BirdCamp Colorado

As I sit on our back deck thankful for shade and a big glass of ice water on a crazy hot day, it seems like a particularly very cold and snowy weekend in April was years ago now. But, let's take a little trip back in time for this quick recap of the first Oiselle Volée running camp in Colorado, as it's long overdue.

As many of you know, I've been running for Oiselle for several years now. I first learned about the brand back in 2011 when Sarah Mac, their marketing director at the time, reached out about a giveaway (here's a good flashback) and later that year became an ambassador. The team structure has changed quite a bit as the company has grown. When I started, there were a few dozen ambassadors across the country, now there are more than 2,000 Volée members across the globe! Not to mention the Haute Volée and professional athletes on Oiselle's roster. It's been incredible to see the brand grow in such an extraordinary, inclusive way.

One thing many people don't know is that while there are so many of us running for Oiselle, wearing the singlet at races and attending meet-ups and group runs, the team in the Nest (Oiselle vernacular for headquarters) is still pretty small. So to manage the huge team, there are regions with Volée leaders organizing local events on a regular basis and this year, regional camps. I'm thankful to be one of the leaders for Colorado, along with another longtime Oiselle runner, Rebekah.

Back to BirdCamp.

In April, we hosted BirdCamp Colorado: three days and two nights of running, food, learning, bonding, food, yoga, food, and fun. (Did you catch the part about the food? Runners love their food!) April in Colorado can be gorgeous, sunny and warm, or biting blizzards. Unfortunately for us, we had the latter. But we didn't let that stop our energy or spirit. More than 20 women from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Washington gathered in Colorado Springs for the weekend.

We had great sessions led by experts in their field including a sports nutrition talk by Nuwanne Kirihennedige from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and a physio therapy discussion led by Heather North. We proved that runners can do yoga during an incredible class at Yoga Studio Satya. A Q&A session with Oiselle Haute Volée runner Shaluinn Fullove gave us insight into the life of an Olympic Marathon Trials runner, and the whole weekend started off with an ask-anything session with Kristin, JJ, and Jenn from the Nest. 

Even with the feet of snow and runs that involved being pelted with ice, I loved getting to know more of my teammates. They are all incredible, kind-hearted and goal-oriented women with inspiring stories. Sometimes we get into our routines and feel like we're just getting by or just living life, when in reality, we all have something to offer others. We all have an opportunity to inspire something in someone else. It might be your easy-going attitude, cooking skills, dedication to running 13 miles on a treadmill while others are eating eggs and bacon upstairs, kindness, ability to juggle work, kids and training, or how you give back to others by volunteering for Girls on the Run. Everyone has their own story and I felt so blessed to learn more of those stories during BirdCamp Colorado.

Photo by Rebekah (The Blonde Runs)

Haute Volée runner Shaluinn Fullove and Kristin Metcalf

That's me, JJ, Kristin, Jenn, and Rebekah

I would be an awful camp organizer if I didn't thank our partners for supporting the weekend our. Of course, there's Oiselle, without which camp wouldn't exist. But we're also immensely lucky in Colorado to have countless fitness, outdoors, and running-focused companies who are generous and willing to support groups like ours. Go check out these great companies....

Colorado Runner Magazine
Celestial Seasonings
Erica Sara Designs
FlapJacked
Hank Orange
Hope Foods
Justin's Nut Butters
Love Grown Foods
Momentum Jewelry
Noosa Yoghurt
Nuun
One World Running
Picky Bars
Point6
Run Gum
Run Steep
Stance
Tailwind Nutrition

All Eyes On LA This Saturday

This weekend is a BIG weekend. And no, I'm not talking about Valentine's Day. The day before is much bigger - or should be anyway. It's the day when hundreds of men and women, who have sacrificed, pushed their limits, and dedicated countless hours, will line up outside the LA Convention Center to go after their dreams.

I'm talking about the Olympic Trials Marathon

These runners represent the very best, the fastest, distance runners in our country. But they're not all professional runners. Many of them are just like us (only much faster). They are wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers; they fit their training into their lives juggling many responsibilities. They have support systems that make it possible, and those people are the unsung hero's who get them to the starting line. 

By the end of the day, we will know who the first 3 female and 3 male runners are, who will represent the United States in Rio de Janeiro this August. 

Some Firsts

For the first time ever, the race will be televised live across the country! This is spectacular news for those who don't love trying to watch a big race through an internet connection that may, or may not be, super reliable. Everyone can watch the Olympic Trials Marathon starting at 10:00am PT / 1:00pm ET on NBC (how to watch).

And when those first few runners cross the finish line, they're also going to take home record prize money. Across the top 10 female and male finishers, they will take home a total of $600,000. What I love most about this is that the women will take home exactly the same as the men for each place. 

