I’m in love with a French bird…
I don’t usually shout from the rooftops about things I love. Yes, I love running (most days). I’m happy to talk about it all day which probably annoys my coworkers more than they’ll let me know. However, right now you’ll have to put up with me professing my love for the Seattle women’s running apparel company Oiselle.
I have been a fan of their clothes since I saw (and was subsequently gifted) the Start Line Tee:
Source: oiselle.com
I had just run a 50k and was proud that I could claim that bottom line. I still don’t have a 5k or 8k finish, but I digress…
Last year a local store, Distance Runwear, started carrying their line. I was ecstatic! Not having to drive to the States to get my fix was great. Since their clothes are investments for me I’m sure Dave, the owner, was sick of me coming in all the time and perusing. However, since my Christmas/birthday/just because wish lists are basically “Oiselle” or “money for Oiselle” he sees us often enough. 🙂
I have slowly been building my wardrobe (I won a gift certificate from them on Twitter last summer). Last weekend I hit the jackpot!
Let me set the stage:
Two weeks ago Oiselle announced that they were having a sample sale. If you’ve never been to one the gist is cheap stuff! Of course, my problem was distance. About 200km. So I brought up the idea with Colin. And was roundly turned down. We were already planning to drive down to pick up my (exchanged) Nuun visor – my love for them is a whole nother different post entirely – but only as far as Costco in Burlington. So I moped and pouted about the Oiselle sale. And told Colin that so many people I knew from Ragnar would probably be going. And pleaded to go. Eventually he caved. Yes, because he’s awesome and loves me, but I’m pretty sure it was mostly so he wouldn’t have to hear me talk about it anymore!
Saturday morning we did what we needed to do in Blaine and then made a bee-line to Green Lake. A note to you locals, how do you stand the parking situation there?!? It took us 15 minutes to find a freakin’ spot! Anyways, we found the place and waded in. Well, I did. Colin found a few things for me, but by the time I went to try stuff on he and Spud had found their way to a couch. If everything had fit and I had an unlimited budget I would have happily purchased it all! There were a few things I was hoping for, but didn’t find (Motor Tee, L/S Stripey, bras). That said, I’m certainly not disappointed by what I got! I also got to meet Sarah from Oiselle (that’s her in the top picture) and Sarah from the Oiselle team; it’s always nice to meet the people you converse with online…
Transformer Vehicle aka How Spud Kept Busy for an hour and a half
The Goods:
Fair warning: if you don’t like or care about pictures and descriptions please skip the following…
1. Injinji No-Show socks x 2: $2/pair. Colin found these for me. Injinjis are my favourite and only running socks, but I was apprehensive because of the height. The last time I got no-shows they kept ending up under my heel. For $2 I’m kicking myself that I didn’t buy all of them!
Source: rei.com
Source: rei.com
2. Onward Tee: $10. Love the colour and design!
Source: oiselle.com
3. Tall Track Tee: $10. Spud’s favourite because it’s orange.
Source: oiselle.com
4. Stripey Short Sleeve: $10. Super cute running shirt. It even has a pocket I can hide my iPod in.
Wore this on my last treadmill tempo!
5. Heathered Tech Top: $10. Another for running and will match my new Mizunos.
Source: oiselle.com
6. Aero Tank: $10. Pretty sure this will be a go-to summer run top – and has the iPod pocket too.
Source: oiselle.com
7. Rogas Galore!! 2 x regular and 1 x long (my second pair – lived in them last summer): $30 total. I think I found the last three size medium Rogas. And for that price I can get over my lack of love for the backs of my thighs.
Source: oiselle.com
My shorts are really where I notice that I got them from a sample sale. The Long Roga is actually the pair I’m wearing in the Stripey tee picture above. I haven’t been able to find a picture of them with that light blue on the waist so I’m thinking they were an experiment. Also between the two regular length Rogas the pink is quite a bit shorter than the blue. They have been deemed (by me) my inside shorts as there’s a little too much underbutt going on…
8. Onyx Jacket: $25. Chose this over the Bum Wrap (same price). It’s like the arm warmers, thumbies and all, only a whole garment. This will get a lot of wear!
9. Green Lake Hoody: FREE!!! High quality control standards meant I got to take one of these with me as I left. I can see the stitching issue (barely), but am certainly okay living with it!
Sleepy selfie; don’t mind the pj pants and cans to take back…
Thank you Oiselle for cleaning out your closet, so to speak. I am so happy with my purchases. I have no problem writing a completely unsolicited post singing your praises. You’re an amazing company (run by some pretty awesome people) and I’m more than happy and willing to support you.
Now if I can only convince you to add a Canadian team member.
Seriously.
All I need is a singlet and a bio and I’ll be a happy girl…
Fabulous Friday
Despite finding out that I wouldn’t be running with these ladies in August, this week has turned out to be a decidedly glass-half-full kind of week.
1. I get to run Ragnar NW Passage in July. And when I said with Nuun, I meant with Nuun – it’s their corporate team. I’d be silly to turn down this opportunity and I’ve already been stalking the legs trying to decide which one I want!
2. I won a twitter contest! A really good one – as in, $126.20 from Oiselle. These are what I’m thinking of getting:
Arm warmers – probably in black since that matches most of what I wear. Not exciting, but I’m not too much of a pink-loving girl and the orange ones won’t go with diddly in my running wardrobe…
Long Roga short, Stride short, or Bum Wrap – do I want to hide my thighs, suck in my bum and thighs, or hide my bum? I’m leaning towards the Roga simply because they look like they’d transfer to regular wear more easily. Yes, I do wear my running clothes as everyday clothes! And, admit it, so do you!
Runbow Tee:
Thoughts or reviews on any of these? I love the Green Lake Hoodie (and it’s on sale), but it would still use up a good chunk of the amount. Seriously, this is like being a kid in a candy store – I want one of each!!!
3. I booked my follow up appointment for my heart-rate training for June. I was originally going to re-test in July, but they offered me a substantial discount for booking in April. This way I’ll have my new numbers pretty much right at the start of fall marathon training. It meant giving up my Brooks Pure Cadence for now, but this is better for my training at this point. I know I haven’t gotten a lot faster (been slacking on the once a week zone 3 work) however, I feel like I am getting much better at staying in zone 1. Since I’ve been doing most, if not all, of my runs on a treadmill I know I’ve increased my speed for zone 1.
4. My marathon is next Sunday (6 May). I might feel woefully underprepared in terms of breaking 5 hours and getting a PR, but I know I will finish it. I’m excited to get my shirt (will be women’s specific) and medal because they’re really nice!
.jpg "BMO Vancouver Shirt")
5. I got to go swimming with Spud yesterday. Yes, we hang out almost all day everyday, but this was part of school so he got to play with his friends. I am totally counting this as cross-training! Since there were more kids than parents/supervisors I had an extra child to look after. Turned out that their favourite activity was having me hold them as I navigated our way through the lazy river. Of course, I had to make sure the current didn’t run us into the walls so I got a decent lower body workout while holding 40lbs under each arm! Win-win for everyone!
What made your glass half-full this week? Any good news?
Love My Runners 
