Sometimes you just feel like going for a run and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you wear a timing device. Sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you’re incredibly focused, fit and hungry for a PR. Sometimes you’re down in the dumps and have to be coaxed or dragged out by your friends, even if you’re being a grumpy pants. Ahhh, running. Running is just so personal, beautiful, tough and complicated for us all. Some of us are born running. We love it from the start and never let it go. Some of us find it later in life and enjoy it just the same. No matter your path to running or if you’ve yet to come around, just remember it’s here when you’re ready...or not. But if you do decide to give it a go, never forget that *your* pace is the best pace. Don’t believe me? Check out what our O employees had to say about their relationship to running. Happy reading.
Hannah Calvert, Marketing Coordinator: Running pace is 7:30-8:00 min/mile
Hannah's workout of choice is a long tempo grind and when it comes to racing she will only, I repeat ONLY, sign up for fast and flat. Hence, she'll be taking on Twin Cities Marathon in October. Hannah did try out one hilly 11 mile trail race in the Spring and wanted to quit from mile four on... but it was a loop trail so sadly there was no other option but to finish and complain about it the entire following week.
Rebecca Nelson. Community Manager + Flagship Team: Running Pace is 9:30-10:30 min/mile
Rebecca is currently pretty frustrated with her running. After a successful return to the sport in 2015-16 (24 min 5K! 48 min 10K! 1:54 Half! Plus 23 miles in two days at Ragnar NWP!) she hasn't PR'd in anything since. And in 2018 her running came to a complete halt due to a still un-figured-out issue with *both* of her knees. But luckily she's got a lot of friends at the Nest who are also injured and she has joined the run/walk train. Furthermore, she's joined the local gym and is excited to attain whatever level of "swole" she can manage in the weeks and months to come.
Stephanie Eli, Flagship Assistant Manager: Running Pace is 10:50 min/mile
Stephanie is a new runner. Standing at 5'11" with a broader build she’s always been an athlete who prefers team sports such as soccer, basketball, and ultimate frisbee. She never considered herself a runner as she prefers team sports (see example above). Running felt so personal and lonely and that scared her! She also didn’t feel like she fit into the physical “runners mold”. Once she stopped putting so much pressure on what a runner should look like, she really started to enjoy running. She never times her runs and just listens to her body to set the pace. Steph’s running her first half marathon in October!
Jenn Harowicz, Senior Graphic Designer: Running Pace is 9:30-10:00 min/mile
Jenn loves to run but doesn't always like to run. She's currently running 1-2 times a week with some much needed walk breaks mixed in. Jenn has two teenage boys and a hubby battling cancer so even though she knows how fun, liberating and therapeutic running is, she currently has a very hard time getting motivated and out the door, because well, Jenn is tired. When the motivation strikes, or her run bestie messages, she’s eager to get going but soon realizes how out of shape she is... but it’s ok and she’s learned not to compare her current fitness to the past. What Jenn misses most is that marathon start line, but is planning to run and train for a half this fall.
Brenda Alvarez, TNFC Leader and Flystylist: Running Pace 9:30-10:30 min mile
Brenda currently has a love hate relationship with running. She's a huge fan of run/walking, actually that’s the only way she gets out the door. She's also the most likely to get hurt because she's obsessed with signing up for races she'll never actually train for. Enthusiasm always gets the best of her. But to this day she has never ever regretted a run or a race. EVER. Her go to mantra when she’s struggling is "Just go out for 20 minutes. If you don’t feel better after 20 minutes just stop." Seven years later still works like a charm.
Sarah Lesko, Corporate Development: Running Pace is 8:30-9:30 min/mile
Lesko is a "super master" (aka over 50!) ex-speedster who has been PR'ing in injury over the last 5 years. A convert to HR training, she tries to keep her HR under 155 on easy runs, which often means taking walk breaks especially up hills. Her run pace these days is usually 8:30-9:30 pace, and although she can still muster those fast-twitch muscles, she probably shouldn't very often. She's hoping to keep trying new things every year, including more relays, trail races, and whatever her body will accept!
