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Aero Tank Looks
Sarah | May 3, 2012 1:39 pm
When we get the new season in the office I love pairing things up and imagining all possible running outfit combinations. This spring my dream outfit was the violet armwarmers with the stripey simplicity tank and black stride shorts. Also any and all of the alder tops with indigo bottoms or the black distance short with the violet boise bra... the list goes on and on.
When we still packed web orders here in the office I loved seeing what customers put together. Awesome combos I never even thought of, cross season orders were the best.
Annnnyway, today the Aero Tank is here! One of my favorite pieces for spring 2012 because it's the perfect balance of fashion and function. Hello, little key pocket. Hello, contrast flatlock stitching details. Hello, SUPER wicking fabric, like so wicking that 98º + 99% humidity feels like a cool breeze.
And here are two of my favorite Aero Tank looks. The second one would be perfect for a marathon or trail run, where three zip pockets could come in handy.
What would you pair the Aero Tank with? Did you ever get a note from me back in the day complimenting your online order outfit choice?
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What to Wear for Fall Running
Sarah | October 18, 2011 11:13 am
Despite my 17 years of running experience, I still struggle with what to wear as the temperatures drop in the fall. The first couple of chilly mornings I wear way too many clothes. I end the run with shirts tied around my waist, and hat tucked in my waistband, drenched in sweat. Here are the rules I've learned to follow over the years:
- You should be slightly cold until around mile one. Seriously, like clockwork right at mile one, you'll notice you warm up.
- Dress as if it 20 degrees warmer and you're headed outside to stand around. What I mean is if it's 48 degrees, imagine it's 68 and you're getting dressed to watch a parade. You'd wear a tee or light long sleeve tee and shorts. So wear a tee and shorts to run. Maybe add gloves. If it's raining or windy add a light top layer, maybe a vest.
- Layers! Every runner should be armed with a wicking base layer, a running vest, a light and heavy jacket, capris, and pants. Mix and match to run comfortably all winter, no matter what.
- Know your "no shorts" temperature cut off. Mine is 43 degrees. Yes, seriously. If it's 42 degrees it's a capri or pants situation. Find your temperature. But anything under 35 degrees is a no-no for 99% of people unless they're racing.
- And finally it doesn't matter how cute you look if cars can't see you. Headlamp, flashlight, blinking arm band... or have your cake and eat it too with stylish reflective detailing. Obviously Oiselle has you covered there. Because we love cake... I mean reflective detailing.
Now that you've got the basics, lets get down to it with a fall weather pop quiz.
It's 6:17am, 39 degrees, a slight wind from the north laced with drizzle. What do you wear!?
If you said a base layer with a running vest, shorts or capris and optional gloves - You're right!
2. Gilman Vest *wind, water resistant AND reflective.
This is easy to adapt to a colder day, (say 33 - 28 degrees) simply swap the Lesley Knickers for Onyx Tights and the Gilman Vest for it's full body counterpart: the Burke Jacket. Add a hat and gloves.
2. Burke Jacket
3. Onyx Tights
What are your fall and winter 'what to wear' rules?
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The Power of 9
sally | August 25, 2011 8:56 am
After a lot of planning and dreaming and talking, I am SUPER excited to write this post and let you know about a new project we’ve got going on. So this is one part announcement, one part product preview, and one part CALL FOR ENTRIES. Please read on for the deets…
First, the background: Title IX, the mother of all enactments in the realm of women’s sports, is turning forty next year (1972-2012). Yep, she’ s entering the masters category and she’s still kicking serious butt. Consider the stats*:
- The number of high school girls competing in sports prior to Title IX: 1 in 27
- The number of high school girls competing in sports today: 1 in 2.5
- There are 3,714 more women's teams on college campuses than in 1972
- The number of female college athletes in 1972: 32,000
- The number of female college athletes today: 164,998So…In celebration of the big four-oh, we’re partnering with our friends at Title Nine to produce a collection of six graphic tees that will honor forty years of progress. Missy Park, Founder of Title Nine, who I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know recently, put it best: “This enactment brought a whole generation of girls and women off the sidelines and onto the playing fields. With a confidence born on sport teams across America, women began a movement into boardrooms, war rooms and courtrooms that continues to this day. And THAT is something worth celebrating.”
Who will design the tees? This is where you come in! We’re looking to work with six top-level women graphic designers. We have some names in mind, but we also wanted to open it up to our respective communities, as we know that there is an amazing talent pool among you. In the spirit of full disclosure, the compensation to the chosen designers will be the benefits of high profile exposure and being a part of a shared movement (i.e., we ask that the designs be provided pro bono, but “winning” comes with a boat load of benefits – as we intend to put a spotlight on the individual designers, online and in stores, to highlight their work, as well as have each tee “signed by the artist”).
Got the skills and interest? We’d love to hear from you. If you or someone you know is interested in submitting a design, please email me at powerof9@oiselle.com and I will send you the creative brief. Thank you!
Deadline for inquiries: Friday, September 2, 2011
*Note: Title Nine will also be opening this competition up to their community. So check their website, Facebook page, etc., for information within the coming weeks.