I'm more excited than ever this year for the Olympic Trials Marathon because 18 of the strong, fierce, and courageous women who will run Saturday, run for Oiselle. 

If you can't tell, I'm pretty amped up for the race on Saturday. I'll be meeting up with several of my Oiselle teammates here in Denver for a run, potluck brunch and watch party. I hope you can make time to watch it, too (on NBC).

I can't imagine having the talent and speed to compete at this level, but it will certainly be a lot of fun to watch - all of the athletes on the road Saturday will be putting their hearts, minds, and years of hard work and effort on display for all of us to witness.

For a little extra reading and watching inspiration: 
Kara Goucher fans should check out this video by Oiselle on her journey to the Trials
Sarah {Mac} Robinson does the one week countdown
And Runner's World helps us remember why we all love Meb so much (which really isn't that hard)
Pretend you're there & comb through out the official race program

To all my teammates running Saturday,

Give 'em hell, Oiselle!

Will you be watching Saturday? * What summer Olympic sport is your favorite to watch?

Time To Rebuild

During my PT appointment on Tuesday I got the go ahead to start adding miles - music to my ears! While I think I've been pretty level-headed during this injury, likely due to the fact that unlike others I neither had to wear a boot or use crutches, I've had my low times and it this has lasted longer than I expected. 

This all started back in May which means I've missed the majority of summer running and that I'm having to rebuild after a big setback. Before my injury, I was feeling better about my running than I had for a long time; having built a great deal of confidence, endurance, and speed. Things were going really well before derailed by the injury. I know, it's a common story among us runners, right?

The weekend before that last PT appointment I had two pretty rough runs. My legs didn't feel awful but my lungs did. Apparently being an active injured runner - doing long hikes and run/walks - didn't help as much as I hoped it would.

As much as I want to be elated to run again and have each run be better than the last, the truth is, that's not how recovery works for a lot of us and I've done this enough times you'd think I'd be used to it. 

The good thing is that I'm not in pain with every step and I can run. But I have to keep in mind that it's going to require patience, thoughtfulness, the ability to say no sometimes (and isn't that the hardest word for most of us to say to anything!) and a lot of stretching and rolling.

photo credit: Lindsay Jones

Patience with myself and my body.

Thoughtfulness in planning my workouts and goals.

The ability to say no to the impatient runner in me who wants to add more miles and speed too soon, and sign-up for too many races too soon.

And stretching and rolling so my legs won't be balls of twisted and tight muscles that weigh me down and keep me from getting back to my old self - and going past that!

Thankfully this weekend I've had the opportunity to run with some fellow Oiselle Volée birds. You may have heard the team recently expanded and we now have over 50 in Colorado alone! A bit last minute we planned a run + brunch for Saturday morning and had 7 birds for the run plus two more for brunch at True Food Kitchen. 

While I was definitely slower on the run and had to cut the loop of Wash Park short (listening to my body and staying true to where I am right now), I had a great time. Meeting new women who love to run also, was inspiring. That experience, plus my run on Sunday with another bird, got me out of my comfort zone by just the right amount. Rather than being discouraged by them, they are part of the rebuilding process. 

And thankfully when I come home from a run (good or not so good) or when I'm being lazy and not making time for the foam roller, I have Woody to keep me in check. 

We can only do so much of the rebuilding on our own, we need our support system to help us get where we're going.

Have you had to rebuild after an injury? What helped you on your road back?

Race Recap: Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon

For two years co-workers and friends have told me about this mythical place in the mountains west of Denver. Incredible mountain views straight out of a movie, they said. Fields of stunning wildflowers that go on forever, they promised. After going on and on about its beauty and a one-of-a-kind race every 4th of July, I was convinced we needed to book a trip to Crested Butte.

It was a bit gloomy when we arrived, but it was stunning. They were right.

We arrived the afternoon of the 3rd after being on the road for close to five hours with only one quick pit stop. There was an unnecessarily long backup near Conifer but it was pretty smooth going the rest of the way. To be sure, with mountains and plains, the drive is not an easy or boring one. 

We headed straight to the visitors center to pick up our race bibs and then headed to the little cottage right off Elk Street (aka main street) where we had rented a room through airbnb. 

I struggled all evening long with whether or not I should do the race. I'd only "run" a total of 2 miles or so since the debacle in Vancouver, and it was all flat surface in Wash Park. The race we were signed up for was the Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon - 3 miles of rolling uphill topping out above 9.700 feet, before 5+ miles of downhill. I had decided not to do it before I learned that a lot of people actually walk it and the race directors allow people to start early. I was still nervous about the distance but around 10pm I finally decided to do it. We may not be back for this race again, I knew the views were going to be incredible and if I started early and went out knowing I'd walk most of it, I could definitely get to the finish line. My plan: walk the vast majority with a few quarter mile "run" segments well spaced out.

