At 11k to go in a race where each of the 90 kilometers is counted down with a large sign, my teammate, also (in this race) non-teammate, also competitor, also friend, Devon, ran up beside me, ‘Everything ok?’, she asked. She waited for my reply, ‘Yes’, before she continued along to open the gap.

The next day, as we both sat at our respective team tables at the prize giving ceremony that celebrates the Gold Medal winners (top ten females and males), one of the speakers discussed the responsibility of government to provide support for athletics. She discussed sport as something that brings people - of different races, different nationalities, different genders, different sizes and ages - together. And while Comrades is one of the world’s most competitive ultras, what makes it so special is the humanity that arises from such a large diverse race. Where so many people, competitors and spectators alike, come together with shared goals, shared struggles, and shared celebrations. 

We feel this togetherness in all sport, but Comrades is a special embodiment of this  - the competition is fierce, but the camaraderie is equally strong. As we embark on a personal journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, we also embark on a shared one with countless shared experiences along the course, each memorable in a special way.

As Devon passed me on Sunday, we shared a comment about how hard the race was, how it was silly that we keep traveling so far for something that at times feels insurmountably challenging, for something that tests your body and your will for such a long time.

But as I sit on this return flight home and even though I have been awake for over 30 hours, and sitting for 19 in a very uncomfortable seat with my legs aching and my loose toenails throbbing, if I’m being completely honest with myself I’ll probably be back next year and I’m already looking forward to the next down year two years from now.

Coming into this past weekend, if you had been able to sneak peek into my mind, you would have known that I was hoping for a podium finish. It would have required a particularly good day of course, and maybe a particularly rough one for one of my competitors, but it did not seem unreasonable based on my fitness. I thought 4-5 position was a decent day. Something above that might have suggested I felt a bit off.

But Sunday, we raced and my competitors were strong and they remained strong throughout. I may not be the speediest, but I do tend to be strong(er). Usually I can rely on my ability to overtake people in the later stages of the race. But that’s why we race and that’s why it is fun - because on the day, there are so many factors that impact the outcome. You can be fit, but you also need to decide to accept pain, to challenge yourself to commit to the mental challenge. That’s why it’s exciting and why we keep coming back.

At the prize giving ceremony, we were asked by the head of the Comrades marathon to stand, recognize, and pay respect to the top three women. I’ve attended this ceremony two times prior, and this was not a typical request. He asked that we applaud them not because they posted fast times, but because they truly battled out there on the course. Because they persisted. Because they demonstrated respect for themselves and each other, as athletes. They did not settle, and in this, they pushed each other to some of the fastest finishing times in years (despite this year’s course being long.)

And even though I expected better placement, it’s really difficult to be disappointed with a Comrades race. Partially because it is so competitive, but more so because of the honor and privilege felt when you take part in such an event. Where your sport is respected, by the community in its commitment to spend 12 hours on the roads cheering and seconding, by the media in their full-day coverage of the event, by the government in its commitment to continue prioritizing the event, by organizations who provide prize money that is substantial and deep. Everything about the race reminds you that what you care about is valuable and respected. And with the amazing crowd support from start to finish - kids reaching out for high fives, women in dresses jumping in the race to run beside you, the intense encouragement that comes from tunnels of people screaming your name and calling for you to stay strong. That feeling is something that I feel is especially powerful at Comrades. And why, even though the flight is expensive, and long, and the road is unforgiving, there is something very special about this race that makes it difficult for me to want to spend my first few weeks in June doing anything else.

-Sarah Bard, Oiselle trail pro + ultra runner

A birthday well spent. Six hours of taking photos, playing in the rain, and cheering on these speedy women! Conditions were not ideal - but Kendra, Alisha, Emily, Alexina, Megan, Mel and Sasha all braved the weather + threw down some solid performances (not surprised)! Below is the evening in photos, enjoy! 

Keep up with the team and follow along @oiselle_team on twitter! 

Head up, wings out. 

Jess

The Team Birdmachine Snowmass post-race report can be summed up in one word: FANTASTIC! We don’t like to brag, but we were awesome! We were able to pull off a win in the women's masters category, overall masters, and came in second overall women’s team - 30^th out of 222 teams! The conditions were beautiful but challenging. The first couple of legs were really hot, and even though we all live in Colorado, we were running at 3,000 feet of elevation more than we’re used to. Also competing were three Oiselle Volée teams. We enjoyed running into our other bird-buddies around the camp and watching them fly down the trail. Many of the other women made a point of searching us out in our campsite to say hello and wish us luck. You can truly feel the love with these women!

Some highlights from our weekend:

Friends. We have competed together for 12 years now. We might only see each other once a year, but we can always pick up right where we left off. These women are like my sisters; we know each other like family.

Amazing Oiselle gear. We loved strutting around camp and running those beautiful steep trails in our team gear. It was chilly Thursday night, so we wore our tracksuits down to race headquarters to pick up our race packets. We heard another team whispering “We’re gonna have to step up our game” when we walked by in our matching black jackets. We raced in our Toolbelt Roga shorts and team Go tanks and we are convinced they made us run faster. Let’s not forget to mention the Runner Trucker hats that kept the sun off our faces!

Glamping. After many years of traditional camping at trail races, we decided to go soft and pay for a glamping site.  Our personal concierge, Connor, was our favorite! We had a living room, kitchen, space for all of our stuff, and then our favorite, the back porch, where we could sit and cheer on all the runners as they whizzed by. They even provided mimosas on Saturday morning (which we passed on, but thought it was a nice touch)!

Nature. Shooting stars, a colorful hot air balloon takeoff, dive-bombing bats, raccoons, two fox sightings and incredible wildflowers. Seriously…the shooting star at 2:00 a.m. was most incredible! Have you ever seen the stars at 8,000 feet with no city lights? If not, add that to your bucket list.

Crashing. Our team had a total of three falls during our 21 hours out on the trail, but that didn’t slow us down one bit!  No major injuries, but some big purple bruises, scrapes, and a couple of trips to the med tent. 

