It's almost Firecracker 5k race day! A big congrats to those who've been following Coach Heather's 8 week training block and are lining up for your first 5k. Whether you're racing your first or fastest 5k on July 4th we have some looks to guarantee your race day photos are on point. And of course that you're wearing the right layers (or lack thereof) for the forecast. 

Red White and Blue

If your July 4th style is as American as denim cutoffs and baseball, run free and brave in the colors of the grand old flag. You can go two directions, super classic in the first look I'm dubbing 'Grand Old Flag' or a little more modern as in the second look 'Young American'. 

American Runner Tank (coming VERY soon!)
Flyte Shorts Midnight
Fast Cap in Sky

Go Long Tank White
Stride Shorts Midnight Koolhaas
Fast Cap in FC Red

FINISH LINE TO BBQ PR

You have a packed Fourth of July schedule and need to go straight from the finish line to a BBQ. Get a finish-line-to-burger-in-hand PR with these crossover race day styles. 

Stripped Tank Eggshell
Verrazano Bra Eggshell
Go Joggings FC Red

In the Fold FC Red
Flyte Shorts Midnight
Verrazano Bra Eggshell

POP POP FIREWORKS

Baby, you're a firework! Add a spark to any starting line in bright Pop. No need to wait for the fireworks show to get the weekend starting off with a bang.

Keyhole Tank Eggshell Print
Mac Roga Pop
Runway Bra Charcola

If a heat wave is rolling through on race day, just go running bra only and wear a cap presoaked in cold water. And of course, show up the start hydrated. If bra only isn't your gig (it's not mine) the Go Time, Farrow and Mesh Up give you the cool breeze feel of the bra only feeling with the full coverage of a tank.

Can't wait to hear how your races go! Give us a shout on Facebook or Twitter. 

Go Fast. Take Chances. 

The hay is in the barn! You have put in the bulk of training for success, now let your body take advantage of all the new stresses you’ve introduced in your training by allowing for proper rest and recovery.

Leading up to your first or fastest 5k, it’s important to be consistent with your routine; make sure you’re getting enough rest, eating nutritious, balanced foods and continuing to stretch and practice yoga for better recovery from your training. As you enter into the final quality phase of your training, (the taper phase) you will decrease mileage and continue to maintain quality work. Now is a great time to visualize your race and get ready to go after your goal!

WEEK SEVEN - FIRST 5K

WEEK SEVEN - FASTEST +
This week's workout is an interval workout and the last hard workout before your 5k!

This is a specific endurance workout for a 5k. Specific endurance work allows you to increase the amount of time that can be run at your  desired race pace. The goal is to piece together intervals at race pace to progress your training so that you can adapt to an increasing workload and continue to grow faster and stronger. This workout is perfect prep for race day.

STRENGTH FOR ALL
Obviously your race day kit is super important to perform your best. Mac pulled together her favorite July 4th Firecracker 5K race day looks. Check 'em. 

RECOVERY FOR ALL
Treat yourself to a massage!

“A hard workout places a ton of stress on the connective tissues holding your muscles together. Their first reaction in the resting phase is to rebound and contract, reducing much needed circulation in and out of the muscle fibers, potentially impairing the healing process. Massage, gentle movement and hydrotherapy (heat/cold treatments) can keep those fascial tissues soft, supple and permeable. Your recovery time can be significantly reduced with a post-workout massage.” Richelle Ricard – Little Wing Massage Therapist

RUNSPIRATION
“Anyone can work hard, the best have the discipline to recover.” – Lauren Fleshman

First Or Fastest Training Plans 
Week One
Week Two
Week Three 
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven 
Week Eight

On June 25^th the USATF Outdoor Championships begin in Eugene, OR at Hayward Field. Rewind to this past weekend: several of our women competed at the Portland Track Festival with hopes of hitting the standard to guarantee a spot at USAs.

Shalaya Kipp finished 1st in the 3K Steeple in 9:45.90.

Kara Goucher, Mel Lawrence, Megan Rolland, and Aubrey Moscal.

On Saturday, we had Kara Goucher and Aubrey Moskal in the High Performance 5k. Starting off conservatively, Kara gradually made her way up through the field from 15th to 4th place. With two laps to go Kara was racing with the chase pack and still working her way up, finishing in 4th place with a time of 15:40.81. Other solid performances on Sunday came from Shalaya Kipp and Mel Lawrence in the steeple with times of 9:45.90 and 10:05.04. Both raced their best times for the season. 

