It has been almost a year since I stepped away from my position as team manager at Oiselle to coach again at the high school level. After a recent run with Sally, and a walk with Lesko, I found myself drawing many parallels between the two different communities of athletes: the highest level in our sport, and for the majority on my HS team, the beginning level of runner.

BELIEF & TRUST

At Oiselle we were looking for women on our racing team who first and foremost believed in the Oiselle mission, and obviously had a passion for great quality apparel. Duh! On the high school level, daily we are trying to mold our youngsters into believing in the training that we set before them, to trust in that training, and trust in their teammates and coaches. Essentially it comes down to the same concept: belief and trust. Many issues can come into play if you don’t have trust and belief.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Early on in our search for athletes to represent the brand, we learned that great communication was the key to women working effectively in a team environment and also effectively advocating for Oiselle in their own communities. A business that wants to grow has to have passionate members who want to spread the word (and who have an audience who is listening). In high school, the hope for any coach in any sport is that your athletes walk away not only with their graduation cap on, but with great communication skills in place so that they can achieve success in their future careers and lives. Just being fast at any level of running doesn’t guarantee that you will be successful in your pursuits. You have to have something else that draws others in!

HARD WORK

From day one of working with Sally and Mac in the tiny corner office it was evident that we were going to work hard and have fun at the same time! As I am sure Sally ponders hundreds of times a year, growing a business is hard work but so worth it. For our high school cross-country team hard work is paramount to achieving goals in a short 12-week season. Bringing your best version of yourself to practice each day is essential. Doing simple things like drinking enough water during the day, eating good meals, and putting healthy, substantial, things in your body to help fuel your machine are all things we talk about. Watching Oiselle elites do this at the highest level was inspirational beyond words. Their daily lives were filled with doing the little things that matter, which over time adds up to making themselves the best competitor they can be.

BE A COMPETITOR

You have to have the fire and the desire to race! Badass women who love to be competitive, love to race, and love to win is what I was surrounded by at Oiselle; in the office and out in the racing world. Co-workers, Volée members, Haute Volée members, all passionate competitors who love to race. That’s what our sport is all about: Being competitors! And that is what I hope to foster amongst the newest of runners. It’s good to want to win, and it's good to want to be strong and badass. Foster and stoke that fire!

SUPPORT

And what fosters a fire within yourself more than a community of strong women supporting each other? In both communities, Oiselle and my cross-country team, you must have a tight knit community that supports each other and has a positive vibe leading your efforts. Which is what Oiselle does so well: encouraging women to make small tribes within their cities that can contribute to the group vibe, organically creating places of support for runners everywhere.

It’s all pretty much the same thing: We all want to come to work or practice each day being the best that we can be. We set upon our path with goals in front of us, a mission set forth for us, and we try day in and day out to do the best we can. We hope at the end of the day we are good humans throughout it all and that we make the people around us better.

THE JOURNEY

I am so thankful for five years of working with inspirational and strong athletes, and strong co-workers who have forged their paths to make their dreams happen for themselves. They have inspired me along the way. Watching them work toward their dreams and seeing them do such amazing things made me want to help younger girls on the beginning of this path. Whether it's the path to elite running or whether it's helping young runners find the love of running that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Both are great paths, both teach so much about yourself and what you are made of: Hard work, determination, following a plan, and sticking to it. All of these factors add up and make you a better person along the way. And all of this has its up’s and its down’s; each day putting one foot in front of the other to get out the door is so worth it. In the end it’s the journey that has value and it's how you operate along the way that means the most. 

BE GRATEFUL

I hope that every young woman who comes through our cross-country program knows that running can be a part of their life forever and that it teaches them so many great lessons along the way. And when they wear their graduation caps on graduation day they can take their skills with them. Skills that will be with them as they conquer other goals in life, knowing that they can find a community of women, a tribe, in every city that will support them, and that will lift them up, as they will do the same in return. Lastly, I hope that wherever their path goes and whenever it changes directions, they don’t forget to say thank you and be grateful for what each stage and each person gave them along the way.

Thank you Oiselle for giving me so many lessons and for fueling my fire. Every strong woman within this community played a part.

