Our first two were big hits so we decided to keep the master’s love rolling! Introducing a new batch of ladies with their master’s wisdom to share:

Robin Judice: Aging brings the necessity of flexibility ~ changing to Plan B when your body or life situation doesn't allow Plan A. My training philosophy radically shifted last year after I read Bruce Grierson’s delightful and informative book: What Makes Olga Run: The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star, and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives. Olga’s life story and Bruce’s scientific analysis inspired me to shift from long distance running to short track races and all the training that encompasses (weight training, agility, balance, power, running form, strategy). For me, this new plan equals healthier aging and lots of fun.

Catherine Watkins: I love running and challenging myself. I’ve been able to run faster and stronger into my 40s, which motivates me to continue training hard. Aiming for provincial and national age group records also helps. As long as I’m having fun I will keep doing it!

Kimberlie Pearlman: Women in my family are cursed with cancer, including my mother who died from pancreatic cancer in 2010 at an all too young 61.  If and when cancer comes for me, I'm going to try to out run it. Getting older is a gift and I have miles to go.

Lauren Fleshman and Kim Pearlman.

Jen Major: To train seriously you must thoughtfully manage your nutrition, sleep, stress levels, and other life components that will benefit long-term health no matter how fast you are. Training to run well is a holistic lifestyle commitment. I train to feel the reward of running longer and stronger than I ever thought myself capable of doing. And I'm seriously motivated by the process and the grand scientific experiment of becoming the best athlete I can be. 

Erika Pierce: As someone who competed at an elite level long ago (1995 U.S. Championships and 1996 Olympic Trials in the 400 meter hurdles) my heart and my ego desperately want to train like I did then, but my body and my mind know that as a masters athlete “Less is More.” I listen to my body and don’t get stressed out when I feel like I need to eliminate the last two reps of a workout or take a few days off to let my muscles recover. My goal is to stay injury free at all costs. I am motivated daily by my two rad daughters (4 and 6 years old) who teach me every day about what it means to be a strong, fearless female. I am the American Record Holder in the W40 Indoor Pentathlon so I am also motivated to keep myself on that list!

Erika Pierce. Recently PR'd in the 60 meter hurdles at the SE Regional Masters Indoor Championships!

Andi Camp: My biggest motivator is running fast. I love running fast. But my training philosophy is all about patience. Sometimes wanting to run fast and needing to be patient can totally suck, but if there's one thing I've learned over many years, it's that you can't force fitness. You just have to be smart, do the right things, and let it to sneak up on you. 

Anne Riggin: My motivation to train is to stay fit and balanced mentally. Running is a stress release and I enjoy being part of the running community. I love connecting with runners young and old. I feel psyched when I picture running with my two adult daughters (even when they are not there). They run with me on their easy days when we are together, but I am motivated to run so I can enjoy running with them. My husband also runs, so it's a family thing.

Molly Friel: I am a true believer in the statement "hard work pays off" - it just takes longer for some of us.  My motivation to train comes from all the naysayers who DO believe age puts a limit on what a person can accomplish - my desire to prove them wrong keeps me pushing forward.

How old are you?
Robin: In March I’ll be 52 years old, but I can’t wait till I’m 55. In masters track, of course, you want to be the YOUNGEST in your age group!
Catherine: 43
Molly: 47
Jen: 42
Erika: 43
Andi: 40.5
Anne: 53 ( almost 54)
Kim: 41

Left to right: Volée member Laurel Mathiesen with mom, Anne Riggin, and Flock member, Jen Major.

What is your current athletic goal?
Robin: My athletic goal is to race the 400m and 800m on the track. I don’t have time goals for myself yet, although I’d love for 52 year-old Robin to beat 12 year-old Robin. (Yep, I’ve been running for forty years.)
Catherine: Sub 34:00 min 10k, sub 76 half and sub 2:40 marathon! 
Molly: To run a sub 1:18 in the half and if the stars all align again - a 2:40 marathon by the end of the year.
Jen: To run my best marathon at Boston this April and notch a half marathon PR as part of that build-up.
Erika: My goal for this year is to learn how to pole vault which better happen quickly because I will be doing it when I compete at the USATF Masters Indoor Heptathlon Championships in March! My bigger goal is to place at a World Masters Championship meet.
Andi: To finish getting healthy without the use of IV iron and return my body to a place where I can run at the absolute fast end of my limits.
Anne: My current goal is to complete Eugene 1/2 marathon. I had carpal tunnel release surgery on both wrists and this is my goal to get a base back and finish a race. (No time goal this time)
Kim: BQ

Molly Friel at the California International Marathon. 

