On June 24, 2016, after leaving a fundraiser for the victims of the Orlando mass shooting, my sibling was attacked and beaten. The Seattle Police and the FBI investigated the incident as a hate crime, however, the attacker was never identified or charged.

Hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are not new.

And in fact, it has long been shown that LGBTQ youth and adults are at a higher risk for assault, discrimination, hate crimes, exploitation, drug/alcohol addiction, and rates of suicide.

This awareness, the attack on my sibling, as well as the current rise of hate and intolerance (or those who now feel at liberty to express hate and intolerance) created urgency for me this year. Though Oiselle had been visibly supportive of the LGBTQ community in the past, I wanted to be louder and prouder.

At its most fundamental level, this team and the sport of running is a safe place. And yes, while it is a women's community, it is also one that embraces the current views on gender identity and fluidity. The LGBTQ community is welcome here. 

In fact, while we offer guidelines to the Volée, customers, and community, none are more important than the expectation that all teammates will treat each other with respect, and refrain from hate, bullying, and/or discrimination.

June is Pride Month around the world. 

The 2017 theme for Seattle Pride is INDIVISIBLE. Pure and simple: an unbreakable bond of togetherness. I cannot think of a better metaphor for our relationships with each other, and our shared love of the sport. And though the path is not always clear, I truly hope Oiselle can be an ally. That the members on this team, and beyond, can hold each other up, and provide support and protection.

In celebration, we'll be sharing blog posts in the coming weeks from Volée members on the topics of inclusion, intersectionality, and diversity.

At the same time, I'm happy to introduce our Pride Tees. Designed with the iconic clasped hands, and some rainbow love, it is our commitment of indivisibility.

Please note all net proceeds from the Pride Tees will be donated to the ACLU.

And if you're free this Sunday, June 4th, come join me and friends and Volée at the Seattle Pride Run/Walk at Seward Park!

With love, gratitude, and pride,

SaveSave

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Running is really, really, really f*cking hard and honestly, it’s not something that I’m very good at. But that’s why I love it. I love how becoming a runner was so painful that it distracted me from everything that was happening in my life. I loved how amazed and empowered I felt after I survived my first half marathon. And I really, really love that running marathons has never gotten easier.

Running has an incredible way of kicking your ass and humbling you when you least expect it. Sure, it helps us cope and survive our day to day lives, but when I’m chasing a goal that feels impossible, I feel like I’m doing everything I can to become the strongest version of myself. And unlocking the confidence that I feel whenever I run outside of my comfort zone has changed my life.

And while that confidence helps me feel strong and empowered whenever I start to doubt myself, it’s true power lies in its ability to help me work through the heartbreak that comes when you fall flat on your face. I still believe that the only way you’ll fail is if you fail to try, but I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge how badly it hurts when you fall short of your goal and feel like you’ve failed.

I went into the London Marathon ready to make impossible, possible. I spent an entire year making sacrifices and running down my self imposed limits. And after twelve months of hard work, tears, sacrifices, smiles, breakthroughs, setbacks, more setbacks, and a couple thousand f-words, I finally got to a place where I believed in myself.

And then I got hurt.

A week before the London Marathon, my sports psychologist Dr. Bob asked me to redefine what success and failure meant to me. He knew I was struggling to come to terms with the uncertainty of my evil piriformis and TFL muscles which had both decided to wreak havoc on my final month of training. I knew there was a chance that I wasn’t going to get the race I convinced myself I deserved, and Dr. Bob was trying to help me remember that success wasn’t tied to my finishing time, but rather my effort. He told me that the only way I could fail was if I failed to show up to the starting line. And I knew he was right.

No regrets, no excuses helped me discover what it meant to run my personal best, whatever that meant each and every day. Sometimes it was a perfect, go hard and feel like an exhausted champion kind of day and sometimes it meant that I just had to do everything I could to not give up. Look, my race was a hot mess and I could sit here and try to tie a beautiful bow around the experience and “what I learned” but this is Oiselle and if there is one thing I owe the sisterhood, it’s my truth.

Hindsight is a tricky son-of-a-b*tch and now that I have it, I feel really embarrassed that when my hip blew up, I chose to suffer. I didn’t plan for the day I had. I had my A, B, and C goals. But the plan where everything goes to shit at mile 8 and I have to fight the urge not to intentionally trip over a curb so that I could quit without actually giving up? Yeah, I didn’t plan for Plan D.

I didn’t plan for the tidal wave of shame I experienced when I wanted to quit because I was embarrassed that I wasn’t going to run a Boston Marathon qualifying time. I didn’t plan to make long distance calls looking for someone to give me permission to quit. And I didn’t plan to meet Prince Harry and have my heart rate skyrocket uncontrollably once I discovered that he is charming as hell.

But it all happened and I’m still a little heartbroken and disappointed that I didn’t get to show myself what I’d worked and sacrificed so much for.

Dr. Bob told me that the only way I could fail was if I failed to cross the starting line. But after crossing that starting line and fighting the urge to walk off the course when I realized that my BQ wasn’t in the cards, I know now that quitting and failing to cross the finish line is the only way I could have actually failed.  

I keep finding my way back to this quote that Professor Dumbledore says to Harry Potter in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. "Harry, there is never a perfect answer in this messy, emotional world. Perfection is beyond the reach of humankind, beyond the reach of magic. In every shining moment of happiness is that drop of poison: the knowledge that pain will come again. Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe."

My best friend and I were lucky enough to snag tickets to the play while we were in London and the second Professor Dumbledore spoke that text, I felt my stomach drop.
It’s so hard to find the courage to believe in yourself enough to try to make impossible, possible. But today, I realize that success isn’t black and white.

Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail, and sometimes we get so damn lost that we realize we don’t even know what the hell we’re working towards. That’s the beauty of an impossible goal, it's not about the end result, but every step you take towards it. I’m not giving up on my goal to qualify for Boston. I’m just taking the time to get my body and soul back to the place it needs to be before subjecting it to that addictive pain and heartbreak once again. I know it won’t be long.

That BQ is finally just outside of my reach. 

Last week, Lesko and I went down to L.A. to watch the Oxy High Performance meet. We had a long list of great performances, but something really special happened that night - our #steeplepeople absolutely dominated their event. It was so inspiring to watch my teammates look each other in the eyes on the start line and say “let’s do this.” They worked together. They pushed each other. They duked it out for the win in the last 50m. They congratulated one another moments after crossing the line. Mel Lawrence, Marisa Howard and Alexina Wilson went 1, 2, 3 with finishing times of 9:40.20, 9:40.40, and 9:40.90 - all going under the World Championships qualifying time of 9:42. Incredible, right? Anyway, I’ll let the ladies do the talking...

JESS: WHAT WAS IT LIKE LINING UP WITH SO MANY OF YOUR TEAMMATES?

MEL: It's always great. It's really cool when you can toe the line, look around, and see that about half the people are wearing the same kit. We don’t train together every day, but our Oiselle sisterhood vibe creates this connection that’s hard to explain/find.

MARISA: It was incredible. We are a force to be reckoned with and I can't wait to line up together again.

ALEXINA: So good! Since racing with teammates, I've had so much more confidence to stick with them. I have no doubt that it’s what helped me through the last 1000m of the race.

JESS: LAST WATER PIT. 150 METERS TO GO. ALL THREE OF YOU ARE GOING FOR THE WIN. WHAT’S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

MEL: I've been working on my speed a lot this year, so going over the last water pit and dry barrier I focused solely on execution. I’m still gaining confidence when it comes to kicking. But I knew I had it in me to start rolling after the water pit. 

MARISA: As I entered the final water pit and last barrier I knew there were people close, I just didn't realize how close! I gave a quick peek over my shoulder, then gave it all I had. 

ALEXINA: It wasn't until the last 200m that I realized I had come up on the lead. I had bad water jumps the whole race but I knew I needed to hit that last one perfect if I wanted a shot at the win. 

JESS: THOSE LAST 5O METERS WERE SO DAMN EXCITING. FROM WHERE I WAS STANDING IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE A BLANKET FINISH! WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

MEL: So cool. As it’s happening, I'm just exhausted and want to get to the finish. But the moment I crossed the line and looked around, I thought "wow, that was badass, Oiselle is kicking butt and taking names!" I wish I could have seen it from the stands!

MARISA: By the finish, we were separated by milliseconds! It was incredible.

ALEXINA: The last 50m was tough. Battling it out to the finish with Marissa and Mel was such a fun finish to the race. After I crossed the line, I felt disappointed for a brief moment for not having that extra last gear... but that feeling faded quickly. I believed in myself and I had accomplished what I had set out to do!

JESS: WHAT’S NEXT? TELL ME. TELL ME! ALSO, DO YOU HAVE A BIG GOAL FOR THE SEASON?

MEL: I just found out I’ll be racing at the Pre Classic, which I am super pumped about! This year, I want to PR and I know that I am in the shape to do so. I have some times in my mind and I just need to keep working towards them.

MARISA: I am off to Flagstaff for a bit then running a 1500m at Portland Track Festival! My big goal for this season is to make it to USA’s healthy and qualify for the final. If I can get to the start line healthy, I think that will put me in a good position to make the world team! 

ALEXINA: A 1500m at the Portland Track Festival as well! Big goal: make the final at USA’s and run sub 9:35 in the steeple.

Photos by: Jess Barnard

We are a brand who's passionate about the sport and committed to our community. We also make clothes for runners of all paces and places. Subscribe to stay connected to who we are, what we make, and the incredible things we do with our community.

Sometimes I wonder what Oiselle is thinking...

Sure, ask Jungle Chicken to write a sassy article about poor decision making. Of course, ask her to weigh in on fashion do's and don't's (because she'll know the don't's all too well). She'll probably have a few fun things to say about a disastrous marathon attempt. But, really, Oiselle... ETIQUETTE? RUNNING ETIQUETTE? The main reason that I got my nickname, Jungle Chicken, is that the JC is the UNDOMESTICATED predecessor of the more demure and sophisticated barnyard chicken. Well, Oiselle's mistake is my gain, because as a matter of fact, I do have a few things to say about running etiquette. Just be careful taking my advice.

I looked up some past articles on running etiquette written elsewhere for reference, and I was quickly reminded why our sport gets such a bad rap from the general public and even a lackluster following from its own so-called fans. Because running etiquette makes for a boring story. So herein I will outline some better ideas for how to conduct yourselves out there on the roads, tracks, and trails - and really anywhere else.

Watch a football game. A basketball game. Tennis, even, supposedly the most polite of all sports with the white skirts and the no loud clapping and the general frowning-upon of female grunting (this was an issue a decade or so ago--young readers will have no idea that it was actually frowned upon when some of the female tennis players first started to make aggressive sounds of actual effort while playing). What you will notice is that the players celebrate themselves and one another will alarming frequency. There is fist-pumping and chest-bumping and general whooping and dancing going on all over the place. You'd think that every point was the game-winning one.

