Icebreaker - Pure Merino

Melbourne Outlet team member Aleisha Leonard competed in the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday 14 October with her fiancée Harriet. The girls were decked out in Icebreaker from head-to-toe to complete the race in comfort! (that’s 11 pieces of Icebreaker worn between them)

After months of hard training they crossed the line in a time of 4hrs7min, under their goal of 4hrs15mins (and a 45min PB from Aleisha’s 1st marathon last year.) Aleisha was happy to be up and moving at work the next day, a much quicker recovery compared to the week of pain after completing her first marathon last year! She reported back that they used the 4+hrs to count 25 runners wearing Icebreaker tops (and one beanie) as they passed them!

“Anyone who says Icebreaker can’t be worn for exercise needs to try it.

To train for the marathon we ran 6 nights a week through the freezing Melbourne winter, through wind rain and hail! The same outfit would be worn for days before washing. I can’t imagine having to do all that training AND having to wash stinky synthetic gear every day. We did 3hr+ runs on weekends starting in the dark, sometimes runs in the midday sun… always keeping warm or cool whatever the temperature, and never stinky!

I think I’ll become a spartan (10+ Melbourne marathons) and will of course be wearing head to toe Icebreaker merino in all of them!”

Shardonnay Bliss - Melbourne Outlet Store Manager

It’s marathon season! Looking for some inspiration on how to start running? Here are some super simple tips from Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon – she’s 65 and still running.

Kathrine’s Top 10 Tips

1. Put your shoes on and go
2. Enter an upcoming race and train for it, a goal keeps you focused
3. Record every run; it keeps you honest and it’s motivating
4. Find a running buddy; you won’t skip a run
5. Only have 10 minutes; That’s better than no minutes, so get going
6. Missed a workout? Don’t feel guilty, just start again
7. Diets alone don’t work, exercise does. Running burns more calories faster than anything else
8. Your run is an investment in YOU; you deserve to feel good
9. If you’re not good for yourself, you’re not your best for anyone else
10. You’re never too old, slow or big to run. Feel the joy

Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston marathon in 1967, when the race was considered a mens-only event. Despite being attacked by the race director who tried to rip off her bib numbers ’261′ and throw her out of the race, Kathrine prevailed and finished, vowing to change woman’s running for ever.

And she did! After running 35 marathons and winning the New York City Marathon, Kathrine created a global circuit of races for over a million women that led to the inclusion of the women’s marathon in the Olympic Games.

For more motivation and help check out Kathrine’s books at shop.marathonwoman.com

During a 2 year partnership with the Conservation Alliance, our Portland office had a chance to participate in many events, but the one they look forward to the most is the Backyard Collective. It’s a wonderful experience to get outside and help maintain the local parks and trails that all of the team at our US headquarters use during our time away from the office.

This year our Icebreaker US team headed to Forest Park, just a few blocks from the office, to spend the morning pulling invasive ivy from the areas near the trails. It was tough work, but the team said it was really satisfying, especially when they were able to see the positive changes previous Backyard Collective efforts have made on the surrounding areas. It’s a constant battle to remove the non-native plant that destroys trees, but thanks to the folks at the Conservation Alliance and the Forest Park Conservancy, the battle is being won – as of May, 33 acres of the park were declared free of invasive plants!

The team had a great time working with their fellow Conservation Alliance members (and neighbours) Keen, Columbia, REI, and Merrell and they can’t wait for the next Backyard Collective!