BY: MAGGIE SMITH

Photo by: Carly Reis

The package was on the floor when I got home. I gave it a wide berth and pretended to ignore it. The next day, the box still sat on the floor – I stood over it, picked it up, placed it at the end of my bed, and walked out. As I slept that night, I kicked it off the bed and found it sideways on the floor in morning. I righted it, grabbed some scissors, and prepared to cut the tape but heard Mr. Coffee emit its final gurgles and sighs from the kitchen. I dropped the scissors and grabbed my mug instead leaving the package to remain unopened. Later that day, I cut through the tape, peeled back the tissue paper, bent back the flaps, reached in and grabbed the items from their storage. I promptly dropped the goods on my bed with a huge sigh and prepared the box for recycling. Eventually, I stood – hands on hips, with a disapproving frown on my face – staring at the items. Three sports bras stared back at me.

Dr. Weiss wasted no time – my husband, Patrick was late and I was nervously plucking at my uniform when he began speaking. I assumed Dr. Weiss would wait until his arrival to share the findings, but he didn’t, and at that moment, I learned about my genetic mutation, BRCA 2. Instead of shock, I felt relief and wished my husband could experience it too – he eventually made it through DC traffic and shared in my resolve to move forward. I felt as though I now had permission to start my life, to gain control over the demons lurking in the corners of my mind. I took action that day in May, 2009 by scheduling a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy for June 2, 2009 and a total hysterectomy for my 30^th birthday six months later.

The BRCA 2 genetic mutation places me at a much higher lifetime chance of developing breast and/or ovarian cancers than the general population of women. I, with the full support of my family, chose to take action with preventive surgeries to decrease that risk. I met with my surgeons and felt comfortable with the procedures until Dr. Rose mentioned “implants.” I balked and quickly refused the appointment. Patrick and I had done our research: post-mastectomy implants did not fit into our lifestyle and delayed full recovery. My daughter, Emily, was eleven months at the time of my surgery and being told that I could carry nothing heavier than a gallon of milk meant no baby cuddles for a month; I am in the Army and serve on active duty and the mastectomy was already projected to impact my push-up performance; I live an active lifestyle as a runner and avid outdoorswoman making my large, D-cup breasts a nuisance and not something I was looking to replace. I explained my desire for “total and complete flatness” to my surgeon who raised his eyebrows and told me I should, “at least talk to the guy about options.” I never did and lost six pounds during surgery – running was suddenly easier.

In fact, running was my healing process. My husband, before surgery, signed me up for the first Runner’s World Marathon Challenge for the Richmond Marathon. The race was in early November, approximately six months post-mastectomy, giving me little excuse to remain in bed or feel sorry for myself. It literally propelled me back to life, health, and pain-free movement. Two weeks post-surgery I ventured out for the first time and felt incredibly awkward given all the changes to my body composition. It did, however, feel wonderful to have a fitness goal on the calendar even if my body felt foreign. I slowly built confidence and signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon too. That fall, I experienced what it feels like to cross the finish line with a BQ at both races. My next goal came naturally: Boston 2010, six months after my scheduled hysterectomy. I ran a 3:24.

As my running progressed, my confidence in my athletic abilities grew and I felt good about my health choices. However, my confidence faltered when it came to my appearance – being totally flat is hard to dress. Darts – those lines stitched into blouses and blazers to accentuate a woman’s curves – are my nemesis. Form-fitting tank tops leave me exposed in odd places because I have nothing to fill the void or they make me look “manly” or severe. Women’s t-shirts are bulky in the chest but snug everywhere else. It is a subtle issue but it chips away at you and I found myself sporting ill-fitting running gear and looking longingly at women who rocked a good outfit. For sure, it sounds superficial and I am not a fashion-forward person but I do care about my appearance. I like to feel good in clothes – who doesn’t? Even my husband checks himself out in the mirror when he tries on pants or shirts to make sure they “look okay.” Plus, I am in the Army and sport a gender-neutral uniform that offers little room for self-expression – sometimes, I like to feel feminine and it is hard to do that when you don’t have breasts because so much of society’s definition of femininity – and how clothes fit – is wrapped up in the curves I removed.