Imagine if runners did this. Imagine if you saw a runner pass the first mile marker in a 5K and scream out "Damn, I'm so fast! Are y'all watching this!" If a woman running intervals on the track did a little victory dance every time she hit her goal time. If we let out warrior cries when we launched our final sprint to the finish! Sure, runners will be seen raising their arms above their heads when they break the tape in a marathon, or shouting out or pumping their fists if they win a road race or a track race, but that's one time, and typically just one runner (the winner), and sometimes those events are long. Once I was running along a very popular path in my home of Saint Paul when a runner coming towards me from the other direction suddenly put his arm up in the air, hand in a fist, and let out a loud "YES!!". I have no idea what personal victory he had just achieved, but I got a big grin on my face and realized that he had it right. So come on, runners: start celebrating yourselves. Wherever, whenever, and however. Chest-bump your fellow teammates between intervals.

Look, I'm as competitive as the next girl (actually, I'm probably not). I care about my final finishing time and place, especially if I'm going to PR or win money or beat a rival or do something of some actual consequence. And I'm not about to suggest, so don't get me wrong, that your PRs or finishing times and places and personal goals and vendettas don't mean as much if you're a mid-packer or back-of-the-packer or back-packer as they do if you're an elite or a  pro. But if the difference between you finishing 875th versus 876th in a small local 5K means that you, a grown-ass man in your mid-fifties, run down and practically knock over and then just barely out-lean a thirteen-year-old girl, then dude, just don't do it. Does it really matter? You're going to look like an asshole. And let's be honest, you probably are one. Lest you think that this doesn't happen all the time, at tiny local events everywhere, then start watching, sister, because it does. I don't even happen to think it's okay to surprise-attack your teammate or friend or partner right at the finish line, giving her no chance to respond. If it just so happens that you're launching an all-out attack on the finish line and end up nipping someone at the line, I guess that's acceptable, but most of us, and definitely you, in your heart, know whether you snuck up on that person on purpose in order to grab that last spot for $50. If your pride and the general fairness of sport don't mean more to you than $50, then by all means, go right ahead. Shove that sixth grader out of your way.

If I could give runners one piece of actual, non-sarcastic etiquette advice, this would be it: if you are out running at your typical pace and someone catches you from behind and runs past you, it's because that runner is running faster than you. Maybe that runner isn't a faster human being in general--maybe you're running an easy day and she's running intervals, or a tempo run, or a time trial. Who knows? But whatever the case may be, that runner was behind you, saw you up ahead, and caught up to you, so here's a tip: that runner knows how fast you were running and will be aware if you suddenly pick up your pace when she catches you. And she will be annoyed.

This happens to me with alarming frequency. I'll be running along at whatever pace, and I'll be closing in on a runner in front of me pretty fast. I can see the runner up ahead for a half mile and it takes several minutes to catch him. This would be a good math problem--it could go like this: "Erin is running at 7:00 per mile pace. There is a runner exactly one-half mile ahead of her. It takes Erin 6 minutes to catch the runner. What speed, in minutes per mile, is the runner ahead of her running?" And then the follow-up question, not so math-related, would be: "If the slower runners picks up his pace immediately after Erin catches him and proceeds to run right behind her for a mile, what should Erin do?" You're not fooling anyone, runner who has just been caught and passed--we saw you! You weren't running that fast, because we caught you!

Now, before you think me an arrogant jerk, I have had the runner I passed say to me, "I'm going to try to keep pace with you for awhile, if you don't mind." Hallelujah! A friend! Someone to run beside me on our journey! I LOVE this. I'm also not immune to being passed and thinking to myself, "That dude isn't faster than me. I'll show him...." Wait, Erin. Whoa. You know what you're doing. He just caught you. He knows you're not running as fast as he is.... I get it. It's tempting. We all have our pride, but don't succumb.

This is an easy one. You are in the right. You, the runners, always have the right of way. This should be so obvious that it doesn't even count as "etiquette." Cars should stop for you crossing the street whether it be at a crosswalk or a stoplight or in the middle of the highway--basically wherever the hell you want. I mean, there you are, doing something positive for your health and leaving exactly no carbon footprint, just your own actual footprints, and even then only if you're running in sand or snow or mud. Otherwise no footprints at all. Your general mantra when running with anyone else around should be this: "As a matter of fact, I do own the road." It's Biblical: the meek shall inherit the earth. And when it comes to kinetic energy, we runners are the meek. Less mass times less velocity (in fact, less velocity squared!) means that we are the meek. So we should inherit the road.

My brother is a musculoskeletal radiologist (I know, that's what he does and I write sarcastic blogs about fake etiquette--someone won the gene pool, though I of course got the fabulous body, so we're maybe close to even) and he crosses paths every so often with a general surgeon who lives near me. The surgeon not only lives near me, but he lives right where I often feel the need to cross the road, randomly and without warning, but not exactly near any official road "crossing." (Is anyone else already thinking of the joke, "Why did the [Jungle] Chicken cross the road?" C'mon! That joke is throwing itself in your lap! Don't make me say it! I'm way more subtle in my high-brow humor.) So he says to my brother, "Hey, your sister runs right in front of my giant, hurling-itself-through-the-universe SUV on a fairly regular basis. You should tell her to be more careful." Oh, is that right? I should be more careful? Or are you, a surgeon, trying purposely to run me over so that you'll have to put me back together and then charge me an arm and a leg (also? here? easy joke! I swear this shit writes itself....) so you can continue to live in that fancy house that just so happens to sit in the middle of my running route? Jeez. Some people.

But the moral of the story, really, to be serious for one sentence: Be aware. You will lose that battle. Don't get yourself killed.

In an effort to make this blog post seem legit, I actually did some "research" and read one-and-a-half running etiquette articles from other sources. I stopped reading during the "-and-a-half" article because it stated that shouting encouragement to other random runners is not advised. What?!?! Those moments when random people shout encouragement to me are my absolute favorite. Bikers whizzing by often tell me that I'm looking good or fast or to keep up the effort, and I love it! It makes me feel like a part of the community, like my striving is not going unnoticed, like we're all in this together! Surgeons in their SUVs honking and swearing and waving me out of the road... I know they're really saying, "We're all in this together, fellow human! The light in me honors the light in you!"