What is your favorite strengthening move right now?
Robin: My current favorite strengthening move is not really strength training at all. Jay DiCharry, my local PT guru, taught me how to control my toes, transverse abdominus and hip rotators. I do this neuromuscular training before my runs, during my runs and in all my daily activities. These small actions help correct my posture, and carry over into every aspect of my running and life. I am now running pain-free running for the first time in 7 years.
Catherine: Lunges, lots and lots of lunges on off days, accompanied by drills and strides.
Molly: Push ups. I feel like I'm multi-tasking with the plank at the same time.
Jen: Hamstring curls on stability ball.
Erika: I am old school – planks and push-ups. I also do this squat thrust push-up combo move that is a killer!
Andi: I have many and varied things I do for prehab, but I recently added this strength routine from Runner's World twice a week. So far I love it. It's relatively short (15 minutes), but more intense than some of my other routines, and I swear I can feel it working!
Kim: Carrying groceries (aka strength training is currently not happening).

What is your biggest fear about growing older?
Robin: Not growing older! Being above ground always beats the alternative...
Catherine: injury. I want to keep running for as long as I can and recognize that as I get older and keep pushing myself that the risk of injury is higher. I make sure I have a massage weekly and take lots of time to foam roll after workouts. 
Molly: The possibility of having to be dependent on others - of being a burden to loved ones.
Jen: I am afraid that growing older means that I will physically slow down. Since I've only been running seriously for 3 or 4 years now, and experiencing awesome gains in fitness and speed, I worry that my body won't be able to match my mental drive as the time horizon stretches out. That's why I get goose bumps of inspiration when I see other master runners kicking ass out there. It means I can do it, too.  
Erika: Definitely having a career ending injury. It is devastating to think about my life without competition.
Andi: As related to running, I would say I fear that running will become less enjoyable as I get slower. Not that I plan to get slower. :) Outside of running, I would say menopause. I'm not looking forward to hormone freak out time.
Anne: My biggest fear is not being able to get back into running shape after setbacks due to physical ailments that are due to age or injury ( that's where I am right now due to Carpal tunnel).
Kim: Not living long enough.

Left to right: Andi Camp and Molly Friel. 

What is your superpower?
Robin: My superpower is my sense of humor, but I’m not sure how that helps my running!
Catherine: Family! a hubby who supports my running and recognizes how big a part of my life it is, and my children who I hope to pass my love of running on to!
Molly: To be able to run 3+ hours without water - I may be part camel.
Jen: I will make you want to channel your inner Sport Spirit because you see me doing it and talking about it all the time. It's not that you'll want to be me or even run, but you'll want to find your own sport passion. It's infectious!
Erika: The ability to “leap tall buildings in a single bound.”
Andi: Reluctantly, I would say my ability to come back (from injury and ill-health) time and time again. It's a good superpower to have, but I wouldn't mind using it less often!
Anne: My superpower is the motivation I draw from others. I think others get me going most often.
Kim: Indestructible knees and stomach of steel.

Yes, a love of runners and running.

But back a little further, it's a woman turning to her husband with one of those, "okay honey, you might think I'm crazy but I have this idea..." moments to which his reply was a casual, "yeah, why not?" (That was before I leveraged our home and borrowed $15K from his parents...)

Fast forward two years. Oiselle was off the ground, but so very small. No money. No marketing dollars. No staff. Wait, one staff...my friend Andrija who had moved out from Boise to help me get things rolling for 9 months, working for less than is reasonable in Seattle. All we had, really, was a love of the sport and a track record in brand building. Bottom line, if we were going to get noticed, we'd have to get creative...really creative.

And so one day, as I was walking back to the office, I started thinking about those crazy runners who get married during a marathon. They usually showed up on the evening news...[cue the TV anchorwoman voice] "Well John, talk about love on the run, this couple is so into running they decided to say 'I do' at mile 22 of the NYC Marathon!" [cue the TV anchorman voice] "Haha, wow Lisa, that really gives new meaning to runaway bride!"