Night Legs. The dark didn’t slow us down one bit! Running at night is truly an amazing experience. It can be a bit scary when you can't fully see where you are going, but there is something magical about running in the dark. We all enjoyed our night legs and even managed to run pretty fast. It’s pretty cool to look across the mountain and see the headlights from other runners across the hillside. 

Brrrr. Ok, we can't fail to mention the most challenging thing about a trail race at 8,000 feet...the COLD temperatures at night! The race organizers do a great job of keeping the campfires going and even having heat lamps near the start, but it is almost impossible to stay warm in the middle of the night. Some of our team members opted to burrow into their sleeping bags. We had one runner who refused to lie down, claiming that if she did, she'd never get up! This year the cold seemed to be particularly challenging, but the great thing is that when the sun starts coming up the temperatures also start to rise and by the time we finished we were all toasty warm again. 

Crew. Our volunteer Jen was most incredible! She sign up for all 3 shifts after Stacy ended up at home with the stomach bug. Jen surprised us Saturday morning with some fresh watermelon, which really hit the spot. Social media guru Laurie did an amazing job shooting videos and pics! 

Overall, our Podium Project weekend was spectacular and left us all feeling happy and tired. In the favorite post-run words of our team member Vic, it was “So Fun!” 

- Lisa Mansfield, the fearless leader of Birdmachine CO

Today our very first Podium Project Trail Team will be making their debut in Snowmass Colorado! With an average age of 54 this is one impressive team of trail veterans.

THE OFFICIAL 2018 BIRDMACHINE SNOWMASS TEAM ROSTER

LISA MANSFIELD: The fearless leader of Birdmachine CO, Lisa has conquered a 100 mile race so a few relay legs is nothing to her but a weekend fun run, that she runs very fast. If hunger strikes she will provide herself with the most optimal fuel… bacon. Lisa has cracked her head open on a rock at Snowmass before, but she kept going! After sutures and all, so LITERALLY NOTHING will stop her from finishing this race.

LEIGH LEVESQUE: Leigh is ready to keep spirits high as the entertainer of the group. When asked what she believes will be the most challenging part of the race she said (and I quote) “Lisa’s gas”. When asked what draws her to the trails she replied “Getting away from Lisa’s gas”. Motivation is everywhere people!

JULI CLARK: Juli may not be tackling the longest leg… or the shortest leg… but she will impressively tackle the middle(ish) leg with complete tenacity. When asked what draws her to the trails, Juli said that being surrounded by the beauty and serenity of mother nature is a moving meditation that nourishes her soul - *speechless* well said Juli.

VICKI HUNTER: Now let me tell you about Vicki… Vicki took 61 minutes, I repeat 61 MINUTES, off of her Marathon PR to qualify for the Olympic Trials in 1988 with a time of 2:49. This woman doesn’t set unattainable goals, just very very unlikely goals that somehow she refuses not to hit. Who knows what this woman will do at Snowmass!

JESSICA PIERCE-MADDEN: A retired climbing guide who is used to aiding others in their pursuits, Jessica will be the mother of the group ensuring that all needs are met. Does everyone have the snacks they need? Is someone sore? She is willing to give massages (don’t abuse this gift people). Basically the only two things people want in life, and especially during a relay.

REBECCA DELONG: Although Rebecca thinks the most challenging part of the Snowmass will be getting to the start line at 3:30am, no is not in her vocabulary. She will be spotted at the startline eating her daily birthday cake (Rebecca is a firm believer in birthday cake every day of the year) getting ready to tear it up come leg #2 of the race.

STACIE WARD: The oldest, the wisest, Staaaaaaacie Ward!!! She feels right at home on the trails having done 10+ trail relays including Ragnar Snowmass, her absolute favorite. She’s ready to rip on the downhills.

AMIE BERVY: The one, the only, Amie Bervy! Does that name sound familiar? Thought so. Amy starred in God Father Part 2 at the age of ten. So yes, she has been a badass since the age of ten. Amie is more than prepared for the challenge of a steep uphill on her last leg.

LAURIE NAKAUCHI: Laurie’s middle name Noriko means rule or law in Japanese, which she says is extremely fitting seeing as she is quite a rule follower, aka born to be a fearless trail relay crew member. When you see epic race day photos know that it’s Laurie behind the lense.

JENNIFER SOLZMAN: Next up on the crew team, often spotted getting work done in the gym, is Jennifer! Jennifer is fully embracing the role as team support person and encourager.

STACY HAMONTREE: Rounding out the power trio crew team, is Stacy. A dental hygienist of 32 years, Stacy is taking on a new role this weekend, with the self-proclaimed title “Coffee Bi***”. In addition, to keeping the runners caffeinated, Stacy will be directing traffic. Both jobs extremely necessary. 

Being someone who has yet to venture into the world of trail running, I asked the team to finish the following sentence:

In a trail race one must never ever…

• Challenge a Mamma grouse with her babies, it’s a very dangerous encounter.
• Be​ a self-absorbed ass
• Worry about anything but being in the moment
• Forget to look ahead, and up from the trail.
• Close your eyes during the night legs and never turn your back on ‘green eyes’ reflecting in your head lamp.
• Never ever miss the opportunity for a "kill", especially when it is a younger guy. 
• Be afraid of the dark or eating a smore at 3 in the morning.
• Look up to admire the views. This usually ends with an acrobatic face plant onto the trail! Always stop when you want to really see the scenery.
• Poop on the trail.

Thanks team for the valuable advice, much appreciated.

To follow along with Birdmachine Colorado and cowbell from afar, follow the Podium Project Twitter and #birdmachineCO - Also keep an eye out for updates on our Instagram Story!

Whenever I head back to Duluth, MN I get very excited. I know that I’m going to have a great time, be surrounded by loved ones, and be surrounded by one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But when I get to head back to Duluth on Grandma’s Marathon weekend, I get really nostalgic. It brings me back to my childhood, watching family members and friends run, handing out water, cheering, and the entire city supporting marathon weekend.

As a child I never thought I’d run there. Those people were crazy! It was so far! I loved the excitement of the event, and in high school my friends and I would get right by the finish line to cheer. I was impressed by the runners, but I was not personally interested in running it myself.

