Oiselle has learned that the Yale University Athletics Department has signed a 10-yr, $16 million dollar exclusive agreement with Under Armour. This agreement will supersede Oiselle's partnership with the Yale Women's Cross-Country and Track and Field teams, effective Fall of 2016. 

While we are deeply saddened to not be able to continue our apparel partnership beyond the summer of '16, we are and will continue to be grateful and honored to be part of the history of the Yale program. We will be cheering on the feminine fierce athletes of the Yale Track and Field and Cross Country programs, and will relish this first and last spring season of 2016. Head up, wings out. Go Yale! 

Sisters in sport, 

- Sally Bergesen and the Oiselle family

It's hard to believe that it was four years ago at the Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene that for the first time we had 3 women representing Oiselle: Kate Grace, Collier Lawrence and Jamie Cheever. Who remembers the famous "Cheever Believer" fan girl tee?

Hands are raised and nostalgic memories flood the minds of several of us here at the Nest. We look back fondly on that weekend and now we have the pleasure of welcoming back to the Haute Volée, Jamie Cheever. Heading into the Olympic Trials once again in Eugene, a flock of fan girls will be cheering for her alongside hopefully not just a handful of Oiselle athletes, but possibly three handfuls! Anything is possible for this steeplechase specialist. And what I have come to understand about Jamie: she has fierce determination, a heart of gold and a belief in herself that knows no limits. She will definitely lead the charge for #WomanUp2016.

Okay! Catch us up on the last couple years of training. 
I moved to Seattle a bit over two years ago to join the Brooks Beast team. The training was very different from my previous work, and, unfortunately, I tore my labrum almost right away. In August of 2014 I had surgery to repair the tear. As of January 1, 2016, I’m part of Oiselle team.

Do you work with a coach? How's that going?
I am coached by Rick and Megan Elliott, who are also the assistant coaches as University of Arkansas. They started coaching me in January of 2015, when I was just starting to run post-surgery. They were both steeplechasers at University of Arkansas, so they have a deep understanding of the event. We work well together because of our philosophies line up and they are so smart about putting together training plans. Since we live in different states, I have to be the one to make decisions in the moment. For example, if a workout isn’t going well, I have to figure out if I should grind it out, modify it, or give up for the day. I don’t think I could have made those decisions well when I was a younger athlete, but I’m comfortable doing it now.

Sky high of of 2015?
In July I was able to run the Olympic A standard in the steeple, eight months after surgery.

Humble pie of 2015?
The first couple of months coming back to training were mentally and physically taxing.  My paces were slower, distances were shorter, and my weight was heavier. Part of the reason I love running is getting to do it with other strong women. I was heartbroken to have lost the teammates I moved out to Seattle to train with.

Humble pies feel like growing pains in a way. How did your set back influence who you are now?
I ran with a torn labrum for eight months, thinking my body felt off because of switching to a different training program. From this experience, I learned the importance of listening carefully to my body and advocating for myself. Both are still challenging things for me to do, but I’ve gotten much better since the injury.

Favorite race so far as a pro runner. Why?
My favorite race was Payton Jordan in 2013, when I set my steeple PR. I felt everything click and I dropped 20 seconds from my previous PR. Having my dad there, reading splits to me and cheering me on made the experience so special. 

It takes a village, as they say. Tell us about yours. 
I am so fortunate to have great support from my family, friends, and community. My parents have been my steadfast supporters. They encouraged me to chase my professional running dreams, let me live in their basement, travel to cheer for my races, and figure out how to watch online or on television when they can’t travel. The past two years, my boyfriend, Michael, has also been invaluable in my support system. For the past year he has largely given up his own training goals to run with me in workouts in recovery runs.

What does a typical day in the life of Jamie Cheever look like?
A typical day includes a lot of exercising, a lot of food, some type of medical appointment or self-therapy, and a lot of sleep.

Today:
7:30 - Wake up, eat breakfast, walk the dog and prepare for the day.
9:00 - 70 minutes of elliptical, 1 hour pilates mat class, and 30 minutes of weights at the West Seattle Health Club.
12:30 - Lunch.
1:30 - Chiropractic appointment at Inhealth.
3:00 - 8 mile run, 20 minutes of physical therapy exercises, 20 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of meditation.
5:00 - Meet-up with friends for an appetizer.
7:00 - Eat dinner.
8:00 - Walk dog, respond to e-mails, read, and finish sewing project.
10:00 - Lights out!

