Sure you can take a short drive down to your local Outback restaurant to gaze at the mass produced Australian "artifacts" that adorn the walls, the ever-so-menacing warnings to beware of the crocodiles, and the fuzzy presence of a fake kangaroo. Once you sit, you can order the pure shrimp on the barbie, cleverly named kids' meals, which each end with "roo", and jazz all the dishes up with some serious spice. But, if you're into something a little more authentic with a running twist, consider packing away some cash and heading to the real Outback, deep in the heart of Australia, for the Outback Marathon in late July of 2010.

The day's events, which include a full marathon, a half marathon, an 11k and a 6k, take place primarily off-road on the famous red earth that is common across the central portion of the country. Carving your way through bushwhacked lands on unsealed roads and paths, you'll run past a lifetime's worth of scenery, none more spectacular than Ayers Rock and The Olgas.

With the 6k and the 11k open to all age divisions, this could be a nice family event to punctuate a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. The half marathon requires a minimum age of 15 whereas the full marathon calls for only those 18 and up. All participants, however, receive a commemorative medal at the conclusion of the race, and certificates are available for printing on-line.

Yes, you can run a marathon any place in the world, and most would be significantly closer to your home. But, how many times in your life will you ever be able to claim that you ran through something most only imagine, a place that most people only visit in books or on the internet?

Thus, a true athletic challenge awaits a half a world away, in a place offering memories for both young and old. Make a trip you will forever recall, and along the way interject a day of pure joy as you run through the Outback. For more information about the marathon, visit www.australianoutbackmarathon.com.

Would you like to win $120 in merchandise credit to purchase Rockport shoes at Zappos.com? Keep reading!

Our blogger/runner Brett H. is running around New York City this week in honor of the New York City Marathon! Brett has been working with Rockport, one of the finest shoe brands in the land, and he, along with the team at Rockport, will be in Grand Central Station on Thursday for a very special event: If you're in New York, stop by to try on a pair of Rockport shoes and you'll receive a free shoe shine! Look below for full times and places.

Now, back to that Free Shoes thing:)

Check out the link below to enter to win $120 in free Rockport shoes from Zappos!
http://www.zappos.com/c/run-rockport-run-sweepstakes

Thursday:
Try on the new DresSports and receive a complimentary shoeshine!
Meet Brett from Run Brett Run and give him advice on running his upcoming marathon and fun things to do in NYC.
When:

Thursday, October 29, 2009

7am-7pm

Brett will be available 7am-9:30am, 11:30am-1:30pm, and 4:00pm-7:00pm
Where:

Grand Central Terminal -the Main West Entrance at E. 43rd/Vanderbilt Ave.

Hi, my name is Brett, and I'm officially addicted to Running.

If you've been following this blog, you'll know that I have been training for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon that Zappos is sponsoring. It wasn't actually my idea, and I was a hard sell on doing it. But, after all these weeks, I am running in upwards of 7 miles at a time....that is not normal for me, or anyone in my immediate bloodline. But, I'm sold. I love it. I now have a form of stress relief. I sleep like a normal human being, and I even started lifting weights. (again, not normal for anyone in the Brett family, going back generations)

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I want to know WHY YOU RUN? Check out the video below:

Record a short clip telling us what makes you get out there every day, and set it as a reply to this video...."I run because"............

We want to hear about it, yo!

Not all running events get listed in the local news bulletin or have major sponsors promoting their existence. Not all running events are found on a calendar eagerly awaiting a registration fee. In fact, not all running events are even events. Some of the best runs, those that are born from pure desire and adventure, come to fruition because a person decides to create his own path and set out on a journey that means something.

No where is this ideal more apparent than in the story of three men who decided to run the Sahara Desert, a trek that took them over 4,300 miles and through Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt. Using handheld GPS navigation systems, the three-man team finished the expedition on the shores of the Red Sea some 111 days after they began.

As they traveled, they encounter picturesque beauty as well as pure poverty. They faced near impossible conditions only to realize that the human spirit can endure anything, as they watched small village children shout to greet them and run along side them. The true value of the event buried itself deep beyond mere running, and it unearthed itself at a finish line that was more symbolic than final. The three men emerged from the trip changed people whose cores became something of legitimate substance knowing that they had accomplished something no ordinary man would even dream to attempt.

The expedition, which will soon become a documentary film narrated by Academy Award winner Matt Damon, should send one simple yet clear message to all runners: Blaze your own path, one that is laced with passion and reason. You don't always need to wait for someone else to create an event for you to run. Take your life into your own hands and use running as the vehicle to carry you to a far greater understanding of yourself and the life around you each day. Let your mind generate your inspiration, don't just sit back expecting someone else to do it for you.