Of course that all changed in 2008 when I became a marathoner. Grandma’s marathon weekend is right before the national track championships, so getting there to run or watch was nearly impossible. Until 2012, when the Gary Bjorklund half-marathon was also the US Championships. My coach at the time, Jerry Schumacher, gave me a choice. I was already qualified in the marathon for the London Olympics, and that was the event I was going to run there. Did I want to run the Olympic Track Trials and try to make the 10,000 meter team to work on speed (but not actually race it the Olympics), OR would I like to go to my hometown, race the half as a tuneup for the Olympics, and try to win a national title. For me there was no question what I was going to do.  

Kara with Colt celebrating her win in 2012 - PC: Duluth News Tribune

2012 was so special because it was the first time that I actually participated in Grandma’s Marathon weekend as a runner. Sure, I had watched it my entire childhood, but it was the first time I pinned on a number and got out on the course. It was an incredible experience for me, to come home where my career began and run along the north shore on my way to the Olympics. I dug deep the last two miles to try to get the course record. I normally don’t care about records, but I wanted my name atop the list.  Of all the women who have come to run the half-marathon from around the world, I wanted the fastest to be the girl who grew up right here, in this city. In the end, I was able to close and run 69:46 and claim the record as mine.

I didn’t make it back to Duluth for marathon weekend again until last year. I was injured and wasn’t really prepared. But that single race was the highlight of my year. Running along the shore, pushing hard once we got downtown, it felt amazing. I was so happy and had such a good time. It reminded me of what I love about running and how much I loved this race.

Kara finishing the half at Grandma's in 2017 - PC: Duluth News Tribune

I am looking forward to toeing the line again this year in just a couple of weeks! Although some stress in my personal life has affected my training, I am healthy and I am happy. I won’t be there to set any personal bests, but I’ll be there to surround myself with my people, my community, Duluth. This race means so much to me and to so many other people. So if you are going to be there, see you soon! I hope you can soak up some of the magic, I know I will!

This June we are celebrating trails - the adventures they take us on, the unique challenges they present us, and the friends who take on the trails with us. So, we partnered with our friends at Salomon and Picky Bars to create the Trails Together Contest.

Enter here to win the ultimate trail prize pack for you and a friend!

Prize pack includes over $1,200 worth of trail goodness:

Oiselle

• Two pairs of Flyout Shorts
• Two Flyout Tanks
• Two Mile One Pullovers (big blue)
• Two Runner Truckers
• Two Vim Jackets (Frost or Black)
• Two Logo Tees (Navy)

Salomon

• Two Agile 6 Hydration Vests
• Two pairs of Sense Ride Trail Running Shoes

Picky Bars

• Two Picky Bars 18 bar mix packs
• Two Picky Oats 9 pouch mix packs

Enter here and share your fave trails with #TrailsTogether!

Our sixteen-woman flock arrived in Logan, Utah prepared, mentally and physically, to win the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay: 184-miles and over 10,000 feet of elevation gain across the gnarly and beautiful Wasatch mountain range. We also came prepared to do donuts in fancy resort parking lots, run hard fast on zero hours of sleep, and outrun mountain lions in the middle of the night. With her wings fully extended, our first runner, Emily (mom of four), stepped onto the Utah University’s track—the only woman among a dozen or so teenage boys—prepared to fly. And she did. At the first exchange, she’d successfully reminded half a dozen high schoolers that 40-year-old women can burn some asphalt (perhaps winning the Salt Lake City half marathon in 1:22 this year was a good warmup?). 

We were the last team to start and we were going for gold, but the first few hours were lonely. With only a dozen or so all-male or coed relay teams to contend with, we were on the hunt for our all-female competition, but they were nowhere in sight. Regardless, we stuck to our promised paces as the “You Got Chicked” tally of all the dudes we passed continued to rise and the high-elevation mountain temps started to dip. Speaking of paces, when Tee, runner eight, ran a 5:30 first mile on her first leg, we had a feeling BirdMachineUT was going to represent Oiselle well. But first, we’d need to make it through a sub-freezing night in the mountains. 

Hollie, with a purple feather tucked behind her ear, rewarded van one’s completion of their first legs with enough donuts to make us all toss our cookies. But we held it together, rolled our sleeping bags out on the lawn at Snow Basin Resort, and got the French press coffee going (we’re fancy like that). 

The sun had set and it was very dark as we waited for Badass Betsy Bies, runner twelve, to hand things back over to van one. Betsy emerged looking too fresh to have just climbed over 1,700 feet up a canyon, but we knew, right away, that she had a story to tell. “There was a mountain lion,” Betsy said. “I had to stop a couple of minutes to figure out what to do, but then a teenage boy just ran right past it, so I was good to go.” Summit a mountain in the dark and survive a mountain lion encounter? Check. Now things were getting interesting. 

Throughout the night, we continued to run hard and fast, hardly veering from our projected pace calculations. We washed Luna bars down with coffee and Pepto Bismol. Some of us tried to sleep next to flirtatious giggly high school kids in the school hallway; others, like Devra (runner ten), tried to sleep on the floor of the van (to each her own). 

Anne and Janae, our fearless crew team, gave up precious sleep to stand at every exchange, made sure no runners were ever left behind, constantly reminded us to hydrate and eat, and performed myriad other tasks that easily made them the unsung heroes of this whole Ragnar ordeal. And they didn’t blink an eye at the unfortunate smells (both silent and quite noisy) coming from the back of the van; they always found a way to blame it on the skunks. 

At 6AM on Saturday, the sun finally climbed higher than the snow-capped Wasatch peaks and we swapped our down sleeping bag onesies for Oiselle Go tanks, Roga shorts, and Roll Mama socks. We were ready to throw down on our last legs. What started out as a lonely quest for the podium was crowded by dawn. Van one’s “You Got Chicked” tally went from a dozen to a hundred by late morning. We finally had people to chase. Things were getting fun. 

By noon, Badass Betsy Bies was tearing down the mountain toward the finish line at High Star Ranch. A quarter mile from the finish line, we saw Betsy’s pop of snap orange emerge in the hills. We crossed in 22 hours and 24 minutes having accomplished our Oiselle Podium Project goal of first all-woman team and top ten overall, beating the second-place female team by more than five hours. 