What are your goals for this winter and spring?
My primary goal for this track season is to finish in the top three at the Olympic Trials so I am able to represent the United States in Rio. This winter my goals are to stay healthy, continue building a strong base, and get some good turnover at the University of Washington indoor meets.

Some of your fans know that you ran for Oiselle at the 2012 Olympic Trials and you were one of three women that year who wore our uniform. What about Oiselle brought you back to us?
First and foremost, I love the positive energy Oiselle employees and athletes bring to competition. They dress up, they cheer loudly, and they have a good time. Second, I’ve noticed over the past four years, Oiselle treats their elite athletes very well. They recognize that athletes are going to have ups and down in their careers, and Oiselle supports them through these times. Finally, the gear is stylish and comfortable and I can’t wait to rock it again.

Best advice for everyone out there training and racing and trying to improve as runners? 
My best advice is to take care of your body. Distance runners are great because they tend to be hard-working perfectionists. But make sure to give your mind and body adequate rest and care. I take every other Sunday off of exercising, and I do my best to help my body recover from the impact of running though adequate and quality nutrition, rolling out, stretching, icing, and sleeping.

LIGHTNING BOLT ROUND...FAVE:

Oiselle styles this season
I’m most excited about the Hi-Ten Bra, the Stride Shorts, and the Wallace Jacket.
Place to run in Seattle? 
Discovery Park.
Fuel your body the week before a major race?
I have a juicer, and I love making beet, carrot, and grapefruit juice.
Place to eat out in Seattle?
Jai Thai in Fremont. I love the pumpkin curry.
Training shoe and favorite racing spike?
On Cloudcruiser and Nike Mamba

Haute Volée, Christine Babcock, was a high school and collegiate running phenom. She set the high school national record in the 1500m and 1600m and competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials in the 1500m. After graduating from high school, she continued on to the University of Washington and led the Washington Huskies to their first cross-country NCAA title finishing seventh overall at NCAA cross-country meet. Her standout performances in running are just a small part of what makes her such a wonderful person. For the past seven months, we’ve had the pleasure of working with Christine at the Nest. Her positive spirit and killer baking skills are paralleled to none. Despite setbacks in professional running, she has found that success can take many forms and that all things are possible with a team.  

By: Christine Babcock

Going into freshman year of high school, I had a choice: do a sport or get a job. What seemed like a trite decision at the time has shaped the trajectory of my life. High school success opened the door to run in college. College led to the opportunity to join Project Little Wing and the ranks of professional running. While it wasn't the journey I thought I was embarking on when I made the decision to run, what a wild ride it has been!

Running has been a cornerstone in my life for the last 11 years. Despite injuries, endless hours of PT exercises, and heartache from unfulfilled dreams, the path to run always seemed clear. It is what I've known, what I've enjoyed, and what has given me more opportunities and friendships than I could ever have imagined. But sometimes events happen that question everything you have known and challenge you to the core. 

For me this came in June. In the wake of a patient 16-month attempt to come back from a navicular stress fracture, a CT scan revealed it was still broken. Surgery loomed. The heartbreak was real, raw and left me feeling vulnerable. This was more than a running injury. It was the crossroads, the death of a dream that launched me into the unknown.

Originally, I was at what I believed was a fork in the road. Did I take the path that continued to be committed to running or was this the moment where I left my spikes at the fork and started new, leaving behind what I had known and discovering what life looked like without running? The weight of the decision was overwhelming. I felt an immense pressure to figure out what was next, to make a plan and start moving forward. The more emotional energy and thought I put into it, the more daunting the decision was.

What if I decided the wrong thing, choosing to go down one path and planning accordingly, only to end up where I didn’t want to be? For a few weeks, it was paralyzing. I hadn’t the slightest idea of what I wanted, and yet found myself believing I had to make a decision. I needed a plan. A plan that would provide direction, security, and ease the immense vulnerability I was feeling in the midst of the unknown.

