Introducing New Haute Volée - Alisha Brown
One of my most cherished parts of Oiselle life is fielding inbounds from all types of athletes who want to be affiliated with us. It is a great honor and a privilege to talk with these amazing people. I pinch myself on a daily basis. And I also have to deal with the reality that we have limited resources and sadly can't say yes to everyone. Even though we love #allthewomen! Once in awhile, someone writes in a story that sits on my heart. Read new Haute Volée Alisha Brown's intro letter to us. This will restore your faith in humanity.
Dear Oiselle Team,
As Coach Irv Ray and I humbly approach you in regards to joining the Oiselle family, I would like to share with you the history of my running career and life experiences.
My name is Alisha Brown and I am 24 years old. I have been running for as long as I can remember. As a high schooler, I clocked a 4:54 mile time and a 2:11 800m personal best. I continued on my inspired path by racing for the University of California, Riverside, where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies.
It was during my 4th year at UCR that I truly realized my calling on the Track. For the first time I realized how many looked up to me and were inspired by my heart, my drive, my craving for success. I realized that what I was doing was making a difference. I began to race with the mindset of a conqueror.
After a few wins and running 2:05 in the 800m, my coach and I began to speak of my potential professional career as an elite runner. Unfortunately, but also fortunately, soon after my 4th year I found out I was pregnant with my beautiful son Phillipe Martin Jr. Upon first knowledge of this information, I felt devastated. I thought I ruined my track career; little did I know that my son was exactly what I needed to push myself beyond my limits. I continued to do recovery runs and aerobic exercise throughout my pregnancy; it was not long before I knew my track career was not over. In fact, I told myself this was just a new beginning.
I gave birth to my son on May 11, 2015. Exactly six weeks after delivering my miracle child, I began my journey back to the track. For the first 3 months I entertained recovery runs and flexibility. In August, I contacted Coach Ray and told him I was ready to train to run 2:03.00. My mind was set on the Olympic Trials. While my body hated me, my mind grew to depths I never knew were in me. I was finally stepping back into my calling.
I knew it would be a difficult ride, nonetheless, I also knew it would be worth it. For the first time I was training by myself; I knew what my goal was and I was going to stop at nothing. However, I was now a mother, with bills, and a substitute teaching job paying just above $1000 a month. I knew in order to get to where I was/am going, I had to invest in myself—my future. June 2016 quickly came around and I had only run 2:04. Out of the gracious blue, I received a phone call from All American 800m runner, Lea Wallace. We had not previously been acquainted, but I knew of her prestige. In this phone call she told me how she was so inspired by my story. She informed me of this last opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Trials at the Stumptown Twilight. I sadly declined, knowing that if I spent my last savings on a flight to Oregon and a hotel room, I would later regret my financial situation. She then offered to pay for my flight, so long as I made the trip and raced with every ounce of determination that was in me. I could not have been more blessed in this moment, as my eyes filled with tears of joy as I ran around the house screaming, “I’M GOING TO OREGON!”
It was in Oregon that I had the best race yet of my life. I stepped onto the track knowing although I was away from home—I was at home; I was in my realm. When the gun went off so did my heart and legs. I ran 2:03.23. I was beyond proud of myself for running 2:03.23, however, my body still managed to crumble to ground when I realized that I had missed the Olympic Trial automatic qualifier by just twenty-three hundredths of a second. Even so, I knew this mark was intentional for my greater plan.
This year I am even hungrier for success on and off the track. I want to inspire even more than I already have. I want to show the world, life is tough, but you can be tougher. I plan to run 2:00-2:01 for 800m, 4:15 for 1500m, and 9:17 for 3000m. With that, I intend on racing in the 2017 USA Track Championships, and potentially qualify for the 2017 World Championships. I have taken the limits off of myself, and I am ready for the next level. I could only hope that the Oiselle family would consider me a proper fit for the team. I have full confidence that my perseverance, positive outlook on life, and heart of servitude will honorably represent the Oiselle brand. Thank you in advance for taking the time to consider me.
Best Regards,
Alisha Brown
How to use Yoga to Crush Your Running Goals in 2017
Like most runners, you’re probably more interested in running than yoga. You might have heard that yoga can help you but before you roll out a mat, pause and think about how to use yoga to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. It’s not about going to a weekly class and crossing it off your training to do list.
It’s not just about doing yoga, it’s how you do it that matters.
Aim to practice in a way that directly supports your unique and ambitious goals — this will optimize all your hard work, rather than work against it, and ultimately help you to become more balanced and resilient in running and life.
HERE IS SOME INSPIRATION FOR HOW TO MAKE YOGA WORK HARDER FOR YOU:
EASE IMBALANCE. Running creates imbalances and if left unaddressed they will sideline you eventually. Lessen the impact of your repetitive running motion by moving your body in through it’s other available ranges of motion and consciously correcting your body back toward center.