Back to the sports bras on my bed… I was attending an Army school in Georgia this summer and roasted. The heat and humidity suffocated me and I felt defeated, exhausted, and run down. I slugged along trails in the heat and, for the first time in a long time, wished I had a sports bra to wear running. Two things had discouraged me in the past: my age (I’m 37) and my flatness (total flatness). I realized I had to get over the age issue – I am proud of my body so why not? But, the bra issue was systemic – I felt defeated by the clothing industry because no one makes a bra for someone without breasts! Basically, I was afraid to try something new because I had been discouraged so many times before.

A month before, I purchased my first running tank in years: the Oiselle Sarah Attar “Twin Lakes” tank. I completed Leadville 100 in 2016 and felt compelled to purchase the top for sentimental reasons. It fits beautifully. The cut and fabric mold to my body and not to shapes or curves that no longer exist. It is a beautiful top and it prompted me to purchase the two remaining designs and to write a thank you note to Oiselle. In the note, I mentioned my difficulty with clothing and specifically my inability to find a sports bra that worked for my body type. Within days I received a response and a willingness to collaborate on the “find Maggie a sports bra campaign.” It is difficult to rectify my feelings: on the one-hand, I am a confident and out-going advocate for preventive surgery who has put my story “out there” for others to hear and learn from; on the other-hand, I am a self-conscious person who struggles to simply “feel good” about my body, its uniqueness, and the choices I made about my health.

When the package arrived, I felt overwhelmed. Oiselle’s founder, Sally, and Dr. Lesko has responded to my letter with action and a challenge: try these, see if they work, if they don’t we’ll help you find something that does. Compelled by their willingness to go out on a limb for a total stranger, I put on the ember-colored “Hi Ten Bra” and hit the trails. The top, its fabric and its fit, lived up to their hype; I loved the shape, the way it felt, and mostly, how it made me feel. It sounds silly but the mantra, “dress for success,” seems totally applicable to this case – I felt good and ran well. I tried two other bras (the Lesko and Bae Bras) and experienced the same feelings.

It seems silly to write about how running in a sports bra made me “feel good” but it helped me overcome some general fears about my body, its shape, and about being different. I did not expect such a welcoming response to my thank you note and it is likely that little to no progress on body image would have been made without Oiselle and its amazing cadre of women stepping in and taking action to help me combat my fears and insecurities and providing me with encouragement to try something new and totally outside my comfort zone. Pushing limits and figuring out how to live my best version of me is something I do cautiously but my goal is to become more of a risk-taker and less of a self-hater because progress is made when you leave your comfort zone and confront reality as it really is, embrace it, and make the most of it.

Back when I was doing my research on the idea of a Powersuit, I came across the Notorious RBG Tumblr and fell in love with the fact that two women (Irin Carmen and Shana Knizhnik) were celebrating Ruth Bader Ginsburg like a new kind of octogenarian Supreme Court rap star.

I mean yeah, why not? The woman is legend.

Appointed in 1993, she was the second female Supreme Court Justice after Sandra Day O'Connor. Following Justice O'Connor's retirement, she was the only female justice on the Supreme Court and during that time, Ginsburg became "more forceful with her dissents," or votes that she would cast in opposition to the majority of the justices.

Dissent is defined as "holding or expressing opinions that are contrary to those previously, commonly, or officially expressed." To go against the grain, if you will.

On the Supreme Court, they're not that common. In fact, most Supreme Court rulings are majority or unanimous opinions - with all of the justices voting similarly.

Notorious RBG - The Life And Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ginsburg started to signal her dissents with what became known as "dissent collars." A collection of collars (some simple, some ornate; some with beads, or a ribbon tie) that she wore when she was getting ready to - in many cases - defend women's rights, counter dominant male views, or otherwise voice her opinion against "those previously expressed."

Real change does not happen without discomfort. Without the willingness to dissent.

We loved the collars so much, we asked local illustrator Kelly Bjork to help us create an exclusive dissent collars design. Because there will always be those times when we need to stand firm. When we need to stand up for what's right, not what's popular. In other words, we all need to dissent from time to time - and that's normal. Ruth Bader Ginsburg said so - which I think means justice is on your side.

One of the best ways to build a solid foundation for running is to recognize the importance of the building blocks! The Beth Baker #Run101 Series is filled with great pieces that help beginner runners start their training off with success! And, helps the more experienced runner to remind themselves of the simple, yet important, pieces of training that keep their performance consistent.

So, start hitting those books (or blogs) with #RUN101!