Woody's not too happy I'm including this photo but it's the only one I have of us at the race so it's in. The Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon is a fundraiser for the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab, located in Gothic, and a number of the researchers take part in the race each year. They also participate in the 4th of July parade later in the morning.

The race begins on a dirt/mud road, transitions to pavement - running downhill along Crested Butte Mountain resort area - then moves onto a multi-use rec path before getting into town. The roads are not closed to traffic, so it was important to keep an eye out for cars and bikers along the route. 

The finish line is on Elk Street where locals were staking out their spots for the parade as we were walking to the bus for our trip up to the start line so there was a great crowd.

A former co-worker who makes a trip out to CB every year, was in town camping with friends and also ran the race. She passed me around mile 2 and went on to finish 4th woman overall! 

I felt a lot better than I had expected to feel and of course, ended up running a lot more than I had planned to. It turns out that running downhill is a bit easier than walking quickly. I finished quite a bit earlier than Woody had expected. When all was said and done, I ran the 8.62miles in 1 hour 48 minutes and some change. Not bad. My knee didn't hurt but my quads paid the price. The next few days were rough!

The race was unlike any other I've run. Aside from the incredible views, like CB in general, it was really laid back. Runners and walkers packed busses that took us from downtown up to Gothic - sleepy eyed and seemingly more concerned about 4th of July celebrations later in the day than the 8.5 miles ahead of us, everyone just went with the flow and were glad the rain had passed and we had a beautiful morning. 

On our way to the start we probably passed about 50 people, maybe more, who were already on their way down. Most walking, a few jogging, all dodging mud puddles but having a great time. Once I was on my way I passed a few groups, including 4 people who were pushing a jogging stroller. As I came up on them I assumed they had a baby in the stroller, turned out their baby was a cooler filled with beer. Many were dressed up in patriotic gear, as to be expected. 

I missed the official start but Woody said it was basically a guy who said "ready, set, go!" and they were off. Also, the t-shirts. While great, identify the race is a quarter marathon, which isn't right. I'm guessing there's some inside joke there that those of us who haven't raced it all 47 years won't understand.

Final verdict, we'd both run it again. 

Injury Update: I started seeing a physical therapist last week and have several weekly sessions on the calendar. After doing a few tests and confirming that my knee is definitely better but still needs some work, she did some manual therapy (which hurt) and assisted with some stretches before giving me homework. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be back to running soon. I have more races on the calendar to get ready for!

There's so much more to Crested Butte so that'll come in another post. I'd love to hear from anyone who's run Gothic to Crested Butte! How did you celebrate the 4th? Are you proud of a recent race or run performance?

BolderBOULDER: Take 2

The first time running a race is filled with countless uncertainties as no two races are the same. Over the past two years we've been figuring out some races out here in the Denver area, including BolderBOULDER, so when we woke up Monday morning it was a bit of relief to have a pretty good idea of what to expect. 

If you happened to read my last post you know that before the Colfax Marathon Relay I wasn't feeling too confident about how I'd do. Well, that's how I was feeling again before this race. My last two runs were not my best, but I pulled it together, spent some quality time with my legs up the wall over the weekend, and tried to put those runs behind me. 

And it's a good thing I did because I beat my pace from last week and last year's BolderBOULDER. I didn't blow it out of the water, but it was better so I'll celebrate that. 

Now that we're veterans of the race, I'll share a few tips for those who want to take this on for the first time:

1. Get in a qualified wave. You can do this either by submitting verified race times when you register or running a mile on the treadmill at the race headquarters. Either way, you want to do this.
2. Plan your parking/transportation in advance. Road closures and rolling waves can make this parking tricky but there are plenty of options to make it a hassle-free experience.
3. Wear layers you can peel off right before your start time. All clothes dropped at the start are cleaned and donated to Goodwill. It's cold in the morning, especially for the early waves, and this will make your start happier.
4. Plan on lots of time at bag drop and pay the $2 when you register. This is a great service but it's also the one aspect of the race that the organizers don't have down to a science. It's actually kind of a mess.
5. Take in the craziness along the course. I really can't imagine another race with the interesting combination of course-side entertainment and distractions. Belly dancers? Check. Slip-'n-slide action? Only if you dare. Bacon pit-stop? Yep. Drum circle. Oh, yes.
6. Celebrate with friends and family. It's a big party at the finish line and post-race expo. If you can, stick around for a bit to enjoy the good craft beer, cheer runners on to the finish as they come through the stadium and check out the expo and Memorial Day salute after the Elite finish. It's a good time.