With the qualifying window ending last night, and several athletes on the bubble, we now wait to see who wil be racing at USAs. Looking ahead to June 24-28th, here is who we have competing from Oiselle:

THURSDAY, JUNE 25
Women’s 800 (first round): 3:40pm - Lauren Wallace & Christy Cazzola
Women’s Steeple: 7:05pm - Shalaya Kipp, Collier Lawrence, Megan Rolland, & Jordan Hamric 

FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Women’s 1500m (first round): 5:55pm - Kerri Gallagher & Rebecca Tracy
Women’s 800m (semi finals): 8:27pm - Lauren Wallace & Christy Cazzola

SATURDAY, JUNE 27
Master’s 3K Exhibition: 10:25am - Andi Camp
Women’s Hammer Throw: 12:15pm - Britney Henry
3K Steeple (final): 1:55pm - Shalaya Kipp, Collier Lawrence, Megan Rolland, & Jordan Hamric

SUNDAY, JUNE 28
Women’s 5K (final): 10:20am - Kara Goucher
Women’s 800m (final): 1:11pm - Lauren Wallace & Christy Cazzola
Women’s 1500m (final): 2:40pm - Kerri Gallagher & Rebecca Tracy

Not only are we going to be cheering on our Oiselle team athletes but we will also be fan-girling the heck out of some of our favorites: Emma Coburn, Phoebe Wright, Katie Mackey, Ajee Wilson; Lopez Lomong, Cas Loxsom, Mark Wieczorek, Garrett Heath, Evan Jager and so many more! We are especially excited to cheer on recent college grads who may be in their first USA Championship competition. 

We have lots of fun planned for the week as well! Group runs, a coffee meetup, and swag giveaways!

MEETUP SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 25th – 9:00am group run from Run Hub (515 High St Eugene, OR 9740 - UPDATED LOCATION!)
Friday, June 26^th – 9:00am group run (corner of Agate & 19th)
Saturday, June 27^th – 8:30am group run from Run Hub, 9:00am coffee meetup post run at Tailored Coffee Roasters (around the corner from Run Hub on Fifth)

Let us know if you are planning to meet us for group runs via Twitter: @oiselle. And follow the hashtag: #flytownUSA! We are looking forward to a great week in Eugene watching some of the best American track athletes tearing up both the track and the field! 

Last week 19 members of Oiselle team came together for a running camp at ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, NC. A dream that Allie Bigelow and Mary Winchester had last fall after hearing about the first annual Bird Camp in Bend, they decided that planning a smaller regional camp for their teammates would be a great experience to have as well. Allie spent a lot of time organizing the details of the camp and tells us about her experience at camp with her teammates. 

By: Allie Bigelow

If you ever went to summer sleep-away camp as a child I am sure you recall those magical days when you were surrounded by friends new and old, with your only daily obligation to have as much fun as could be crammed into the long days of summer. Ah, those were the days! What if I told you that you could still, as an adult, escape the responsibilities of daily life and spend a few days surrounded by friends, enjoying the outdoors and just having fun? Well, guess what? You can!

Turns out all you need to do to recapture that bliss is go to running camp. And that is exactly what 19 members of Oiselle Team did this past weekend when we met up at ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, NC for the first ever Southern Regional Bird Camp. No work, no cell service, no cooking, no cleaning…just 4 blissful days of running, education, camaraderie and a whole lot of laughing, but with MUCH better looking clothes than we wore to camp as kids!

Over the course of four days the Oiselle birds not only explored a variety of gorgeous local running routes but also were treated to lectures and clinics on topics ranging from sports nutrition and mental training to the proper structure of a training plan to yoga and strength training for runners.

We learned to do speed work, drills and strides, soaked our tired legs in an ice cold creek, ate ice cream in the mid-afternoon and stayed up far too late getting to know our friends better. And when the time came to leave we all dragged our heels and threatened to stay forever but settled on the promise that we would visit one another during the year (the perks of having a regional camp!), meet up at regional races and all return to camp next summer.