#RUN101: STEPS TO START YOUR RUNNING IN 2017
Sometimes the hardest part of training is simply getting started. In this blog Beth Baker gives us her best four steps for starting a running routine in 2017. From giving yourself the grace of time, to faking it till you make it, Beth makes the hard start seem a little easier.

#RUN101: TRACK IT UP!
Literally you should hit the books. One book in particular – a training journal. This piece dives into logging training, including miles, pre-run food and how it made you feel, workout paces, and anything else in your day that you feel is important to recognize!

#RUN101: FIND YOUR WINGWOMAN
What makes running easier? Getting a friend to take on the task with you. Accountability is huge in running! Without a doubt there will be days where the bed seems like a considerably more welcoming place than the darkness of the early morning. In this piece Beth emphasizes the positive impact of having a training partner to help you through the ups and downs of training.

#RUN101: TOP 5 REASONS PEOPLE HATE RUNNING - AND HOW TO OUTRUN IT
The reality is some people never stop running because they are so hung up on the idea that they hate – They firmly believe there absolutely zero positive associations with running. Even people that say they love to run have those days where they claim the love is over. Beth covers the reasons people hate running, and gives us tips to rid those sometimes overwhelming feelings. 

Thanks again to Beth Baker for providing us with an array of quick tips for getting out the door and becoming our best running selves! 

BACK FROM THE ARCHIVES!
This blog may be from early 2014, but dynamic warm ups never lose relevance. So, if you've been on a drill hiatus, get ready to set your run off with a new fresh start.

Little Wing takes us through their dynamic warm up. They complete this entire circuit before every run. All you need is 30 meters of space - grass, sidewalk, alley, whatever! Lauren Fleshman swears by this warmup because no matter how small the warmup area provided at a track meet she can make it work. Complete 8-10 reps of each exercise and you'll be all warmed up and ready to run or race. Scroll to end of blog for complete video of the warmup.

LITTLE WING WARM UP

Knee to Chest
As you walk a straight line bring your right knee to you chest. Your left leg is supporting, straight and you'll raise up on your left foot. Then hug your left knee to your chest while raising up on your right foot. Keep you core engaged and strong, no backbending.

Heel to Butt
Again as you walk, bring your right foot to your butt, left leg stabalizes. Switch with each step. Remember core strong, straight back.

Forward Lunge
Take a normal step out and drop into a lunge. Be sure your back is straight and your knee is directly over ankle. Not only are you engaging your quads, hamstrings and glutes, you're also getting a great stretch in the opposite hip flexor.

Side Lunge
Side lunge out to the right, sink in, then switch directions and side lunge with your left foot. Go out and back 10 strides.

Backward Lunge
You'll need to keep your core tight on this and balance as you lunge backward. Same form at forward lunge.

Bear Crawl
Almost like a downward dog on the move. You'll bring your hands to the ground and walk them out, creating an upside down V with your body. Walk with hands and feet. Heels should hit first on feet, not on tippy toes. You'll feel a very deep hamstring stretch.

Mountain Climbers
These are more like an 'army crawl' then what you may consider mountain climbers. Stay low to the ground as you crawl on hands and feet. You'll step out with your right hand, then step your right foot out to meet the hand and vice versa.

SKIPS
Basic skipping routine. Be sure to go out and back on each skip.

Forward
Your basic forward skip, power from your glutes, keep core engaged.

Side
Skips to the side, be sure to go both ways.

Karaoke
Drive your knee up and over the other as you weave your way across the field. See video at end of blog for demo.

Backward
Skip backward, driving your foot back.

Backward Running
Mimic your backward skipping but run this time.

ROTATIONAL MOBILITY

Neck Rotation
Roll your neck one direction about 10 times, then switch.

Shoulder Rolls (backward/forward)
Roll your shoulders backward about 10 times, then forward.

Full Arm Circles (backward/forward)
Arms straight, imagine you are in a narrow hallway and you don't want to touch the walls on either side as you create arm circles forward (10) and then back.

Washing Machine
Rotate from hips, twist body side to side... almost like you're trying to 'crack your back'.

Around the World
Hands clasped, fingers pointed imagine you are in front of a wall and you're going to paint a big circle on it. Without bending your knees paint that circle from the tippy top to the as low as you can go.

