Oiselle Flight Friday~ Build The Sisterhood

Oiselle Flight Fridays!
**Ok, so it's actually Saturday... but you'll forgive me, right? I started this yesterday but just didn't have time to finish it!**



First, the basics:

Who is Oiselle?
From their website:
Oiselle is a Seattle-based women's athletic apparel company that believes in the transformative power of sport and its ability to inspire strength, courage, and sisterhood. We live and breathe the sport of running, and we live and breathe the art of apparel design. In both, we seek quality and innovation. And to know that everything we do supports women who want to move, run, and fly.

I'm a recent joinee to the flock, running for the Oiselle Volee Team. This is a team made up of runners from all over the country, from your Average Jill like me all the way up to Olympians like Kara Goucher. Oiselle (pronounced Wa-Zell) is an athletic apparel company specializing in women's running gear that is designed by and for women. This stuff is the real deal and the company is not only committed to providing the best gear on the market: they are all about growing a culture of strong women. My kind of company! In my new series Oiselle Flight Fridays, I'll be bringing you one of the seven Principles of Flight from the Oiselle Volee Flight Manual each Friday. I'll also be reviewing a piece of Oiselle gear with each of the seven principles.

Oiselle Flight Manual. 

This week, I bring you the First Principle of Flight: Build the Sisterhood. And, I'm reviewing the Cable Knit Arm Warmers.

Cable Knit Arm Warmers from Oiselle.

First, here's the excerpt straight from the Flight Manual:

Build the Sisterhood
We are only as strong as the bonds we build. We work hard to raise the bar in terms of how women support other women, fostering strength and leadership--not just through healthy competition, but in daily actions big and small.

So what does that mean to me? What I think of first is simply having a positive attitude about running with everyone you meet. When you have enthusiasm for something, it catches. I talk about running all the time to just about everyone, mostly about how much I love it. When people see how excited you are about running, or anything, they want to be part of it, too.

Growing the sisterhood is also about encouraging others. Highlight others' accomplishments before you talk about your own. Get together for runs, even if others aren't the same pace as you, and have a good time. I've been on both ends of the stick as a running budy- I've been the pace-setter, and I've definitely been the "dead weight." But being "dead weight" was only in my own mind! Never, ever has anyone ever said, "Man, Katie, I wish you would have stayed home!" And that's because I try to keep a positive attitude, and DON'T APOLOGIZE for being the pace that I'm at!!! I am what I am. In the end, people remember the good times you have and the great conversation that happens before, during, and after the run more than the pace that you ran.

Here's some easy ways, in a nutshell, that I believe will help encourage anyone in their running:

• Ask about the races they are training for and be genuine when you wish them good luck!
• Tell anyone and everyone that if they need a running buddy, you're game! 
• Highlight others' successes. HUGE!
• Invite others to come along with you on runs or to races, or to cheer for other runners.

Even if you're not a runner, I think you could apply any of those to just about anything you are enthusiastic about!

This Principle of Flight is one of the things that I really love about Oiselle. Yeah, they have a good number of elite sponsored runners in their flock, but they also open it up to regular people. And what I've found from following this company for several years now is that even the elite runners are very normal and down to earth, and sometimes the "regular people" are the one who inspire us the most! I just love that they are all about supporting EVERYONE! That's what Growing the Sisterhood is really all about! 

Me with three other awesome lady runners after this morning's Maroon and Gold Fun Run events!
Now here's a group of strong sisters who run! (And one dude photobombing in the background.)
Photo by Melissa K (in pink)-- Thanks Melissa!

Speaking of enthusiasm, I am very enthusiastic about these Cable Knit Arm Warmers from Oiselle! But first, a secret confession: this product is no longer available! It was a past-season style I bought earlier this summer on clearance. Keep reading, though, and I'll tell you what they ARE offering for arm warmers/running sleeves right now!

Cable Knit Running Sleeves from Oiselle.

Have you ever tried arm warmers or running sleeves? When I first saw people wearing them, I was like, "Why wouldn't you just wear a long sleeve shirt?" I didn't see the point. Alas, my friends, my eyes have been opened! 

I bought these arm warmers at the Expo before Governor's Cup back in June. I wanted to wear my Team Beef jersey but found out that it would be in the low 50's at the start of the race. For me, that's too cold to be sleeveless. But, I didn't want to have to hassle with pulling off a longsleeve shirt during the race! Solution: Arm Warmers! 

Cable Knit Running Sleeves from Oiselle.

These things are great! They were perfect for the chilly morning warm-up and I did wear them all through the race, even as it got warmer and I began to sweat profusely. And you know what? The sweat-wicking properties are beyond legit! Even as the temperature rose, I stayed comfortable. And they dry super fast, too, so that sticky sweat doesn't stay in the fabric and make you feel cold and wet. These babies are toasty when you want it and dry when you need it!

Cable Knit Running Sleeves from Oiselle.

I also love that they have thumb holes. Something about the thumb hole makes them extra comfy! My only complaint about these is that because they have the thumb hole, I can't see my watch. Maybe they need a little slit so one could access their watch or GPS easier? 

I've used them several more times on chilly morning runs and I know I'll use them a lot in the fall. Now, as I said, the Cable Knit arm warmers are no longer available, but you CAN snag a pair of the Herringbone Arm Warmers by clicking HERE. I love the orange color! BONUS: They're on sale!! Currently selling at $28 on the Oiselle website. Can't beat that. 

Herringbone Running Sleeves from Oiselle.
Photo credit: www.oiselle.com

That's a wrap for the first week of Oiselle Flight Fridays! I hope you enjoyed learning about Growing the Sisterhood and Cable Knit Running Sleeves! Next Friday I'll be back with the next Principle of Flight and another product review! I'll try to get it done and posted on Friday next time, too! Until then, happy running!

Here's a few questions to hopefully inspire some comments...

What does Grow the Sisterhood mean to you? How do you do it?

Have you ever tried running sleeves? What is your opinion of them?

Disclaimer: While I do run for the Oiselle Volee running team, I am not compensated in any way. Nor am I required or even asked to post about their company or their product. I just do it because I love them--what they do and what they have to offer. All opinions are my own.