I wondered what that other author could possibly be thinking. Maybe it's a Midwestern thing to be encouraging to random people. Maybe it can come across as condescending or patronizing or unwelcome if a man shouts encouragement to a woman? Me, I give people the benefit of the doubt. I love to hear encouragement, so I give it to others. Go ahead--do it.

In summary, fellow Birds, remember that the fork goes on the left, the knife and spoon on the right. Curtsy the Queen. Cross the street wherever you want. Encourage others you meet on the road, track, or trails--we're all in this together.

Chest-bump. Fist pump. Head up. Wings out.

Respectfully submitted,

What do you see when you look in the mirror? What do you hear? Whose voice is that? Where does it come from?

Every morning, sometime in my sequence after coffee and before I walk my dog, I look in the mirror. There’s a functional conversation that happens there (is there toothpaste on my face?), but I’d be lying if I omitted the emotional monologue that usually follows. Sometimes the thoughts are softer, subtle - a quiet evaluation of my body shape, size, and structure. Sometimes those thoughts are a little louder - a direct critique of the state of my weight (and self-worth). I’m aware that this relationship - the one I have with my mirror, my self, my body - is broken. Toxic even by some standards. I share this secret because I know I’m not alone. 

When we take a look at the state of the women’s state - the metaphorical union women have with their bodies - the results can be disheartening. They reveal a world many of us know personally, but are disappointed to discover may be more universal than we’d like to believe. When polling women about body image, NEDA found that 70% of women report they don’t like their bodies (1), and that 89% of women have dieted by age 17 (2). Our friends at Dove have made similar, saddening discoveries - that only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (3). Permission to sigh audibly. 

But there’s hope. A recent study done by Refinery 29 revealed that 56% of women reported that seeing body diversity in media makes them feel better about themselves (4). Sister heroes at Dove have also studied the potential for change - showing that 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful (5). But this isn’t just about a feel good shift in marketing messages - this is a critically important, game-changing conversation about the power of diversity and inclusivity. The power representation has to shift women’s self image. Because what we see out there in the world, shapes how we see ourselves. And at Oiselle, we’ve got literal and metaphorical skin in that game.

So we wanted to focus a product and project on showing more - more bodies, more perspectives, more versions of badass female athletes. The Rogas - our bestselling shorts, available in 6 sizes and 3 lengths, was an obvious choice. Just as we used the Roga to redesign the shorts game, we want to use this project to redesign the games we play with our mirrors.

Introducing the R18 project. 18 women from our community in our bestselling short, sharing their world view on progress, female representation, and body positivity.

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs more compassion. Encourage others to embrace who they are and grow as they are." - Britney Henry

"Running has helped me build confidence in my physical ability. I’ve always been driven by academic and work achievements, but they came easily. Now I know my body is capable of some pretty impressive things if I show up and put in the work." - Elizabeth Nordquest

"Running has helped me break the habit of staying within my comfort zone. The notion that runners are a certain size, shape and speed." - Shirley Fung

"Running has helped me break the idea that my body is not good enough.  I have lost about 60 pounds over the last two years and running has been a big part of that weight loss. I have had to shift my thinking from not liking my body to embracing it for everything it can give me.  When I started running I could not go very far without stopping to walk, but the longer I kept trying the further I could go. I started to realize that my body was good enough to try so it was good enough to run. Now it is really cool to look back at my journey over the last two years and see how I have gotten faster and stronger. I can see that my body was good enough two years ago to try and it is good enough now to keep going." - Jenn Wilson

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs less... trying to define what a 'real woman' is. We're all real women." - Jess Barnard 

"When I run I want to feel free, strong, confident. When I run, it's for no one but me. I get to feel the air in my lungs and test the limits of my body and mind. The rest of my life is dictated by gymnastics and school and playdates and deadlines. I'm filled with crazy anxiety and self-doubt. But when I run, that can all fall away and I can be whoever I want to be. I feel all of that strength and confidence that so often likes to hide away. I can quiet that voice that tries to tell me I'm not enough. For that run, I'm fierce. I'm a badass. I can do anything." - Tori Fjeldstad

"When I run, I want to feel real, and in tune with myself, I want to feel challenged. I want those feelings because feeling real and honest is my first step in bettering myself not only with my running, but also with being a human. Being in tune with my body allows me to feel challenged and push the limits, to show what I am capable of, push those limits." - Cassidy Inden

"When I run, I want to feel strong and confident. Running is where I practice believing in myself." - Sara Duam

"I’ve discovered that if I exalt one part of myself and diminish another, I create a separation that becomes a war inside me, and that’s the antithesis of yoga. Yoga is union, integration, wholeness. Until I accepted all these experiences, I was unable to achieve wholeness." - Nikki Myers

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs more compassion. Placing so much emphasis on women's adherence to beauty standards steals time and emotional energy that we need to be using to help one another grow. Feeling that compassion for others and especially ourselves, deciding that we are more than enough, is a long journey." - Rachel Leftwich

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs more inclusion. All ages, ethnicities, and sizes." - Mary Wiegand

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs more acceptance." - Sejin Maddaloni

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs less… of the assumption that ‘if I just looked like X, I’d be happy' - that should probably just get thrown out with other garbage." - Emily Barcelona

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs less shame/guilt surrounding how we nourish, dress and move our bodies." - Katy Johansson

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs more space. Especially safe space. Let women have space to explore themselves, and to decide what is best for their bodies. Space for inner work that needs quiet, and active work that needs motion and music and sweat. Space to reach into to ask for help, and space for helpers to reach into to give that help when asked for." - Rebecca Nelson

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs less obsession. The world is plastered with how things should look for body image, yet we are also obsessed with celebrating diversity. This should apply to body image as well." - Carrie Treusch

"To me, being strong is more than just a feeling, but a mindset- it's the power to keep going when you want to quit, it's getting back up after a fall, it's the courage to take on a new challenge without the fear of failure. To me, being strong can be different for different people, but in general, it’s a mindset of believing in yourself." - Kami Beckendorf

"When it comes to women and body image, the world needs less focus on perfection." - Tiffany Wilcox

R18 is a start, but we’re far from finished. We have work to do in the fight for inclusivity. Better racial, size, and age diversity. Diversity of beliefs and behaviors. Diversity of ability and able-ness. Diversity that starts conversations about the myth of normal, and the danger of normative. This is a race with no finish line.