Hip Rotation
Stand up and make circles with your hips, 10 one way, then switch.

Knee Circles
Stand straight, hands on knees, now bend those knees with ankle together and make little circles with your knees. Go one direction 10 times, then switch. This way seem like it's for your knees but it's really getting into your ankles

Ankle Circles
Toe into the ground, roll your ankle in circles. One direction then switch. Same thing with other foot.

Normally I dread breaks. I don’t like taking time off even though I need to. I rely on my runs as my daily “me” time. I feel like I'm missing something and feel "off" all day when I don’t run. However, this year was different. After my last race in June (a 5K) I didn’t feel like running. In fact, I didn’t even cool down! I was mentally and physically ready for this break. I traded running for ice-cream for a week, ensuring I tried a different flavor daily. (If anyone is interested, my favorite flavor was melted chocolate honeycomb, from a local ice cream store Rain or Shine in Vancouver). I actually really enjoyed this break. The two following weeks I just completed easy runs and started to get some miles in. After 3 weeks it was time to goal set!

I met with my coach Richard Lee to decide some goals for the fall. The great thing with my coach is he tells it like it is: what's achievable and how to get there. We were 13 weeks away from the Scotia Bank Toronto Marathon STWM which is also the Canadian National Marathon Championships. I was concerned about the nearness of the marathon, but intrigued. I love the marathon, I love the training, the mental aspect, the challenge, it is possibly my favorite distance. There is always room to improve and as of yet I don’t think I have achieved my potential in it.

Photo Credit: Vee Bee

My fear was that the past two years I had attempted to train for a marathon through the summer and both years had ended up with soft tissue injuries that took me out for 12 weeks both times. Also with my children home for the summer I don’t have as much recovery time. So we decided on a shorter marathon build of 12 weeks (typically I do 16 weeks), including two big workouts a week and reduced overall weekly marathon mileage. The other 3 days allow me to move around my mileage to what best suits me, so I have more recovery time and more flexibility with my family schedule. In previous marathon builds I have typically run 140km per week with peak milage at 150-160km. This build I will maintaining 130km per week and my peak will be no more than 145km. so I have more recovery time and more flexibility with my family schedule. With that scenario I was ready to jump in to marathon training.

I am now fully training and yes I am tired but I am loving running! I've had a few big workouts, some went quite well for so early in the build and some were more of a grind. I always have to remind myself this early in the cycle that as the mileage and workouts build it is normal to feel tired and that not every workout will go well. With this build and having a little more flexibility in my schedule, I am not worrying as much about any missed time. I'm also working on keeping my nutrition plan strong, to ensure I get a good amount of protein into my system within 30 minutes of a workout, and having good quality protein at each meal. I maintain strength work twice per week and core work at least three times per week. I consistently do my physio exercises daily before my runs. I hope that being diligent with this as well as the altered training plan will keep me healthy and get me to the start line ready to go.

When I hit that start line I will be lining up in hopes of achieving my A goal which is to run a PB and to break the Canadian National Masters 45+ marathon record. This will require me to break 2:40. For this to happen I believe that just about everything will need to go well on the day (weather, nutrition, health etc). My B goal is to line up and run a strong race finishing in the top 10 of Canadian women. My C goal is to finish the race! I like to have varying goals as with the marathon there are so many factors involved. No matter what I will remember that getting to the start line healthy and being able to race is a win!

The other win for me will be successfully balancing parenthood/family time with marathon training. This is one of the most challenging aspects, especially with tiredness post workout. Having a pre-teen and a teenager has it’s up and downs. A huge positive has been that they sleep in. This has made it really easy for me to get in long runs and long hard workouts before they get up so I don’t feel as if I am missing family time. On the reverse side, they stay up late, meaning I am often staying up later than I would like.

The toughest part in parenting teens has been the emotional piece. I have one daughter who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks and these episodes leave us all emotionally drained and exhausted. We can’t always predict when the attacks will happen making or how long they will last. Sometimes after these episodes running is the way to clear my head, sometimes though a workout is just too much. I am finding that usually it is more beneficial to just walk my dog, or read. This has been a huge learning experience for our family but it many ways it has made us all closer.

I still believe that I can PB at the marathon. I will be 46 when I run STWM but if I am smart with my training and can toe the line healthy anything can happen. It is the marathon after all!