Quotes from the team:

“Little things that made me laugh: the girls with the snake, Emily lining up with the cross-country boys teams, everyone reporting their kills in the later legs, Hollie pulling donuts just for the hell of it, Nan foam rolling on the side of the road, and Nicole saying it was a pretty place to die.” ...“Favorite Oiselle gear: those Lux gloves. Totally kept my hands warm and were workable with the phone screen. I ended up losing the left one so let me know if you come across it.” - Anne, Crew (van one) 

“It was awesome to be part of a team with so many speedy girls! It made me want to work harder and run fast to be part of the crew.” - Nicole, Runner (van one)

“My favorite quote was from the announcer at the first exchange between vans one and two: ‘I'm calling it right now, Team 209 is gonna win it. When a team shows up in head to toe all black team jumpsuits, you know they are going for one place...first.’”...“What makes a 2am leg with a 700-foot climb even more fun? When you have lean over during the middle of it because you're about to throw up...but still gotta keep on going. Giving new meaning to puke and rally.”  - Cassidy, Runner (van two)

“Being the only runner coming from sea level in Florida, I was really worried about running fast at altitude. Running 13 total miles at 7,000 feet on hardly any sleep required me to dig really deep, but what got me through it was the grit and tenderness of the women on this team: we struck a beautiful balance between competitive and supportive. Women have a way of boosting each other in hard times.” - Lauren, Runner (van one)

“First things that come to mind that were totally awesome: Captain Karie and driver Hollie taking one for the team by making the rest of us coffee in the (literally) freezing cold at 4am. Emily’s participation in the high school boys cross country race, amazing wildflowers of UT, and making new friends.” - Megan, Runner (van one)

“When I was running at 1am and tried to pass a guy in Hawaiian shorts-and he just looks over and says, ‘good job dude’ since there is no way a girl could actually be passing him, right? Also, when Van 2 left Tee and I at the finish. Tee didn’t think it was super funny, but we made it home just fine.” May, Runner (van two)

“Funny moment: when a high school boy came up to our van and pointed to the you got chicked count which at that point was only a handful, and said, ‘that one is me.’”...“Special moments: running my last 5 mile leg at dawn, my hands freezing because I couldn’t find my gloves. Picking off targets one by one to keep my mind off the hurt.  The smell of mountain farmland, the air cold, my breath visible, the steeple-chase like puddle that I didn’t slow down for, and the cool collected Nan ready and waiting to finish out her 9 mile up hill battle. Last, but not least, crossing the finish line with all these beautiful ladies that agreed to join me on this podium quest.” - Karie, Team Captain (van one)

“Favorite moments: Tee prancing like a unicorn, Meryl’s resourceful finding of people to take pictures, rock climbing with Betsy at check in, Janae’s great pictures, Cassidy hanging tough on her last run, and Van 2 getting me water three times on my last leg – they made my run possible. I would have died without my awesome team.” - Devra, Runner (van two)

“The teenage boys walking by the van laughing like Beavis and Butthead at ‘You got Chicked’.” - Hollie, Driver (van one)

There’s a lot that’s remarkable about what the 16 of us did over the course of those 22.5 hours. Despite our busy lives, twenty children between us, we showed up prepared and ready to commit ourselves to a shared goal. United by one woman, Captain Karie Underwood (yes, the original Karie Underwood), we came together from very different philosophies, lifestyles, and running goals to work hard for something we all wanted: to test ourselves. We didn’t bitch. We didn’t moan. We didn’t complain. We were a flock of no-drama roll mamas with what we like to call the “muscle memory”—hard earned running tenacity that comes from decades of running experience—that led us to victory. 

For most, the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay was about making it to the finish. For BirdMachineUT, it was about winning, first and foremost, but it was also about winning gracefully: resisting the temptation to curl up in a sleeping bag and, instead, cheer your runner in at 3 in the morning; telling a group of girls holding a gigantic snake along the route to flex because they are strong, tough girls who can do anything; boiling water in a parking lot at 4AM to make fancy French press coffee. 

The best part about Oiselle’s Podium Project was the uniting of women used to competing against themselves and each other. For 22.5 hours, we flew in a fierce flock of fast women into first place; a V formation none of us will ever forget.

*The list of animals seen: dogs, rabbits, snakes, mountain lions, llamas (or alpacas... who can tell?), skunks, goats, horses, miniature horses, sheep, cows...

- Lauren Udwari, Runner (van one)

The ranger stood up and centered herself in the middle of the trail as I bounded up the pass towards her.

“Permit.” She asked.

It was somewhere between a demand and a curious question. She looked like she had just stepped out a patrol car on a city beat. Crisp, clean, she was in a word, completely unlike all of the handfuls of through-hikers that I had seen since I departed Tuolumne that morning. We were a half a day’s hike from the nearest trailhead, at best, but nevertheless, there she was like a pristine sentinel, guarding the pass.

“Here’s the thing,” I started, having rehearsed this conversation for the past few miles on the rare chance I would see a ranger. “I looked online for permits and it said I didn’t need a permit. But if I was wrong, I have money, I am happy to pay.”

“The permit is free.” She responded. “You could have gotten one at Tuolumne.”

“I was going to ask but they weren’t open when I took off this morning. I didn’t think I would need one for day use.”

“Wait, what?” She looked a bit confused.

“Yeah, I looked online and thought the quota was just for through-hikers overnight!”

She started to laugh. “Are you running?!? Are you one of those…what do you call them?” She paused looking for the word. “Ultrarunners? Where are you finishing?”

“Devils Postpile!” 

“Wow, that is a long ways. How long will that take you?” I relaxed a bit, sensing that she wasn’t going to turn me back and reduce to shambles my perfectly orchestrated point-to-point run.

“Some guy friends of mine did it in just under 9 hours, so faster than that.”

“Right on! You trail runners are crazy. Next time just make sure you get a permit. Ok?”

“Ok! No problem. Absolutely. Really sorry about that!” I took off down the trail at a faster than usual clip, my heart racing, in case she changed her mind. I’m not a rule breaker or even a rule bender, so even the appearance of wrongdoing makes me uncomfortable.