Of course, the first step in analyzing any "new idea" is to Google it. Because, surely someone's done it before. A few searches led me to the conclusion that, nope, there was no athletic bridal dress on the market." Boom. Two days later I had a sketch and pitched it to Runner's World. In my mind I thought, if RW picks it up, it will be worth making, but if not - no. I know that might sound opportunistic, but an entrepreneur lives life very close to the bone, and can only invest in the things likely to bring a return.

The funny part was that Runner's World replied that they liked it right away, and could I - you know - send them pictures of the dress by next week? That led to a Project Runway scramble where we designed, sewed, modeled and photographed the dress in less than 10 days. It hit the newsstands a couple months later and, happily, put a very small women's running company on the map.

Weddings come and go, but #runlove is forever.

Cheers! 

New Instagram challenge! Today through Monday, 2/16, we're giving you the chance to nominate your run family and win sweet prizes. Think of your favorite teammate who you love to hate, when (s)he drags you out of bed for Sunday long run, pushes your pace at the track on Tuesdays, battles ice baths with you through winter...this one's for them. And we promise, you don't have to be a chemist to know how it works. Grab your GoPro, selfie stick, Nikon camera, iPhone...and get 'graming. 

HOW TO ENTER

• Follow @oiselle on Instagram
• Post a photo with your favorite teammate(s) 
• Tag @oiselle and #teamchemistry 
• Enter by 2/15 at midnight PST

PRIZES

• Fame (of course). We'll be reposting the best of the best throughout the week!
• Grand prize: $200 Oiselle gift card 
• Prize winner: $100 Oiselle gift card
• Prize winner: $50 Oiselle gift card

Birds are heading to Boudler, CO for the USA Cross Country Championships! We have five strong women competing this year. Little Wing's Christine Babcock and Collier Lawrence are taking to the course after 7 weeks of spring training at altitude in Albuquerque. Volée runner, Liz Anjos, from Portland (yes, the new #flystyle stunner on oiselle.com) will be racing after recently completing the Maui Oceanfront Half. And Volée runners, Drea McClarty, with Santa Barbara Running Co + Oiselle, and Arlene Espinoza from Duke's Track Club will be ready to lay down a fast 8K on this tough course.  

If you're in Colorado racing or cheering, our Volée gals invite you for a pre-race run and/or lunch post race. Or, if you're like me cheering your Roga's off from afar, head to Runner's Space for live streaming info on all the XC action. #USAXC

Left to right: Liz Anjos, Drea McLarty, Christine Babcock, Collier Lawrence, Arlene Espinoza. 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7

11:30am 
Pre-race run meetup! Meet at the Bobolink Trailhead, finishing at the Flatirons Golf Course to spectate US XC races. 

2:30pm 
Meet for lunch after the races at Fate Brewing. (RSVP to Bret Scofield, @brettiesco on Twitter)

Race schedule provided by USATF. 

If you have specific questions about the locations of these meet up’s or need a local expert on other details, Bret Scofield can help answer questions. Good luck racers!

Photoshoots are all "bring my coconut water" glamour! Okay, anyone who's worked one knows that's not true. But with the right team they are just as much fun as they are work. And lucky for us, our team is killah. Katie is all logistics, hauling every look in and making sure we shoot every single style from every angle imaginable. Jacquelyn is sneaking peeks via social media while keeping her eye on the details and fussing with the models. And I direct. I've done all the supporting roles (lots of hauling in my past) and even attempted to model, but directing is my favorite role thus far. With Sally we pair outfits and imagine poses, make lots of Pinterest boards and decide on hair and makeup. Then I get to give direction like "look up, but not that far!" "no, no, turn with your hips not your shoulders" and "magic, dahlin, MAGIC". You know, all that jazz. 

We use our athletes as models as much as possible. Not only for authenticity, but because there's no one better in the biz. We want all the muscles! We often shoot sample size, which certainly puts parameters around what size the models are. One of the main reasons you see the #flystyle gallery is because we wanted to show what the styles look like on all kinds of bodies. There is no one "runner body" or "athlete body" and thank you for submitting your photos! 

We're proud to introduce you to our models this season. 