At Oiselle, those are our favorite kinds of races. The ones where to go far, we must go together.

Head Up, Wings Out.

References:

1. 70% of women don’t like their bodies - National Eating Disorder Association, 2016

2. 89% of girls have dieted by age 17- National Eating Disorder Association, 2016

3. Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004) - Dove, The Real Truth About Beauty Revisited, 2017

4. 56% of women said seeing body diversity in media makes them feel better about themselves - Refinery 29 Body Image Survey, 2016

5. 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful, but do not see their own beauty - Dove, The Real Truth About Beauty Revisited, 2017

Sometimes when I am talking abstractly about a Oiselle project, or endlessly logisticizing on my computer, it can be hard to keep the heart of what I am doing at the center of my consciousness. This was the perfect reset. "Hit Reset" for the soul. 

We at Oiselle had a hunch that Girls on the Run would be a perfect audience for our GOT Bras program:  sports bra education and bra giveaways for elementary and middle school girls. 

Hunch confirmed!

Sally and I arrived at Renton Memorial Stadium right at 6am with our 2 vehicles loaded to gills with boxes of bras and bra education booklets. We started setting up the Oiselle tent by 6:10am. And then we did not take a spare breath until we ran out of bras at 10:45am. It was a frenzy of bra love and education! 

Our awesome Volée helped us all morning (Sara, Shannon and weebirds, Steph, Jess, Lauren, Lindsay, and Bethany), and Hannah and Jess were on photog/socials duty. Our rockstar #sportsbrasquad leader Kelly Roberts flew in the night before to bring the sports bra mojo: from Brooklyn half to 6 hour flight to 4 hour sports bra mayhem!

The morning was perfectly imperfect. After a few earlier trickles, the girls, buddies, and moms starting lining up promptly at 8am. 

Conversations ran the gamut, from sizing questions to how to fit a bra; from "What is oy-zell?" to "Running is fun, but it's hard." (Amen, sister!)

The bra crowd thinned a bit during the actual 5K. The pics of the race gave me goosebumps! 

Girls signed a big poster: "How does running make you feel?" Amazing. Happy. Strong. Tired. Boss. Positive. Energized. Sleepy. Buff. Happy. Happy. Happy. 

To shorthand my sizing explanation with the 50-person deep line, I just starting pointing to Kelly's chest and my chest saying: "She's an 8, I'm a 4. We have size 2 to 12." Haha! A few dads with their daughters didn't really know what to do with that. I flipped through our bra books when passing them out: "Bodies change! Read this at home!"

We bonked and recovered by sharing bananas and warm string cheese. 

And then, we ran out of bras, to a collective groan. 

And sometime in the middle of a discussion with a mom and her very shy girl who was looking away (but occasionally would look over and meet my eye); as I was talking about how the chest band should be snug but not too tight, how the lungs have to be able to expand; how some bounce when you jump (like this!) is ok, but not too much...I had a moment when I stepped out of my body and realized. This is exactly what we are supposed to be doing. This is huge. And important. And I got choked up. 

This program is perfect marriage of Oiselle's passion, product (bras!), our amazing community (our Volée, Haute Volée, Muses), and our core beliefs of body acceptance and physical activity as a route to strength. And I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to help get GOT Bras off the ground. Thank you so much, all of you, for your support of this program. Thank you to our Volée, who donate $25 from each team membership to our Woman Up Fund which supports GOT Bras. Thank you for your bra purchases, and your #MilesToRollMama. And thank you for modeling strength, the running lifestyle, and body love to girls. 

Photos by: Jess Barnard

We're just getting started! Head up, wings out! 

At Oiselle, we believe that we are strongest when we are united. Celebrating strength in many forms is one of our favorite ways to champion our community. Here are a few stories that highlight the various representations of strength.

KELLY ROBERTS - REDEFINING SUCCESS

As runners, we’ve all experienced a post-performance moment where we feel like the culmination of our efforts over the past several months falls short of giving us the outcome we deserved. In those moments that feel like failure, it takes strength to shift our mindset and redefine success. Kelly Roberts emphasizes the importance of persevering through unplanned moments, and appreciating everything that accompanies striving towards seemingly impossible goals.

ON "STRONG" BY THE O COMMUNITY

I want to feel strong - This is the response we so often hear when we ask women how they want to feel when they run. Strength is a descriptor an increasing number of women are identifying with. The intersection of femininity and strength is a powerful place to be. However, the meaning of the word strong can take form in different ways for different women. To further dive into the meaning of strength, we asked some of our wise birds to share what strength means to them.

FIERCE FLYER REGINA FAURA: CELEBRATING 7 YEARS OF SOBRIETY

There is no denying that strength is a driver of transformative moments. In moments where we feel lost and defeated, it takes immense strength to find the courage, optimism, and confidence, to seek out a fresh start. Fierce flyer – Regina Faura – shares her powerful story of transformation through strength and running. Regina shows us that strong women are truly unstoppable forces of change. 