I had been running since dawn; leaving Tuolumne camp while my husband, Nathan, was still in his pajamas, sipping coffee in our bright red hammock, enjoying the warmth of a morning fire. It was hard to tear myself away, leaving behind warmth, comfort and the promise of a second cup of coffee. And it was more than just the physical comforts of camp that made it hard to take the few first few steps; I had never done an adventure of this magnitude solo. I had done plenty of ultra-distance races and had run many adventures, but those always involved other people, either as fellow racers or race volunteers or as company for a full day’s epic adventure. My husband and I had traversed the Rae Lakes Loop together (40+ miles), we’d done crazy things like running point-to-point in Yosemite and hitchhiking back to our car, we’d run the entire High Sierra Camp loop (over 50 miles) in the light of one day. I’d done plenty of adventures, but this one pressed the limit of my comfort zone and belief in my own capabilities.

When I hatched this plan to run from Tuolumne to Devils Postpile, I did look into permits. I had scoured the Yosemite website looking for information on day use, but found nothing. I suspected this was mostly because Donohue Pass is more than 15 miles from the nearest trailhead, a good day’s hike on the John Muir Trail (JMT) over such rugged terrain. But I tucked a few dollars in my hydration pack and worked on my excuses anyway, just in case. I had enough to worry about, such as carrying enough food, finding drinkable water, and staying on the trail, that I didn’t want getting turned away at the pass to be one of them.

When I had descended a few thousand meters down the mountain, I settled back into a more reasonable pace and munched the edge of a stroopwafle. I thought about how strange a sight it must be to see a girl come running up an 11,056 foot mountain pass in the remote wilderness. Clad in a trucker cap, long sleeve t-shirt and running shorts, I was traveling light and fast, carrying a simple hydration pack with a few hundred calories, coat, hat, gloves, emergency blanket, knife, and cellphone- not that it would do me any good out there. For a moment, I started to fixate on the idea of what could happen to me if I fell, if I got hurt, if I got lost, if I met a family of hungry bears. I was, after all, alone out there in the wilderness. I’d already had one major blunder when we realized after our arrival that our steripen’s batteries had died, leaving me without a way to purify water on the trail. I had decided to plow forward with the plan, hoping the high alpine rivers and streams would bring me no harm.

All of these were risks I was willing to take. This wasn’t my first rodeo. Heck, I told myself, I’m not even running that far, it’s barely over 35 miles.

I couldn’t change my mind now anyway. My husband had probably long since de-camped and begun the long drive around to Mammoth and onwards to Red’s Meadow where we would camp that night. Also, he was going to run in a few miles and meet me. There is an ample number of things that can go wrong during a wilderness adventure run, but thinking about them is highly unproductive. Too late now!

I was too captivated by the mountains, sharp and craggy in the distance, to worry anyways; too focused on watching my step over the technical rocky terrain that made my running seem more like a samba than a sprint. Occasionally, I stopped to dip my whole body into a snow-fed lake or take photos to try and capture even a small piece of the majesty that surrounded me. Sometimes, I hurried along after a rustle or crash in the bushes reminded me that I was in bear and cougar country. I passed small groups of through-hikers with heavy packs, many of whom had been hiking for days and even weeks already.

“Oh my, aren't you the frisky biscuit!”

“Girl Power.”

“Whoa, rock on!”

The words encouraged me as I passed. Sometimes when I needed a break or to hear a voice other than my own, I would stop and chat with them and let them weave tales of the journeys they had been on, the miles, the missteps, the trail magic. I particularly delighted in the tale by two hikers, who after hiking for two weeks, dreaming of all the things they couldn’t obtain while on the trail, like french fries and candy bars, had run into a ranger who’d given them each a handful of fun-sized candy bars. It gave me renewed enthusiasm for running into rangers and I made a mental note to ask the next one I saw for a candy bar.

After I had successfully navigated my turn to stay on the JMT where it diverged from the PCT, I suddenly found myself off trail while traversing around Garnet Lake. I hopped a few boulders and found myself at a dead end on a cliff and I was not alone in my plight. A married couple, probably 20 years my senior, who appeared to be hiking novices,  given their straight-from-REI matching new equipment and the palpable confusion and discomfort on their faces.

“Oops, guess this isn’t the right way!” I said, laughing easily, unworried since I had been on trail no less than 2 minutes ago. They studied the map and without looking up said, “We’ve been looking at the map and can’t figure out where to go.”

I whipped out my cell phone and opened up my Strava app which had my route all set up. I prayed for a cell signal so I could geolocate myself and them.

“I have a blue dot!” I exclaimed. “Follow me! We were just a bit off trail.” They finally looked up from the map to take me in. Their mouths fell open.

“Where did you come from? Where’s your pack?”

“I’m running. I came from Yosemite. How about you guys?”

The wife answered as I walked them back on trail. “Oh we’ve just been going a few miles. Started from Devil’s Postpone two days ago. Where are you going?”

“Devils Postpile.”

“In one day? Are you alone?” She had a growing look of concern on her face.

“Yes and yes! My husband is meeting me there.”

“And he let you do this by yourself?” She was aghast.

A deep fiery streak ignited in me, indignant. But I held myself together, resisted the urge to respond rudely and joked instead, “He would be here, but he can’t keep up.”

I pointed them in the right direction, said a hasty goodbye and took off with renewed energy down the trail.

Let me? Let me! As if my husband needed to give me permission. Why would you say that to someone who has not only clearly already run 30 miles but also just helped you and your husband find your way. I fumed for a minute, pushing hard up what I hoped was going to be my second to last pass. I lost a few miles in a frustrated stupor. Instead of taking in the sharp relief of lakes sparkling below me as I climbed or the jagged mountain edges mingling with the clouds, I was staring at the dirt and the rocks on the ground two feet in front of me. My irrational head spun out, blinding me to the natural splendor around me.

I crested the pass, I ran by two slow-moving female hikers.

“Great job” I said as I crept up behind them. Greeting hikers also served to alert them to my presence lest my soft footsteps completely terrify them. No matter how much I think I thunder along the trail like a baby elephant with asthma, no one ever hears me coming.