Liz, aka Pink Feathers, is a full time muscian. She has released solo recordings under the pseudonym Pink Feathers and also tours supporting RAC. In fact, Liz will be playing Coachella this spring! She hails from Portland Oregon. And isn't just a talented musician, she's also a sub 3:00 marathoner! 

Height: 5'7"

Top: small/4

Bottom: small/4

Can be seen modeling the KC Knickers in Punch Koolhaas and Oiselle Logo Tee among other spring 2015 styles.

Morgan, aka speedster, is a Palm Springs native living in SoCal. Sally and team scouted her moving blocks for the sprinters as USATF Outdoor Championships last summer. You can't help but take notice of Morgan with her huge smile, boundless energy and, well, ripped bod. She's a sprinter with a 200m PR of 23.9. You'll find her modeling the Flyte Shorts in Punch and Birds of a Feather Long Sleeve in Rosy along with many other styles. 

Height: 5'7"

Top: small/4

Bottom: small/4

Meghan, aka endurotwerd, has modeled for us quite a few seasons. She lives right up the road in Bellingham WA and blogs at Meghan's Wanderings. She's run a handful of marathons, including Boston twice, but is focusing on the 5k this spring. She's a fastie and we're excited to see what the season brings her. She's often mistaken for another runner on Oiselle's team, Kara Goucher. The two both modeled swim in Palm Springs last spring and it's true even in person they are dopplegangers. 

Height: 5'7"

Top: small/4

Bottom: xs/2

Monika, aka the dancer, is a favorite to work with. She's not a runner, but rather a dancer and she's got the muscles to prove it. She brings huge energy and enviable hair to every shoot! You'll see her modeling Bird Machine Tank along with other styles. 

Height: 5'7"

Top: small/4

Bottom: medium/6

Jacquelyn, aka JJ, is not only Oiselle's social media and content marketing maven, but a strong runner with a sub 1:30 half marathon PR. You'll find her modeling bras and various other styles this spring. 

Height: 5'6"

Top: small/4

Bottom: xs/2

You'll also see appearances by other Oiselle athletes including Heather, the voice of hello@oiselle.com, Lauren Fleshman, badass 5k runner, mama, business owner, guitar super star... all around Oiselle muse plus the classic beauty, Kate Grace, who burns up the track with a sub 2:00 800m PR. 

As 2014 turned into 2015, I faced one of my bigger challenges. After experiencing some pain in my foot, I was heading to get an MRI thinking I would be told there's nothing there: "I'm just a little sore and I need to toughen up." I've been fortunate enough to avoid serious injuries through my running career, but that also means that when something hurts, I struggle deciding whether it's more serious or I'm being a wimp. About a week after I ran the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving, I knew I needed to get my foot checked out. Looking back on that race I am still thrilled that I ran Manchester. I knew I was in great shape.

My fall was spent building up mileage and intense workouts, but I didn't feel great the week before the race. I went into it without pressure, and confirmed that the effort I had been putting in all fall was working. However, the week following I ran 4.7 miles on pavement up and down some steep hills in racing flats and I think that increased the plantar pain that I thought was okay all fall. The MRI showed that my plantar pulling on my heel bone had caused a stress reaction. It was overwhelming to hear that I had no timeline for when I could run again. 

I tried remembering what I had to be thankful for in the situation: It wasn't a fracture, I had been relatively healthy for the last five years, I could still cross train like crazy, and I already had a great base built up through the fall. It was time to hit the gym twice a day, sharing my time with the pool and the spin bike. I've gone through phases in my mind through the injury and the cross training. At first I convinced myself this would be over soon and I would lose no fitness. I was at the gym before and after work and things were going well. Then it started to get old. I needed to shake it up, so I started going to spin classes at the gym to pass the time and learn workouts that would get my heart rate up. But as time passed and my foot didn't seem to be getting better, I was getting discouraged. It took a lot to work up motivation to pack for two trips to the gym and shower stuff for work every time I left the house when part of what I love about running is my ability to walk out my front door and go. 

One of the best decisions I made was to buy a spin bike to re-motivate myself. I was able to set it up in my basement and, though I still go to the gym to mix it up and swim, I can spin while I watch Netflix marathons and hang out with my roommates. Also, it fits in my car when I take the handle bars off, so when I was traveling for the holidays and there was no gym I could use, my cross training continued. At the same time, I started seeing a doctor for shockwave treatments, which felt like having someone find where it hurt the most and then using a small jack hammer on that exact spot. It hurt each day I went but it was something I could do besides just waiting.