But as much as the daily life of Bird Camp resembled the summer camps of our youth, as is often the case with adulthood this experience was different for one specific reason: the worries we brought along with us to camp weighed on us much more heavily than our childhood pre-camp concerns. Despite the fact that we were a wonderfully diverse group (our campers hailed from 9 states and ranged in age from 24 to 50 years old, counted amongst our ranks a professional runner, a number of women new to structured training and every level of experience in between) almost every camper arrived with similar concerns about whether or not she was a good enough, fast enough, experienced enough or serious enough runner to attend running camp. Fortunately those worries fell away as we ran together, ate together, learned together and laughed together.

By the time we said our goodbyes, the growth in confidence across the group was almost palpable. As one camper later told me: “I honestly didn't realize how much I needed this. I never ran track or did running on any sort of team. I was really hoping to find that with Oiselle…it is amazing to be with people who really love running and take it seriously, regardless of how good they are. And everyone was so endlessly supportive...I just couldn't be happier about this weekend.”

If I had to summarize the Southern Bird Camp experience I would say that we all went home having learned the following lessons:

• As camp founder and badass runner, Zika Rea said “whether you are working towards a 5 minute mile or a 12 minute mile, we are all on the same journey.” This point was reinforced by the amazing talk that our teammate Andie Cozzarelli (an up and coming pro runner and Olympic Trials qualifier) gave in which she highlighted her top 10 running tips…each of which were applicable to all of us! Andie is incredibly grounded, honest and accessible and truly embodies the truth that the pros are just like the rest of us!
• Oiselle’s clothes are flattering on every single body type. Every one. The clothes may sit differently on different women, but they always looked good. It was really fun to see so many pieces in person and on so many different body types! At one point we even noticed that we were all wearing the Roga Shorts and I promise you, those darn shorts really did look good on everyone. It is a lot easier to feel like you are “enough” of a runner when you feel good in the clothes you are wearing.
• Running camp is for everyone! Pro runner or newcomer, young or old, recreational runner or hard-core racer, elite masters 400 meter hurdler or beginning marathoner…we all had a great time and learned a ton, both from Pete, Zika and Ryan and from one another.

Many thanks to the people and companies that made this camp so incredibly special. First and foremost thank you to Oiselle, for bringing us all together as one team of runners. To Zika, Pete, Ryan and the athletes at ZAP, for providing us the setting and the structure for camp. ZAP is the best of the best; if you have ever dreamed of going to a running camp, they are the place to go. To Picky Bars, Big Spoon Roasters and Generation UCAN for the fuel and to Oiselle, Balega, Bull City Running Company and HankOrange for outfitting us from head to toe! The women of Southern Bird Camp are grateful to all of you and we cannot wait to meet up and do it all again next year!

Legendary women who have shaped the history of the world rely on the support of a community to blaze their paths. This year, as we've expanded our Oiselle Team membership to hundreds of women across the country and various parts of the world, we’ve been introduced to an amazingly diverse and talented group, both in running and in their professional fields. With the support of a team, we as individuals are better able to achieve our athletic endeavors and reach our full potential by encouraging one another to dream big and tackle our most far-reaching goals.

My former Syracuse teammate (and now) Oiselle model + Flock member, Natalie Busby, is here to share her story about finding her wings with Oiselle and how she re-established the role of running in her life through the harsh transition to “the real world” after life in the NCAA. 

I’ve been running my whole life, well almost. When I was 5 years old, my Dad finally let me join him on a run though the trails behind our house. I didn’t always love it - I remember trailing behind my older sister and brother (and Dad on a bike), struggling to keep up with them in middle school. Occasionally I even had to resort to hopping on my dad’s bike just to finish the loop...

Running really came together for me in college, I had never before been able to share my passion for running with so many people who felt the same way I did. My four years at Syracuse were a rollercoaster of health, fitness and racing. There were certainly some highs: We placed 10^th as a team at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals and I represented the USA at the junior Pan-American Games in Trinidad and Tobago. Unfortunately, there were also some lows: the worst coming towards the end of my college career when I started experiencing intense calf inflammation and pain. I put a lot of pressure on myself and the only solution that seemed reasonable to me was to keep pushing through it. It had a large impact on my performance and was physically and emotionally draining. After endless months of therapy and pushing myself through the pain during workouts, I had reached my limit. Ending track season senior year was a relief; I was just done.

