California Volée Leader, Beth Peters joined the Volée last April. She spent weeks hemming and hawing about her decision. She was a new runner. So was she really a runner? She flip-flopped back and forth in her head, and then she landed on, why not? That was the chance she took when she first commit to a Cross Fit membership. Starting something always feels daunting at first, but little by little, one win at a time, she’s grown and developed as an athlete. Beth has her sights set on an ultra-marathon. Her story might seem unattainable to someone just starting out, but her advice is simple: “make a small choice, commit, and see where it leads you.” 

“The scales of equilibrium can be found in wilderness.

A feather can tip the balance.

It is time to forgive.

Myself, this wilderness.

I want another chance.

Change is coming.” - Terry Tempest Williams, The Hour of the Land

We are driving across the desert after spending several days balancing on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and nursing a major disappointment: just a week earlier, my husband DNF’d his first attempt for 100 miles at Javelina Jundred outside Phoenix. He was disappointed that he couldn’t finish and I was devastated for him, but I had been training to pace him through 40 miles of the race. It would have been my first unofficial ultramarathon, something I snuck in as a way to support his big, crazy dream. So the first thing that went through my mind when he showed up at our tent wasn’t, I’m so sorry, it was, I won’t get to run.

It was unfair of me to pin this dream on top of his and, truly, it was a way of denying to myself that this was a goal I was harboring. Reflecting on the race that afternoon in the desert and the preparation I had done for it, my big, scary goal took shape in front of me. I looked at my husband and told him I wanted to run the Salmon Falls 50K in February. If I was going to do something big and crazy, I needed to do it on my own.

But, I need to back up. An ultramarathon is a crazy goal in itself, but it’s ridiculous for me in particular to go chasing after it. Four year ago I was sitting in an airport, tired of feeling terrible and uncomfortable in my body, and so I made a choice to overhaul my diet with a Whole30 challenge; strict, yes, but only 30 days. I had no expectations, just an overwhelming desire to get control of my health and my body.

It started with one choice.

A feather can tip the balance.

After a month of better eating, we were feeling fantastic, so my husband and I made another small choice: to try CrossFit for a month. Truly, we couldn’t afford more than that and seeing as I was terrified, a month sounded long enough. The first workout had two 200 meter sprints mixed with some body weight movements like pushups. It was awful. I was the last one to finish in a class of ten. On the way home, hardly able to lift my arms, I cried and cried to my husband that I couldn’t go back, that I wasn’t an athlete, there was no way I could do this. He told me we had paid for a month, we were going for a month.

We could have eaten that cost and never gone back, but he led the way back and I chose to follow. I went five days a week for the entire month. The classes got less scary and I got fitter. The progress I made gave me the confidence to try new things in class and to set bigger goals. There was a lot I couldn’t do, but every single day I chose to show up my confidence grew a little bit more and lit a fire in me to pursue getting better at whatever it was I was doing, both inside and outside of the gym. We’re celebrating four years of strength training this week.

Even with all my progress in the gym, there was still one glaring weakness: running. Every time running was in a workout, I whined. My classmates could always count on me to hold up the rear if running was involved. Two years ago, we moved to California and scaled back on gym time to save money. I needed a way to stay fit and running seemed like the simplest option. One afternoon during a spectacular pity party I was throwing myself about hating to run and being terrible at it, I made another choice: stop whining, pick a goal and focus on it. I chose a local half marathon, found a training plan that combined running and walking intervals, and did the work. The last two miles of the half, I thought about calling my husband who was waiting at the finish line to come get me, but my phone was dead, so I trudged on, vowing never to return. But I did return, this time to the trails, where I found my running soul. I can still be counted on to hold up the rear, but my times have gotten faster, and I almost never whine anymore.

When I tell people, especially non runners, that I’m training for an ultramarathon, their eyes go wide, “Why would you? How can you? I could NEVER.” I usually shrug it off, but inside I think, if only you could have seen me when I made that first choice.