Eventually I came to the realization that having a plan wasn’t going to fix anything. I needed to walk through this season of life not having a plan and being okay with not knowing. To acknowledge the feelings, vulnerability, and questions that living in the tension of the unknown ushered in. To find peace and joy in the midst of not having a neatly packaged answer of my future plans, for both life and running. To walk through the accompanying emotions and believe that I will be stronger for it. To not have all the answers and let the story unfold. For “when we deny our stories and disengage from tough emotions, they don’t go away; instead, they own us, they define us. Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending—to rise strong, recognize our story, and…choose how this story ends.” (50). Brené Brown, Rising Strong

I am 6 months in and the story is still being written, but I am working on not denying it. To recognize it for what it is and engage with the ups and downs. To invite people in, even when it seems messy and incomplete. While I am tempted to believe it would be easier if I had it all figured out, the lessons I am learning in the meantime are invaluable.

One of the greatest gifts during this season has been the strength and encouragement that I have received from teammates, both past and present. When I graduated from college I remember mourning the loss of a team. I didn’t realize that when I joined Oiselle I was also receiving an invitation into a diverse, powerful, and inspiring community. I daily find strength and inspiration knowing that there are hundreds of women (and the few, faithful bro birds) on this journey with me, writing their own unique stories. To each of you, thank you for your support. For walking through this with me and giving me the courage to keep writing my story, no matter what it looks like.

1. We grew our team by 1,000!

2. We welcomed wee birds to the world.

Kathryn Cullen – Washington Volée, Erin Taylor – Jasyoga and UK Volée, Nolana Newton – Washington Volée

3. We chased the bird.

@RunOklahoma – Oklahoma Volée, Lauren Fleshman – Haute Volée, @runberun – California Volée

4. We believed we could and we did.

Lauren Fleshman signs new charocoal and lavender Believe Journals.

5. A bro-bird took flight.

Little Wing Assistant Coach, Daniel Goetz tried out the singlet for Portland Club Cross Invite.

6. We went the distance.

Kathleen Stabler, New Mexico Volée ran rim to rim to rim in the Grand Canyon.

7. We took on the world in our Yetis.

Oiselle Team Washington post Hood to Coast. 

8. New singlets were born.

Three new singlets were introduced for the Oiselle Volée.

9. We helped others.

Meredith Mikell - California Volée - ran by a burning home and sprung into action to save a family trapped inside (Yahoo news story).

10. We found love on the run.

Congratulations to Anna Grabow – Iowa Volée, Sydney Marshal – Nester, and Julie Shultz – Washington Volée on locking ‘em in for the long run!

11.  We ran away with the brides.

Runaway Bridesmaids Oiselle Team Florida and Oiselle Team Washington!

12.  We tested new waters and climbed to new heights.

Runners Try Series got us out of our comfort zones! 

13.   We teamed up from across the country to run Club Cross Country Nationals.

14. Standards were chased.

Sarah Mac – Nester: qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon one year after having baby PJ!

15. We “holidazzled” the town.

Oiselle Washington – Candy Cane Lane

Goal for 2016: build the sisterhood and woman up! #womanup2016 

Why run? For that feeling of weightlessness, that sense of flight – when the legs go fast and the heart goes free.

While there is a sense of freedom and joy that comes with gaining fitness, the beginning phase is not always fun, at least not in the sense of instant gratification. If we overdo it, the intensity wears us out. If we don’t apply ourselves enough, we never quite develop necessary habits. When you go at it alone and discomfort sets in, it’s easy to throw your goal out the window. Having a partner to hold you accountable to your training plan will help keep you on track; that is why we’ve created the six weeks to #runlovechallenge!

Run Love Challenge #1

1. Pick a partner. Choose wisely, you’ll need someone who can challenge you and keep you in check for the next six weeks!

2. Set a mutual goal with your run lover to complete on or by Valentines Day.

3. Create a six week plan. Share your partner + goal with us on Twitter @oiselle. 

Not sure about a goal? Here are a few ideas:

• Run Streak: set your minimum daily mileage and get out the door every day from now through February 14^th.
• Enter a Race: sign up for a race with your partner and create a training plan leading up to it.
• Run Regularly: set a number of days a week you will run and complete this goal through February 14^th.
• Run a PR: pick a distance that you’ve run before and aim to run a PR (your fastest time ever in that distance)!
• Go the Distance: train and get ready to complete your longest run ever with your partner.
• Get Stronger: pick a strength routine and plan to hit the gym a few days a week with your partner.
• Set Your Mileage: set a minimum mileage standard to run over a six-week stretch (ex: Jacquelyn runs 200 miles, Heather runs 300 miles… Mutual Goal: 500 miles by February 14th)

Good luck with your first challenge run lovers! Share your progress with hashtag #runlovechallenge @oiselle! And Seattleites don't forget to join us for TNFC every Thursday to keep your training on track. 

