Birds of a Feather
The word's out- I am a member of the Oiselle Volée Team! Oiselle (pronounced wa-zelle) is a women’s running apparel company based in Seattle, WA and their Volée team is comprised of 250 competitive and recreational runners from all over the US.While I'm new to the team, I've been a bird nerd (ha) for quite some time. I first came across Oiselle apparel at Portland Running Company in 2009, just two years after the company launched. I was blown away by their use of color, design, and silhouette to create a look that was both athletic and chic. Oiselle apparel quickly became a staple in my running wardrobe.I developed a more personal connection to the brand after getting to meet Sally Bergesen, Oiselle's founder and CEO, along with a few other team members + friends during a visit to Seattle a few years ago. I joined them for an eight mile run at the crack of dawn, followed by a live NYC Marathon viewing party right in Sally's living room. First of all, it was such a treat to meet Sally. She is an incredibly smart, kind, and down-to-earth person. Second of all, it was so cool to meet other women who found running for an hour, followed by watching OTHER people run for several hours, to be fun. I've also had the honor of meeting Kristin Metcalf, the fabulous Oiselle team manager, at several track and xc meets, and most recently the Eugene Marathon. I can tell you she is always the most supportive and enthusiastic cheerer out there.It's been really exciting to see how the company has continued to develop in the past several years. Along with bringing 2x National Champion Lauren Fleshman and Olympian Kara Goucher on board in recent years, Oiselle has made a huge effort to bring more attention and fandom to the sport in a way that's accessible. They've been fervent about keeping fans updated on important national and world class events via their blog and social media, and openly show support and give attention to athletes all over the spectrum. They've also made waves in the world of American road racing and track & field by being vocal about issues within the sport and the way it is governed. Runner's World wrote a fantastic article on Oiselle that includes more on this.What I love most about Oiselle, aside from their amazing clothing, is their passion for the sport of running and the community around it. Their message has always been to lift up and empower all athletes, regardless of brand affiliation or gender; whether they're elites or weekend warriors. That's something I can stand behind. I'm so proud to represent Oiselle!