I’m not special. Nothing about me makes me more or less likely than you to commit to something and pursue it successfully. One decision during a layover led to another and so on until four years and a lot of work later in the middle of nowhere, I said this big, scary goal aloud that had secretly been living inside me for months, if not years.

There is a very real possibility that I won’t make it under the time limit next month, that I’ll ‘fail’, but it hardly matters anymore. I made a choice to be honest and vulnerable, then to put my head down and do the work. This training cycle tipped the balance towards more faith in myself and my abilities. I can look back at every single ‘feather’ decision that led me here, all relatively small when they were made, and see how they added up to something huge, how that first one changed my whole life.

Make a small choice, commit, and see where it leads you. You may be surprised.

A feather can tip the balance.

- Beth Peters

It was late August and Seattle’s dark and rainy blanket of fall and winter was looming. The key to surviving the grey Seattle winter is to escape to a warm and sunny spot. So, Lesko and I put the Phoenix Women’s Half Marathon - 5k - 10k on the map for a Volée team meet up spot. A three-day runcation with Volée teammates from around the country. Does it get any better than that? We don’t think so. Take a glance through some highlight photos from our getaway in the Arizona sunshine!

We kicked off the weekend with a cheers over burgers and brews.

The next morning we headed to the race course for an easy shakeout run.

It was a runbow of Flyte.

We rocked the race course with Oiselle Volée singlets.

To cap it off, we ventured on an epic hike up Piestewa Peak.

It was a Oiselle Volée weekend for the record books.

We left Phoenix fired up for and beyond excited for all that’s to come. Thanks for the memories, Volée!

When our Pros, Muses, and Haute Volée make brave leaps and knock big goals out of the park, it's easy to forget that these big wins started by taking one step. As you set your own #winwithone intention this month, take a read through these tips. It's the little commitments that pave the way to big successes. 

KARA GOUCHER

I like to keep a confidence journal. Every night after I write in my training log, I also write a sentence or two in my confidence journal about my run for that day. It might be something like, “felt great today and surprised myself by finishing my mile repeats much faster than expected.” Or it could be something like, “felt terrible today. Was way off pace but somehow found the strength to finish the workout.” It’s a way to find something positive from every single day of training. Then, the week of and night before a big race, I can look through my confidence journal and remind myself that I am ready to be on the starting line. Not only do I remind myself of all the hard workouts I nailed, but I also remind myself of all the times I fought through bad days and still found a small victory. Reviewing this journal has been super helpful in calming my nerves and gaining confidence when I go to race. It has made a huge difference in my mental preparation.

SARAH MAC

The largest breakthrough I've had in the sport in over 15 years was the direct result of doing something everyday, rather than doing everything one day. What I mean is, rather than lifting for :45 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday, I did 5 - 10 minutes of strength every day. Instead of going to a yoga class for an hour once a week, I did 5 - 10 minute Jasyoga resets 4 - 6 days a week. Consistency is worth far more than sporadic grand gestures. That's true in running and... pretty much everything else.

SASHA GOLLISH

I took on a new mantra. The power of saying ‘Believe. I can do this.’ I hate working out alone. My confidence wanes. I ask myself ‘Why am I doing this?’. Then I get to the start line and feel out of place. Everyone else has been doing this for years. I’m old and I’m new to racing; I feel like I lack experience. Then I chant in my head ‘Believe. You can do this.’ This mindset has changed those solo workouts, they are brave, beautiful and on pace, and paid dividends in races where, forget topping the podium, I’m smashing my PR’s. 

KELLY ROBERTS

In 2016, I struggled to take myself and my training seriously. When I decided to take my marathon PR from 3:59 to 3:35 in an attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I worried that I would quit the moment I doubted myself. When I saw the terrifying paces my coach put on my training plan, I'd panic and convince myself that I couldn't run them without even trying. Learning to remove can and can't from my vocabulary and choosing to see what happens when I give 100% taught me that it didn't matter if I actually hit them. All that mattered was that I tried. No regrets, no excuses became my fighting words and even though more often than not, I fail to hit my paces, I always walk away proud that I gave it my all.  