Try it: Side Balance Flow
PREVENT INJURIES. Lets be real: injuries can be a nightmare. Become a pre-hab pro by giving extra love to your trouble spots (Angry IT band? Cranky calves?) and devoting some time to optimizing your stride to avoid misalignment injuries.
Try it: Align Your Stride
GET STRONG. Yoga is a badass cross-training partner. Use it to strengthen your core, glutes, hips, and other key areas so that you’ll be able to keep your form on point out on the road, especially when you’re tired.
RECOVER RIGHT. Recovery is just as important and equally as productive as the work that you do. Prioritize a quick Reset daily and your hard work will work way harder for you, not to mention help you to avoid burnout.
Try it: Quick Post-Run Reset
STAY FOCUSED. Runners often tell me that running is their meditation — I get it. But just a few moments of being still and breathing deeply will help you to bring more ease into your workout as well as kick start your post-workout recovery.
Try it: Run Meditation
How are you using yoga to achieve your running goals? New Jasyoga Video subscribers use code WIN2017 for a month of free access to 70+ videos at video.jasyoga.com to kick off your new year training. Lead by example with #athletesforyoga!
The Flyway – Not A Runner
I’ll never forget the first time I went for a run. My brother and the boys next door were sprawled across the furniture watching Batman cartoons, and I was left with a stack of coloring books and the anxious boredom of a late summer afternoon. A tomboyish 10-year-old who lived in soccer shorts and sneakers – I tied my shoes a little tighter and announced my plan to the resident running expert – my mother.
“Mom! I’m running to the anchor and back!”
“What?!”
“Okay bye!”
Through the door! Adventure was calling and I must go. The anchor, a neighborhood fixture a full quarter mile away from my front door, was close enough to feel safe but far enough to require courage. Heart pounding, ponytail whipping in the wind. I was alone. I felt brave. And free.
But even before that fateful anchor run at age 10, running was familiar. I grew up watching my mother practice the ritual every morning. My bedroom window overlooked our front yard, and the flicker of bodies walking in front of landscaping lights signaled she was on her way out. Sometimes she ran alone. But many mornings, a group of her close friends waited in our walkway. Even hurling twigs at her window if she wasn’t out the door on time. Those scenes imprinted in my mind before I could really understand the significance of it all. I took these memories with me. Not yet a runner.
I also got to know my mother, and her running practice, through the collection of racing artifacts tucked away in our basement. Like running, the basement was a little scary. A little dark. Filled with the unfamiliar. But braving the narrow stairway offered the gift of a different kind of adventure – old running shoes, bibs and medals, photos of races she’d run alone, and with her friends. A living history hidden away – relegated to the archives so that family photos, school portraits, and the achievements of her children could decorate our walls. I took these relics too. Not yet a runner.
Running became my own ritual in high school. Almost every morning I’d get my miles in. Braving the dark and the rain and a teenage body that didn’t want to wake up. I explained my running habit as a competitive advantage of sorts – something to keep my fitness high as I worked my way down the college soccer track. But truthfully, I liked that it was hard. I liked that it was lonely. It gave the darker parts of my mind something to push against. A storm outside is often easier than the storm within. But I still didn’t call myself a runner.
A running practice also followed me through college. Through a disappointing soccer career. Through a change of heart, and schools, and majors. My life can be remembered through a series of memorable runs – because running is almost always my response to life’s changes. I ran through a new city. I ran through heartbreak. Through loss. Through doubt. Through a crippling depression that commanded my early 20s. Through my first real job in consulting – where I’d often wake up in a hotel room near an office park in an unfamiliar city. Morning miles my only consistency. Running, but not a runner.
I have run almost every day of my adult life and have never called myself a runner. I’ve raced - several marathons, a handful of halfs, a fun 5k here and there. I’ve BQed. I’ve cowbelled. I hang out with runner-types. I even work for a company that flies the flag of a sport and its impact on women. I’m an athlete. I’m a feminist. I’m a strategist. I’m a sister. I’m a friend. But a runner? Why is that signal, that identifier, so complicated for me? Why is it so complicated for others?
I could blame comparison. Or the stereotypes of the sport. Or body image. Or a childhood without track or cross country. Or my pace on the course. It isn’t any of those things.
Running is a place where my biggest fear in life is both realized and resolved. When I run, I am alone. But when I am running, I am okay. Every stride is carefully balancing all that I have to lose, and everything I have to gain. It is terrifying. It is liberating. It’s a meditation on mortality, and a call to keep going. To embrace change and uncertainty and doubt, and move toward it. Through it.
To run is to be alive. And while I’m no expert at this dance, it’s fair to say I’m practiced. Because running is in each one of us. And running belongs to us all.
So I sit here now, as the dawn breaks and the morning rolls in on my 30th birthday, reflecting on who I am today. I take my last sip of coffee, and reach for my running shoes. A gesture so familiar, so habitual, it’s easy to miss.
Through the door! Adventure is calling and I must go. Heart pounding, ponytail whipping in the wind. I am alone. I feel brave. And free.