It's difficult to know if it was a result of the treatments, time off, or both, but six weeks after this ordeal began, a second MRI showed progress! I was cleared to start running, but with a cautious build up and continued stretching and strengthening. Last week, I ran 10 minutes for two days, took a day off, then ran 15 minutes for two days and took a day off. For the time being, I will continue like this, and I'm keeping up with just as much cross training. Another great thing about owning the spin bike is that I know I'll be better about continuing to cross train long after I'm able to run full time again and I'll be fit again before I know it. The light at the end of the tunnel is bright! 

Not too long ago, the design team started feeling pinched. As in Oiselle’s size grade, XS to XL, was limiting the range of sizes we could offer you. XS to XL is five unique sizes, and in terms of doing more, we didn’t want to keep adding X’s for the outliers. XXXXXS or XXXXXL anyone? That didn’t meet our desire to help women feel included AND create an elegant size system.

But if we changed the sizing to 2-12, we would have six sizes, with room to grow. (Next puzzle: how do we reinvent the size “0” - a weird non-number, non-entity which doesn’t sit well with athletes who like substance).

As we saw it, 2-4-6-8-10-12 would accomplish several things:

• Increase our options by one full size
• Provide room for additional sizes in the future
• Solve for “smediums” and “marges” (between small and medium, and between medium and large)
• Accommodate customers who wanted something slightly bigger than our XL 

To simplify the change, we maintained our measurements for sizes 2 and 4 (which are the same as our former XS and S respectively) and then we modified the remainder as noted below:

Our former size small is the same size as our new size 4. Our former size medium, shown below in Flame Pink, is slightly smaller than our new size 8, shown below in Pop. 

A couple of notes:

• Lifestyle and seamless styles will maintain XS – XL sizing as these designs are either stretchier than technical or compressive garments. This includes such items as the Flyte and Birds of a Feather Tops; Trials Hoodies, Rest Day Sweats, etc.
• Note that for some seamless product, however, we are looking to add size XS beginning with the Fall 15 season.
• An updated "Oiselle Sizing Information" Chart is here.

We’ve asked some friends to compare the old sizing with the new and provide honest feedback. So if you have Q’s, please feel free to ask us (always here to help!) or the following O-believers:

Name - previous top size - previous bottom size 
Andrea Duke - xs/s - xs
Kami Beckendorf - m/lg - m/lg
Britney Henry - lg - lg
Beth Baker - lg - lg
Nicole Antoinette - s - s
Lauren Fleshman -  s - xs/s
Sarah Boone -  m - m
Beth Gillespie - xl - xl
Sarah Robinson - s - s
Jacquelyn Komen - xs - xs

As always, we want to hear your feedback. Please feel free to email any questions or comments to hello@oiselle.com. Most importantly, thank you for believing in us. We love and respect our family, no matter the size!

We kicked off January with goals from our pros, then asked you to share yours. For Lauren Fleshman this is the year to take chances and let go of perfection in training. Kara Goucher will be focusing on believing in herself to make it atop the podium again. Steph Rothstein is gaining strength and rolling with the punches as she bounces back from injury. And Kate Grace is ready to race fearless as she hits the track this spring.

You all have shared inspiring goals of your own. We received an incredible number of responses compiled on our Pinterest board, some in their own blogs, and a handful of our favorites live here. Thank you for sharing with us! Keep dreaming big. #theyeari 

Prize Winners

• Grand Prize: Spike Bag of Oiselle threads & Believe Journal. Winner: Kacey!
• Prize: Starbucks gift card. Winner: Rachel
• Prize: Oiselle tee. Winner: Alyssa

A Few of our Favorites

Rebecca Trachsel: This is the year I really see what I can do. Lets fly. 

Michelle Chang: This is the year I live by my own playbook.

Holly Bachelder: This is the year I reclaim my title as "card queen."

Shanna McCarthy: This is ‪#theyeari take a step back to focus on moving forward ‪#theyeari believe in myself and break free from doubt.

Jenn Wilson: This is the year I break barriers and push limits. Read more from Jenn. 

Erin Taylor: This is the year I take trust out of my head and put it into my heart. Read more from Erin.   