CHRISTINE BABCOCK

As I got back into training full time, establishing a life-work-running balance became increasingly important. I would have a few good weeks of high motivation, then struggle to get out the door, burdened with the question of why I was still trying to run. I found that having 3 weeks at high mileage, followed by one down week, enabled my body, mind, and soul to handle training. The down week rejuvenates me, giving me just enough of a bump of motivation to make it through the following 3 weeks. This adjustment in my weekly mileage schedule has kept me running healthfully and mentally engaged, all the while seeing improvements in fitness along the way.

DOM JACKSON

Before my move to Sacramento, I was living in a place of wallow and contempt. Life and training didn't align, and I found myself stressed. Once I moved, life become better, training sky rocketed to another level and I was ME again. Sacramento State University has become my biggest support in my dreams of coaching and running at an elite level. Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, remove yourself from negative aspects in your life, and surround yourself with positive people. One small change can make all the difference, not only in your running, but your life as well.

MARIA MICHTA

My days have always been hectic, busy, and quite frankly full of life. I am a multitasker beyond belief who has had to master the art of compartmentalization. I use it to break up my daily grind to mentally make it more manageable, just focus right here right now on getting through this one interval, grade one more set of papers, or complete these household chores by such and such time. If I didn’t tune in to what I was doing in the moment I could very easily be consumed by negative energy wasting mental strength worrying and feel overwhelmed at just how much I had yet to accomplish. The beauty is once something is complete; I feel not only a sigh of relief but also a sense of accomplishment. The ability to flip the switch mentally as I change from one task to another has been one of my greatest skills allowing me to juggle multiple passions both on and off the track. Learning how to compartmentalize, wasn’t something I necessarily chose to do, I literally had no other alternative to staying sane. After all how else do you get through 62.5 laps on a track, when the last 12.5 are a progression and you have a seemingly endless amount of school work awaiting you at home afterwards and oh yeah a few meals to prepare too!

COLLIER LAWRENCE

I learned to recover as hard as I train. When I started running I was rewarded for training hard all the time; but years later discovered "going hard in the paint" nonstop was not only unsustainable but preventing me from improving. Besides taking cat naps and scheduling leg up the wall, the best thing I've done is block out days, usually after workouts, where runs are very low heart rate (for me: mid 140s or just under 140 if I'm really on my game). Those days let all that hard work circulate through my systems, flushing out the junk leaving and space for the hard work to soak in. It took almost 15 years but, learning the value of recovery has rewarded me more than when I tried to be a relentless machine. 

What small step will you take this month? Join the challenge and share your #winwithone commitment!

This photo. It’s the success story. It’s the achievement. The win. But you don’t see where it all started. Way back when.

How did it begin? Taking the first step; the first step back after kid number two; the commitment to PT three times a week; the decision to block out time in the chaos of life for the payoff of long lasting change. I think about this idea a lot with the athletes I coach. And it always goes back to starting the process.  Start small, build big. 

My athlete Sarah Robinson secretly and deeply wanted to qualify for 2016 marathon Olympic trials. The reality of baby bottles and diapers, sleep deprivation, achey hips, and an awkward floppy stride was pulling her down more than the voice inside could pull her up. She wasn't a pro runner, she worked full time and had a beautiful chubby 6 month old PJ at home by her side. Her priorities were now PJ's priorities. I understood. As her coach and someone who does train full time I knew she could have both. The dream and the onus she carried as a working mom. She would just need to make tiny concessions, consistent commitments, and believe. 