After college I was eager to distance myself from running and the structured routine it had become. I took a job in New York City working as a clinical trials coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  With running on the backburner, I worked and partied my way through my first year in NYC. It certainly had its moments but I always felt like something was missing. Getting back into running was a slow process that started with my decision to run the NYC Marathon in 2013 for a friend’s charity (Concern Worldwide). I did minimal training, which led to the marathon becoming officially the most painful hours of my life. I pushed my out of shape body to the max…and despite some ambitious pre-race goals, I was lucky to just finish. I remember trying to exit Central Park after the race and having to walk backwards, just to make it up a hill. Oddly enough this running nightmare inspired me to start running consistently again. In my mind, if I was able to finish that marathon I could do anything.

Running slowly creeped back into my life. I had to adjust to running on my own. But slowly I started appreciating a different side of running: running when I felt like it, taking off when I was tired, and running for an indeterminable length of time or just to brunch. A favorite long run of mine was to start at my apartment in the Upper East Side, run across Central Park to the Upper West side, down the West side highway, around Battery Park and back up to my appt via the East River.

My renewed passion for running has had a great benefit on my career by constantly reminding me of what it takes to be successful in my job and on the track. I link the ambition and success in my career as a lung cancer clinical trials coordinator to qualities that I have developed and maintained through my running; discipline, focus, efficiency, and most importantly my passion. As a member of the clinical trials team, I work to prepare new drug therapies to be approved by the FDA so they can be available to every possible patient. The work is incredibly fast paced and the stakes could not be higher. Patients need to be treated immediately and with the best and newest drugs available, as they are typically diagnosed with late stage cancer. As a result, the day-to-day work can be very stressful, yet inspiring. It’s hard not to become attached to your patients, especially because I have found that many cancer patients tend to develop an unwavering and admirable positivity and appreciation for life. While my dedication to running has helped my professional development, my work experience also inspires me to run and appreciate each chance to test my own limits. 

Running can be the constant in your life. When you’re in a bad mood, having anxiety over work or just feeling unnecessarily tired, it can bring you back and revive you. It also just happens to be the cheapest therapy available. This spring I ran the NYC half and the Boston marathon, and for the first time in a long time I felt strong. I attribute my revived fitness and happiness to finding the right balance of work, running, friends and healthy living. Connecting with other runners and joining the Oiselle Flock this fall allowed me to once again have a positive support team and all the benefits that come with it (inspiration, motivation, friendship). I was thrilled to be wearing a uniform again at Boston and inspired by the huge Oiselle crew running and cheering.

It has been so exciting to meet and run with other Oiselle Flock members in NYC. Racing is incredible and allows you to push your body to its fullest potential, but it's the grueling long runs with training partners, challenging tempos with old college teammates and easy 30 min jogs with friends that I truly love. Runners are a rare breed of people and you cant miss the opportunity to connect and share your running with others. It’s like eating the most amazing piece of chocolate cake, if there’s no one there to share a bite then the experience just isn’t quite the same.

As a way to share my enthusiasm, my former Syracuse teammate Rebekah Mackay and I have recently rejoined forces in NYC to promote how to live a healthy and active life style in a city filled with distractions. We’re eager to share our passions for running, fashion (Oiselle makes this easy) and how to be a health conscious foodie in New York! Please follow us on Instagram and spread the word! @CityBirdsNYC.  

June update: I am excited to announce that I am joining the NorCal Distance Project, to be coached by Drew Wartenburg.

Hi Wazzies,

I've been a bit removed from the world of racing, focused on getting strong after a foot injury. That story is not a fun one. But, I have to be thankful for the process. It has allowed me to evaluate what I've learned as an athlete during my time in Bend, to recommit to my goals, and to hone in on what's next.

Reading the mission statement of NorCal DP felt like perusing online dating profiles and finding a match. The group is purposeful, driven, and well thought out. I visited a few weeks ago, and had the same 'click' feeling with the athletes. I can’t wait to join them. (I am especially excited to work with long time Oiselle teammate Lauren Wallace).

As with any switch, the change also brings sadness. It's going to be hard to leave Bend. The town is a runner’s playground (highlighted in a recent Competitor article), and the support I've had here from Little Wing is unparalleled. I've developed friendships on and off the track, and had some great adventures along the way. January altitude camp was a highlight, being able to train with Christine and Collier in anticipation of XC champs. They have been a main motivation over the past few months, as I go through the doubts that come with time away from running.