Woody enjoying an Oskar Blues brew (no light beer for finishers at this race)

Celebrating with Oiselle teammates with the finish line in the background

Overall it was a great day and now it's time to recharge and focus on my next race, the Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 Marathon in early July.

Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend and more importantly, thank you to all who have dedicated their life to serving and protecting our country. Our freedom - and ability to do so many things we take for granted, like running races - depends on this dedication.

How did you celebrate Memorial Day?

Race Recap: Colfax Marathon Relay

Sunday was the 10th annual Colfax Marathon. While that's the name of the race, it doesn't come close to covering the massive event which starts on Saturday with a 5k followed by the marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, and 10 miler on Sunday. Across the various races, the routes extend from Aurora east of downtown to Lakewood out west. 

I ran the marathon relay with a team of fellow Oiselle runners - Laura, Kasey, and Lindsay, plus honorary bird, Lisa. It was a pretty fantastic morning and went much better than I expected.

Waiting for Lisa - our first runner - at Mile High Stadium

I hardly slept a wink Saturday night. The nerves had hold of me. After not running for more than two weeks with a virus that just wouldn't let go, I spent last week desperately trying to get back into shape. I've been working hard this year to build up my mileage and speed, in smart and manageable ways, with this relay - my first race of the year - and Monday's BolderBOULDER in my sights. And it had all been going really well until I got sick and everything came to a halt. 

Once I started running again I kept running. I ran every day last week. Which I realized on Saturday, when I struggled through a four-miler, probably was not the smartest idea. 

But I had the heavy weight of self-imposed pressure on my shoulders to not let my team down. This was my first relay; four other people were counting on me to not sleep through my alarm (which thankfully I've never done before), be ready for Lindsay for the hand-off, and finish my leg of the race - the last leg of the race - without collapsing on the side of the course. 

Lisa flying into the chute, ready to hand off to Laura

Laura on the 2nd - and most scenic - leg around Sloan's Lake

Lindsay out on Colfax, heading my way

I warmed up three times while I waited at Mile High Stadium for Lindsay to pass me the baton. I stressed over when to eat the Picky Bar I had in my pocket, how much water to drink, if there was going to be toilet paper left in the port-a-potty on my last visit (there almost wasn't), and when to use my inhaler without knowing exactly when I'd start running. I decided to go out conservatively and take my time then kick it up a notch in the second half if I was feeling good. I also tried to focus on the fun atmosphere, the beautiful day, my awesome teammates, and the fact that we were in it to have fun, not to win the race. 

After nearly 3 hours they called our number and I popped out to the front of the line to see Lindsay coming down the hill - the only relay runner coming through. I cheered her in and took the baton. It was my turn.

Most of the next 6.2 miles were familiar territory for me with the exception being the start. The last leg, like the first, runs through Mile High Stadium, right along the edge of the field. Even though I'm pretty indifferent to the team, it was pretty cool to run through the stadium where the Denver Bronco's play.

I was feeling pretty good as I got going and waited till we crossed over the Platte River to glance at my watch. 8:30-ish pace?! Oh heck no! From that point on my pace varied wildly as I consciously tried to keep it real but kept catching myself speeding up and needing to pull back. It was a roller coaster but one that didn't come completely off the tracks. 

We ran along the Platte River, Cherry Creek, through downtown, and down a long stretch of 17th Street back to City Park where it all began. The police presence along the course managing traffic was pretty incredible. I tried to thank as many as I could along the way because I certainly would not want their job!

The finish line seemed a lot farther than I expected once we made it into the park, but as I got closer and it came into view I spotted my teammates along the side cheering, giving me that extra push I needed. Better yet, they joined me on the course and we kicked our way to the finish line. Together.

Yep. It was pretty awesome.

Finish Line Selfie 

Celebrating at the post-race festival

I finished my leg with an overall pace of 9:09 - which is far beyond what I was expecting. Our team finished in 3:57:26, an 8:54 pace and #235 of 1074 relay teams. We rocked it.

Big props go out to Laura, who organized the team and raced at 23 weeks pregnant, and Lisa, who ran Boston last month! Lindsay and Kacey are also running the streets of Boulder Memorial Day. Thank you for being such a fun and strong group of women to run with!

In the end, I didn't need to stress nearly as much as I did so this week I'm going to take it easy on the training, try to get a little extra sleep each night, eat well, and get to the start line Monday morning feeling great. I certainly look forward to my next relay with Oiselle!

If you've run a relay race, what was your favorite part of the experience and what advice would you give to newbies? * What races do you have on tap for this spring/summer?