“Wow!” One exclaimed. “You are amazing. Go girl!”

“Seriously, so inspiring.” Said the other.

My frustration dissolved. I wasn’t going to let one person’s ignorance interrupt my adventure. I had climbed, for what felt like forever, reaching false summit after false summit to get to the top of passes. Passes from which I could see for a hundred miles in every direction and still not see back to civilization. Just layers upon layers of green foliage, deep blue lakes, grey slate mountains against a light blue summer sky.

Eventually, many miles later than expected, I found my husband on the trail. I was out of water and had built a fantasy that he would come bounding down the trail with a still ice-cold Coke in his pack. I could taste each sugary drop. Unfortunately, instead, he too was out of water, and most definitely was not carrying any ice-cold Coke. I had told him to meet me 5 or 6 miles up the trail from Devils Postpile and it had literally turned out to be uphill the whole way for him under a hot August mid-afternoon sun. We cautiously waded into a lake, which was must less ideal than a river or stream, and prayed to our lucky stars that we wouldn’t have giardia a few days hence.

We descended down to Devils Postpile together, my energy waning. My emotions began to flow freely and wildly. One minute I had to stop and sit down on a rock, nearly inconsolable because we were not there yet and I just didn’t want to run anymore. And a minute later, I was flying down a dirt single track like it was my first mile, giddy and rambunctious. Running that far through the wilderness is physically tough and draining, but it is also for the emotions. It feels like you can experience every emotion on the spectrum in just a few miles on the trail. Nowhere do my emotions feel as raw as they do when I’ve pushed myself physically.

I was nearing that point at which I wanted to just stop and sit down and not move again much like the proverbial stubborn donkey. We’d passed through Devils Postpile and dodged around busloads of tourists, many of whom commented on us running, and continued down the trail. I had naively assumed that Devils Postpile would be my southern terminus, but the campsite had been further down the road. Nathan assured me repeatedly, it is just a little bit farther, although I thought that may just be a lie to get me to keep going. He dragged me off the trail and onto a road, which made my feet feel like they were being pounded by tiny little ball-peen hammers. Abruptly, my husband dove into the bushes that lined the road and I followed, thankfully arriving at our already set up campsite, the trek ending unceremoniously 8 hours and 24 minutes after it had begun.

I beelined for the camp chair.

“I am so done. So, so done.” Exhaustion and soreness permeated every part of my body as I shoved handfuls of potato chips in my mouth between gulps of lukewarm coke.

“I can’t believe I did that.” But I did. Until that moment, I had doubted I could do this on my own, but I did it. I had questioned my own strength, my own will, my own courage, but now I saw that I had the power to conquer any adventure I set in front of me.

I thought back to the moments on the trail; the feeling of powering up mountains, the sensation of joy as I picked up speed on a perfect piece of dirt single track downhill, the power I felt every time a hearty through-hiker marveled at my endeavor. It turns out, I really am one frisky biscuit.

The Podium Project train continues onto Utah Wasatch Back this Friday! This team is captained by none other than Karrie Underwood herself, yes the original Karrie Underwood.

Get to know the team of fasties who aren’t afraid of steep hills and serious elevation gain. 

THE OFFICIAL 2018 BIRDMACHINE WASATCH BACK TEAM ROSTER

Emily Jameson: Julie Andrews is her spirit animal, she knows every Broadway tune ever written, and has mad Zumba skills. Most importantly Emily has four kids which taught her all the relay essentials – Can drive a van, go without sleep, put cranky people in time out, and pass out snacks. When asked about her role on the team Emily replied “Just call me Thor, because I love to hammer out those miles”.

Karie Underwood: As the team captain Karie fully acknowledges that not only is she the oldest, she is the bossiest, which is okay because every team needs that. Karie isn’t afraid of any battle wounds Ragnar may bring. She already has a permanent pencil mark on her face, a constant reminder of the race she won as a young fourth grader, beating a boy in a foot race to the bus stop line, in which he retaliated against his loss by throwing a pencil at her face.

Nan Kennard: Who is Nan? One tough woman that’s who. She has dislocated her shoulder over 30 times! Even once while running (although we are all crossing our fingers that doesn’t happen this race). Basically Nan is a certified diver, because she knows how to go DEEP into the well.  

Megan Williams: Megan is probably one of ten people in the world who actually loves running in cold weather. As the proud owner of not one, not two, but THREE reflective vests, Megan is overly prepared to run at any hour of the night which will prove immensely valuable.

Nicole Ginley-Hidinger: Running for a cold beer and excessive amount of brownies, Nicole is an elementary school running coach with an impressive list of cross-training including climbing and backcountry skiing. Clearly she was made for spending time in the outdoors so being on a badass Ragnar team was a perfect fit.

Lauren Udwari: The Jackie-of-all-trades, Lauren loves all the distances, from a 400m dash to a grueling 50k on the trail. Lauren laughs in the face of elevation change. She ran to the top of Mt. Timpanogos, the second-highest mountain in Utah’s Wasatch range when she was unknowingly 2 weeks pregnant.

May Marschner: She’s the slow and steady presence that can do a spot-on British accent (a useful tool for comic relief in the wee hours of the night). May’s leg three motivation will be thinking of Boston 2019, and the possibility of a Saints Super Bowl in the near future.

Christina “Tee” Perry: Introducing reliable Tee. This woman is the running partner everyone needs in their life. Early mornings, rain, snow or unbearable heat, she never skips a meetup. Bringing this consistency to race day, Tee looks forward to being the dependable supporter who can dish out sarcasm to lighten the competitive mood.

Cassidy Moore: Have you ever met a woman who has outrun a fox? No? Well now you do. Cassidy was indeed chased by a fox. Yes it did bite her, but she was able to outrun the second bite with raw primal speed. The speed she unlocked that day has yet to leave her. Her race day inspiration is the women who hands off to her and the woman waiting for her at the end of her leg!