I joined the Oiselle team new to the world of professional running. In my relationships with Bob and Sarah, with Lauren, and Kristin and Sally, I am always learning. I've gone from leaning so much on mentors, to gaining the confidence to come to the table with my ideas and needs. That was at times a scary switch. But powerful.

I am grateful to my Oiselle run family, that they have given me the chance to grow through this process. I am thrilled that they remain a main part of the story as I move to California. And, I look forward to continuing to share that story with you all. Thank you for following. Let’s see what’s to come!

Consider where you started five weeks ago and where you are today. You're doing it, great job!

You should be proud of all the hard work you've put in and excited about the weeks to come. When you started this training plan, you embraced your current fitness level and made a goal to train hard for eight weeks to run your first or fastest 5k. Running teaches you that you can handle the tough stuff, on the track and in life. You don't have to be perfect to have success, just committed and engaged to the task at hand. As we enter into week six, your toughest training week, remember how far you've come and all of the challenges you've already met. Just take it one step at a time; you're ready to fly!

WEEK SIX - FIRST 5K

WEEK SIX - FASTEST + 
This type of workout is great for concentrating on the task at hand. Stay in tune with the way your body feels running at a comfortably hard pace and keep your mind in a positive place. Relax in a state of stress!

STRENGTH FOR ALL
Summer is upon us and the new Oiselle Swim Collection is in! It’s time to dive in with a new kind of workout. Pool running is a great cross training workout to mix into your training schedule. You’ll still reap the benefits of an easy run without the impact of hitting the pavement. Try this workout on an easy off day from running...the Rizzo Bikini is made for this!

WARM UP: 5 min easy pool jog
WORKOUT: // 2 min hard, 1 min easy \\ x 5
COOL DOWN: 5 min easy pool jog

*Try using an aqua jogger belt to support your back and maintain proper running posture.

RECOVERY FOR ALL
To reduce your tired and tight quads, try this Jasyoga Quad Reset yoga session. This sequence will help reduce your post workout fatigue and loosen up your stiff muscles. 

RUNSPIRATION
"What joy is there in being cavalier about your life or your endeavors? You should take your life, your joy, your endeavors, seriously." - Mark Wetmore, Colorado University Coach (Kara Goucher's Coach). 

First Or Fastest Training Plans 
Week One
Week Two
Week Three 
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven 
Week Eight

Last week we showed you our packing light list for a runcation in the city. This week takes us away from the bright lights, big city. We're going off the grid, well kind of, for a Mountain Runcation! Christine Babcock, Lauren Fleshman, and Sarah (Oual), gave us the behind the scenes tour of their hometown, Bend, OR.

MOUNTAIN RUNCATION PACKING LIST

Go Joggings
Sandy Bikini Bottom
Sandy Bikini Top 
Tracktion Bra
Distance Shorts
Toolbelt Roga Shorts 
Bird Machine Tank 
Flowy Tank 

See all Mountain Runcation styles 

Christine's favorite trail run through Bend is 1st Street Rapids Park. Insider tip: know your water stops before you leave home on your Bend-venure. Heat is no joke and being caught on a trail without hydration is the last thing you want to worry about.

A post-run river cool down is highly advised! The Distance Shorts and Tracktion Bra are perfect for the hot weather, both sweat wicking and breathable to keep you feeling light. Plus with the Distance Shorts, no run is too long when you have four pockets along for the ride. Pack your energy gels in them for a quick pick-me-up. The Gwen Tank is one of our favorites in the packing list, goes from trail run to night out in a snap. Take it on the trails, give it a quick wash, then pair it with white jeans, a denim button-down and your favorite flats for a night on the town. 

You can't go to Bend in the summer without paddle boarding the Deschutes! You'll wind your way through Bend and see the town from a different perspective. The quaint houses, peaceful streets, lush greenery and mountain views in the distance...it's surreal. And when you're there on the right weekend, the people watching and crowds of people floating down the river with you is too much fun to miss! Guaranteed to make a few new travel buddies... 

Perfect top when packing light: Bird Machine Tank. Vintage graphic, lightweight, and ideal for covering up over a swim suit before hitting the river. 

The Sandy Bikini is Lauren's go-to for standup paddle boarding (and yes, low profile tan lines).