Corinna Carlson: This is the year I challenge myself.

Alia Qatarneh: This is the year I, above everything else, feel strong mentally and physically.

Danielle Heffernon: This is the year I get strong before I go long & finally run the marathonI know I'm capable of.

Kacey Keyko: ‪This is the year I stop looking back and start giving back. Read more from Kacey. 

Sam: This is the year I push myself to venture out of my comfort zone. ‪

‪Jess C: This is the year I stop saying I'm going to do certain things and actually do them. Read more from Jess. 

Laura: This is the year I get ‪, try new workouts, & generally break free of my comfort zone. 

Aysha: This is the year I become a better version of ME. 

Kim Bissell: This is ‪the year I run more races w/my kiddo, get faster, and work harder to do better in each race! ‪

‪Jennifer Karppinen: This is the year I surprise myself with what I can achieve ‪

Arlene Espinoza: 2015 is the year I kick my business, running, and education up a notch.

Allie Kieffer: This is the year I run forward. Read more from Allie. 

Rebecca Tracy: worry less about everyone else's processes& focus on finding the balance that works for me. Dream big and believe in you!

Jessie Bohner: This is the year I find balance. I will become more in tune with my body and mind.

Victoria Freile: I will celebrate small successes and not let setbacks get me down.

Meghan Manaois: This is the year I refocus. Read more from Meaghan.  

Sarah Licht: This year I want to run faster and longer distances.

Jennifer Menclewicz: This is the year I aim, focus, and shoot for my dreams.

Rebecca Ayers: This is the year I will be injury free and run my first Ultra! Dream big, take chances, believe.

Kristine Torkelson: I will trust myself and my capabilities, and push myself out of my comfort zone in running, life and {hopefully} love. 

Monica Schneider: This is the year I run a sub-50 10K.

Shawna Carter: Take first place in a race, no more second!

Danielle Nicole: This is the year I qualify for Boston. Dream big, take chances, believe.

Emily Lenz: This is the year I get pregnant! (Fingers crossed!)

@k_stank: This is the year I finally run a marathon.

Jennie D: This is the year I run 1000 miles.

Kimberley Boulton: This is the year I make a return to full marathons and qualify for Boston!

Ashlie Tseng: This is the year I hope to run a sub30 5k and a 2 hour half! Dream big, take chances, believe.

Today is the day I can leap to the rooftops and yell out: “My amazing friend and mentor Atsuko Tamura is joining Oiselle as President!!!”

Before I say more, let me take you back to the time we first met. It was over a year ago and I was hanging in there, but I was also struggling. I had staffing problems, I was doing the work of three people, and I had to raise money to keep Oiselle going. In my quest for new connections, a friend of mine (let’s call him Bob), introduced me to Atsuko. As he quickly listed her experience, I knew she’d be of interest…accountant by trade, but then a 12-year stint at REI where she held various positions including CFO, and then CEO of a local startup, Evo (which I think of as the Nordstrom of action sports) and just a well-respected leader in the community.

When we met at Top Pot donuts, we immediately hit it off -- in part because she knew my world. “You have important people looking over you, investors who care a lot about the company. And you have great people working for you, who support the mission and vision. But you don’t really have many people sitting next to you… who can offer advice or guidance without a stake in the game.” It was true and it was powerful to hear her say it…so much so that I almost started crying onto my maple bar. There have been many times that leading a small company has made me feel trapped by stress and worry, but without the right person to talk to… it can be very isolating.

Soon after, I tried to entice Atsuko to come on as President. To help me grow Oiselle into the powerhouse I knew it could be. But she turned me down. She needed time and space to sit back and take stock of her professional life, something I could both appreciate and was a bit jealous of. But we decided we should definitely work together in some capacity, and so began a year-long collaboration where she helped me with everything from closing the round of funding, to investor communications, to hiring new people and creating a long-term budget.

I’m not sure if that year was fuel on the fire, or I simply wore her down, but the happy ending is that when I proposed she be Madame President once again, this time the answer was yes. After all, in just one year, we had doubled our revenue, hired new people, and had big exciting plans on the docket. Bottom line, the girl club needed her. And maybe she needed us. Regardless, I couldn't be happier to have my friend and mentor at The Nest...still sitting next to me.

Read the press release.