Spectating the Cross Country Championships with Oiselle

This past Saturday (Feb. 7), Boulder hosted the USATF Cross Country Championships at Flatirons Golf Course. The meet featured races on the high school, junior, masters, and open levels - with the top 6 finishers in the men's and women's open division making Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in China at the end of March.

Never having been to a cross country meet myself, once I heard Oiselle was fielding a team and none other than Sally Bergesen (Momma Bird herself), Kristin Metcalf (our team director), Lauren Fleshman (5k speedster, coach, Picky Bar co-founder, author, etc, etc) and other amazing birds were going to be in Boulder for it, I had to be there. 

One of our local teammates, Bret, did an awesome job organizing the day - from a group run starting at the Bobolink Trailhead ending at the golf course, to lunch at Fate Brewing after the races. As we were running along the south end of the golf course we happened to meet up with Sally, who was out for a quick run herself! We all cheered her name as she jumped right into the mix and joined us. If you were there and saw a great looking group of women running into the golf course - not wearing racing kits - that was us. 

We quickly found Kristin and a few other teammates, including a few of the ones racing. Oiselle fielded a 5 woman team including: Christine Babcock and Collier Lawrence (both with Little Wing), Arlene Espinoza, Drea McLarty, and Liz Anjos.

Pre-Race smiles: Kristin and two of my Colorado faves - Laura and Bret

Thinking we'd run about 3 miles for our "short run," I had done 4 miles earlier in the morning. I did not realize however, that we'd be sprinting from point to point along the 2K looped course to catch our teammates at different points along the 8K race. (This is purely a result of me not thinking about how it would play out. I should have known!) By the end of the day I had a solid 7 miles of running plus a good sprint workout under my belt! A good reminder that even spectating can be tough work! But entirely fun, too.

Just after the start of the Women's Open 8K

I should mention quickly that while snow has fallen around here, we've had a fairly mild start to 2015 and Saturday was our warmest day yet. Talking 70 degrees. I can't imagine many of the runners were prepared to race in that kind of heat, but watching the women and men speed around the course was nothing short of awe inspiring. Beyond Christine Babcock securing a spot for the Pan American Games with her 13th place finish, the next most inspiring finish for me was Jen Rhines, 3x Olympian, made the USA Cross Country team for the 7th time at age 40. Talk about awesome! 

For the open division, the women did 4 laps for 8K while the men finished 6 laps for 12K. Cheering crowds dashed around the course to cheer for the runners at multiple points along the way. And of course a great crowd gathered at the finish line. As it was my first cross country meet I have no reference point, but it seemed to me like the turnout was pretty great and Boulder was an excellent host.

That's Lauren Fleshman coaching Christine Babcock

Kristin and the Colorado Birds cheering for Collier Lawrence

After the men's race we headed off to Fate Brewing for a team lunch. We had definitely worked up a good appetite! All in all, it was a fantastic day and I'm so glad to be part of the awesome team here in Colorado and able to cheer on our teammates!

photo credit: Greg Metcalf

I encourage you to also check out Kristin's post on Oiselle's blog, HERE.

Have you - or would you like to - run cross country? 
(I apologize to everyone in the midwest and on the east coast who's been dealing with lots of cold and snow this winter. Wish I could share the warmth with you!)

Running Against the Wind at the Boulder Reservoir

I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to sharing it until now. 

Over Martin Luther King, Jr weekend, Woody and I both had a three day weekend. On Monday we wanted to head up into the mountains for a snowshoeing trek, but when the temperature took a nose dive with high wind gusts up there and it was going to be the 50's in Denver, we changed our plans last minute and decided on an hour long warm but windy run around the Boulder Reservoir instead of a 3 hour plus cold and windy snowshoe trek in the mountains. 

We watched the weather reports before leaving home - there were occasional high wind gusts in Boulder, but the temperature was already in the mid-40's. It was our first time running around the reservoir so we did a little google searching and saw there'd be no protection from weather. Even knowing this, we figured it would be a close to home adventure; a chance to run on a different trail, and we could deal with some wind gusts.

The truth is, it wasn't so much gusts, but rather a consistent onslaught of really strong wind. For about five and a half miles. Even around 50 degrees, it didn't feel that warm and the wind howled across the open space and hit my ears like a freight train. The first uphill was a test of will, a woman jogging down with her dog looked at us and said "good strength training today!" That was exactly it. Strength training.

Perhaps due to our unfamiliarity with this particular trail we had a bit of trouble navigating it as there were very few directional signs past the trailhead and some parts of the trail seemed to be closed for wildlife nesting. After getting pushed out onto a dirt road from the trail and stopping for a few minutes to look at the map on my phone, we finally saw other runners coming down the road and decided we were probably in the right place. 

