Oiselle #birdcamp

Back in August I had one of the most wonderful experiences in Bend, OR at the Oiselle #birdcamp.  Shortly after I was invited to join the Oiselle Volee team in August 2013 there was talk about organizing a running camp for the Volee and Haute Volee members.  Initially an August running camp seemed awfully close to Ironman Boulder, but luckily once the final dates for camp were revealed I figured I could make it work.

Camp was a week and a half after Boulder.  I was still recovering and had only been for one short run after the race.  Luckily there were plenty of things planned for camp besides just running so I knew I could take things at my own pace.  I flew from Calgary to Portland just after lunch time, then found a few other Oiselle athletes at the airport – Jen Bigham, Kimmie Pearlman and Atha Vermillion.  We boarded a teeny tiny plane and made our way to Bend!

Photo via Kimmie Pearlman

Soon after we arrived in Bend the heavens opened up and it started to pour!  Here was hoping the rain wouldn’t stick around all weekend…  The rain couldn’t dampen spirits though as I excitedly met so many ladies I’ve interacted with on twitter and Instagram in person!

with Victoria Freile, Kelly Burns Gallagher and Jill

Expert Panels

Oiselle had arranged for some amazing guest speakers to come talk to us.  Jay Dicharry, PT and author of Anatomy for Runners talked to us about keeping our body healthy, imbalances and the importance of strength training.  

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

Takeaway: to build muscle strength you want to do high intensity with heavy weights, 5-8 reps, 3-4 sets.  To build endurance you want to do higher reps (15-20) with low weight.  Since we already train our body to build endurance with running that is less effective though!  Jay told us we should plan for one strength day per week to maintain, two days a week to see progress.

Stephanie Howe, nutritionist and winner of Western States 100 this year came to talk to us about sports nutrition.

photos via Thomas and Velo Photography

Takeaway: nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated and carbohydrates aren’t evil.  Emphasize fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  Aim to fill up 50% of your plate with fruits and veg, then add a whole grain and a lean protein.  You need to take in enough energy to power your metabolism (how much energy your body requires to sustain itself), thermogenesis (energy required for digestion, absorption and transporting nutrients), NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) and exercise.

Lauren Fleshman talked to us about goal setting.  She discussed the difference between setting an obvious goal (e.g. completing a marathon), something that a lot of people want to achieve but not necessarily understanding what achieving that goal means to you, versus creating a goal from scratch.

Takeaway: Set your own definition of success as a goal needs to be meaningful to you to be effective.  There are so many things you can gain if you keep moving forward in the face of adversity.  Have an athletic goal, but also set a personal goal to encourage balance.

We also had a pro panel discussion with Kara Goucher, Lauren Fleshman, Kate Grace and Stephanie Howe.  No question was off limits!  I asked the girls how they overcome negative internal dialogue during training or a race.  Some suggestions?  Write down the negative thought as that helps to take away its power, then write down the positive counter thought.  Also don’t be afraid to talk to yourself out loud.

Deschutes Twilight 5K

There just happened to be a 5K race in Bend while #birdcamp was going on, the Deschutes Twilight 5K!  A 5K race with 100 teammates followed by celebrations with Deschutes Twilight Ale?  What isn’t to like?

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

The race started off with a nice run up a hill, then a rewarding downhill and a flat push to finish.  I really wasn’t sure how the race would go…my main goal was to just keep running.  I pushed hard to the finish…ow, pain face!

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

Garmin says I squeaked in at 29:52!  I wasn’t sure I had a sub-30 5K in my post-Ironman tired legs so that was a nice surprise.  It was then time to enjoy some Twilight Ale (which was delicious) and time with my teammates!

with Ashley (my roommate for the weekend) and Paulette

with Beth and Alicia

with Becky, Stacey, Paulette, Victoria, Jessica and Emily

Hiking Smith Rock

Luckily the weather was glorious for the rest of camp and we all boarded a bus to head out to Smith Rock.  

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

Lauren explained the different options for trail running or for hiking.

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

I joined up with the group hiking up Misery Ridge…apparently most difficult??

The trail climbed swiftly.

It was so neat to look down and see all of the birds below!

The views near the top were so rewarding!

Finally at the top!

photo via Thomas and Velo Photography

Lauren really can fly!

On the way down we went past Monkey Rock, where there were a few rock climbers scaling up the side.

It was such a beautiful day at Smith Rock, and what a great hike!

Saturday Morning Trail Run

It was time to explore some of the beautiful running trails around Bend!  A lot of the girls were running long distances, but luckily Lisa was hoping to run something a bit shorter at whatever pace.  We hopped in a car with Christine Babcock (one of the Little Wing runners) who took us out to one of her favourite trails (that was also a bit flatter).

The trail was so pretty as we ran into the trees…

…and towards some waterfalls.

Lisa and I had met when I was in Boulder but it was really nice to run with her, chat and get to know her better.  Thank you for the wonderful run Lisa!

Bend Brewfest

We had some free time on Saturday to explore Bend as we wished.  I did a little shopping at FootZone and grabbed my first ever cold brew coffee from Thump.  That cold brew was delicious and I now need to try and make some at home!

After that Atha and I decided to explore Bend Brewfest.

photo via Atha

Admission was free, but $15 got you a tasting mug and five tasting tokens.  Extra tokens were $1 each.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to try so many delicious brews from the Pacific Northwest and I really enjoyed spending time with Atha.  Our beer tastes are very similar and there were some really great IPAs for us to try.  This is an event I would love to go back to, plus I know Neil would love it as well!

The Wrap Up

Saturday night finished up with tacos, more beers, donuts and dancing at Crow’s Feet Commons in Bend.  It was hard to believe our time at #birdcamp was coming to a close!

The experience at #birdcamp was one I will never forget.  The passion that everyone at Oiselle has for the brand and for women in sport is inspiring.  Sally may have started the company thanks to a need for flattering running shorts, but it has grown so much beyond that.  Considering I hated running as a kid I’m amazed by how much I love it now, and how much running has brought me.  My heart and passion for running was uplifted and rejuvenated by meeting everyone and discovering what running means to them.

It is such an honour to run for Oiselle and represent them, and I am so grateful I was able to go to #birdcamp.  Thank you to everyone I met that weekend for making it such a special experience for me.  And thank you to Sarah Lesko, Kristin Metcalf and Sally Bergesen for putting so much heart and effort in to organizing a marvellous weekend for everyone!

photo by Thomas and Velo Photography