BY: NELLE HORSLEY, OISELLE DESIGNER

I was first introduced to Filippa's work through a dear friend. We have an ongoing thread through Instagram's "direct messaging" that goes something like this: (send a post of an artist's painting) "That's cool." (Sends back a post of a designer's just released dress) "Whoaaa you'd look good in that". You get the picture. When she sent me a post of Filippa's, my response was something like "WOW WHAT. WHO IS THAT??" 

It's not very often that an artist's work goes straight to your core. Filippa has had an uncanny ability to so eloquently capture the feeling of strength and sisterhood - concepts we hold so close to our heart at Oiselle. It's my honor to introduce Filippa Edghill to the Oiselle community!

NELLE: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOMING A FREELANCE ARTIST... WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE? 

FILIPPA: I started out doing freelance work when I was a teenager but it was mostly on the side of other jobs. I started to be full time freelance about 3 years ago by ending a full time job and leaping into independence under the wing of a long term project that gave me some safety and stability for a smooth start. I think that beginning gave me confidence to continue. Now a typical day for me is balancing my hours between collaborations and my own paintings. I try to collaborate a lot with brands, other artists or organizations because it lets me work together with other other people and new visions. I love the freedom of just being a painter but it gets boring to always be on my own and its refreshing to have to dress up for a meeting, or at least from the waist up seeing most of my meetings are over Skype. I live in a small seaside town and life here is very good but slow so most of my work is taking place across oceans through my screen. Which is so interesting and hard to explain to my grandmother. Over the past year, I've been lucky to work together with some really inspiring, almost always female, brands.

N: WHAT INSPIRES YOUR ART?

F: I think a lot about energies and how to visualize them. Inspiration comes from women I see on the beach, science podcasts, interactions with the ocean and my own experiences of being a young woman.

Photo by: Serena Lutton

N: YOUR REPRESENTATION OF BODIES IS INCREDIBLE. DOES BEING AN ATHLETE SHAPE HOW YOU PORTRAY THE FEMALE BODY? IN WHAT WAYS?

F: My two hobbies are surfing and painting and I'm lucky that there is movement in at least one of them because they consume my life completely. I think surfing does shape the way I envision beautiful female bodies because unlike a lot of other sports the body types of the top performing athletes in surfing are super varied. In the water, you might see a tight six pack paddle out next to a gray haired curvy woman and there is no way of telling who is going to make your jaw drop. In surfing , it doesn't matter if you look amazing in a swimsuit, if you don't move with grace or power or both in the water, you won’t turn heads. Beauty is more defined by individuality and style and I think it opens up for an interesting variety that really inspires me.

N: WHAT DO YOU HOPE OTHERS SEE IN YOUR ART?

F: Themselves hopefully or someone they know. A mother, a sister, a lover or anybody that they consider to be strong and vulnerable which simply is to be beautifully human. If two people see a body that I've painted and one finds it resembling the spectrum of femininity and one finds it just plain sexy, I'll chalk it up as a win. That’s exactly it right, that form and figure trigger a different thought in different people because we've lived different experiences.

Photo by: Julien Binch

N: WHEN WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS PROJECT, WE AT OISELLE HAD SOME PRETTY SPECIFIC CONCEPTS FOR YOU TO WORK ON FOR THIS COLLECTION. I LOVED HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BEING AN AHTLETE AND LIFTING EACH OTHER UP AS WOMEN - WE REALLY CONNECTED ON THAT! WAS THERE ANY CONCEPT OR SPECIFIC DESIGN THAT PARTICULARLY RESONATED WITH YOU? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PIECE IN THE LINE?

F: It was very interesting for me to work on this collection because I've always been quite intimidated by sports, performance and working out. Movement happens to be a part of surfing but other than that I've always been the girl to say no to anything that involves physical performance because I'm super intimidated by it. Working with Oiselle has really made me see another side to athleticism. To get to know that sports don't have to be all about winning but rather about sisterhood and self fulfillment is so eye opening to me. That the fact that you can kick ass is just a cherry on the cake. It was so cool to go back and forth and mix our experiences to make the art pieces of the collection. The girls I worked with are super progressive and embracing all the realities of womanhood which is so rare for all brands but especially ones making gear for fitness. I always felt that the fitness world hated women. And I hated it back. But now I have gotten quite inspired, even so much that I dusted of a pair of running sneakers. I wait until it's completely dark outside, plug in loud music, take my dog and hit the beach. I run until I'm too hot and then I just float in the ocean. I feel that it is MY energy that is moving my spirit and body. Not the energy, undercover pressure, of someone else. I think my favorite piece is Heads up Wings Out because it embodies this feeling for me. 

We are a brand who's passionate about the sport and committed to our community. We also make clothes for runners of all paces and places. Subscribe to stay connected to who we are, what we make, and the incredible things we do with our community.

The origin story of this collection is special. Earlier this year, we surveyed over 1,000 women in our community about the way they want to feel when they run. Committed to designing for the feeling our community wanted most, we eagerly awaited the results, hypothesizing internally about what the answer might be. We had a hunch, and we were right. The resounding result? Strong.

But bringing to life that feeling? A harder task. Strength is an evolving idea in our community. It means different things to different women. We spent time exploring the subject with our community, our pros, with our muses, and with new partners in creation (meet Filippa!). The result - a set of symbols as deep and diverse as the definitions of strength. We’re proud to introduce to you, the Run Strong collection. A unique collection featuring the art of Filippa Edghilll, inspired by the strength of our community. 