Check back with us next Monday for Run Love Challenge # 2.

Running, similar to any relationship, is filled with ups and downs. In order to keep that loving feeling alive, you have to put in the work to make it last.  

This year, we’re kicking off the New Year with a six-week to run love challenge! The New Year is the perfect time for a fresh start, it’s a time to dream big and jump into a new relationship (or resolution) with arms wide open.

#RUNLOVECHALLENGE - JOIN IN! 

1. Pick a partner, or shall we say a run lover. 
2. Set a mutual goal to be achieved on/by February 14th. 
3. Check in on the O blog each Monday for our challenge of the week and complete it with your run lover near or far.

Chose your partner wisely as you’ll need someone who will hold you accountable. Your mutual running goal can be anything from training for a race, upping your mileage, completing a tough workout at the end of the six weeks, you name it.

Guaranteed to fall in love with the run? That’s up to you and your partner. We’re just here to keep things spicy and throw some challenges at you along the way. And if you're in Seattle, meet us at the Oiselle Store for TNFC (Thursday Night Flight Club) group run every Thursday, 6:30pm. Bring your run-lover and get ready to win new raffle prizes each week! We'll see you back here on January 4th for the first challenge. 

Take me to...
Six Weeks to Run Love Challenge: Week Two
Six Weeks to Run Love Challenge: Week One
Six Weeks to Run Love Challenge: Intro

We made it! Another trip around the sun. As the calendar flips to a new year it’s a natural place to pause. To reflect on the year behind and set your intentions for the year ahead. While this has become a cliché, the whole “new year new you”, it can be spiritual and meaningful to carve out time, to go up into your head and talk it out.

Studies show people who write their goals are significantly more likely to succeed in reaching them then those who don’t. I challenge you to try it, even half an hour to reflect and look ahead. Take pen to paper and write your goals for 2016. Be specific. Rather than ‘get faster’ perhaps it’s ‘take 2 minutes off my half marathon PR.’ Then rough out your plan to get there, setting mini goals and measurable check ins.

Put your stake in the social ground by sharing your goal with #WomanUp2016. Woman up is about making big scary goals and going for them. We’d love to cheer you on as you start the work to reach your goals! We’re sure you’ll find a community near and far ready to support and celebrate your goals. 

If you’d like more goal setting (and crushing) guidance the Believe Journal is it. Written by two professional runners (Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan) and grounded in science, the journal will lead you through exercises to set goals and chase them. There is weekly motivation and thoughtful check-ins. It’s the full human grow journal.  Because goals, even physical ones, have so many more components. Spiritual, emotional and mental.

This Friday, January 1, share your goal with #WomanUp2016 and you’ll be in the running to win a Believe Journal signed by Lauren Fleshman. And don't forget to visit the blog tomorrow for more details on the six-weeks to #runlovechallenge starting January! 

I have found that life doesn’t usually resemble the high-polish holiday letters that are piling up in my home. And so as a 2015 wrap up, I’m returning to my 2012 form, recapping our year of Sky Highs and Humble Pies … or, “the year that was, warts and all.”

By and large, 2015 was a solid year. Thanks to you all, our bird continued to gain altitude – even while sustaining some turbulence. Here’s looking back to the start of this year:

HIGH
In January, I was thrilled to be able to persuade my friend and mentor Atsuko Tamura, to join Oiselle as our President. As she told me early on in our work together, “As a founder and CEO, you will have people above you, and people you need to manage and lead – but you won’t have many who sit next to you, that you can talk openly with.” After being that sounding board for a year, I am so grateful to have Atsuko jump in feet first in the co-pilot seat at Oiselle.

HIGH
We have an incredible group of retail partners! And we will continue to deepen our relationship with them in 2016 and beyond, including Title Nine, REI (new for 2016!), MEC (in Canada), Fleet Feet stores, Running Warehouse, and many, many independent run specialty stores (like “my” local running store Super Jock ‘n’ Jill) and women’s specific athletic boutiques.