A runner from the beginning.
A runner at last.
Straight Scoop: Roga Skirt With Shorts
Style
brand
BAM. The Roga Skirt with shorts! We asked Martha, Ashley and Ellen for the Straight Scoop and we're excited to hear what you think of it as well!
WHAT WAS YOUR BASIC RUN DOWN OF THE PIECE?
It’s new, it’s here, it’s time to review! Let me start off by saying, I didn’t buy the Roga skirt with the brief, and the main reason for that was the fact that there were no shorts. I remember reading comments about a few people discussing the length being quite short. The Nest listened, and answered with a new option! A pop of color, compression shorts, and length. I would have to say, this skirt, is probably one of the most versatile articles Oiselle has made.
The skirt is a great shade Plum, which coordinates quite well with a variety of colors. The liner is a compression short similar to the Stride short, of which I’m a huge fan. The skirt layer is the Roga material and waistband that we know and love! Good overall fit. The back is where, I think, the designers added some length. I have found that some skirts will fly up in the back and reveal all the goods when running, and this one lays nicely when in motion. I will say the one critique I have is probably unique to me and my height. Being 5’0”, I feel like the back of the skirt might be a tick too long for my frame.
WHERE DO YOU WEAR IT?
Took the skirt out on a run and it moved great! I happened to be on an easy days and ran a mixture of trails and paved roads. At first the compression shorts rode up a bit, but once I settled in to a pace, they locked in place. I would hesitate to wear these in a fast 5k or speed work, just because I like my legs to be free when I’m going faster, and a skirt is just one more layer. But that’s more of a personal preference. You do you!
Ok, so I’m a runner, but during the day, I’m also a mild mannered tennis coach. Just kidding on the mild mannered, but serious about the coach part. Anyhow, I wanted to see how this piece held up on the courts, and it performed beautifully. For you players, the compression shorts held balls, even while I was moving around the court. Most of the tennis skirts I have are a bell hemline, and even though this skirt has more of an A-line cut, I never felt any sort of restriction when moving around the court.
It looks great with a T-shirt, or even a nice black blouse to dress it up. From the roads to the town. For me at least, I think this Roga Skirt has lot of versatility.
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I was able to run free and easy, which is just how I like it. Besides, I’d rather focus on waving to cute pups as they run by with their owners, or whether or not I’m meeting my splits than what I’m wearing. A final note about the skirt, I feel like it’s the runner’s parallel equivalent to “Casual Fridays.” For me, it feels like wearing a skirt is like “Fancy Run Wednesdays.” It’s different and still so comfortably the same.
WHAT IS YOUR BASIC RUN DOWN OF THE PIECE?
Super comfortable, didn't feel as if the piece was binding, pinching or gapping in any way. Overall, length and width sizing seems generous/forgiving on this piece, so my impression was that the design was not intended to be a "body-con" fit. As I was looking at my reflection in the mirror, I felt like the skirt might be a little long on me for running and training, but remember, I am 5'3" on a good day, so this may hit the majority of (taller) size 6 wearers a bit higher on the leg. Nonetheless, while I am a solid size 6 overall in Roga shorts, someone who felt like a size 6 Roga short was *slightly* too big might want to size down to a 4 for the skirt.
WHERE DO YOU WEAR IT?
Dallas GRIT Fitness! It really moved with me, whichever way I went. I felt like the skirt layer felt super lightweight and practically disappeared (in a good way!) as I moved through our class plan. They didn't move, even through plyo-jump lunges and deep squat jumps. In fact, I was surprised that the overall piece skirt performed more like a pair of shorts, and I didn't feel the top layer pulling across my thighs or flopping around/hitting my legs as I jumped and moved from exercise to exercise.
As a rule, I frankly don't care whether my attire is "appropriate" when I'm running or working out. I want the gear to perform and I want to feel comfortable; that's it. I'm admittedly more self-conscious about what I'm wearing once I'm back in the general population. This morning, I felt completely pulled together and presentable just in case I had to make a quick stop on my way back home, and would have no problem running post-workout errands on a Saturday morning in my Roga skirt.
Note: The knit material of the shorts just doesn't have the same "quality" feeling of the rest of the piece but as a bottom layer, I get it.
WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?
The lightweight/quick dry material of the top layer, the piece's overall versatility/"presentability" and the yoga-style waistband/drawstring are some of my favorite features. It was so lightweight that I never felt any bounce or drag from the top layer, and never felt like I had to pull the shorts to get them back into place.
WHAT WAS YOUR BASIC RUN DOWN OF THE PIECE?
Opening the package I was so glad to see that the skirt was a beautiful new shade of blue. I love the new pattern of the accent design as well! I'm a huge fan of running skirts. I snagged the roga skirt when it came out over the summer, but I've honestly never worn it for running. I think having a short built in is what makes it a performance rather than a fashion piece. The sizing is definitely larger. It doesn't seem so much bigger that I would consider sizing down, but there is a noticeable difference. Finally, I think the built-in short is a little on the looser side than I was expecting (I was thinking it would be more like a stride short liner), but over the course of my 40-minute test run I never once felt like they were riding up.