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Summer Days
Sarah | August 22, 2011 3:24 pm
Summer is my favorite season to run. Every season has its certain charm (except for spring in my opinion, spring is a turd). But summer is the bees knees. I'm in the best shape because of all the accidental cross training. Riding my bike all around, walking after dinner, kayaking, hiking, swimming...I'm a happy kid. Running in heat is something I love, I will wait for the hottest possible moment of the day and go out for my long run. Just to sweat as much as I can.
What's your favorite season to be a runner?
Kristen (inspiredbydooce) | Monday, August 22, 2011 - 15:53
My favourite season to be a
My favourite season to be a runner is fall. The crispness in the air and the reduction in humidity make me so very happy. Plus, I live in the land of maple trees- so it makes for beautiful views.
Megan | Monday, August 22, 2011 - 15:57
My fave is the FALL - that
My fave is the FALL - that crisp air gets me everytime.
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On Girls and Grit: Oiselle Youth Team gets 3rd at the 2010 USATF Jr. Olympic Cross Country Championships
sally | December 17, 2010 1:05 pm
This year’s JO nationals felt more momentous than any of the other three years we’ve coached the team. Part of it was their strength…we dominated at regionals, with five runners in the top 20; part of it was the far-flung nature of the event…as we traveled to Alabama for the big day; and part of it was the feeling of closure. As exhilarating as this experience as been, we’re not sure we’ll do it again in the Fall of 2011. The pressures of start-up ville have been so consuming and intense. And yet…connecting with young runners. Isn’t that why we’re doing this?
The race itself was classic cross country. Not so much the terrain…which was dry and gravelly. But rather the race experience and how much it takes, both emotionally and physically, to run strong in this sport. And run strong these girls did. Each and every one gave it their all – even though some didn’t “have their day” in terms of how they felt. The fact that they didn’t give up, and kept pushing, resulted in an astounding 3rd place finish – against 26 teams nationwide!
The finish line was a wild mix of emotions as the runners regrouped. Smiles, tears, laughter, relief…and finally, the news. It was 3rd and they were on the podium. After that, it was all joy, hugs and smiles. What can I say? We’re so proud of them. They worked hard, they trained weekly in Woodland Park where the mud and hills are unrelenting. And they reaped the rewards. Bottom line: these girls will go far, in part because they already have.
See more photos of the meet at Oiselle's Flickr Page.
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Runaway Bride: Wedding Dress Fitting
Sarah | December 13, 2010 3:54 pm
Last Thursday at Oiselle we had our first bride come in for a fitting! Sadly, Sally was already en route to Alabama with the Oiselle junior team for Nationals. But I got to be here at Oiselle headquarters for all the fun.
You may have seen our Runaway Bride dress in Runner's World, or the various blogs it's been featured in. Race day weddings are the ultimated destination wedding for running couples. They pause at a point during the race, exchange vows and complete the race as husband and wife. Often the wedding is during a marathon, and of course the Vegas races see the highest number of running weddings. Sally noticed that while the popularity of weddings on the run was rising, there were no real options for brides. So the Runaway Bride dress was born. A stunning techinal wedding dress, that moves with you, wicks sweat, has a pocket for your ring and all the bells and whistles you need for a race AND a wedding.
After the dress was featured in Runner's World we were contacted by bride to be, Kyla. She is getting married in April and as part of the wedding weekend she, her fiance and their guests will be running a group 5k the morning before the ceremony. Kyla met her future husband during a group run in their town. They both describe it as love at first site, or first run. Running brought them together and is an important part of their life together. And what better way to celebrate that meeting and their passion for running (and each other) than with a 5k run/race?!
We've been very excited to meet Kyla and create the dress of her dreams! She flew in from California and met with Carmen, our fabulous seamstress who created the Runaway Bride dress. Kyla was so much fun to work with. She lit up the office with her smile and excitement. Carmen brought a couple test dresses for Kyla to try on. We talked tulle, veils, cut and all the details that will make this dress perfect for Kyla's big day (well big day before the big day). I'm not going to give away too many details, you'll just have to wait and see the final dress. It's going to be beautiful!
To see more photos of Kyla's fitting visit Oiselle's Flickr page. And to read more about Oiselle's wedding dress visit the links below:
Runner's World: Runaway Bride by Oiselle
Nina and Mark renew their vows in 2010 NYC marathon
Seattle Met Fashion Blog: Dashing Bride
To find out how to get your own running wedding dress visit Oiselle Bridal.
Sally Bergesen | Monday, December 13, 2010 - 21:12
Runaway Bride
Thanks so much for the post! I was supposed to be there for the fitting with Kyla, but her flight was delayed due to weather. C'est la vie! But I can tell from the photos that she will be a beautiful bride - in any kind of dress! Can't wait to see more pics when the big day rolls around in April.
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Winter Running Motivation
Sarah | December 9, 2010 8:10 am
Winter is here. In the Pacific Northwest that means everything from rain, to snow, to morning thunderstorms(?). And most everywhere it means the days are short and the temperatures are dropping. Add holiday parties, gift shopping and work to this mix, and it can be hard to lace up those running shoes.