HUMBLE
Market shakeout. I fell in love with the sport via locally-owned run specialty shops. But the market is moving fast, and the way people buy product is changing at warp speed. Many small shops have been purchased by RSG, a holding company that is rebranding them to Jack Rabbit  – a group that offers payment and financial terms that, for small brands like Oiselle, make it economically unfeasible. Then there’s Amazon, doing what they do, with the ability to out-price and out-logistics anyone and everyone. And the whole industry was saddened at the loss and bankruptcy of CitySports in the Northeast, a market that seems to be struggling more than others in the US. All of this has led us to make some good but hard choices for our brand: we’ve opted out of big box retail and will continue to pull back from places where we know that quality, customer service, and fair business practices are not as aligned with our own. While it sounds simple, saying “no” to money (even what we deem “unwise money”) is difficult for a small, growing business to do. We are humbled but invigorated by this challenge, and are even more committed to investing time and resources to our ongoing retail partners.

HIGH AND HUMBLE
Our first physical store. Nothing will give us more clarity on our customer experience than having a store of our own. We’re happy to say this flagship “jewel box” is hitting its stride, but retail is a hard business – and we’ve learned a lot. There were plenty of ups, downs, and high wire moments getting this baby open. Bottom line: nothing can replace 3-D retailing. Store has given me the opportunity to get back to my roots – of talking 1:1 with women when I used to go to marathon expos. It’s our living laboratory, where we can take real-time input from women customers (the good, bad and ugly) and put those changes into our garments within a matter of days. (Oiselle Store on Facebook)

HIGH
Stephanie and Baby Lucy. The Nest is growing! We were so happy to welcome Stephanie Peters, our new Product Line Manager, to Oiselle early in the year. She already had “baby on board” so to speak, so welcoming little Lucy into the world was pure celebration.

HIGH
Team! Team! Team! Oiselle = Team, and we were honored to have +1,000 more women join our Volée this past summer. With team leaders Kristin Metcalf and Heather Stephens guiding us all, it’s been inspirational to connect with a wide swath of women from all over the country. My favorite part of what we do is the organic nature of this community. “Your vibe attracts your tribe” is what a friend told me – and all I can say is “yes” and “I love this tribe!” Where will Volée fly next? Details on how to join in 2016 will be coming in January. Be sure to subscribe to our email list to hear first! 

HIGH
There were some phenomenal moments in the Spring track season… among others, Lauren Wallace winning the 1000m Indoor Championship, and Kerri Gallagher getting 3^rd in the 1500m Final at Outdoor Nationals and moving on to fly fast at the Worlds’ Team.

HIGH
Kara’s flight. As we all know, the life of the pro runner is never assured. Injuries, competition, the fine line of high mileage and rest/recovery. We’ve watched Kara face them all – with courage and determination. This Fall, the results started coming together and it’s been a heart-out-of-chest joy to see her flying. Her wins over the past few months of the Big Sur Half and the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Half have been stunning. Not surprising, but just stunning and beautiful to watch. Oiselle, along with the thousands of other Kara fans, are completely “head up, wings out” for her Olympic Marathon Trials moment in February!

HUMBLE
On the flip side, Kara’s early part of 2015 was incredibly tough, as she came forward and spoke out about what she knew and what she saw – as part of the Nike Oregon Project under Alberto Salazar. You can watch the BBC piece here. Along with Kara and many others, #cleansport is high on our list of things we want to see changed in Track & Field. And not being quiet about it is the only way things will change. Get informed, get involved… check out Lauren Fleshman’s blog post on why people do and don’t speak out about doping, including a link of resources at the bottom. 

HUMBLE
Dealing with injury is part of what we do. From Mel Lawrence, Christine Babcock and Kate Grace, to Fleshman, Kara and Heather Lieberg – finding a way to deal with unforeseen events and health challenges was part of the journey. With injuries, we want 2015 to be the been-there-through-with-that and tee up 2016 as a year of major health. 

HIGH
Bird Camp. We hosted a camp for many of our original Volée team members in Leavenworth, Washington. Running, eating, goal setting, yoga, hiking, tubing… it was an incredible 4 days led by our one and only Sarah Lesko who currently wears many hats at Oiselle, but “shenanigans” is the one that sticks because she puts the love in everything we do, and Bird Camp is the ultimate example.