David Colburn, the Only Boy: Running Pace is 7:00-8:00 min/mile
David ran the 1600 and the 3200 in high school, but only placed at meets where it rained and everyone else dropped out. If you enjoy running fast in the rain, you're a true PNWer, right? He gave up running in his twenties because of terrible advice he got from every piece of garbage fitness media that suggested it would make him "too thin." When he recovered from a super fun back surgery in 2012, he didn't care about that anymore and returned to easy runs and fartleks 2-3 times a week, but never raced. And then he started working at Oiselle and got a runner crush on Lauren Fleshman and how could you not want to run a 5K and pretend to be as fast and fierce as Fleshy? His friends comment constantly on his cardio junkie habits, but he don't give a s***. Running and rowing are his drugs, and he plans vacations around races and regattas. He loves nagging people to sign up for a race and awful track workouts. Track Tuesday at two anyone?
Jess Barnard, Oiselle Associate Creative Director: Running Pace is 8:30-9:00 min/mile
Jess used to feel social pressure to join friends on runs when invited, but now she doesn’t really give a f***k. “No thank you.” Though, she will occasionally feel the urge to hop into your 400m repeats workout without running for a month or two, then be so sore, she won't run for another month or two. On stressful days, she enjoys her 2.8 mile loop around Green Lake at a “yog” pace (or a quick pace attempting to drop the dude who looked over his shoulder and tried to drop her). She's competitive.
Sally Bergesen, Oiselle Founder + CEO: Running Pace is 8:45 min/mile
Sally runs because it makes her more palatable to herself and everyone around her. She started as a 20-something smoker looking to quit, and fell deeply in love. Like all great relationships, though, that love hasn't been without its heartache, pain, and quarrels. 5Ks, track races, cross country, marathons, are what she's enjoyed most. Sally likes solo runs equal to runs with friends. And she's an effort-junky and will always dig workouts, and pushing her body to the limits. While her fastest days are behind her, she still loves being on team "faster as a master" with Dr. Lesko and Volée teammates and to "race because you can!"
Kami Beckendorf, Designer: Running Pace is 11:17 min/mile
Kami found running when she joined Oiselle. She gave it a go starting with Beth Baker's couch to 5k program which sparked her quest in exploring her relationship with the sport. So where is that love affair now? It's knowing what she loves about it, and not so much. Her discovered loves: a steady, consistent pace that gives her space to enjoy her surroundings and fun conversation while interspersing some high breathing intensity like a hill or a little speed punch here and there. It's running farther vs. faster. It's putting a goal out there and enjoying the training just as much as the race itself, and being so happy, proud and stoked to cross the finish line. As the love affair evolves, the best thing she's learned is that she gets to choose the dating terms for every given outing, and her legs follow the way! Right now, she and Atsuko are scoping the sites at a LSSHD (long-super-slow-happy distance) as they train for their first marathon.
Katie Gardner, E-Commerce Operations: Running Pace is 11:00 min/mile
Katie has the common relationship with running where she enjoys running, loves how she feels after going for a run, but struggles with the motivation to get out the door and run! She tries to trick herself into being motivated to run consistently by signing up for races she has no business running (like a 50k later this year), but it usually isn’t effective enough to motivate her to run consistently, so she shows up at races undertrained and unhappy with her decisions. She also struggles with the fact that she’ll never be as speedy as she was 10 years ago, when she was younger and had a better level of fitness. Thank goodness for running buddies at the Nest like Kami, Beth, Steph, and Atsuko to get her out the door at least a few days a week!
Beth McAlpine, Product Line + Inbound Logistics Manager: Running Pace is 11:00 min/mile
Beth loves running. Beth loves trails. Beth loves clothes - for herself and choosing them to look amazing on others. Beth's travel bag makes Mary Poppins' bag look like a pathetic joke. But Beth loves running. Super long trail runs at remote locations at a "let's enjoy the scenery" pace. She remembers each pizza and drink stop. Even if she may not finish in an official course time, she doesn't let it tarnish her experience and signs up to see more sights. She loves Flyte shorts, snug supportive running bras, wool, a bandana/scarf head piece and long socks.
Rachel Kristjanson, Flagship Assistant Manager: Running Pace: 0:00 min/mile.
