Alternate title: Oh Skittles! I forgot I have a blog!I just got back from Austin Texas ya'll! I was lucky enough to go to The Running Event with Oiselle this year. It was an amazing time. You can read more about our booth design and such at my post on the Oiselle Running Blog.
Set up on Wednesday (above) and the final touches on the Oiselle booth (below)
The Running Event is where brands show off what's latest and greatest. It's one part serious expo, where buyers from across the country are deciding what to bring into their stores. But it's also one part big smoozy, boozy fest. Never have I seen so much day-drinking outside a music festival. Booths hosted bars and small bites throughout both days. Like you could have a glass of wine at the K-Swiss booth and then a sweet tea vodka at SPI-Belt while listening to the live acoustic music they also had set up in their booth.
Serious fabric demo. (above) Mixing up the new PowerBar recovery drink on the bike! (below)
Oiselle was there showing Fall 2012. Yes, you heard that right - Fall 2012. I didn't think I could be more excited for a season than I am for Spring 12 collection (select styles launching in mid-January!) but Fall has me losing sleep. So. rad. So basically we unveiled the F12 collection to the independant running stores of America (and Canada and Israel). We also showed Spring 12 in case somehow they forgot to order the fabulous Oiselle styles coming soon. We had a great response to both seasons, and even some new stores are filling their racks with Oiselle. (Plug: Be sure to support your local running store and give them feedback. They are buying with you in mind!)
Other than showing the line, smoozing, a lil boozing, there is also a 5k race: The Indie 5k! Is it competitive you ask, well let me just say I haven't caught that many elbows since college xc. And I broke 18! Hallelujah! 17:44. This training for a whole year without much injury to speak of is really working out for me. (knocking on wood). I felt really out of it, tired and fuzzy, my head all wrapped up in expo. I wasn't sure I had a race in me until I had to pee 3 times within 10 minutes. Phew. That always means my body might be ready to throw out some effort.
I'm sad we didn't get pictures of this morning. Like I mentioned, we had most of our Oiselle representatives in Austin with us. We all have the singlets. Seeing all these women lined up for Oiselle was so awesome. Cindi from Chicago, over-50 year but with legs most 18 year olds would covet, same with my mama and Lesko legs in with her Race Day Rundies outside her Lesley Knickers, Christy and Michele ready to power up the hills, Sally and I... all of us ready to fly! We easily swept the non-existent team division.
Despite being a vendor I did get hooked up with some other brand samples. I'm looking forward to trying it all out, doing some reviews, maybe a giveaway. Ya know the kind of stuff you do when you REMEMBER you have a blog.Want to hear about any brand in particular? Ask away!