When I have people set out goals I like to ask what are your life stressors and what are your energy sucks. Identifying these help you carve out how much time you actually can devote to running, prehab, ancillary work, and sleep. Sarah told me: “whatever you put on my schedule I’ll do.” So I wrote core work (being just a few months post-partum I felt that was crucial), 3 days a week. If she had 5 miles on the day, it might not have been first thing in the morning after a long blissful night of sleep but rather on her lunch break after PJ stopped by for a feeding. Sarah saw it and Sarah did it. It wasn't some miracle or overnight sensation. She simply put in the work during the hours she very well could have chosen not to. About 16 months after she had PJ, Sarah Mac conquered her own inner voice and conquered the marathon. She ran 2:42:36 and qualified for her 1st Olympic Trials.

Sarah's story and many others out there parallel much of my return to competition after I had Hudson. My weakness as a runner has always been my anatomical issues involving my low back, pelvis, and hips. My strength has been my desire to make my body and stride stronger and more powerful. When Hudson was born, there were 10 months until the US Track Olympic trials. I had a desire to make the team that had been brewing for the past 4 years. I knew I had a tremendous task ahead of me. 

My thought process: how do I get to the starting line in a position to make that team? First I need to run a 10k qualifier and hopefully run the Olympic Standard. I need to be back up to a full training load within a matter of months. I broke it down into tangible daily goals. My inner core needed coordination and strength. 30-40 mins each night after the kids went to sleep I meandering to my garage and breathed and braced. 

I balanced on one leg, then the other, with my eyes open, then my eyes shut. I made weekly gains and then had weekly setbacks. When I began training hard in early spring of 2016, I didn't stop the core and ancillary. When I got fit and then tired from training, I kept forcing myself to go down to the garage and breathe and brace. I stepped on the line of the Stanford Invite at the end of March, and braced for impact. 25 laps later and .53 under the Olympic A standard I breathed. 

Because every big win starts with taking the first step, this month, I challenge you to #WinWithOne. Pick one small change that you’d like to make in your everyday, and commit to it for the month of February. For you it might be one extra hour of sleep per night, two core sessions a week, stretching before bed, or commitment to get out the door and run 3 times a week. Whatever you decide, share your commitment and your process with hashtag: #WinWithOne

XO, 

Steph

#WheelsUp17 is a series made for the motivated — a monthly challenge designed to help you see your runway and takeoff. With pro and coach Steph Bruce at the helm, and the power of the Oiselle community by your side — it’s just the right push to help you pull up your wheels and soar!

SIGN UP & STAY MOTIVATED!

GET THE MONTHLY SERIES DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR DIGITAL DOORSTEP:

Speak out is a call to conversation - to talk about issues that matter to our community. Conversations big and small that are important for women, the sport, and the world. We catch up with Kara to hear about what's on her mind, and what 'speak out' means to her!

What does 'speak out' mean to you?

To me, to 'speak out' means to use your voice when it can make a difference. It may mean being the primary voice, or, it may mean adding yours to someone else’s to help to the collective cause. But it means that you say what you feel, not in a way to disrespect anyone else - but to help others see why you feel strongly about an issue. To help people walk in your footsteps and feel what you feel.

What's it like in practice?

It is so hard! It’s hard because you are afraid to disrespect someone else’s opinion. You don’t want to be polarizing, you want to be liked! You are so afraid you will alienate someone who used to care about you. That is why it’s hard, but it is so important. So many people don’t have the opportunity to use their voice because of fear. But the moment one person takes stand, people can join in with that person. It’s not as scary to say what you believe in when you are joining a group of people that believe the same thing. And the more voices together, the stronger it becomes. But we must have one person to take that first step.

Tell us about an issue that matters to you?

The Clean Sport Collective. It is the first time that elites, companies, athletes of all levels, and fans can come together on the issue of doping. We can take the pledge and hold each other accountable to support only clean athletes and clean sport. Imagine if people said they would only buy product from companies that took the pledge and do not stay with athletes that have had a doping conviction. If companies who didn’t take the pledge felt the effects of the lost revenue, they would have to take a hard look at what message their company is sending. There is so much power in your purchasing dollars. The Clean Sport Collective is working on putting out a list of the companies that have taken a pledge and we can actually make real change. Also, people joining together saying they won’t tolerate doping in sport anymore is so powerful. To have fans, athletes of all sports and abilities, and companies come together, real change is possible. We are at a tipping point right now, people are tired of all of the doping scandals. We are ready to make change and focus on positive stories.