High School Cross Country! You're all about team, running hard, having fun, and being weird! We've got some weirdness to give out: Team Yetis! Enter to win our High School Team Yeti Contest by posting on Instagram a team photo (keep it weird!) and (optional) a picture of your inspiration board. Tag @oiselle and #OiselleHSTeamYeti, 3 teams will be selected randomly to receive yetis - 7 + 1 for your coach! 

Just so you know how rare and wonderful this prize is, we have photographic evidence of a buttery-soft Yeti worn in the the wild.

Now (since you're obviously intrigued) here is a great example to help you get your start. We can't wait to see what team pictures come our way!

Hurry and submit before September 19^th, winners will be announced September 20^th!

Yeti up!

A Brief Look At The History Of Pockets In Women's Apparel

Pocket Jogger Tights

Pockets. How we love them. They’re one of the top requests we have for our designs (more! bigger! better!) - and rightfully so. As women with places to go, and things to do - we’ve got some stuff, and no time or tolerance for bags or bounce.

And while women have always lived bustling lives that require attention, accessories, and the use of our hands- our clothing hasn’t always been down for the cause. Women’s apparel arrived sans pockets until the 1930s. Oh yes. What follows is a weird, woke history of pockets. Who knew gender bias had its mitts on our hand holders. 

Let’s go back. WAY back. You know how fanny packs are having a moment right now? Turns out a similar style was en-vogue during medieval times. And while feudalism was far from balanced in rights for each of the sexes, men and women both wore similar exterior pocket bags - suspended by belts - to carry their belongings. But as time passed and fashion (and theft) evolved - those bags became hidden under layers of clothing - accessible to men through openings in their jackets, and to women through slits in their petticoats.

However, in the 17th century, pockets made their way into men’s apparel - sewn into coats and trousers to replace the cumbersome bags. But women’s apparel never saw the same developments. The ornate and overflowing dresses of the Rococo conveniently hid away even the largest of pocket bags. But with the end of the French Revolution came an end to the conspicuous clothing of the previous period, and women’s apparel evolved to favor slimmer, more conservative silhouettes. Silhouettes that left no room for hidden pouches - and the reticule (perhaps the origin of the contemporary purse), was born.

Pocket Jogger Tights

Racked writer Chelsea G. Summers deconstructs the political significance of this well, in her piece The Politics of Pockets:

“One way to look at the transfiguration of women’s tied-on, capacious pockets of the mid-eighteenth century into the early nineteenth century’s tiny, hand-held reticule is to consider that this transformation occurred as the French Revolution, a time that violently challenged established notions of property, privacy, and propriety. Women’s pockets were private spaces they carried into the public with increasing freedom, and during a revolutionary time, this freedom was very, very frightening. The less women could carry, the less freedom they had. Take away pockets happily hidden under garments, and you limit women’s ability to navigate public spaces, to carry seditious (or merely amorous) writing, or to travel unaccompanied.”

Our pocket history grows even more complicated. Unlike the bag ladies celebrated in society present, oversized bags were a social stigma throughout the 1800s. Women were expected to have a man by their side - his pockets afforded to her to help with her portables. Widows, the unmarried, and working women in the cities often were forced to carry larger bags for their objects, and then shamed for it.

But women found their voice on the pockets issue. It quickly became a conversation in both fashion, and feminism, as we rounded the corner into the 20th century. In 1891, a new group calling themselves the Rational Dress Society called for women to dress for health (and purity), and ditch tighter styles like corsets for the trouser-based bicycle suit or bloomer suit. On the fashion front, women saw the incorporation of pockets into designs as an “arriving” of womenswear. Charlotte P. Gilman wrote for the New York Times in 1905, “One supremacy there is in men’s clothing… its adaptation to pockets. Women have from time to time carried bags, sometimes sewn in, sometimes tied on, sometimes brandished in the hand, but a bag is not a pocket.” The idea caught on, and with the arrival of World War II, pockets in women’s wear was unstoppable. When women are needed to help fight a war, turns out they get pockets in their pants.

But at the end of the war, fashion came for form, and women’s pockets got smaller (and less useful) as designers obsessed with slimming women’s silhouettes. Perhaps best stated by Christian Dior in 1954:

“Men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration.”