If you're like Lauren, you know bright is right when the summer heat hits. And if you're like Jude the Dude, you know leaving your swimmers at home is the next best option!...

Finally, a Bend outing at local and tourist favorite, Crux, calls for casual plus comfy style minus the slouchy look. Weeknights or off-peak drinking hours are preferred to avoid the rush and snag some lawn space! 

The Flowy Tank in Money is right on the money for an evening out brewery hopping. Paired with the the Go Joggings in black and heels, flats or ... Birkenstocks. Who are we kidding? Kick back mountain style.

Thanks for touring with us! Next week get ready for the ultimate fan girl lookbook as we get ready for USA's!

In the world of USA track and field this weekend is considered crunch time! We have several athletes headed to Portland Track Festival for a last chance to hit the US outdoor qualifying standards to guarantee their spot in Eugene for the US Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Sunday is the last day for athletes to hit these standards. Portland Track Festival over the last seven years has grown to be one of the best professional meets in the country. Sally and I are both pumped to be heading to Portland to watch the meet. Here’s who we have from Oiselle team competing:

SATURDAY, JUNE 13

7:40pm – Master’s Open 3k – Andi Camp
8:50pm – High Performance 5k – Kara Goucher & Aubrey Moskal
 

SUNDAY, JUNE 14

6:10pm – High Performance 3k Steeplechase – Shalaya Kipp, Megan Rolland & Mel Lawrence
7:05pm – FloTrack Championship 1500m – Lauren Wallace & Rebecca Tracy

US Outdoor Qualifying A Standard
5k – 15:26
3k Steeple – 9:53
1500m – 4:09.50

From our elite team four women have already met the A standard in their events: Britney Henry in the hammer (71.02 meters), Lauren Wallace in the 800m (2:01.13), Christy Cazzola in the 800m (2:02.95) and Collier Lawrence in the 3k steeple (9:50.47). We hope to watch several others punch their tickets this weekend! Head up. Wings out! 

1. Didn't have room for two pairs of shoes in their luggage. Goes out to all fancy dinners...in running shoes.

2. Too tired to go sightseeing because they got lost on their morning run and saw everything already.

3. Hoards all the bananas from the complementary breakfast buffet claiming you never know when runger might strike.

4. Looks like they're wearing a permanent pair of white running shorts (or sports bra Kara Goucher style) and socks at the beach.

5. Keeps knocking on the hotel wall to let your neighbors know it's quiet time. It's 8pm.

Guest blog by Haute Volée, Christine Babcock

Rewind to Olympia, Washington on May 12^th, 1984. It was the first Olympic Trials for women, a monumental event in the history of women’s running. Women were out to prove to the running world that they could not only handle the marathon distance, but even more, that they could succeed in the event. Kelly Jo Spatz was standing on the starting line, wearing her Converse jersey, about to embark on her 3^rd marathon ever. It was a whirlwind of a journey to get to that point.

Her first marathon in November of 1983 had been unplanned. She hadn’t really been training, so she was going to run half of the marathon and then drop out. She reached the halfway mark and didn’t know how she was supposed to get back, so she just kept running, crossing the finish line in about 3 hours. Kelly and her running club teammates were surprised by her ability to run so close to the Olympic Trials qualifying time. Her teammates encouraged her to compete in another marathon with the hopes of achieving the Olympic Trials standard. The trials were in May, so that left her with 5 months to get in another race. Kelly ran a marathon in Dayton, Ohio in January 1984, hoping to get under the 2:52 time qualifier. With pacing help from one of her Cleveland Running Club teammates, and future husband, Kelly crossed the line in 2:48, earning herself a spot in the first ever Women’s Marathon Olympic Trials.

The competitors were flown to Olympia and put up in the dorms at Evergreen College. As she stood on the starting line, she remembers how good her legs felt, both from tapering her mileage from 70 miles per week to 25 and from the hype surrounding the race. Kelly stood on the line excited, with little outside expectations on her and the simple goal of bettering her PR. The race felt amazing, like everything aligned perfectly on that exact day. There are so many variables that go into the marathon, but Kelly felt like everything came together. She finished 24^th in 2:38.45, a 10 minute personal best. After the perfect day and a great result, Kelly decided to retire from the marathon distance. She believed that there would never be another day when everything would come together so perfectly over that distance.