How can get involved?

Taking the pledge and spending your dollars wisely. If there is a company that continually supports athletes with complicated pasts, don’t buy their products. Take the pledge, get your run family to take it. Continue to speak about the need for clean athletes. Don’t stop talking, don’t stop demanding change. We can do this! One day at a time.

When we speak out, women are a force for change. Join the challenge. #StandUpSpeakOut - and tell us what matters to you.

Speak out is a call to conversation - to talking about issues that matter to our community. Conversations big and small that are important for women, the sport, and the world. Let your voice be heard, and let's get talking!

WHAT DOES #STANDUPSPEAKOUT LOOK LIKE?

Telling the truth, even when it feels scary. Jess Barnard

Blazing a clean path for the future. Kara Goucher

Raising a flag on cultural norms, and keeping it real. Steph Bruce

Cultivating badassery. Choosing the challenging route. Devon Yanko

Acknowledging the elephant in the room. Heather Stephens

Unpacking the crazy. Raising a flag on topics that matter. Sally Bergesen

The pursuit of honest representation. Megan Murray

Welcoming risk and embracing change. Sarah Lesko

Standing up against fear and doubt. Kelly Roberts

Three simple rules to help you speak out. Kyleanne Hunter

When we speak out, women are a force for change. Join the challenge. #StandUpSpeakOut - and tell us what matters to you.

Catherine burst onto our radar when she won the Eugene marathon in a smoking 2:42 at age 43….in stride shorts and a Tracktion bra. Hello, #fasterasamaster!!! But we really got to know and love her at Leavenworth Birdcamp in 2015. This woman is not only speedy, but a chill and funny person, who is wise about everything from mom-ing to PT. We checked in with Catherine as she gets back on the workout train after a fall injury.

LESKO: WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND WISDOM ON BEING A MASTERS RUNNER

CATHERINE: When someone asks me my age I often have to stop and think about it. I am 45 but most of the time I feel like I am a lot younger. That said my body tells me I am not in my 20s.

One of the challenges is how long it takes me to get out the door for my run. Gone are the days where I used to put on my running shoes and just head out. Now before every run I do a full foam rolling routine plus a set of activation exercises to ensure my hamstrings and glutes are firing.

Another challenge is getting adequate recovery. I am still able do to the workouts I did 10 years ago, but I don’t recover as quickly. I used to do workouts Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday plus a long run on Sunday; now I typically do 2 workouts a week in addition to my long run. And I focus on proper recovery. When injury strikes it takes me much longer to recover. The past two falls I have had soft tissues injuries and both have taken almost 12 weeks to heal. I’m also working on ensuring I replenish my fuel within 20-30 minutes of a workout (easiest for me is a smoothie).

I try to be proactive and get a massage at least once every two weeks. Sleep is also something I find I need more of as a masters runner. As I age, I don’t always sleep through the night and sometimes I find myself awake for a couple of hours (maybe related to peri-menopause?). Also my teenage daughter often wants to stay up much later than me or requires picking up later on weekends from friends.

But the greatest challenge for me as a masters runner has been balancing the emotional stress of aging parents and tween/teen daughters. The past 2 years have enlightened me to how much emotional stress takes a toll on me. Recovering from that isn’t as easy as a couple of days off. If I don’t take care of me, I am incapable of helping those around me. I am trying to take some time each day for quiet reflection or mediation to take care of my mental health.

But, the challenges are just challenges. I face them and in the end I am able to do what I truly love, which is run. Running may not be as simple as it once was, but it still gives me the joy and the ability to push myself to my limits.

L: HOW DO YOU SET A GOAL AS A MASTER? WALK ME THROUGH YOUR PROCESS. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO RUNNING IF YOU KNEW YOU WOULD NEVER PR AGAIN?