WHERE WILL YOU WEAR IT?
I will definitely wear it for running the same as I would for any pair of Roga Shorts. I was planning on wearing Roga Shorts for the Houston Marathon on Sunday, but I'll probably rock this new skirt instead. I'd actually wear this skirt pretty much anywhere, except maybe to work. (I can get away with a lot of Oiselle at work, but I don't know that I could make happen.) Because it's always hot in Texas (81 degrees today!) shorts, skirts, and capris are my bottoms of choice outside of work. This skirt design is pretty versatile. I can totally see myself wearing it with a tank to run, and just throwing on t-shirt after to grab a cup of coffee or groceries on the way home. Like all Rogas, this skirt suffers from a lack of pockets. That one tiny butt pocket doesn't hold much.
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I felt like a total badass running around my neighborhood in the Roga Skirt. Something about a running skirt makes me feel both feminine and fierce. I love the fit as well. It's definitely very flattering on my short legs. I also love the color and how the detail pattern is in both the waistband and the short.
Q&A With New Haute Volée Megan Clark
We are so excited to introduce Oiselle's flying pole vaulter! Fear factor, failure, and beautiful courage. Help us welcome Megan Clark to the Haute Volée!
JESS: CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH YOUR POLE VAULT CAREER UP TIL NOW?
MEGAN: Pole vault has been a huge part of my life since I was 14 years old. Over the first year, I didn’t take it too seriously and had no idea what I was doing. A year into my vault career, my family moved to New York and I joined a local pole vault club team, the Hudson Valley Flying Circus. In the two years that I spent with the Flying Circus, I progressed a lot technically and got the chance to compete and train with some of the best vaulters in the Northeast. By my junior year, I managed to jump high enough to get on college coaches’ radars and really become enmeshed in the pole vault community. Just before my senior year, my family moved to Ft. Benning, GA and my mom took over as my vault coach. My high school didn’t have a pole vault pit, poles for me to jump on, or a vault coach, and the nearest club team was hours away. My family really stepped up by providing poles, traveling to meets, and coaching me. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to compete at all that year.
At Duke, I made a lot of changes. I worked really hard to fix bad habits, to commit to healthier eating (sweet tea was a serious weakness of mine), and to get stronger and faster. I struggled quite a bit in the first few years, but I managed to improve. Over the course of the four years, I learned more about the sport and increased my personal best by over two feet. After finishing fifth at Olympic Trials this year, I was offered the opportunity to continue training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.
J: YOUR EVENT IS INCREDIBLE. YOU LITERALLY FLING YOURSELF OVER A BAR… WITH A POLE. WAS THERE AN INITIAL FEAR FACTOR FOR YOU? HOW DID YOU GET OVER THAT FEAR?
M: It has to be maladaptive to run full speed while carrying a pole that’s more than twice your height, only to jump and completely invert with nothing but a fiberglass pole keeping you from sudden death. Okay, that was a bit dramatic, but you get the point— pole vault is insane. I’ll admit it. When I tell people that I pole vault, usually one of their first questions is how I brought myself to do it for the first time. The truth is, that when you start vaulting, it looks very different than what you’re seeing on tv. When I started jumping, it was into a sand pit. There was no turning upside-down, no bend in the pole, and really, nothing to be afraid of. Then we transitioned to jumping into the actual pole vault pit, but still, we took it slow. I learned to swing up, then how to swing on poles that were small enough for me to actually bend, and it took years for me to be able to get upside down at all. I didn’t have a moment when I stood on the runway, gathered all of my courage, and then did it. Your vault takes shape over months and years of training.
That being said, there have been moments when I’ve had to woman up. I’ve broken poles. I’ve landed in places that I shouldn’t. I’ve made mistakes that could have ended really badly, and in those moments, I've had to dig deep, compose myself, and find a way to silence a completely rational fear.
J: YOU GREW UP IN A MILITARY FAMILY. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO MOVE AROUND SO MUCH?
M: Between kindergarten and 12th grade, I went to nine schools, and lived all over the country. Moving around essentially forced me to restart in a new place every couple of years, and I think that helped to shape who I am today. For one, it made my family incredibly close. We always leaned on each other, and my brother was the only friend that I got to bring with me. As a result, I have a really strong support system in my family. They’re the most enthusiastic, critical, and yet supportive crew I could ask for. A less obvious benefit of the constant relocation is that my friend groups were constantly changing. While that sounds pretty far from ideal, it shielded me from a lot of the peer pressure that my classmates experienced.The social consequences of decisions that I made were short-lived. I was free to make choices based on the academic and athletic goals that I had set without strong peer influences.
J: CAN YOU PINPOINT A MOMENT WHEN POLE VAULT BECAME A PASSION?