For Kelly, the road to the Olympic trials started in 9^th grade. She tried out for cheerleading but was cut, so she went out for track with a friend. At the time, there was no girl’s cross country team, so her senior year she ran on the boy’s team. At one cross country meet in particular, she was her boy’s team’s 7^th man. Kelly won the mile at the girl’s state meet in Michigan her senior year and was recruited by several Division I colleges. During her collegiate career at Michigan State, she won multiple Big 10 conference titles and set their mile school record of 4:49.56, which still remains today. She graduated in 1981 with 12 varsity letters. After graduation, she got a job and joined the local running club as a way to meet people. It was through the connections she made at the running club and the races she ran with them that brought her to that fateful marathon in November of 1983, sparking a 6 ½ month marathon journey.

To her teammates, Kelly was known for her competitiveness and willingness to put in the hard work. To her competitors, she was known for her fierce kick. But to me, she is mom. She never talked about her running career as my sisters and I grew up, and she never forced running upon us. Instead she stood on the sidelines, cheering us on in whatever endeavors we chose to pursue. She empowered our dreams, no matter how big or small, and challenged us to be the best version of ourselves that we could be. And for that, I am eternally grateful. She allowed me to forge my own path, one that may not have been exactly what she would have chosen, but has been beautiful nonetheless. So to you mom, I say “thank you” for who you are; for putting your dreams aside to give me the best opportunity to carve my own path and chase after my dreams. You are truly amazing!

Over the last year we have watched Catherine Watkins build momentum in her neck of the woods in Vancouver, BC. An integral member of Distance Runwear's (one of our dealer stores) retail racing team, she has already been a visible representative of Oiselle in Canada. Last month with the Olympic Trials Qualifying time as her goal, we watched Catherine crush the Eugene Marathon field finishing first with a time of 2:42:35. We are so very excited to welcome Catherine to our Haute Volée team. Here a little bit of her story; an inspirational one with no limits...

Running has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Its role in my life has changed over the years, but it’s always been a part of me. At times I wasn’t able to run due to injury or pregnancy and I was left feeling lost, like a part of me was missing. These times reminded me to enjoy and appreciate my running journey.

I started running as a child and before long joined a track club and was running 800s, 1500s and cross country for both my school and club. I was a good runner, not a great one, but my passion for running fueled me. Part way through high school that changed. Weekend track meets and cross country meets no longer held the joy they had before and I made the decision to back out of competitive running. In hindsight I think I was burnt out. Running remained in my life through high school and university as a way to stay healthy and sane, it’s always been my best stress release. It wasn’t until my late twenties that running became a bigger part of my life again. I decided to challenge myself, not so much in the competitive sense, but more to see what i could accomplish distance wise. This led me to my first marathon, which in turn led to two more. None were particularly fast but I loved the distance and was hooked.

Not long after my 3rd marathon I became pregnant. My first pregnancy was rough with lots of morning sickness. I stopped running quite early on as things just didn’t feel right. A couple of years later I had my second daughter and thankfully was able to enjoy easy running throughout my pregnancy.  At the age of 35, when my youngest turned three, I felt the need to get back to my running more seriously. I’m not sure why I found myself with this competitive drive but running was taking on a whole new role in my life. It was like returning to my youth again, and the joy of running fast and breaking down time barriers returned. I started running some faster intervals in my easy runs and before long decided to enter some races. I wasn’t fast but the seed was planted that maybe I could be.

Before long I joined a training group and along with my love of running discovered the amazing benefits of a running community. There is nothing like a group of passionate people all trying to accomplish something together. I loved it. I started racing and my times started to drop. I started to dream big and believe that I could take this to a higher level. Two years ago, I started training with the BC Endurance Project, an elite group of runners here in Vancouver, and saw some big improvements. Training with fast and passionate runners, as well as under the incredible guidance of my coach Richard Lee, I was inspired to be my best.

This past year has been my fastest yet and I am 43. I truly believe that age should not be limiting, and that no matter your age you must continue to set goals and dream big! I am so excited to continue my running journey as part of the Oiselle team Haute Volée. The passion and inspiration that Oiselle provides is the ultimate testament to the running community. Oiselle athletes live and speak their truth and continue to inspire and support others. It is a privilege to be a member and a representative of this community. Many of my running heroes are representing Oiselle and I am honored to be doing so as well.

Great things are coming and I look forward to flying with the flock!