Devra Vierkant: Having run 5 relays, Devra doesn’t know what it’s like to have a sub top 3 finish… And she never will. However, this will be Devra’s first time being on an all-women team. Her strength lies in her ability to tackle any terrain, and she will fearlessly lead a post-race dance party to seal the deal.

Rebecca Bennion: Rebecca is fueled by nachos and the knowledge that a deep sleep is sure to follow finishing the race. Rebeca’s greatest strength is being the go-with-flow kind of woman that keeps team stress levels low. You need someone to bust out 5:50 miles? Sure, why not? She’ll literally do whatever’s asked.

Betsy Bies: Known for her vibrant hair color from pink, to purple, to blue - Betsy's hair is as wild and free as her running. Her Shero alias is any of the following – Vertical Vixen, Mountain Mistress, Gain Goddess – therefore she will be taking on the hilliest leg of the relay with an impressive ascent of 1,900 ft.

Hollie Fuhrmann: The official driver of Van 1, Hollie is a Texan with serious backroading skills. If someone needs an urgent bathroom stop, she can whip the van to a perfect pull-off spot, serious pot holes in the road? She can maneuver them... blindfolded. Van 1 is clearly in good hands.

Anne Martin: Next up in Van 1 is crew member Anne. With a PhD in Neurobiology Anne can craft a masterful race day strategy. Besides her mind-blowing intelligence, Anne can multi-task like a boss. Basically she’s a professional figurative juggler.

Meryl Call: The official driver of Van 2 has lived in Miami. If you’ve ever driven in Miami you'll know why this is an essential highlight on any driving resume. Meryl notes she will *safely* show off her driving skills. We except to see Instagram stories of Meryl doing donuts.

Janae Richardson: Crew member Janae is small yet mighty. Standing at 4 feet 10 inches, she is a supportive force to be reckoned with. Janae will be vicariously living through her teammates as she nurses a foot injury, leaving her with ample energy to cheer her lungs out. 

Real evidence straight from the Ragnar site showing that the Wasatch Back course is no joke. Just like our team. 

To follow along with Birdmachine Wasatch Back and cowbell from afar, follow the Podium Project Twitter and #birdmachineUT - Also keep an eye out for updates on our Instagram Story!

Birdmachine Colorado is gearing up to kick off our first trail relay race of the Podium Project series on Friday, June 8th. This team is no stranger to the trails, with the average team age being 54, these fast women have years of trail running experience under their belt. Team captain, Lisa breaks down their complete list of trail relay essentials.

This will be our team’s third year participating in a trail relay, and we’ve finally got this thing figured out! That said, you can never be too prepared. So, here's our list to ensure nothing is forgotten! I recommend packing the majority of your stuff in a duffel bag but also brining a smaller bag that can be used for your stinky clothes.

• Gallons of water to stay hydrated, and for washing up
• Small table
• Cooking stove to make tea/coffee
• Cooler with ice
• Hot and cold containers for drinking
• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Down blanket or throw for runners who have just finished a middle of the night leg
• Headlamp for each runner, for walking around at night
• Lantern
• Cot or foam pads
• Unique decorative lights for tents (so you can easily find your team/campsite at night)
• Several tents; two for sleeping, one for changing, and one for “hanging out”  
• Camp chairs
• Trash bag
• Paper towels

• For the night legs you will need a headlamp and/or a small handheld flashlight. (make sure the team has a couple of extras, and extra batteries)
• Handheld water (optional). We carry a bottle on our legs if temperatures are really hot... but typically we don't carry anything. The distance of each loop doesn’t justify the extra weight.

• Hat for sun (Runner Trucker is great because it can also be stowed away when it's no longer needed)
• Sunglasses
• Reflective vest for night runs
• Down jacket, gloves, hat, warm shoes, It gets downright cold at night, especially at 8,000 feet!
• Recovery shoes/Flip flops
• Compression socks or sleeves
• Rain gear, cause you never know
• At least two pairs of trail running shoes
• Set of running clothes for each lap, with some extra options to accommodate changing temps (shorts, capris, tights; several layers for top--short sleeve, long sleeve (one thin like the Mile One Pullover, and one warm like the Wazzie Wool Base Layer, vest, light running jacket; earband/hat and light gloves)
• Relaxation clothes for warm day-time temps and cold night-time temps. Plus, if you get the luxury of sleeping for a few hours and want to feel cozy)
• Swimsuit. That’s right...there’s a pool and hot tub located at the race headquarters.  Some of us can’t get enough and love to swim laps after we’re done with the relay race!

• Sunscreen
• Deodorant!
• Baby wipes
• Toothbrush, paste
• Small towel
• First aid kit (though the Ragnar race organizers provide excellent first aid tents where you can get band-aids, antihistamines, ace wraps, etc.)
• Anti-chafing cream
• Blister repair. Yep, they happen!
• Feminine products
• Kleenex or toilet paper
• Contact solution
• More baby wipes

(we bring one or two and share)

• Yoga mat
• Race guide and runner legs/distances
• Foam roller
• Ball/rolling stick
• Phone charger (solar chargers are nice; the race will also have a charging station)
• Bags for stinky clothes to keep your changing tent organized
• Camera/phone
• Headphones
• Cowbells - because we need more COWBELL! (but not during quiet hours, cause we want to be good camping neighbors)
• GPS Running Watch
• KT Tape
• EARPLUGS!!!!!!  
• Bug spray
• Sharpie

Trail races do an amazing job keeping their runners well nourished, maybe too much. One must be careful not to indulge excessively on the late night s’mores around the bonfire! They also have a great dinner set up and breakfast too.  

• We each bring our own food, which we know will agree with our stomachs... and we bring stuff to share
• Drinks (Pellegrino!)
• Salty snacks such as chips, dried seaweed, veggie snacks, almonds, or anything nutty
• Sweet snacks; chocolate!
• For the cooler; hummus, turkey, cheese, salsa, guacamole
• Fruit
• Protein drinks for post run
• Coffee/tea/cream
• Snack bars

Some extras you could go without...

• Books. Nobody ever reads at a Ragnar. Too much activity happening.
• A bad attitude. One must stay positive! The highs and lows will come, but avoid the lows.
• Boom box. Don’t get me wrong, we love music and to get our groove on, but we want to be neighborly and nobody wants to hear somebody else's music!