A statement born from deep and dangerous ideological roots - that while men are dressed to do things, women are dressed to be seen. We beg to differ.

Pocket Jogger Capris

But opinions of women aside (a phrase I will never say again), pockets are not just a feminist addition to women’s apparel - they’re grounded in good design. And a good designer will see the choice of features as an integral act of form and function. In the Design Of Everyday Things, a design manifesto of cult-like status, Don Norman states it plainly: “Design is really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the person with whom the designer is communicating.” 

The women have spoken. We want pockets.

A Note: Many smart journalists have done excellent reporting on this subject matter before me, and I’d like to acknowledge them in both respect and as a resource for our readers. May your socially-aware editorials on apparel forever be supported by pockets deep and wide. 

- The Politics of Pockets by Chelsea G. Summers via Racked

- The power of a pocket by Paul Johnson via The Spectator

- The Weird, Complicated, Sexist History of Pockets via Mic

- The Victoria & Albert Museum’s History of Pockets

Whenever stages of my running begin anew, there have always been difficult periods of transition and anxiety that go along with it. Whether it was going from Junior High to High School, High School to College, College to Pros, changing coaches over the years, or where I’m at now Pro to racer/advocate- there are always challenges and self-doubt along the way. I would wonder if I was good enough, if I would fit in. At times I would immediately get injured, and wonder if I’d ever get back. I’d doubt my decisions and my coaches and wonder why I ever thought I could make it in a new place.

This doesn’t just apply to running. It could be the start of a new job, a new school. Trying to make it with a new group of friends. Having a baby or moving to a new state. We all are constantly trying to survive overwhelming Year Ones. We are not alone.

Whenever I go through periods like this, I try to remember that the same old me is still there. For instance in running, I am still the same runner that was successful and outgrew the period that she had been in. Even in the times of doubt I’d remind myself that the talent was still in there. I also like to remind myself that history tells me I make good decisions. Even the challenging ones. I remind myself why I made the decision for that change in the first place. And it certainly helps to know you are not alone. I’d tell my new teammates that I was having doubts or talk to my family. They would always encourage me to keep at it- that I made a great decision to start this next chapter. Remember, if you never start a new chapter, you can never move on in your book.

So if you find yourself in a Year One and are struggling, know that you are not alone. Not everyone looking brave really is. Some are questioning themselves and just trying to survive until they feel comfortable. And it will get better, it really will. You will make new friends, get more confident at what you are doing, and you will believe in yourself as you should. Hang in there, think of me, and enjoy writing a new chapter. After all, your journey is ever evolving, give yourself a chance to shine!

The hype around The Kara Collection refuses to quit and it's not hard to guess why. Kara is pretty epic, so naturally her collection is epic as well. While Kara was in Seattle shooting the collection, we went on a training run together and being my run-nerd, post-collegiate self - I was losing my mind. Here I was on a casual run talking about life, racing, and the experiences in-between... with Kara Goucher. It's not every day you get a glimpse into the mind and life of an elite athlete. Which is exactly why I wanted to share this roundup!

Here are our favorite blogs where Kara gives us a window into her life.

KARA GOUCHER ON SILVER MEDALS & SILVER LININGS

We can't make a list of the best Kara blogs and not include this read. Watching Kara receive the silver medal for the 2007 World Championships in which she originally placed third, was watching a bittersweet, much deserved moment. Hear straight from Kara herself on the experience of racing at Worlds, and the experience of being given a medal 10 years overdue. 

KARA DON'T OPEN UNTIL RACE DAY

If there is one thing that could help ease race day nerves, it's a letter from Kara dedicated to race day. What's Kara's mental approach before toeing the line? Read more to find out. 

KARA GOUCHER: THE BOSTON MARATHON THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

One of the most definitive moments in Kara's career was the 2008 Boston Marathon. In this blog, Kara talks about how it felt to make a goal so public, but miss her desired mark. Overall, this piece is a perfect example of what people love most about Kara - Accessible, vulnerable, and honest. 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF KARA GOUCHER

Since the launch of The Kara Collection recently took place, it only seems fitting that we go back in the archives for this blog that perfectly shows why Kara wanted to design a high comfort and high quality collection, made for life on the go.

Thank you Kara for being so willing to speak out and inspire us with your genuine stories!