I asked our tweeps what got them out the door during these dark, cold (and busy) days. They find motivation in getting to eat dessert guilt-free, picturing a vacation where they want to be fit, signing up for a race in the spring to give themselves a reason to train, and rewarding themselves with relaxing in warmth afterwards. I pull motivation from all of these! Mmmm and egg nog lattes....and imagining who might be out there pounding the pavement.
But what I find more challenging this time of year is finding the time. I can let days go by with excuses of I need to eat dinner, I am meeting friends, it's too late, it won't be worth it if I can only go for 20 minutes, yada yada. I am breaking the cycle this week by going back to my tried and true method to getting my runs in: planning. I find motivation plus a solid plan eliminates excuses.
This Sunday I planned my week, which days I needed to work early, which nights I have plans with friends, which nights I might have plans, whatever. I make a goal of mileage for the week, and threw in a strength training day. Then I mapped it out and wrote it down. Some days I had to wake up and get my workout in before work, others I could do it after work. After work run days I need an extra afternoon snack, so I don't foil my plan by hitting my front door starving. Of course I have to break the plan sometimes, but I try not to beat myself up too much. Even if I can get 20 minutes in it's better than nothing. I know it's elementary but a week with a written plan gets me out the door. As opposed to a plan floating around in my head.
The holidays is all about maintaining fitness for me, plus winter is a perfect time to rehab any nagging injuries or strength imbalances. But that's a blog for another day.
Anonymous | Monday, December 13, 2010 - 15:51
Great blog!
Thanks for writing this.
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The Oiselle Runaway Bride Dress Race Debut: 2010 New York City Marathon
Sarah | November 4, 2010 9:14 am
You may have seen the Oiselle running wedding dress in the pages of your October Runner’s World. Perhaps you’ve even seen the video of the
running wedding dress going for a jog around Green Lake Seattle, just steps from the Oiselle office. And maybe you thought to yourself, "Cute, but would someone really get married in a marathon...and in a technical, wicking running wedding dress?" The answer is yes and yes. The Runaway Bride Dress will make its racing debut this Sunday in the New York City Marathon!
Less than two weeks ago we got a phone call from New York. Nina Parks had seen the Runaway Bride dress and wanted to wear it in the NYC marathon on November 7th. She and her husband, Mark, will be renewing their vows at mile 17. Now, this dress is one of a kind. Literally. We just have one right now. There was no time for adjustments or a fitting. Just enough time to send that beautiful running wedding gown off to the big apple to see if it was Nina Park’s Cinderella slipper. Luckily it was! It fit perfectly.
The Bride and Groom
Nina Parks and Mark Taylor were married ten years ago at the 17th mile of the New York CIty Marathon, in front of their Manhattan home and hundreds of marathon spectators. The ceremony was 15 minutes long. The bride wore white running tights and top with a train of tulle flowing from her waist and a veil. The groom wore black running tights, white wicking shirt, a bow tie and what appears to be a white fanny pack.
The New York City Marathon was the perfect place to say their vows. It’s where they met just one year before while waiting for a race shuttle to take them to the starting line. Mark proposed in September of 2000. They planned their race day dream wedding in just two weeks!
Now, ten years later they will run the legendary New York City Marathon together to renew their vows. I’m sure Nina will look stunning in her Oiselle running wedding gown. Can’t wait to see the pictures!
There are so many stories that make up a marathon, of hard work, beating the odds, triumph, heartbreak and now, true love. Congratulations on ten years together, Nina and Mark! And here’s to the miles to come!See more pictures of Nina and Mark's New York City Marathon wedding at our Facebook page and on Flickr.
Suzie Q | Friday, November 19, 2010 - 08:47
Go Nina and Mark
Can't believe someone ran a marathon in a wedding dress!
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Feed me.
sally | October 5, 2010 8:59 pm
I will admit it, I love good food. I also love running. Running aids my obsession with food and vice versa. I think of food in many of the same ways I think of running: 1) fun, 2) essential, 3) elemental, and 4) delicious. It is no irony that this spells FEED.
FUN because that is what eating and running are to me. The endless combinations, the guilt-free pleasure I take in it, and the friends and family I share great food and running with. ESSENTIAL in that I can see the big picture-which reveals that food is essential fuel for my mind and body, much like running is essential medication for the two. ELEMENTAL because what is more primitive, basic, or simple as the two? The simple ability to create a dazzling, mouth-watering dish out of basic ingredients or the primitive urge to run-not always away from something but also to smooth the troubled waters we often find in our minds. Finally, DELICIOUS, as in the roasted red pepper soup and elk steak, avocado and spinach salad I had for dinner. And delicious in the sense of calm and self-confidence that is inevitably found on the run-with the rhythm of your every breath and the response of your muscles, unconsciously answering the request to move in sync. For me, running spells feed. It feeds my mind. It feeds my soul. It feeds my body.
What does running spell for you?
Jessica Morrison | Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 09:13
I always layer because I really hate to be too warm or too cold, especially on a long run. I can usually get by with a long sleeve tech shirt and if necessary a lighter weight jacket. Gloves and hat are essential on the REALLY cold New England days.