Rachel hates running. In the past 4 years she has run two 5ks and hated them both. Even Sally the founder and CEO of Oiselle started a campaign (#TheRachelProject) to get her to run and Lauren Fleshman sat down with her and made her a custom training plan. But that didn’t work either. She still hates running. She just won't do it. She does however enjoy utilizing the multi-way stretch of Bird Hug Tights to lounge on the couch and eat an entire deep dish pizza without feeling restricted. Plus she will never turn down an excuse to wear her Flyout Shorts. Even if it’s just to look very “Sporty Spice” while taking her dog for a walk.
Steph Willet, Volée Team Manager: Running Pace is 9:00-10:00 min/mile
Steph is extremely susceptible to peer pressure. She’ll literally run anything she’s invited to. Lately, she’s been showing up to trail races. Arriving unprepared for whatever “vert” is and rarely carrying enough fuel, she generally tries to make the most out of it. Unless she’s grouchy because she’s bonked. Which is often. (See lack of fuel.)
Kristina Owsinski, Flagship Manager: Running Pace...unknown
Kristina is not a classic runner. [Ed. Note: more like classic pole-vaulter!] She dabbles in 1-3 miles max and doesn't know how or what a pace is. Too slow... not hard enough, too fast feels like a 200m sprint and then death. There really is no middle ground with this one. Most days Kristina would rather be in the weight room doing HIIT workouts and cardio like burpees...you would think running would be better. She hopes to push her limits and sign up for something longer than a 5k one day! For now it's intro miles and figuring out what this dang pace thing is all about!
Morgan Manuel, Junior Designer: Running Pace is 7:20-8:00 min/mile
Morgan is in a funk with running. One year out of being a collegiate athlete and months after her first marathon, she has just not been feeling like herself. As someone who usually has a very motivated attitude towards running and is always looking for the next workout or racing opportunity; not feeling 100% has been a big downer for her. Sometimes running isn't perfect, but she knows that continuing to try to get injury free and healthy will result in a long awaited and much desired fast race (and maybe even a PR, if we're lucky).
Tiffany Bradford, Staff Accountant: Running Pace...unknown
Tiffany has never been a runner. She’s never liked running. All her life she picked activities to avoid running. Then at 45 years old she started running. Her mom got really sick and she just needed something to get out of her head, so she started running. Eight months later she ran her first 5k in under 41:00 minutes (which she was really happy with) with her 9 year old son. Tiffany thinks she’s a bad runner. She’s inconsistent and sometimes forgets to stretch post run. She never follows a plan or times herself, but she keeps running because she always feels better when she’s done. Tiffany enjoys running just for her and never competes in the sport. She doubts she’ll ever run a marathon, but she’s learned to never say never.
Alisoune Lee:,Customer Service Team: Running Pace is 8:00-8:45 min/mile
Alisoune is a lover and a disliker of the sport of running. Currently training for a marathon in the dislike zone and it’s been difficult. Always looking for new run pals to pass the miles with and enjoys meeting new peeps through running. Hopefully, there will be an upswing and she will find her run love again soon!
Ally Roemer, Wholesale Account Coordinator: Running Pace...unknown
Ally runs in fits and starts and doesn't remember the last time she went for a run...last year? You can usually find her climbing, but running scares her. She needs help running a half that she already deferred once. Send help.
Kim Aubert, Customer Service Team: Running Pace is 8:00 min/mile
Kim cannot run. Kim cannot run because when she runs she gets hurt. And not in like a cool, hardcore athlete way. More in the fractures-her-ankle-running-a-mile-on-a-track kind of way. Or pinches a nerve after one week of following a training plan. She tries and tries again to learn to love running, but her body simply refuses. And aches. So Kim joined a gym. And rides her bike. And still aches.
Atsuko Tamura:,Oiselle President: Running Pace is 11:17 min/mile
Atsuko is a reformed swimming badass and delayed running convert. Her first marathon attempt ended in injury and NYC spectator status. Silver lining: she got to cheer on Kara Goucher in her NYC marathon debut (3rd place in 2:25:53). Atsuko has been lured back to the running life, and with her partner-in-crime (designer Kami) will tackle her first marathon this September. She likes to say she's "not good at running" but her smiling face when she's out there tackling the miles tells a different story.