For me the start of indoor track season is like December 1^st: the start of an exciting build up to December 25^th Christmas – and in the track world – Christmas would be USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June. Two weekends ago we opened the indoor season with three of our Haute Volée runners competing: Laura Carlyle of Seattle, WA raced the 3k at the Husky Preview with a time of 9:23 for 4th, Christy Cazzola of Appleton, WI raced the 800m at the UW OshKosh Indoor meet with a time of 2:07 for 1^st, and Kerri Gallagher at the Terrapin Invite raced the 800m in a time of 2:10 for 1st. Hell ya! First holiday party done!

You see where I’m going with this. The excitement of the season is just getting started. Last weekend, veteran Oiselle team member Megan Rolland who is training in Emmett, ID opened at the Bronco Invitational at Boise State with a 4:58 mile, Christy Cazzola and Jennie Kormanik went 1-2 at SPIRE Invite with 2:06 and 2:12 and Jordan Hamric from Memphis, TN opened at the Vanderbilt Invite with a 9:32 in the 3k and a big "W" for the day. What’s the track party schedule from here? Enjoy following these fast women and check back here for updates on what specific events they will be racing each week!

INDOOR TRACK SCHEDULE 

1/31: Husky Invite – Seattle, WA
Lauren Wallace & Laura Carlyle – Invite Mile
Megan Rolland – Invite 3k

1/31: The Armory Track Invitational – New York, NY
Kerri Gallagher – 2 mile

2/6-2/7: Notre Dame Meyo Invite – South Bend, IN
Christy Cazzola – Mile

2/7: NB Indoor Grand Prix – Boston, MA

2/13-2/14: Husky Classic – Seattle, WA
Christy Cazzola
Megan Rolland
Laura Carlyle

Fast women left to right: Lauren Wallace, Kerri Gallagher. 

2/14: NYRR Millrose Games – New York, NY
Kerri Gallagher
Mary Saxer

2/15: Iowa State Classic – Ames, IA

2/21: Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invite – South Bend, IN

2/28-3/1: USATF Indoor Championship – Boston, MA

When I moved to London from Seattle late last summer, I thought the transition would be seamless. I’d hit the ground running, easefully launch Jasyoga London, and finally manifest some of my long-term projects and goals.

Turns out that moving abroad is way more challenging than I anticipated. I was itching to spread the Reset Revolution in the U.K., but found myself full of so much passion and yet was so unsure of exactly where to point it upon arrival in my new home. They might speak English out here, but it’s a completely different language and everywhere I turn I seem to be reminded that, yep, I’m in a foreign country.

I talked a lot last year about “trusting the process.” While you would have thought that all the time spent waiting for my visa (4 months that placed an ocean between my husband and me) would have made me more patient, in retrospect there was a void between what I was saying to those around me and the internal conversation I was having. That disconnect more than anything caused me to struggle needlessly and hindered my ability to achieve my goals.

Over the last two months, I’ve been revisiting my vision for myself and for Jasyoga via the Believe journal with the intention of reigniting what exactly it is I am going to believe in this year. And in mapping out what I’m doing and, more importantly, why, I’ve been reminded that I’m on the right path and am in fact already doing all the things needed to close the gap between where I am now, and where I want to be. Except for one thing. The only missing ingredient has been trust.

So this is the year I take trust out of my head and put it into my heart.

This is a subtle yet radical shift. I trust that my vision is clear, the plan is in place, and that each day when I go for a run, roll out my mat, or sit in stillness for a few minutes, I return myself to balance and its accompanying sense of Ease that allows me to bring my best self to every task, decision, and interaction. And that’s what is softening the dissonance between my head and my heart, and ultimately optimizing my potential to lead the Reset Revolution.

Here’s the daily strategy that’s helping me to more consciously set my state and discern what’s needed so that I can be productive and easeful, rather than falling victim to old habits and becoming a walking reaction:

• Visual cue: I found this cool chalkboard in the shape of a globe, and each Monday I write my main focus for the week ahead. It’s a great reminder especially on days when I feel overwhelmed.
• Meditation: 20 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. Even when I don’t feel like doing it I’m always happy I did. And when time is tight I accept that 5 minutes can be just as impactful.
• Triage: Post-meditation each morning, I take a few minutes to write down everything I want to accomplish that day, and then put a star by the top priorities and focus on those, while setting the rest of the list aside for another time. Getting a few really important things done feels way better than half assing a bunch of things.
• Fluidity: I hold myself accountable to recognizing that some days I need to go harder and some days I need to rest a little easier, and stay willing to respond accordingly.