M: I realized that pole vault was a passion of mine while I was in New York. I don’t think there was an “aha” moment, but over the time I was at the Flying Circus, I fell in love with the event and what had become my vault family. I loved everything about it. I loved that if I worked hard, I could see the progress. I loved the adrenaline rush. I loved that I could be friends with my competitors. And most of all, I loved the feeling of falling back down to the pit after setting a lifetime best.
J: WHAT INSIGHT DO YOU FIND IN FAILURE?
M: Failing and learning to be resilient are incredibly important in life and in pole vault. The vault is interesting in that failure is built into the event. You get three attempts at each height. If you miss all three, you’re out. How you look at the missed bars, how you adjust, and whether you can recover from failure determines a lot of your success in pole vault, but also in life. Failure inspires growth and change.
J: YOU WERE PRE-MED AT DUKE, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT MED SCHOOL?
M: Before I even realized that track was something that I could continue after college, I dreamt of pursuing medicine. Track didn’t change that. After I’m done with pole vault, I want to go into pediatric orthopedics.
J: THE POWER OF CHOICE. HOW HAS IT CHANGED YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE SPORT? TO MEDICINE?
M: Pole vault is a huge part of me, but it’s something that I do— it doesn’t define me. I have two dreams, and I intend to chase them both. After I see what I’m capable of in the pole vault world, I plan to go to medical school. In college, these dreams were in constant conflict with each other, but now, I find that they give me a sense of freedom and power. I vault because I love it and I have nothing to lose because I have a plan. Then, when I go to medical school, it will be because I’m ready and because I want to.
J: IF YOU COULD SPEND ONE DAY WITH ANY TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE (DEAD OR ALIVE), WHO WOULD IT BE?
M: From the beginning of my vault career, I’ve always looked up to Jenn Suhr. She has been a phenom in the sport for over a decade, winning silver in the Beijing Olympics, gold in the London Olympics, and holding the indoor world record. Jenn has been my mentor from the beginning. When I met her for the first time as a mediocre high school vaulter, I had no idea what impact she would have on me in the coming years. She, and her coach Rick Suhr, came to club team practices and helped to coach me. They supported and encouraged me when I was just a kid in high school, and now I’m lucky enough to be able to compete in meets with a woman that I’ve looked up to for years.
J: WHY OISELLE?
M: In a short time, Oiselle has created phenomenal products and has inspired the track and field community. It’s a company that values individuality and empowers women. That’s something that I want to be a part of!
J: SPEED ROUND! GO!
Favorite color? Blue (duke blue to be specific!)
Sweet or salty? If I had to choose, sweet. But in a perfect world, both!
Winter or summer? Summer!
Dog or cat? Dog!
Ocean or mountains? Ocean!
Plugged in or unplugged? Plugged in!
JESS: Thank you so much, Megan. We are so proud to be part of your support system and can't wait to watch you soar!
#Run101: Steps To Start Your Running in 2017
HELLO, 2017!
(To be read in your best monster truck rally voice): "Laaaaadiess! Start your engines! It is officially the start New Years resolution season. Are you ready to start running?" You might be wondering exactly how to do that. Running isn't natural for some of us, so you may need some "intro to running" starter steps. It's got all the latest and greatest tips to help you get your run mojo and kick this 2017 right in the 'ol good spot. Follow these steps and this will be the last time you add "start running" to your resolution list. Because this time next year, you'll be a full blown runner. BAM!
HOW CAN YOU BECOME A RUNNER?
STEP ONE: Give yourself the gift of time. Time to learn to like it and let your body get use to it. Don't go into the New Year with the expectation that you'll be doing a half marathon in the next 4 months. You are likely to get burned out, injured, or both, hang your shoes back up, and find your place back on the couch. "Hey couch, how are you? Still super comfy I see."
STEP TWO: Find your why! This is a big one that people often skip when they are making a goal, they skip the 'why'. Really look at why you want to run. Lose weight? Meet new people? Get outside? Be crystal clear and honest about why you want to start running and write those reasons down. If you get stuck or things get tough, you will have a list of all the reasons why you started this whole crazy thing.
STEP THREE: Get a running calendar out and start plotting out some fun 5k's. Remember, these are milestone races, not goals. Funny thing with goals, once you reach them, sometimes you will want to just stop. Bonus tip: Ask friends* to join you in fun runs to help keep you accountable! *Ask supporitve friends. This is key! If you don't have supportive friends, add "find supportive runner friends" to your list of resolutions.
STEP FOUR: Fake it 'till you make it. Make sure you are fully layered in running gear, (*cough* Oiselle *cough*). The best way to be a runner is to dress and act like a runner. Trust me on this one, and it may sound silly. Look at yourself in the mirror, and say, "Hey, pretty runner!” Tell all your people that you are a runner. Write, "I am a runner" in your notebook, journal or a maybe a new tattoo. Make your password IamARUNNeR (but don't tell anyone your password).