HUMBLE
Our superhero Lauren Fleshman came to grips with an Achilles injury that had, literally, been biting her heel for 2.5 years. Surgery at the end of the summer meant going under the knife for a pretty freaking gruesome procedure, but offering a ray of hope for 2016. The upside of her downtime has been the leadership role she’s taken in the sport as it pertains to athletes’ rights and the changes that are possible within the USATF. Read her great recap of the Annual Meeting here. 

HIGH
In August we announced that Oiselle will be the official apparel sponsor for the Yale Women’s Cross Country and T&F teams. We’re incredibly honored by this opportunity – and by the women who sport Oiselle through training, and on the start line! 

HIGH
Our very own “JJ” got married in September! Now Josh and Jacquelyn Scofield, we were honored to celebrate her big day in beautiful Roche Harbor. And Ben and Steph Bruce welcomed their 2^nd addition to the family…hello Hudson!

HIGH
Growing and Moving The Nest! Our staff grew this year, with lots of fantastic additions coming on… in addition to Atsuko and Stephanie, we had Valerie Woods, Maryann Harding, Christine Babcock, Beth McAlpine, Jenn Harowicz, Brenda Alvarez, and our store staff!

In fact, we’ve grown so much, we’re moving! In about March of 2016, The Nest will move its home to Magnuson Park in Seattle. Yep, “Parks & Rec” will be our landlords and we’ll be inside the park where runners frequent for workouts, races, and views of Lake Washington. Stay tuned for more info!

HIGH
Out with a BANG… the California International Marathon “CIM” was an incredible event this year – with dozens of fasties looking to make the Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying standard of sub-2:43 for the 26.2 distance. That’s ~6:12 pace yo! Having attempted the feat in 2013 at Chicago, but fallen short, our very own Mac was at it again, throwing her heart into training, and making it work with her full-time job and mom duty to PJ Robinson. When she crossed the line in 2:42:36 The Nest went nuts. We are so incredibly proud of her achievement, along with the three other Oiselle gals that qualified that day, Lyndy Davis, Shal Fullove, and Cynthia Fowler. I can’t wait to cheer these women on in LA. It’s going to be EPIC!

HUMBLE – but So Grateful
Humble most accurately describes how I feel most days. Not like “darn we haven’t done much,” because believe me, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built. It’s more along the lines of holy Moses, growing a business is really hard work. And it stays hard for a long time. Back when we were tiny, it was the fight for survival. Life was tenuous. But just when things became less tenuous, they also became more significant and higher risk…bigger orders with factories, more people to lead and manage, deeper pitfalls, but also new opportunities and new friendships. Fortunately, I love it all. I love the good times, of course, but it’s the challenge that gets me fired up. It’s the search for meaning that lights me up!

I can’t thank you enough for being with us on this proverbial run. When I look back and think about day one, and just being a crazy woman with an obsession for better shorts, I realize how far we’ve come, together. I want to keep honoring that, in 2016 and beyond. Thank you friends. Let’s do this. Head up, wings out!

We like to keep everyone updated on what our Retail Racing Teams are doing. We recently received this update of sisterhood and racing from Team Ohio. Team Ohio runs out of one of many Fleet Feet Partners, Fleet Feet Cleveland. Thank you Fleet Feet Cleveland and Team Ohio for building a strong Oiselle presence in your community this year. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish during the spring racing season. For now it is time to Rumble!

To say that the goals set forth by the Team Ohio-Oiselle women this winter were ambitious would be an understatement. Everyone had set their sights on achieving personal records in the half-marathon and marathon distances. I spent most every Thursday night and Sunday morning on a bike, after having to undergo surgery for a torn labrum, riding next to the women as they met for group runs at the Lock 29 Towpath in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. From the beginning I could see that high intentions were met equally with a determination in their training. The evidence was in plain sight, on strained faces at the end of twenty-two mile marathon-pace long runs and in the celebratory exchanges on cool downs following a surprisingly fast tempo run. I grew more excited to watch them race and soar to reach their goals as the days became shorter and the weather turned into the crispness of Fall marathon season.