It all started with Rundies: day of the week underwear for runners. Let's be honest, those put us on the map (and what woman doesn't want to show her run love with "fartlek" underwear?!) But being the high performance divas we are, we wanted to create underwear for athletes, made from materials we know can handle sweat - with style. Enter our first season of Randies a few years back. Technical seamless underwear with sassy phrases. But after a few years, we wanted to freshen up, so to speak, so we did what we often do - ask our teammates for suggestions! And suggest they did.

Thanks to the Volée, we received lots of great new phrases. And then we got to work on producing them for a Fall 17 launch. The prize for winning phrases? Free Randies of course!

Better yet, we've updated the fit of the new Randies. The fit is full coverage, but without the binding at the leg holes that often cause lines under clothing, tights, etc. The update has been getting rave reviews from the wear testers, and now we're excited to share them with the world! So please welcome, NEW RANDIES: per usual, in a pack of three. And thank you to Susan Marvel, Meredith Mikell, and Liz Pardue for helping us stay clever with "Baby got track" "These buns can run" and "Follow to the finish"!

For those workouts you need to go into with a quick confidence boost.

For those days you wake up and feel like the opposite.

For those days you are racing and have the competitive edge to take anyone down.

So go forth, and embrace your randies! Motivation truly can be found just about anywhere... 

Kara Goucher isn't just a professional runner... (as if being a 2 x Olympian, World Silver Medalist wasn’t impressive enough). Kara is a friend, a busy mother, an advocate for clean sport, and a woman whose life we admire on and off the track. We are proud to have a person like Kara represent our brand. When it comes to living a life that is filled with moments like post-workout, pre-hangout, travel, and always on the go, Kara knows best. That is why we are proud to introduce the Kara Collection, a set of Oiselle exclusive styles, that take into account all of Kara's needs and wants. I guess it's official now... Kara can add designing a collection to her impressive list of feats.

So here are the experts, Kara and Sally, to give us all the must-knows on the new line!

HC: Alright Kara, give us the straight scoop on all the pieces from your collection...

KARA SLEEVELESS HOODIE

KG: I LOVE sleeveless hoodies. It's that easy piece that I can put on pre- or post-workout and I feel put together. Let's just say it's an item I've been wanting a very long time for. I even had Sally do a twitter poll to see who would wear a sleeveless sweatshirt, apparently I'm not the only one.

KARA SWEATSHIRT

KG: I know some of the Oiselle pieces are really subtle, but sometimes I want to rep the brand loud and proud! I really wanted to have a few pieces that include a bigger, bolder logo.

KARA PANTS

KG: The most important thing for me with bottoms is that I love a low and loose waistband. Nothing constricting. These sweats provide ideal comfort around the waist.

KARA UNRELENTING MUSCLE TANK

KG: I'm all about tank tops and muscle tees. And I'm excited to be able to respond to my fans who have long wanted to be able to buy tees with quotes.

HC: Sally, what were the most important design elements for you as you helped bring Kara's collection to life?

SB: Classic styles meet tech fabrics. While the silhouettes are easy, classic athletic pieces (the hoodie, the sweatpants), the fabric takes them to a new level. The fleece is a blend of poly and tencel, which basically means it's insanely soft and not bulky.

HC: What separates these sweatpants from your average sweatpants?

SB: High quality fabric for high quality sweatpants. These sweats won’t bag out at the knee or butt from wear, like regular sweats. And they will stay soft and lovable wash after wash.

HC: I've had the gift of feeling these incredibly soft pieces in person, how would you explain them to someone who hasn't had that firsthand experience?

SB: Kara wanted easy to/from pieces that were perfect for before or after a workout. We wanted to make those pieces unlike most fleeces, that contain cotton. This 100% performance fleece is remarkable because it's equally soft on both sides. Plus, the external surface has a lovely slight heathering to it, giving it that well-loved look from day one. Another plus, the tees are made with a pre-shrunk tri-blend, and water-based inks for the graphics. Again, it's all about that soft!

An almost exact replica of the moment Sally and Kara realized that they had just made the most comfortable, yet extremely technical, pieces in the athletic world.

There you have it. This collection is the result of two woman coming together. One with an abundance of design experience, and another with an abundance of runnning experience. Leading to a moment in which they took high quality and comfort to a whole new level.