Follow these steps, my sister runner friends, and you will be a runner. Remember, a runner is one who runs. Look it up! I swear! It's that simple. Feel like a runner, plan like a runner, dress like a runner, and you are a kitty cat….oops, I mean runner! Go get 'em!
Run Down Doubt - Toe the Line In 2017
Before I started running, I defined myself by what I thought I could and couldn’t do:
Become a runner?
Run three miles without needing an ambulance?
Run a half marathon?
Run a marathon?
Feel confident enough to run in my sports bra?
IMPOSSIBLE.
I like to say that I was just desperate enough to become a runner because that first initial year felt impossible. But despite the difficulties, doubts, and defeats, running taught me that the only way you can fail is if you fail to try.
This year, redefine impossible. Throw “can” and “can’t” out the window in pursuit of our strongest, happiest, and most confident self. Feeling apprehensive about an intimidating goal time or distance? Here are three reasons why you should toe the line in 2017.
1. STAND UP TO FEAR AND DOUBT
There comes a point in your life when you realize that fear and doubt aren’t serving you. That the “what ifs”, “I could nevers”, and the “I’m not good enough, smart enough, attractive enough, capable enough, qualified enough or ready” are nothing more than a fear of failure. Accepting our own worth and leaning into fear and doubt isn’t easy. But one of the best ways to run them down is to toe the line. No goal time or finish line is impossible when you work towards it one step at a time. You have to believe in yourself. It won’t be easy but I guarantee that it will be worth it.
2. PROVE TO YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE STONGER THAN YOU THINK
Health is a lot more than what you see what you look in the mirror. Set your preconceived ideas about what “fit” looks like aside and set your sights on a goal that forces you to push yourself to places you never thought possible. It doesn’t matter whether you think you can, all that matters is that you try.
The magic of running isn’t in the finish line, it’s in the journey. It’s the first time you finish a hard workout knowing you kept fighting when the voice in your head tells you that you can’t do it. It’s the first time you run a distance you told yourself you couldn’t complete. Toeing the line isn’t easy. There will be setbacks and speed bumps. You’ll be forced to dig deep and find motivation within yourself every single step of the way. But knowing how hard you’re working and realizing your own strength is both liberating and addictive.
3. YOU'RE NOT ALONE
I’ll never forget the first time I toed the line. I was still a very new runner and getting ready to run a distance I was wildly underprepared for. I made every single mistake a runner could possibly make the week of my race and around mile 11, I wanted to quit. The doubts were impossible to ignore and my legs felt like lead. With two miles to go, I was ready to accept that I just couldn’t do it.
Right as I was getting ready to quit, a woman in a Team In Training charity shirt ran up beside me. She told me that she was struggling and asked if we could run together. A flood of relief washed over me as I tried to explain to her that I didn’t think I was going to make it.
We shared stories from our training and all the doubts we fought along the way. We focused on getting to light posts and celebrated every single quarter mile from mile 11 to mile 13. I learned that she too was running her first half marathon. But while I was running for myself, she was running for her best friend who lost her life to cancer. It was the first time I realized that running was bigger than just finishing a race.
I don’t think I could have finished without her.
Regardless of whether you’re toeing the line of your first 5K or your first ultra-marathon, know that you’re never alone. For every doubt or fear you encounter, remember that we’re all fighting them too. When you’re out on the roads, in the gym, or toeing the line, look around and remember that we really are stronger together.
Impossible isn’t a word we should ever use to describe what we’re capable of. Make 2017 the year that you say yes to fear and yes to yourself by toeing the line in 2017. Remember, the only way you’ll fail is if you fail to try.
Head up, wings out.
- Kelly Roberts
The Flyway - The 20-Something Years
Brand
This blog is not limited to readers who are 20-something, it’s for everyone. Everyone at some point in their life has felt how I feel right now (in some form or fashion) and mine just happens to be while I am in my twenties.
I was on the phone with a good college friend recently and we were catching up and discussing life. We are both twenty-something and recently married. As we were chatting, she kept saying “Wow Syd, I feel the exact same way” or “Man, you took words right out of my mouth.” We were talking about this time in our lives and questioning what exactly we are doing. Some might say we’re all set. We found our life partners, we both have jobs and live in cities that we love. It’s all relative though. It’s a real feeling to think that after you graduate college you’ll KNOW. You’ll know what it is you have been “working” towards for so many years in school. Whether that’s going back to school, starting a family, traveling, starting your own business… but, that’s not how it is for most of us. It’s the first time in life where you don’t have school or parents telling you what’s next. And it’s hard. Really hard. Especially if you’re someone like me who is extra critical and hard on yourself (like most runners are). When you’re someone that is always thinking about what’s next, it is hard feeling content about how awesome life is RIGHT NOW.
I told my friend that I am struggling to find my identity in a world where the next step is totally up to me. I feel lost and out of touch with my goals and who I want to be. She again felt similarly. The feeling made me want to buckle down, roll up my sleeves and figure this thing out. A thing that keeps me up at night, takes over dinner conversations with my husband, and can make me a negative person; all things I don’t want a part of my life. These feelings seem to all revolve around the balance between choice and happiness.