The month of September started off right with strong finishes at the Akron Marathon events. The challenge of a course change from previous years with several additional hills was met with fortitude. The women’s marathon relay team consisting of Beth Benesh, Amanda Fire, Tina Oprean, Lauren Buser, and Lindsey Fascione went on to defend their winning team title from the previous season, breaking three hours. Tina and Beth having just returned after taking a break with running were proud of their finishes and how their fitness was progressing. Ro Morgan ran a personal record for the half-marathon of 1:21.55, her initial race since giving birth to her first child and taking on a new job as a high school chemistry teacher. In the marathon, Tracy Meder finished in 3:14 and used the hilly terrain as a training run for her fourth USATF National Road 50K Championships this winter, in which previous years she had top-three finishes.

Rosalie Franek at Akron Marathon

Flying into the month of October, Lindsey Fascione competed in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon, and ran a personal record of 3:12, breaking her previous time by six minutes.  Lindsey, a nursing student at Chamberlain College of Nursing, balances her marathon training and clinical hours with a sense of humor. Her motto while training for the marathon was, “the more miles you run, the more cookies you get to eat,” and she attributes her marathon success strictly to the consumption of Reese’s Pieces after workouts. At the competitive Youngstown Peace Race 10K at the end of October, Ro Morgan once again finished with a fast time of 37:48, and placed Top-5 American. Amanda Fire also competed and used the race as a tune-up before attempting a personal record in the marathon.

The season finished in November as strong as it had started. Amanda Fire and Ro Morgan both competed in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. Amanda, after battling stomach cramps at her first attempt at a record time at the Chicago Marathon, returned to the challenge, running a smart race from the start and pacing herself to a three minute PR of 3:12.  Amanda, a seven-time Boston Marathon qualifier, and regional representative for a running shoe brand, initially sought to better her previous time of 3:15 this season. The effort that she placed into her training, especially the multiple twenty-two mile long runs, are a testament to the dedication she put into achieving her goals this season. Ro completed her first marathon and finished in 3:23 after an ambitious start that had her on pace to run a 2:48. Ro, like Amanda, was not discouraged by the adversity she faced during the later part of the race, and there is no doubt that she will be back soaring to her goal marathon time in the Spring.

As I watched this season unfold from the sidelines, the personal and athletic accomplishments of these women truly amazed me. As new mothers, students, accomplished professionals, and talented runners these women define what it means to be successful in every sense of the word. They handle the adversities in life just like in their running with grace and a toughness that inspires me. I am proud to be a part of such a team of women who are not just good runners but good people as well, and I am anxious to get back out and join them on the trails as they fly towards their next set of goals with heads up and wings out. 

- Marissa Baranauskas 

If you’ve ever run with me in winter months, you know I’m a big fan of the Gaiter (also known as…neck warmers, fleecy necky things, snarfs). Living in Los Angeles until college, I wasn’t prepared for running in the cold. I started by borrowing ski gear from my mom. My neck has needed special attention since a bad case of Mono, so keeping it happy was top of the list. I loved the extra protection and warmth I got from the gaiters. Whether it was mental or physical (a bit of both), the neck warmer remains my secret weapon when temperatures drop.

Of course, when Mac mentioned an ode to the gaiter, I took her literally. Here is my love poem to this underappreciated (until now!) article of clothing. It’s a riff off of Craig Arnold’s Meditation on a Grapefruit.

Meditation on a Gaiter

To wake when all is possible

before the agitations of the day

have gripped you

              To steal to the bathroom

feet fixed on tile ice

dissenting

             To tug the cloth

past sleepworn eyes

rubbing away       hope of relent

back under covers

                      To ease out

of doors so gingerly

a cloud of frosted air       storming lungs

clean and sharp as pepper

               To slide the hemline

over mouth and nose          spouting fire

first with light steps

until all senses stir

And only then to sweat

           So sweet

                     an addition

to the morning run        a warmth

that follows me through dark winters

from mother       passed to daughter

Courage to breathe in and meet the day

Spirit to breathe out and join it

Everything seems to accelerate in December and it can be tough to avoid the holiday frenzy. Remember that frazzled isn't fit, and it's usually the times when we're "too busy" that restorative activities are most beneficial. This 5-minute reset will help you to slow things down in your head — as if you’re creating more space between each one of your thoughts — so that you can more easefully manage whatever comes at you and enjoy the holiday season.

Keeping finding little wedges of time to Hit Reset before the year's end — Check out our new 5-Minute Reset library at jasyoga.pivotshare.com for ideas...

Erin's Styles: Lux Sweatshirt Long Sleeve, KC Tights, Flyte Long Sleeve.