When not battling the wind, which actually reached comical levels a few times, we did enjoy the beautiful view of the mountains. The loop we took was just around 5.5 miles. Based on where we started, we traveled along some trail, some dirt road, some paved road, and finished off back on the trail. While it wasn't really the trail we had envisioned running and the wind was a formidable opponent, it turned out to be a great workout - physically and mentally. Another benefit: it can get pretty windy around here in general, so this was good practice in case it's really windy on a race day! And the change of scenery was much needed.

Even with the wind we saw a handful of other runners and some people out for a nice Sunday morning walk with their dogs and kids. It is not a stretch to say that I was surprised the kids and dogs didn't get blown over!

We had parked at Tom Watson Park which is across a road from Coot Lake (which I'd actually characterize as a pond), adjacent to the Boulder Reservoir. When we got back to the parking lot we found many more cars than when we had left. Turns out it's a popular meeting place for cyclists and cross country teams. Which isn't a surprise as there are endless roads, hills, and beautiful views to enjoy!

If You Go:

- Wear sunscreen (it's an absolute must without any shade - plus, we're in Colorado!)

- A generally good idea when heading out on a trail or driving somewhere to run: throw a few layers in the car so you can dress appropriately once you arrive and know the conditions.

- Park at either Tom Watson Park off 63rd Street or at the Boulder Reservoir Park off 51st Street (restrooms are available at both; looked like there's a fee to park at BRP though)

- When you're done, you're not far from the Celestial Seasonings factory and store - where you can stock up on Fast Lane to get you going before your morning workouts!

- For a great post-run brunch, head to Foolish Craig's on Pearl Street downtown. Good food and a great alternative to the perpetually long line outside Snooze.

What kind of weather do you love running in the most? * Have you gone on any running adventures lately?

A New Beginning with the Team

I had comfortably settled into my 30th year of life when it finally happened. While I had dreamed about it in my younger years, long before this I had made peace with the fact that it likely wouldn't happen and was just fine with it. The closest similar experience for me was my four years of marching band in college, but while an incredible experience I knew it wasn't quite the same (although some, including myself if I wanted to, could argue against this). 

Then, one magical summer day in Seattle, it all changed. During a tour of headquarters* - when it was one small-ish room and the shipping warehouse was another room down the hall - an opportunity arose and I jumped for it. This was probably one of the few times when I didn't have to think about the pro's and con's. I knew I wanted it and went for it. Less than a month later I was officially on the team. Oiselle Team.

For me, being part of the team is much more than wearing my singlet at races or adding the #flystyle hashtag to social media posts. I've had the opportunity to meet incredible, strong women from around the globe who bring to the team, and to running, their unique stories, goals, and personalities. Beyond this, I've made new friends and have received encouragement through tough times and loud resounding cheers in good. Being part of the team has given me another reason to test my limits and strive for things bigger and better.

Yet over the several years I've been part of it, I've felt like there was a bit of a void. That in-person connection with other birds wasn't as strong as I'd wished it would be. And for this I will definitely take some responsibility for because all it really takes is initiative (and time). 

With the addition of The Flock in 2014, our Colorado team has grown a lot but we hadn't done much to bring everyone together. Wanting to connect the local (as in all of Colorado) team, I hosted a "post-holidays holiday party (and cookie exchange)" at my house on Saturday. While a number of birds couldn't make it, the nine of us who got together had a great time!

Meeting these women (only two of whom I knew IRL before Saturday), talking about our running - and non-running - lives, sharing our goals, and plotting our plans for group runs and races added a shot of inspiration and excitement to the new year for me.

 

I'm excited for this new year and the new opportunities to connect with the team. Getting advice on things - or empathy - from my teammates will be an especially huge help as I work with my other team towards our goal of 2,015 miles this year (I'm 22 miles in)! Saturday alone I learned about races I hadn't heard of before and we bonded over our differing levels of anxiety about running on ice (which is currently unavoidable around Denver).

Wondering what made our list of individual goals? 

Stay consistent & believe in me! * Run my first 10 mile race and stay healthy * Organize Every Mother Counts events in Denver, raise more $$$ for EMC, & stretch more * Marathon PR, have fun & stay healthy * Run sub 4:00 marathon, 50M ultra & explore Colorado! * Stay injury free, marathon I feel proud of, more group runs * stay healthy and run sub-3:20 at Boston!

And, we ate cookies, really delicious cookies. Needless to say, Woody was not unhappy about all the cookies in our house after the party. And he deserves them because he was a huge help in getting ready for it!