C: Right now my goals are still achievement/number based. I have some times in the back of my mind that I would really love to achieve across the distances. Going into races I generally have 3 goals, the A goal (time/place) if everything goes well, the B goal to run the race well, even if the time isn’t reflective of that, and the C goal purely to enjoy the experience. I always want the C goal to happen and the A & B goals are the icing on the cake. I have been looking at the Canadian Masters Records both on the track and on the road. I definitely want to take a shot at them. Overall, I am trying to be grateful for just being out there.

Even if I was never to PR again, I believe I would approach goals the same way. I like to set big goals for my A goals as even if those goals are scary, just by putting them out there they become within the realm of possibility. When I made the Pan Am Games marathon team for Canada, it was by putting that big scary goal out there.  I would rather put that huge goal out there for all to see than to hide away and never go for it. It is important to grasp at those opportunities and dreams. As Lauren Fleshman says (this is paraphrased) failing doesn’t make you a failure. 

L: WHAT IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE HABIT YOU HAVE THAT YOU ARE WORKING TO UNDO?

C: Definitely my attachment to training plans. I recognize the need for flexibility but when something is written on my plan I find it extremely hard to deviate from it. I am getting better at recognizing the need to delay or even forgo workouts when I am not feeling up for them, but there is still that little voice in my head that beats me up for it. I do hope that I can learn not to be so rigid and to prioritize my health. That Type A perfectionist in me really needs to be squashed!

L: DO YOU TRAIN BY YOURSELF OR WITH PARTNERS? WHO IS YOUR IDEAL TRAINING PARTNER?

C: I am a part of an amazing training group called BCEP (British Columbia Endurance Project), which is coached by the incredible Richard Lee. I am definitely the “oldest” member of the group. I recognize that I can’t keep up with most of my teammates in their workouts but I do love being around their energy and find their speed inspiring. Generally in my marathon builds I have been doing the majority of my workouts solo. Although lonely at times I think the long solo workouts build a mental toughness that is needed for the marathon, and I can ensure I run the workout at the prescribed pace rather than pushing too hard. I definitely run with my teammates on most of my easy run days and I love those easy runs filled with conversations about life. 

L: IF YOU COULD GO ON A RUN WITH ANYONE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE?

C: Great question! Terry Fox without a doubt. His courage and dedication are beyond inspiring. Just thinking about his run gives me goosebumps. 

L: IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR 22-YEAR-OLD SELF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

C: There is so much time, don’t push so hard now. I think I felt that after my 20s there would be no time to pursue my goals, that I would be too busy with work, family etc. I realize now that having all those other gifts in my life makes me appreciate my running even more. It really is never too late to go after it!

L: DO YOU OWN THE CAT LADY BRA?

C: I don’t as I really didn’t think I would need that level of warmth in the PNW, however, after this crazy winter we have had I am definitely regretting that decision. 

L: Well, lucky for you, you’ve got some connections. I’ll make sure to set one aside for you! Can’t wait to see you out there racing, Catherine, you keep my masters inspiration alive!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever confidently asserted yourself, only to be met with a label — Bossy. Bitchy. Classless. Vulgar. Arrogant. Opinionated. Striving. 

[hand raised]

We spend a great deal of our time talking about feelings. The feelings of being a woman. The feelings of being an athlete. The feelings both inside the run, and the feelings of the moments in-between. The feelings of experiences that are both personal to us, and upon exploration, shared with our community. Today, we come to you with a feeling we're seeing more and more. We’re excited to report, that feeling is swagger. 

Swagger (verb) - to walk or behave in a confident manner. A term with deep ties to the representation of a body, swagger is the unapologetic presentation of self-confidence by an individual. It is not loud, but it is strong. It is not arrogant, but it is unwavering. We’ve seen this in sports. We’ve seen this in men. But for women, this emotion can be harder to find.