Three themes can be found throughout the designs: Bravery, Unity, and Individuality. Our fearless leader and lead designer, Sally Bergesen, shares how we brought these to life:

BRAVERY

Bravery is an entirely different notion of strength - celebrated best in the ‘Be Brave Get Ugly’ tank. First, it is the willingness to push one’s mind and body to a place it may have never gone. To the edges of ability. To reach out and feel those edges, and even push them further afield. Within that space, appearance is irrelevant. It's not possible to reach that place unless one is willing to let go of cultural norms of being "pretty" - and embrace the ugly. Although interestingly, in the end, we realize what is ugly is actually beautiful, as it expresses this extreme state of effort. Redefining beauty - for women - is a crucial pursuit. It takes work, and a lifetime, because it requires the constant and active questioning of dominant cultural norms. We have to call on intellectual acumen, analytics, and the awareness of unhealthy culture and media standards to get there. Ultimately, however, this engagement changes the standards - and then we're improving life for the girls and women coming up behind us. Kick down the doors...then call up the children!

UNITY

The collection also embraces the idea of women supporting other women. The symbol of clasped hands is all about our human connection. Not just friendship, but loyalty. The “I got you” moment that can come before, during, or after a shared experience. The gesture is strong - not the finger squeezing power clasp, or a business shake, this clasp is one that is best employed while hoisting your friend out of a burning building and onto a safe ledge. The dark skin, prevalent in much of Filippa's work, alludes to classic Greek sculpture that uses bronze, onyx, and other materials that patina to beautiful dark hues. As humans we crave connection to others. I can’t think of a more powerful visual to celebrate that!

INDIVIDUALITY

But within our community, strength also champions individuality. All the body shapes, types, and the eradication of the idea of a “ runner’s body.” This graphic also communicates the idea of a diverse but united team. Running is a safe space, where women come together to trust each other, trust themselves, and have the opportunity to be both vulnerable and strong. And to become strong by being vulnerable!

We can’t wait for you to see the designs in real life. They are even more stunning than you can imagine. And thank you so much for forever serving as our grand inspiration in our creative process. 

Together in strength.

A table is set in Brooklyn.

It’s not your typical dinner party, but it’s certainly one I think of often. It’s a piece of installation artwork by artist and feminist Judy Chicago, and this dinner party lives in the Brooklyn Museum. Thirty-nine places are set for 39 historic female guests. Virginia Woolf, Georgia O’Keeffe, Sojourner Truth, and others sit in solidarity around a triangular table. Each place setting is designed to celebrate that individual, and is adorned with the symbols of their life and work. Viewers stand just outside the room, able to walk the perimeter of the table separated by a small cast iron bannister. 

A twenty-something year old living in Brooklyn, I’d often find myself staring at that table. After finishing a run in Prospect Park, leaving a weekend brunch with friends, walking home from my subway stop on Grand Army Plaza. Drawn to that room like a magnet to its pole. Waking the triangular perimeter, hand on the cold metal rail, lost in my imagination, lost in Judy Chicago’s imagination, chasing a question - “Judy… what did they say?”

Maybe they discussed life. Struggle and strife. Success and celebration. About their journeys and destinations and all the stops along the way. Maybe they talked about mothers, and fathers, and sisters and brothers, and children, and grandchildren. Maybe they talked about the earth, and the stars, and the universe. Of chaos and order. Of meaning and meaninglessness. Maybe they talked about the weather, or what they ate for breakfast. Or the changing seasons. Maybe they talked about death.

As I imagine this feminist assembly today, I’m certain one word would rise in the conversation, traveling across the planes and angles of that iconic table. A word with a definition as diverse as the women who carry it in discussion - strength. 

Strong, for many of us, is a powerful signal of a newly recognized feminine identity. And with new, changing, ever-important meaning, I asked some wise birds to share what strength means to them.

"Strong has never really been about how a body looks. It's about how a human lives. It’s about lining up who we are inside with how we show up in the body we have.” - Lauren Fleshman, Oiselle Athlete, Author & Coach 

“Strength is having the ability to see your weaknesses and not feel the need to fix them. Having the courage to ask for help when you misstep, or when you feel embarrassed and insecure. It's being able to bring every part of yourself - your past, your present, what you want for your future, into every single thing that that you do. Strength doesn't mean having the answers or being the best, it means knowing the difference between giving your best and doing what's expected from you. Strength is knowing that the parts of yourself that you’re most ashamed of are almost always the keys to who you are.” - Kelly Roberts, Oiselle Ambassador, Muse, Volée

"To me, being strong is more than just a feeling, but a mindset- it's the power to keep going when you want to quit, it's getting back up after a fall, it's the courage to take on a new challenge without the fear of failure. To me, being strong can be different for different people, but in general, it's a mindset of believing in yourself." - Kami Beckendorf, Oiselle Designer 

"When I look at the Volée I see a group made up of individuals who have overcome or are still battling injuries, life setbacks, heartbreaks and yet choose to put one foot in front of the other to run. Their strength to continue on despite what they face is really what it means to be strong.” - Natalie Nibler, Oiselle Volée

"Strength can be raw and muscular and powerful. But the way we often remember it, the times it inspires us, are when we witness strength as a response to despair or difficulty. It can be seen when people rise from the ashes, when they ask for help, when they spot a weakness in themselves and work toward self-improvement.” - Sarah Overpeck, Team Birdstrike, Oiselle Volée

“Being strong is lifting yourself up (be your own #1 fan for life) but it’s also looking to your right and left and helping your whole team and community rise. Being strong is making more room at the top.” - Stephanie Propper, Oiselle Runner, Flywheel Instructor

"It’s not about the days it feels easy and everything falls into place. It’s the days when I’m not sure if I can make it, when I begin to doubt myself, when life seems to ask for more than I think I have to give. It’s when despite adversity, I rise.” - Kamilah Spears, Oiselle Volée

“Being strong to me means always finding a reason or way to keep going. To keep moving toward your goals, keep standing up for your beliefs. When you are strong you find a way. Nothing stops you.” - Kara Goucher, Oiselle Professional Athlete

One of my favorite pieces of lore is how Judy Chicago brought the masterpiece to life. It took a village to set the table, and Chicago worked with a group of volunteers - women from all backgrounds, skill sets, ethnicities, and histories - to bring the piece to life. This collective table setting reminds me of Oiselle. Our community coming together, meeting at trail heads and coffee shops and track meets and road races. Carrying our metaphorical plates and spoons and forks. 