Looking ahead I currently have two races I'm planning on: Cherry Creek Sneak 5 Miler (April 26) and the BolderBOULDER 10K (May 25). Plus, we're talking about organizing a few Colfax Relay Oiselle Teams!

Have you started picking your races for 2015? Have you already run a race this year?

*Please excuse the small photos and text. I've learned a lot about blogging since I wrote this post!

Checking in With NYC Marathoner Grace Kim

The first Sunday of November is one of my favorite days of the year; it’s the day more than 50,000 people take to the streets after months (and sometimes years) of hard work, dedication, and dreaming, to run 26.2 miles through the most amazing city on earth. My first experience with the NYC Marathon was my first fall living in New York. I could tell it was going to be a big deal but didn’t totally understand until I walked two blocks from my apartment on the Upper East Side to 1st Ave and found the sidewalks crushed with people drinking and cheering for the runners passing by. It’s impossible to look at those runners and not see the emotion and sheer will pushing them forward each step to the finish line in Central Park. Finishing the NYC Marathon in 2009 will always be one of the things I’m most proud of.

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Many of my Oiselle teammates will be running on Sunday, including – get ready for this – Gabrielle Amara, Susan Empey, Paulette Ference, Dori Gray, Catherine Haggarty, Jessica Holt, Lisa Janssen, Farron McIntee, Prianka Nandy, and the one and only Kara Goucher! Check out this post on Oiselle’s blog about all the birds racing!

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Sunday morning I’ll be tracking my good friend, Grace (bib #: 51842), who is a constant source of inspiration and support for me. You’ve seen her on this blog more than a few times over the years, but did you know that the woman behind Lean Girls Club was chosen by Asics to run the TCS New York City Marathon as part of their Editors Challenge? They made an excellent choice! I was lucky enough to run six miles in Central Park with Grace when we were out in New York and she recently took time to answer some questions for me about running, training for her third NYC Marathon, and advice for first-timers.

Lisa: How long have you been running? Why do you run? Grace: I've been running for about eight years. I never thought I would "be" a runner, and according to doctors I'm not built for running. But I love it and do it anyway. I love running because it's changed my life and given me new life. I've lost a lot of weight through running, made new friends through running (the run community is like no other), and have even traveled to new places because of running. Running is my ME time - it's the time I get to invest back in myself when the other 23 hours of the day are spent doing things for other people.

Why are you running NYCM this year - for the third time? It's my hometown race. I love that MY city and MY people come out and celebrate runners. It's an amazing race which NYRR and the City do an amazing job of hosting. The energy in the city is explosive and I like being a part of it, whether running or volunteering.

You're running for Asics; can you tell us a bit about this? I am so honored to be a part of the Asics blogger team. Asics, who is a sponsor of the NYCM, invited me and five other runners to run with their blogger team. They've been incredibly supportive by giving me this opportunity to run the race by not only providing amazing gear but also giving us access to Coach Andrew Kastor. This is the closest to the pro-team I will ever get! It's amazing to me that less than 10 years ago I couldn't run a mile, and now I'm running with Asics. I told you running has changed my life!

What are your goals for Sunday? My goal is to run my best race, not cry at any point (I seem to cry at every marathon), and come out injury free. Oh, and to have fun!

Tell us about your training a bit, when did you start? I'd been running 10-13 miles on the weekends this summer and really ramped up my training in August.

What has your weekly training schedule been like? T/R – tempo runs, W/F - speed work, Saturday - fun run, Sunday - long run, M - rest (distance and intensity varies each week).

Photo Credit: Lean Girls Club

What was your longest run preparing for this marathon? 22 miles…in the rain.

What has gone well and what have you had to focus on? Recovery each week has gone really well. On the flip side, I've had to focus on being adaptable in harsh conditions. I ran more times in the cold and rain this training period, which wasn't ideal, but because I made myself focus on those runs in particular I feel extremely prepared.

How do you prepare for long runs and how do you recover? I truly believe a good low-key Saturday, sleep, good fuel, and an ice bath + foam rolling really helped me recover quickly. A beer during the ice bath helped too ;)

What type of cross training do you do? Spin, yoga, light weights. I have to admit that I'd like to (need to) do more in the future.

How do you stay motivated? Following other runners on Instagram motivates me. I see how much fun insta-runners are having, how many miles they're running, what they're struggling with, and it makes me want to get out there. Again, the run community is so amazing and so supportive!

Do you have any pre-race rituals that you'll follow Saturday & Sunday morning? Saturday - spaghetti bolognese + lay out my clothes + foam roll. Sunday - foam roll + cinnamon raisin bagel + banana + a quick prayer cuz I need it!