Swagger dominates the world of men’s athletics. Sports like basketball, football, and boxing embrace and even sensationalize the unapologetic confidence of the athlete. One could even go as far to say swagger, in men’s sport, is the norm. But in women’s sports, it’s taken us longer to arrive. The icons of female swagger have been met with less than open arms. One can’t forget when Serena Williams was famously called cocky for her aspirations to be the best in the world.

Yet this is changing — we’re witnessing a world where female swagger is on the rise. A response to a culture that pressures women to sit still, look pretty, and quiet down - swagger is a reflection of the state of female sport, and confidence. As women come together, and stand up for their own self-image, Swagger is increasingly on display.

Some icons of swagger pushing the paradigms of representation in culture:

Serena. Excellence in the absence of qualifiers (like gender). Beyonce. Bow down. She aint sorry. 

Ronda Rousey. The power. The posturing. The introduction of the ‘DNB’ and her insistence that she is at all costs, not that. While we at Oiselle favor a world where women elevate women - one can’t deny Rousey’s swagger is a part of her competitive advantage. 

And leave it to Lauren Fleshman to bring to life the artful, delicate marriage of swagger and grace. Standing in solidarity with her peers, ready to respectfully, run them into the ground.

The list doesn’t stop here. Audrey Gelman. Sophia Amoruso. Even Tyra Banks with her famous runway flamenco. Swagger is inclusive of many forms, skills, and ideals.

So where does Swagger come from? Many places. Any environment where self-confidence meets self-efficacy. For many women - these identities often begin in sport. Gina Prince-Bythewood (known for films such as 'Love and Basketball', and 'The Secret Life Of Bees') shares how sports has shaped her confidence in her career as a screenwriter:

"I remember sitting outside Mike DeLuca's office at New Line, waiting to go in to pitch Love and Basketball. I was literally shaking—I'd never directed a film before. Why would he ever give me millions of dollars? Biggest moment of my life, and I was gonna choke. Finally, I took a deep breath and told myself to just walk into the room like I used to walk onto the court: eyes up, smirk on my face, mad confident in my abilities. I left that meeting with $14 million to make my first film. Without swagger, I'm just that shy girl who can't find her voice. With it, I am the baddest chick in the room."  

Perhaps at its core — swagger comes from a refusal to address the opinions of others in the evaluation of your own self-worth. Sophia Amoruso would agree:

“No matter where you are in life, you'll save a lot of time by not worrying too much about what other people think about you. The earlier in your life that you can learn that, the easier the rest of it will be.”

After all - Ambition. Achievement. Confidence. Composure. None of these traits should ever be wrapped in apology. And for you, our community, our call to action is perhaps most important. Show us what swagger looks like, feels like, how it behaves for you. Share it with us, celebrate it in the world, and never, ever, say sorry.

Head Up, Wings Out.

Virginia Woolf famously said, “a feminist is any woman who tells the truth about her life”. We are here to tell some truths. Our story is one with two sides. 

The breaking, shaking, and taking apart. The rioting, rebellion, and rejection of the old. The deconstruction that must precede a reconstruction of any significance. We are the destroyers.

And the making, shaping, and putting back together. The collaboration, celebration, and connection of the creative process. The radical act of defining your own future. The emergence of the author / protagonist. We are the creators.

THIS IS THE STORY OF THE HUMAN BODY. 

The runner’s process of wearing our bodies down, to build them back up again. Stronger every time.

THIS IS THE STORY OF APPAREL DESIGN. 

The rejection of the old to make space for the new. The continued questioning of every seam, stitch, and silhouette.  The endless iterations that take us new places.

IT IS THE STORY OF YOU. 

Your own metamorphosis and monomyth. The journey you’ve taken, as a runner and an individual. Navigating obstacles. Refusing limits. Creating and chasing dreams.

IT IS THE STORY OF US. 

Of a community of rebels, rioters, rejectors and defectors. And leaders, connectors practicing the artistry of community.

