Reflecting on the Year of the Underbird
This past August, we launched our Year of the Underbird program: an open application for aspiring Olympic Trials marathoners, with a promise to select 5 women for a 6 month contract encompassing a stipend, gear, storytelling, and community support. As we reach the end of our flight with our selected athletes, we invited each of them to share a few reflections on their past 6 months as teammates.
Black History Month: Celebrating Our Athletes
We are honored to support five exceptional Black women athletes challenging norms in the running industry: athletes, advocates, and powerful voices in the sport. We invited each of them to reflect on their journeys through sport: how their identity has affected their development, and how they hope to impact the rising generation of athletes. Hear from Madie Boreman, Kendra Coleman, Brenna Detra, Carmen Pelar Graves, and Ari Hendrix-Roach.
Learn, Grow, Pass It On: Increasing Access to Adaptive Sports
Paralympian, pushrim athlete, and Oiselle Haute Volée, Jenna Fesemyer, continues to pave the way and inspire the next generation of wheelchair athletes. She is committed to increasing access to adaptive sports, including access to equipment and training resources, and recently co-hosted a wheelchair clinic for young athletes in Columbus, Ohio.
Bri Boehmer: If Not Now, When?
Briana Boehmer is challenging societal timelines by attempting an OTQ at the California International Marathon at age 42, showcasing the resilience to pursue dreams beyond conventional expectations. Her story defies age-based limitations, emphasizing the timeless pursuit of personal goals.
Reflections of a Rookie: My First Year as a Professional Runner
Moving away from the structure of collegiate running into the wide world of professional track and field, Madie Boreman has emerged as a woman to watch as we head into the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before launching into the rigor and excitement of the year ahead, she spent some time reflecting on her first year as a pro, and the challenges that reinforced her unwavering belief that her best is yet to come!
Melissa Tanaka's Guide to Running in College
Melissa Tanaka, Oiselle athlete, reflects on her journey from uncertain beginnings to success. She shares her experience of joining the University of Pennsylvania's track team by chance and eventually thriving, despite initial injuries. Melissa's resilience, support from teammates, and self-compassion helped her achieve remarkable victories at Stanford. She emphasizes the importance of cherishing friendships, self-appreciation, embracing both strengths and weaknesses, and staying open to life's surprises. Melissa's story inspires us all to celebrate personal victories and look forward to what the future holds, on and off the track.
An Introduction to the Paralympics and Wheelchair Racing
Paralympian Jenna Fesemeyer shares background on the Paralympics and her sport, wheelchair racing. Learn more about how she found the sport, who can compete at the Paralympics, selection criteria for Paris 2024 and more.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST?
Haute Volée 1500m specialist Angel Piccirillo, consistently frustrated with her race performance, asked for help. With the help of her sports psychologist, she learned to change her beliefs about herself - including that she had a "bad kick." Explore here if sports psychology could help your own athletic performance.
THERESA HAILEY: RACING WITH JOY
Theresa Hailey, aka @runninggingerly, has achieved legend-status in Oiselle circles for her persistent positivity. After an amazing build-up to Boston last year, she had a less-than stellar race, but jogged back to the Oiselle cowbell corner and cheered her face off for the rest of the team for several hours. Her Marathon Olympic Trials race took her to a new level. She was ranked 375th heading into the race, PR'd by 1:26 and finished 77th in 2:42:49, smiling, pumping her arms, and making heart symbols every time she ran through cowbell corner. After the fashion show that night (where she busted some epic dance moves), I asked her for her secret.
Oiselle OTQ Racers by the Numbers
This is it! The U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials are officially around the corner. Whether you cheer with us in Atlanta or in your hometown, we're beyond proud of all our qualifiers. Get to know a little about each woman here, and enjoy below some fun stats and numbers on all our racers as a group.
Oiselle OTQ Marathoners: Countdown to Atlanta
Every woman is different. And her shorts? Same. Without further ado, we’d like you to meet the rising stars in our 2020 shorts constellation.
Allie Kieffer: Thriving in Austin
Last week, Lesko and I jumped on the phone with Allie Kieffer (who’s now living and training in Austin, Texas), to get her lay of the land for the upcoming Olympic Trials.