professiONal

How do I even start writing this? I know I should sound less like a teenage girl meeting her teen-idol crush but to be honest I DON’T CARE BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?!

For those of you who don’t know what On is or who they are, a brief introduction and then I will explain why I reached out and chose them.

On first came onto the scene making shoes for triathlon. They are a Swiss company and are very well known in Europe. A few years ago they made the commitment to grow their running brand and have exploded in the US running scene. A few of you remember Jake Riley, the Olympian who won the 2021 Olympic Marathon Trials? He was one of the first big runners sponsored by On. Subsequently after that On went on to sponsor the OAC (On Athletic Club) coached by one of the greatest runners of all time, Dathan Ritzenhein. On the trail side my teammates include:

Katie Schide | Xavier Thevenard | Jeff Colt | Allie McLaughlin

See all the athletes here (I am not on there dang maybe I’m making this up) the other athletes I’ve met are incredible and I cannot wait to make more European friends and teammates!

I first ran in On shoes back in 2017 when I was just beginning my ultrarunning career. The shoes were decent, but definitely still triathlon focused. Not as plush as I’m used to today and still definitely finding the niche they would eventually take up. I ran through the shoes and subsequently found something else not because On was bad, but because, well, I can run in whatever I want so I did. Fast forward to now, after speaking with an On athlete, I thought to reach out to the company because of all the great things I’d heard, seen and remembered from trying the shoes myself. The moment I knew I made the right decision was on an early morning run in the Cloudstratus which literally felt like running on a pillow. It confirmed my choice. I look forward to the next two years with On and hope to bring as much to their team as the community they have and the athletes they support have provided to me.

Let’s talk about the sponsorship process.

Tl;dr lot’s of nos and a few yeses

Since Bandera I’ve casually emailed different brands I like and use to see if I could get a bit more help with funding my running. I am more than grateful for the support Ian and The Trails Collective give me and this contract changes nothing in my role for that team. However, TC is a grassroots start up and is funded by Ian’s other businesses. We are growing but it will be a while until I feel comfortable asking for the support I need. I have faith it will come, but it takes time.

To be clear: I reached out to brands. I was not discovered. I sent emails and received the kindest nos that I’ve ever heard. One that sticks out is from Gu. The athlete manager kindly told me that funding for the year is already allocated. He called me on the phone (I contacted him via email) to tell me that I would be a good addition to their team, but he simply didn’t have anymore money to allocate. The sadness in his voice and the things he offered instead of a sponsorship were so kind. We talked for a minute and I told him I would not want his job. I would not want to have to say no to people who you’d love to support. He said he was thankful I understood and that part of the job is hardest for him.

I got a few bites and tried a bunch of shoes. I am going to focus on why I chose On. Simply put, I still run loads of road miles and I do not plan to ever stop doing most of my training that way. I like it and it suits me (for now). I wanted to put my trust in a company that has both trail and road shoes…and GOOD trail and road shoes. Like I mentioned before about that run where I knew I made the right decision, they just feel good on my feet and I look forward to using them from now on. I also am attracted to their apparel because I still have some pieces from 2017 that work incredible well and have been put through the wringer. I wash and dry my clothes in the dryer. I am not ashamed of this because I probably wouldn’t wash them if I didn’t have this option. These pieces have stood the test of time and I will continue to use them in future runs.

Finally, the first things I said to the athlete manager, who is quite a good runner in his own right, is that I want to feel a part of a team and community. I don’t want a few dollars thrown at me and some gear and call it a day. I want connection and to cheer others on. After downloading Whatsapp to communicate across the ocean, I already feel that throughout this team.

Breath in, breath out.

I’ve had a few weeks to convince myself that this actually happened and so I feel comfortable announcing it on my social platforms and here. Thank you to all who believed and continue to believe in me. I hope to meet you all on the roads or trails or wherever the universe takes us.

Run On Clouds :)