Any items we forgot? Share your relay must-haves in the comments below!

I recently started working with a nutritionist. Even though I’ve taken college level nutrition courses and spent hours researching different diets, I had so many questions. There are a lot of conflicting ideas on nutrition which makes it confusing. Here are a few tips that have helped me:

1. The source of your food matters. When you can, eat grass fed meat, cheese, milk and wild caught fish. Compared to its grain and hormone-fed counterparts there are more essential omega-3’s, which reduce the risk of heart disease and manage weight. There’s also more CLA, a type of fat that's thought to reduce cancer risks, and has more antioxidants. 
2. Your body can only take in 25 grams of carbs at once before turning it into fat, except after a workout.
3. Protein intake is by the hour, not the day, so make sure to keep fueling your needs each meal.
4. Eat carbohydrates immediately after exercise to stop the breakdown of muscle and replenish your glycogen stores. The more intense and longer the exercise the higher the glycemic index and amount of carbs you’ll need. So, after a tough interval session eat a bagel, and after an easy 30 minute run opt for a banana. 
5. Don’t be afraid of fat. Healthy fats are needed to absorb several nutrients, increase satiety, regulate hormones, improve brain function, boost cardiovascular strength, and decreases inflammation. The food pyramid is upside down and backwards, don’t listen to it.
6. Don’t blindly eat off of your body's signs of hunger. I’m not usually hungry as soon as I wake up or immediately after a workout, but both are important times to eat. In the morning I eat protein since my body has been deprived of it overnight and always bring a snack post-run!

My favorite post-run snack is this banana trail mix cookie:

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with butter.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, pecans, cranberries, and chocolate chips.
3. In another bowl, mash the bananas and whisk with egg, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Wait a few minutes for the chia seeds to absorb the moisture before spooning heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet. Since there is no butter or oil flatten the cookies slightly before baking. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cool store in an air-tight container.

#ProTip, place cookies in the dash of your car while on your run and you’ll return to slightly melted chocolate chips!

I'm racing next at the Friehofer's 5k on Saturday, June 2nd in Albany, NY - hope to see you out there! 

Sculling on the lagoon at Lincoln Park Boat Club right before we moved to Seattle (May 2016).

By: Sydney Taylor (Store Staffer and Elite Rower)

ROWING BACKGROUND

I am an elite lightweight rower from Seattle Rowing Center, training to make the senior national team for World Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I have been a member of the Oiselle Volée since January 2017, and joined Oiselle store staff in May 2017. When I’m not rowing or working, you can find me running trails or biking around Seattle.

I started rowing in high school at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, and continued on the Williams College crew team. After emotional goodbyes my senior season, I assumed that post-collegiate rowing would never compare with the elation of competing for my school and teammates. The September after college graduation, I took up sculling. In sculling, you row with one oar in each hand, as opposed to sweep rowing, where each rower has a single oar on one side of the boat. I had faced shoulder injuries during college after rowing on just port side (oar to the right of the boat) for 8 years in a row, so sculling seemed like a natural transition. 

View of racers from the bridge during the 2017 Lake Samish Salmon Roe 9k (PC: Alex Taylor).

Somewhere in the back of my mind I started imagining being on the National Team as a lightweight rower, but was deterred because I had never really learned to scull. As soon as I started to get the hang of rowing continuously in the single and got my first taste of competition and success, I was hooked and wanted to see how fast I could go.

My husband Alex and I moved to Seattle two years ago, and I eventually joined Seattle Rowing Center to train under Conal Groom, with the ultimate goal to represent the US in World Championships and the Olympics for the 2k distance.

Hanging out with fellow Picky Bar's 2016 Feed the Dream athlete, Michaela Copenhaver, at Olympic Trials.

I love meeting other Volée members who row, or other rowers who are O fans! It was so cool seeing Volée come out to cheer Michaela Copenhaver (a fellow lightweight rower based in Connecticut) on during Trials last August – birds supporting other birds across disciplines! In the single, it can be easy to get caught up looking out for your own best interests, but in the sport of rowing, as in running, it can be lonely at the top, and it is better to bring one another up! As they say, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” 

There are fleeting moments during rowing when you feel like you are flying – and I keep chasing that feeling. My favorite O phrase is embodied in rowing, “head up, wings [oars!] out,” and I used to imagine my own version while rowing, “head up, wings out, let her fly.” 

GEAR TALK

As a Seattle-based rower, I train on the water year-round, and my Oiselle gear keeps me comfortable during all seasons!  

Lesley Tights are perfect for catching my coach’s eye during dark, early morning practices. The reflective stripe along the side of the pants makes it easy to watch rowers’ legs during the stroke to see if they are moving effectively. The reflective aspects are enhanced if you go old school and layer up with a Lightning Layer – you will be spotted for sure!

I especially like Flyte Tanks for erging. They are made with wonderfully lightweight material that keeps me at a comfortable temperature even as the erg room starts to heat up. The seamless design is a nice touch, and would work well with sweep rowing, as you rotate to one side or the other.

Returning to the dock after racing the double with Corey Niebur at the Elk Lake Regatta in Victoria, BC (PC: Daniel Hardman).

Wazzie Wool - I rely heavily on Wazzie Wool layers to get me through the winter months. Any time the weather drops below 40 degrees, I layer up in Wazzie Wool on top and bottom. Wazzie Wool is great for teamboat settings, where you might see a lot of backsplash, or any time when it is rainy and cold.

The perfect warm layer to top it all off is the Flyout Vest. The Flyout Vest is snug enough to not get caught up on your oar handles, and will keep you cozy to get you out the door.

This season, I’ve been mixing it up with some Spandos Capris and Shorts. Spandos Shorts now come in a longer length, which works great with rowing because your bottom won’t touch your boat or erg seat! The Spandos material is the kind of soft, comfortable weight that you just might forget you have on. My favorite print of the moment is Downtown, because it looks like the reflection of city lights on the water.

We are so proud of Syd's continuous hard work on and off the water, and we can't wait to see what the 2018 season brings her! We will be cheering her on along the way. Head up, oars out!