For those who are lucky enough, there are so many options these days. Too many. And it creates a feeling that there’s always something better out there (FOMO anyone?). Whether that’s the city you live in, the house you bought, the person you’re dating… the list goes on. There’s almost always a feeling of discontent. It eats away at you as if you’re not doing enough or not working towards the right thing.
I talked about this idea with Feather Stephens a while back on a run. The idea of choice and happiness and how some of the happiest people out there lead the simplest of lives. What if we were all told where to live, a career to do, and who to marry? If there were no other options available, you wouldn’t think about what else is out there. This may be a reason why arranged marriages can often be the happiest of marriages. When you aren’t given a choice, you face reality head on and learn to live within it and maybe even find happiness. Now I don’t think any of us would choose giving up free will, I for one am very happy with my non-arranged marriage ;), but it’s an important reminder. A reminder to never lose sight of what you want to accomplish, but always try to find happiness in the here and now.
Having these sorts of conversations with friends and family is great and makes me gain some perspective on how lucky I am. It makes me want to become more content and less driven in some ways. Learning how to feel happy with where you are now is OKAY. It’s a good thing! You can still be driven and motivated, but it doesn’t need to create a negative bubble in your life. This is something I will work towards in 2017.
In this New Year, I want to work towards feeling happy with where I am in life and know that it doesn't mean I'm not motivated or driven to reach my next goal. Knowing that this feeling is a common one amongst others my age is comforting and I can only hope that others work towards this same goal. Here’s to finding happiness in a world full of choice!
- Sydney James
Gone Running
"Gone Running"
We will not be here today.
The birds, we've all flown away.
We’ve ditched our smartphones, tablets, and screens,
For tracks and trails, and greener scenes.
While time is precious and so are you,
We had to run out, and take in the view.
But worry not! We'll hurry back like a sprinter.
To shower you with flystyle... from spring time 'til winter.
The Art Of The Goal
Going From Dreaming To Doing - An Interview With Little Wing
Goals. We've all got them. Living commitments to a future that's different from today. But goals are a journey - with a road that meets us in the present. So as we begin the process of collecting our compasses and defining our plan of attack - we catch up with our favorite trio of dreamers - Little Wing. Mel, Collier, and Jess break down how they move from dreaming to doing, and share their best advice on how you can get after your goals.
GOALS: YOU'VE GOT EM. WE WANT TO HEAR EM. WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING TOWARD IN 2017?
COLLIER: I've being doing left hand turns on the oval for +15 years so time to mix it up a little bit and test out the road racing world. Halfs, 10ks, 8ks, lots of stuff.
MEL: After coming off my strongest season yet (and the best since 2009), I want to focus on getting my times down, and of course, staying healthy and listening to my body. Nothing will happen if I don't do that.
JESS: Starting my career, working full time, while keeping my running + racing a priority. Opposite of Coll, I am dropping down in distance and will be focusing on the 800 and 1500 this year. SEA GAMES 2017, I am coming for you! The main goal: two gold medals.
WHAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU GET THERE?
C: When you set a goal, it's often something you've never done (or haven't been able to do in so long it basically feels like you've never done it). Figuring out what skills you've mastered, need to practice, and still need to teach your body are crucial to sailing those uncharted waters. I think of it as studying for a test. The information you get day to day is never 2+2=4 on test day. What else did you learn that gets you to four? I'm big on accepting what you are and in turn, using that to determine what skills you can cultivate. Not to say don't dream big, I dream with the biggest, but realistically what are you able to grasp and grab at to pull you closer to your goal. What fits in your toolbox?
I'm a pretty equanimous individual - it takes a lot to work me up. I've taken that trait and developed skills around it. Being as calm and cool under stress is the best skill I can continue to develop. Practicing even, calm breathing and keeping my eyes relaxed when I start hurting. Using my brain to focus on lowering my heart rate. Finding patience and discipline in that pain. Staying as stoic as long as possible.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR WHEN LIFE GETS IN THE WAY?
M: You can go out and run everyday, and that's the easy part. For me, it'll be important to start doing and paying attention to all the small things. My college coach always told us, "control the controllables." Sometimes life is going to get in the way, and there isn't much you can do about that. Instead, focus on the things you can control and don't stress over the things you can't.
J: Knowing that life will always get in the way. Rarely do things pan out exactly they way you planned. There will be road bumps, sickness, injury. It's about how you react to those hiccups! Stay calm, adjust your plan and go from there.
LOGGING. WE ALL KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT BUT HOW HAS IT HELPED YOU SPECIFICALLY?
M: Each day I write down what I did, generally how it felt, and I add more detail is something is a little achey. I like doing this so I can go and look back on all the workouts I have done and see how I've improved. I can also go back and look at little injuries I've had and compare it to any new ones I might get. Sometimes my achilles get a little sore, and after a while it's hard to keep track of which one was sore last. If I write it down, it's easier to track and remember.