Want more ideas for a balanced 2015? Join me for The Monday Reset, a weekly blog dedicated to balance. Subscribe at jasyoga.co.uk/blog and look for #TMR on Twitter and Insta.

By: Collier Lawrence

The day Kate Grace and I found out the Littlewing crew was heading to Albuquerque for winter training, we began scheming - Georgia O’Keefe museum, Santa Fe, Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, red chile, green chile, Christmas chile, Old Town, Taos, infinite art galleries, National Museum of Nuclear Science - so many adventures.

About three days into camp we realized we had been a bit ambitious. In all honesty, that realization probably came midway through our first run in the Sandia Foothills, as we dodged cacti and wondered when the mountain was going to end and where the oxygen had gone.

The reality of a weekly schedule that looks something like this:

Monday
AM: run    
PM: lift, run, strides, drills

Tuesday
AM: workout    
PM: run or cross training, core

Wednesday
AM: easy run    
PM: easy run or cross training, core

Thursday
AM: easy run    
PM: run, strides, drills

Friday
AM: workout    
PM: workout, lift

Saturday  
AM: long run 

Sunday
Off day / OYO (on your own)

Coupled with our increasing desire to nap, and nothing else, in between sessions has trimmed our list of extracurricular activities. Our motto has, jokingly, been ”boring is the new exciting” for a few months. In that context, we are appropriately filling our adventure quota and getting in some awesome training.

Left to right: Daniel Goetz (Little Wing Assistant Coach) Mel Lawrence, Collier Lawrence 

We are staying in the Sandia Foothills on the east side of the city. Miles upon miles of trails right out our door make it easy to get out everyday with little to no thinking (keep it simple stupid, am I right?). The foothills and arroyos have given me a new appreciation for hills and also take my breath away, literally and figuratively, on a regular basis. Workout days we head to the Rio Grande, where dirt paths, on both sides, give you the idea they designed it with your workouts in mind. We’ve made a training bubble at Albuquerque Academy. It’s right by our gym, the track has hurdles (which as a steepler already seals the deal), and they have a permanent cross-country course on their campus with tons of loop combinations. How perfect is that?!

Maybe it’s because I grew up at altitude, in Reno/Tahoe, but I haven’t noticed the altitude, minus the first day. When you make a significant elevation jump the name of the game is Extra. Extra water. Extra sleep. Extra electrolytes. Extra easy on recovery runs. Extra food - which is not difficult. I’ve made a list of things I need to bring home. Flying Star English muffins, Tia Betty Blues Blue Corn Waffles, Hatch chilies (the champagne of chilies - they can only be called Hatch if they are from New Mexico), and Piñon coffee top the list. Lauren has spent some time here and has some “hidden gem” connections. Judy is a wonderful woman from Georgia, who hosts a Soup Night once a week. She provides the soup and you bring bread or libations. She ran a B&B for years and has loads of fantastic stories about her guests, many of whom have been runners. Our trip to Judy’s is definitely one of our biggest highlights each week. Great food, awesome people, fantastic stories, and a great way to relax and feel at home in a strange new place.

What about all those fun activities Kate and I had been planning? That’s what long runs and Sundays are for. We did a long run in Santa Fe along the railway. Then headed to town for brunch and a little sightseeing. We met an awesome barista who has been making coffee in Santa Fe for 23 years and collects postcards. We took the tram up to the top of Sandia Peak, which stands at a thin 10,378’. We thought there was a snowshoe race, but it was actually the day before. Instead we went on an impromptu snowy hike to a stone hut at 10,600’; which none of us were prepared for but we didn’t get frostbite so it was a win.

It’s been a great two weeks so far and we’re geared up for the next three. Christine and I are getting ready for US XC, Kate is gearing up for some indoor races, and Mel and Lauren are working out a few lingering things and shifting their focus to outdoors. Here’s to soaking up the southwestern sun, building red blood cells, eating lots of chile, and racing fast!

Keep up with our training and adventures @runlittlewing #LWTrainingCamp15.