We are proud to introduce the latest collection from Oiselle — Destroy // Create. As strong as breakers and builders in our community, the collection stands as a radical tribute to the power of the female athlete. The power to destroy. The power to create. Ultimately, the power to redefine the future.

FLYTE TANK, HEATHER GRID TANK, JOGGING TIGHTS

MIO MESH DRESS

COLLARED ROGA DRESS

ROGA SHORTS

FLYTE TANK, AERO TIGHTS

AERO TIGHTS

FLYTE LONG SLEEVE, MUSCLE LONG SLEEVE, MAC ROGA SHORTS, AERO TIGHTS

FLYTE LONG SLEEVE, KC KNICKERS

LIGHTNING LAYER

Kate Grace.

Excellence creates opportunity. And brilliance creates more opportunity. It is with bittersweet pride that we cheer on Kate Grace as she flies off with new wings.

Kate, our original bird, you brought us with you on your journey: the excitement of first success, the depression and frustration of injury, the silly dances, the starting line facial grimaces, and the most triumphant victories. From goofy to majestically elegant, uncertain to dominant, awkward to powerful, you shared with us the fullest possible range of the human experience. We will never forget.

Fast K8, you will always be part of Oiselle's DNA and family. Thank you, and bon chance. Fly, Kate full of Grace.

Since I was a little kid, I always wanted to create things. At age 10, with my BFF Courtney, we wrote and published a neighborhood newspaper on my Dad’s daisywheel typewriter. We put on a series of plays, cajoling neighbors and parents to attend. And while I wasn’t that into dolls, I was obsessed with dollhouse furniture, building tiny beds and sinks and miniature food.

Fast forward through an English Major, a stint as a paralegal, a brand strategy consultant, a freelance writer, and into my calling as a brand builder and apparel designer. Looking back, I now see that it took me for-ev-er, age 38 maybe, to call myself a creator. A designer of things. And even then, I had to fend off a bad case of imposter syndrome.

Why? Why the wait? Why is it so common for us not to fully step into the light of the identity we seek? I’ll get found out! They’ll see I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ll be exposed…

I don’t get it, really. But I do know that as you get older, the insecurity-insanity begins to ebb. For one, you care less what others think of you. And second, a wonderful realization sinks in: that passion and practice lead to the rough draft of what we call experience. And experience leads to knowledge and competence. 

The first year we took Oiselle to fashion week, in 2013, I went there with Katron, one of our first and most talented designers (my fave Aero Tights… yep, those are her). Our runway show was sandwiched between five or six other lines and they were as far from athletic apparel as you could imagine.

Case in point, the line before us was a bizarre combination of swim suits and faux snakes plus feathers and sequins. The models looked uncomfortable, the clothes fit poorly, the music was odd. Nothing seemed to be drawing it all together. (I imagined Tim Gunn would be very upset and worried).

I turned to Katron and said something sarcastic. She smiled her sphinx like smile and nodded appreciatively. And then she told me something I’ll never forget: “The creative process is hard… translating what’s in your head into clothes. No matter what a designer creates, I always appreciate and support it, because it’s so scary to take risks. Even if it looks weird, I just think about how they fought through fear to make it happen.”

With a flash, I realized how rare and beautiful it is to feel truly accepted. As is resisting the urge to categorize, to denounce, to classify something as too this or too that. And it starts with ourselves. When we question our own worth, our own contribution, whether that’s creative or otherwise, it’s just that much easier to put down others. It becomes a vile feedback loop, toxic in, toxic out.

In that moment, I loved her. I loved all the designers there. And I felt a radiant kinship. We were all doing our best, and dammit, we deserved love… if not from the critics, then at least from each other.

Humans are creative by nature - and if I could give one thing it would be unconditional support to try things, without risk, without fear. To try on titles like writer, artist, designer, and to move into those monikers with a swagger instead of a slink. Who knows? In a few years, we may all be wearing faux snake swimsuits.

Head Up. Wings Out.

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.