The Dinner Party is not immune to criticism. Every choice in Chicago’s creative process has been examined, challenged, critiqued. And while it may falter, one idea continues to ring true.

The women are here to eat.

Yours. Together. In Strength.

We are a brand who's passionate about the sport and committed to our community. We also make clothes for runners of all paces and places. Subscribe to stay connected to who we are, what we make, and the incredible things we do with our community.

Working at the Oiselle store is the perfect excuse to wear all Oiselle... all the time. But, with great blessings comes a touch of a curse (not dramatic, at all). How does a Oiselle stylist mix and match pieces day in and day out, without feeling like they have to buy the entire store to keep their outfits looking fresh and creative? Oiselle store Sales Associate + Stylist, Rachel, shows us how she masterfully crafts a week's worth of Oiselle powersuits. Rachel, take it away!

BY: RACHEL KRISTJANSON

For my first outfit of the week I wore my Pocket Joggers, a fun graphic tee, my Oiselle Baseball Cap, and Birkenstocks. This past week Seattle has been hit with some gorgeous weather, so I broke out the sandals and capris. I have long legs, so I love the Pocket Joggers because not only are they super cute but they don’t ride up my knees. I liked that my tee and Birkenstocks took the bottoms from an athletic look, to a more relaxed Saturday vibe.

The next day was still sunny, but a little cooler so I paired my favorite jeans with the Flyte Full Zip in Snap. I find the full zip to be extremely flattering because the color, fabric, and fit are all perfect. Immediate confidence booster.

Now, I’m not usually into skirts or dresses of any type... but the Roga Skirt somehow found its way into my wardrobe! I love that the skirt provides the same function and comfort of the Roga Shorts, but with a more feminine feel. I layered a leather jacket over my Flyout Short Sleeve to up the baddass factor. 

I own four pairs of Aero Tights (yeah I know I have a problem), but my Slate ones are my absolute favorite. Slate Aeros, a white tee + the Snap Hi-Ten Bra has been my ultimate go-to outfit this spring. I paired it with my Origami Bomber and a Baseball Cap.

Seatte finally hit 72º the other day! Naturally I had to break out the Denim Lori Shorts. Zero poof, comfort, function, and style. I just threw a white tee over my Plum Hi-Ten Bra, put on my hi-top converse and I am set for a chill sunny day look. 

I love the Flyout Short Sleeve so much I had to get another one in the midnight color-way. I paired it with some faded black jeans, black Vans, and my Aero Jacket. I’m a little late to the game and only just discovered the magic of the Aero Jacket a few weeks ago, and my life has been forever changed. It goes with EVERYTHING. You can wear it on a run, or to the bar, or like I wore it, with just jeans and sneakers. Amazing.

I wore the Spring Wazzie Wool Racerback Tank with my Portman Pants (they will change your life) and a jean jacket. Because I’m all leg it’s hard for me to find a tight that is long enough for me, but the Portman’s hit me right at the ankle which is perfect. The Wazzie Wool is not itchy at all and kept me at the perfect temperature all day, even through the alternating sunshine and rainstorms (thanks, Seattle). Throw on a baseball cap and some sneakers and you’re ready for anything.

If you have been having those "what to wear?" moments, hopefully this was just the inspiration you needed to pair your Oiselle pieces in bold new ways to keep you feeling confident throughout the day. #Powersuit up!

- Rachel

Regina Faura is one of our amazing teammates and Oiselle dealer reps, bringing #flystyle to the southeast US. Regina has such a positive demeanor and friendly smile, and a huge amount of grit as well. Thank you for sharing your story, Regina!

BY: REGINA FAURA

Today I can share that I am an alcoholic in recovery. I will celebrate 7 years of sobriety on July 5th. When I quit drinking in 2010, I was 60lbs overweight from the alcohol and eating like crap. I had my come-to-Jesus moment when I had my third DUI, my second in two months time, and spent 14 days in jail. If that doesn't turn you around, you have serious issues. I was on the verge of killing myself, could have possibly killed someone, drinking and driving (which I did a lot) and hurting my family. I looked in the mirror after getting home and said, ok you need to do something with yourself.

I couldn't drive because I lost my license for 16 months. I downloaded the C25k (Couch to 5K) app onto my phone and started in my neighborhood in Alabama. Eventually I had to add on the next neighborhood across the street because I was going further. I registered to run my first 5k in May 2011 and ran it in 33 minutes. I was hooked! I loved the whole racing experience. My next race would be 5k in September 2011 and ran in 28 minutes. We moved to Pensacola, FL and two months later I would run my first half marathon in 2:14:50. 2011 was the year I became a runner!

Running became a huge part of my recovery and continues to be a huge part today. After two years of running and eating right I lost that 60lbs. In 2012, I would run my first 15k and 10k. I met Cherie, the owner of Running Wild, local running store and Frency, who was part of a Oiselle Running Team. Cherie convinced me to apply for the running team. I did and I was accepted. April 2012 is the first race I wore the Oiselle singlet. I would continue to run many 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, and a few more half marathons. In 2013, I ran my first marathon. I could not have done it without the huge support of the Oiselle community. I love everything about the company, the brand and the ladies that are part of Oiselle.

We are a brand who's passionate about the sport and committed to our community. We also make clothes for runners of all paces and places. Subscribe to stay connected to who we are, what we make, and the incredible things we do with our community.