing her goal! Energized by a very excited cowbell corner at mile 25 and the entire Volée cheering her on from afar, Sarah cruised into the finish almost a full 8 minutes under her goal time.  #FlyVA

I’m not really that great with words, so I’ll borrow a phrase best said by Shalane Flanagan as she crossed her finish line in NYC...“F*ck, Yes!” 

That just about sums up so many of the feelings from this past weekend at the Richmond Marathon and finally earning my BQ! I may not have just become the first American woman to win NYC in 40 years like Shalane, but to me, this feels pretty darn amazing! I’ve been smiling ear to ear since I saw our flock on cowbell corner at Mile 25 and I knew I was going to make it to the finish in time. (These women were amazing out there in the freezing cold for hours of cheering!)

We all have goals, and whether they are to win a race, get a BQ, a PR, or even to finish a race, these goals are all important. The journey to reach these goals involves hard work, perseverance, dedication, and a lot of heart. During these journeys, we learn so much about ourselves and we find out what we are made of. Sometimes the journey is even more important than the end result or the goal itself. I believe these running goals, and the successes and setbacks that come with them, correlate to other parts of our lives as well. I set new running goals every year, along with new career, financial, reading, travel, and personal goals. I will never stop setting new goals, because I never want to stop challenging myself, enjoying the journey, and finding out more and more about what I’m made of and who I am.

I love this team, because I enjoy seeing all of your goals in life and on the roads (or track) and I love that all of you on the team support me in mine. This badass lady gang is uplifting and I love that we build each other up. Thank you for following my journey to my BQ. It’s a magical feeling that I plan to ride out all vacation long! So far, we’ve started celebrating with Taco Bell, Dunkin' Donuts, pizza, and all of the other very "healthy things". Priorities! Next, we will be wheels (and wings) up as Billy and I venture to Ireland for the first time!

And, Boston, I’ll see you in 2019! 

Sarah