Do you have any mantras to help you through? "Pain is temporary, pride is forever." "Change and reward are on the other side of discomfort." "My heart may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart… - Psalm 73:26"

What advice would you give to someone running the New York City Marathon for the first time? Have fun. Trust the process and the work you've put in. Run strong. Blast Empire State of Mind.

How will you celebrate? I'll be attending the Lululemon Post--Marathon After Party and then I'll have a big glass (or two) of champagne with my Asics Teammates.

 

Photo Credit: Lean Girls Club

Is there anything else you want to share? There are too many people in this world who will tell you that you can't do something, don't let yourself be one of them. Dream big!

Before she lines up at Fort Wadsworth, you can find Grace with Asics at the Marathon Expo on Thursday at 10am EST, a #TeamAsics Tweetup Saturday at 9am at the NYC Public Library (5th and 42nd St) and the Marathon Lounge at 10am EST.

What characteristics mentioned in the Asics “We Are Marathoners” infographic do you associate with? * What is the best spectator sign you’ve seen along a race course? * Who will you be cheering for on Sunday?

Check out Lean Girls Club, and follow Grace on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

Race Report: Louisville Trail 10K

I hope this race report will serve as a cautionary tale for at least a few people, as I’d like some good to come from my poor performance.

This past weekend Woody and I ran the Louisville Trail 10k, about 25 miles from Denver – an easy drive at 6:30 on a Sunday morning. It was our first time running this particular race, and our first time running any race with the word “trail” associated with it. To be clear, this wasn’t a highly technical trail race like many are in Colorado, the trail – part of the vast trail system in the area – was packed gravel and even some paved sections.

We found parking nearby, picked up our bibs, and went for a short warm-up run along the first part of the trail. It was cool, breezy and a bit gloomy. Woody is still relatively new to racing and he was nervous about doing a 10K (our last one was BolderBoulder and while we’ve both run longer distances since, our race efforts have all been 5k’s). As always, I advised him to be conservative at the start – don’t go out too fast; it’s much better to have negative splits than go out too fast. Famous last words.

There were a total of 614 runners across a half marathon, 10K and 5K. So it was a small race compared to what I’m used to, but about the size of the 5k we ran last month. While I thought I could only run big races, I really don’t mind being able to line up at the start with just a few minutes before the start!

^{Gotta love a race with chocolate milk at the finish!}

There was a count down and we were off – 15 minutes behind the half marathoners who went west out of the start; we went east. Much of the trail was pretty narrow, so I had to adjust to the crowd pretty quickly, but like all races the crowd thinned out pretty quickly. I knew I was putting in some good effort from the start but it wasn’t until just before we hit a big, long hill that I realized I had gone out way too fast. Not good. I tried to slow down but my legs weren’t adjusting. Down the big hill, turn around, up the big hill again. Still too fast. I wanted to slow down but I also didn’t want to lose ground on the two people who had been right ahead of me since the start.

Woody is much faster than I am, so when I saw him not far from the turnaround, I knew I was in trouble. The packed gravel turned out to be a bit more formidable than the packed dirt trails I run in the parks around our house – it’s a bit more loose – so thank goodness this wasn’t a more serious trail. The race consisted of essentially two out and backs – the second with a loop – with the start/finish in the middle. Aside from the start the course was void of spectators, but there was great support from volunteers at the water stops and a few crucial trail intersections to keep us on the right track.

Nearing mile 4 the fatigue was starting to set in, the consequence of going out too fast. I finally started to slow down out of necessity. My legs were heavy, my stomach was aching, but I was only running 6.2 miles. I finished 9 a few weeks ago, there was no question about whether or not I could run the distance. I just hadn’t taken my own advice and went out way too fast. Pure stupidity. With a slight, but long and gradual hill ahead, all I could think about were my friends running the Chicago Marathon who had 20 more miles to run than I did, there was no way I would give in.

I gave one final kick to get into the finish, was handed my medal (yes, this series gives finishers medals to everyone), chip clipped I went to find Woody, who had finished almost exactly 9 minutes before I did. This was not my finest race, so I’m very thankful that at least the view of the mountains was pretty spectacular.

My chip time was 55:25, an 8:56 pace. While it’s slightly better than my BolderBoulder finish, I’m certain that if I had gone out a little bit slower, I would have had a better finish. Sounds strange, right? Slow down to finish faster, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have had to push myself quite as hard those last few miles if I had just taken it down a little.

With all that aside, it was a great race with a variety of food and drink at the end. We agreed that we’d like to do it next year. And maybe a few of the others in the Endurance Race Series.

Our next, and likely last, race of the year will be the Mile High Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, right in our neighborhood!

Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend! There were a lot of people crossing finish lines around the country!

Woody and I are handing out treats on Halloween for the first time! What should we give out?