C: My logging is fairly basic: distance, time, pace, and heart rate. We're able to look back at training blocks and highlight where things were and weren't going well. Then if I've been good with my logs, dig into the minutiae and pinpoint what exactly was going on. I have a hard time with true recovery runs so the heart rate has been a big one for me- I know when I fill out my log whether I did my recovery days right or not. I think Lauren would like a little more detail about how we were feeling because that's equally important, numbers can't tell you everything.
WHAT SHOULD WE BE KEEPING FRONT OF MIND AS WE TAKE ON OUR OWN GOALS IN 2017?
C: Know that failure is a possibility. I see a huge relationship between fear of the unknown and fear of failure. We fear failure because we're scared to see what we don't have or don't know. The same goes for success; there's more confidence chasing goals when things have been going well but it's still scary to do something you've never done. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have had these terrifying moments of shock that it's actually happening.
M: I’m a huge proponent for having balance in your life. I think it's pretty easy to drive yourself crazy focusing on one thing and one goal. It's good for the brain and body to have a few things in your life that make you happy, giving you balance and flexibility on your main goal.
J: Create smaller goals that build up to your larger goal. Sometimes our goals can feel too far away, too large or daunting. Hitting those benchmarks is encouraging and let's you know you're on the right track. Secondly, look around. Are you surrounded by people who support and believe in you? It's just as important as believing in yourself.
xo
Little Wing
#WheelsUp17 - Your Run And Reject Goals!
Brand
Hello 2017! We've loved hearing your #WheelsUp17 run and reject goals. Enjoy this sampling, and keep your posts coming!
ERIN W. @thelittlerunnergirl
RUN: Run a sub 3:20 at the Boston Marathon, embrace all the hard work and push through when it gets tough.
REJECT: Negativity from myself and from others.
KALIN MCCLUSKEY @mcclskyk
RUN: A quest to regain my health over 17 races.
REJECT: Comparisons - to both my past and others.
LAURIE WISOTSKY @wisotsky_laurie
RUN: Run with integrity.
REJECT: The voices that say you're not good enough or don't deserve this.
MEGHAN @marathonsandmedicine
RUN: Prioritize those things that add value and happiness to my life, most especially my faith, amazing family and best friends, and running. Try to be equally enthusiastic about the medical school process. Know, with confidence, that my value as a person does not come from past achievements, grades, and fast times, but rather my identity as a beloved daughter of Christ.
REJECT: Any ounce of self-doubt and false thoughts of inadequacy.
WENDY HETHERINGTON @WendyBH2013
RUN: I will learn to love my body with all my heart.
REJECT: The bathscale to stop letting a number define me.
LAUREN STEINHEIMER @irunintotrees79
RUN: Honor my body's need for recovery.
REJECT: The little voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough.
RUN: Get healthy and stay healthy.
REJECT: Dwelling on the negatives and the bad days; attitude and perspective are everything.
RACHAEL A. @rachaelontherun
RUN: Explore new places and connect with friends (new and old) through running while supporting others to achieve their goals.
REJECT: Excuses and being afraid of things that push me outside my comfort zone.
SARAH OVERPECK @smoverpeck
RUN + REJECT: I will start approaching workouts not as pass/fail tests but as opportunities to learn and get stronger.
Keep them coming! #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!
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10 Reasons Why You Should Toe The Line In 2017
Kara’s call to the starting line.
1. It’ll give you direction on your training. Once you commit to a 5k you know you need to get some speed in. Commit to a half-marathon? You’ll know you need to get some longer runs in.
2. You’ll make friends. On the starting line, during the race- you’ll meet new people to work with and run with. The more run friends the merrier.
3. Expos! Heading to expos is always fun! You get to see new product and discover things that might be good for your running. Plus you can try samples!
4. Seeing new places. The more races you go to, the more places you get to see. There’s no better way to see a city than by running through the downtown with no cars around!
5. Finding out what distances are right for you. Maybe you’ll find out you really love running the 5k and the speed work that goes along with it. Or maybe you’ll realize you were meant to go long. But you’ll find you like some distances more than others and that’s cool to find out.
6. You’ll get a chance to challenge yourself and set a goal. Whether or not you hit the goal, it’s fun to challenge yourself and see what you can do!
7. It can change how you see the world around you. Food? That's fuel for those hard sessions. Sleep? That's a critical part of recovery. Stairs? Perfect for stretching your calves. The world is your training playground!
8. You'll inspire the people around you to get active. Behavior, passion, commitment - they're all contagious!
9. Its an excuse to nerd out on runner science, wisdom, and storytelling. With so much information out there for runners, it's a great excuse to dive in!
10. The finisher photo - there's nothing quite like standing at a finish line with your friends or family members celebrating your hard work. It's a chance for everyone to celebrate your effort. Soak in the love, and be proud.