People get bored very easily. That is a fact that is about as certain as death and taxes. Think about the high school kid who falls asleep during a forty-minute lecture on the Italian Renaissance or the security guard who drifts off during the graveyard shift. When a person experiences something that spans a long period of time and offers no alterations or adjustments, there exists no possible way for a legitimate focus to occur. As a result, body and mind change course, looking to either rest from exhaustion or re-stimulate itself with something else.

Training for triathlon is no different. While following a detailed, structured workout schedule will give you the format to stay consistent, doing the same routine day after day will result in two situations: a serious loss of mental motivation and a seemingly unbreakable physical plateau.

Mentally, when you continually change your patterns, the brain stays sharp, as it constantly has a new goal to reach. You provide the stimulus your brain requires to keep your body moving in a manner that permits progress. For example, using a swim workout based on stroke count one day, always working to lengthen the body's reach to reduce the number of strokes it takes to cover a given distance, and the next day swimming against the clock, a place where strokes are less important and time rules, provides you with a different set of challenges. Your brain avoids the patternization that generates boredom and fatigue.

Likewise, physically, if you can repeatedly alter your goals, you can keep your body from reaching those plateaus that stunt growth. Confusing the muscles, making them work similar groups in a variety of ways, dodges the monotony of identical workouts. For example, running an endless string of treadmill workouts will never produce the long-range results you need. Instead, get outside and hit the trails or do a track workout. Try plyometrics or Kenpo. Mix in multiple variations that will strengthen the muscles while keeping them fresh and stimulated.

Overall, you will be a happier triathlete if you mix it up. Failing to do so will not only hurt your performance, but also it will take away the pure joy associated with the sport. Keep yourself mentally and physically excited and vary those workouts as much as possible.

Hello there, runners!

We are well into October, and the Dec. 6 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon is sprinting towards us at a fast and crazy pace! I have decided, at the advisement of the Zappos Running Team, that I just do the half. The thought that I should run this powerfully and next year do the full. I agreed, and now I have my mind set on completing the Half at a good time and still have enough energy to have a beer and listen to some rock and roll afterward!

This week I am at the goal of 7 miles. I'm not moving along at the pace that I really wanted; I've been flat-lined at 5 miles, and I am going to break it!

Brooks, Asics, New Balance and Saucony have all helped me along with some gear, and it is much appreciated. The only thing I had to run in before this was a plaid moo-moo and wooden clogs I fashioned out of a tree in the forest near my house. (Picture that.....yes...yes....frightening, I know.)

But this week, I came across the finest piece of running gear known to man. (at least this man)

Behold:

Playlists for Brett's Running This Week:
-Robert Palmer-Sneaking Sally Through the Alley (obsessed with this album)
-JEM-Finally Woken
-Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sign up here for the Half or the Full Marathon!

Runners are generally serious people with Type-A personalities, the kind that find motivation in the chase of perfection. They normally enjoy structure and relish the chance to evaluate themselves by their wristwatches. Rigid training schedules format their day so as not to allow anything to disrupt their much needed run. Yet, on some rare occasions when the pressures of competition and training become too much, runners can let their guard down, and, in the case of the New York City Underwear Run, their pants too!

Held annually the Friday evening prior to the New York City Triathlon, the Underwear Run contains approximately 500 highly motivated fun seekers who clad themselves only in their skivvies. Bodies of all shapes and sizes adorn little more than a smile and a positive attitude as they bounce, shimmy, and glide through the world's most famous park. Sports bras and bikini briefs. Boxers and boy shorts. Pink ones and black ones. Lace and elastic. Traditional and downright bizarre. If you wear it under your day clothes or just in the darkest hours late at night, you'll see it trekking through Central Park in all its glory.

Leave your modesty at the door if you elect to dive into this ocean of flesh and cotton. The 1.7 mile run, which in 2009 broke the world record for total people gathered in one place in their underwear, winds through the tree-lined streets of Central Park, drawing plenty on onlookers and an impressive number of cell phone cameras. With no timing chips, no transitions, no race numbers, no fancy gadgets or gizmos, the run represents the heart of the Big Apple's approach to life: personal expression to the greatest conceivable degree. Absurdity and fun don't get any better than this.

So, if you are interested in a run as memorable as any, or if you simply want to figure out exactly what Victoria's secret actually is, go to http://www.nyctri.com/Central_Park_Underwear_Run.htm for additional information and pictures of last year's race. You may want to train for this one and eat a few less cookies though. Failing to do so may bring about a whole new definition of indecent exposure. Not to worry, however, as next year's race is a ways away...on July 14th at 7:30 pm.

Countless road races dot the American landscape each weekend, with runners following painted arrows from school parking lots through city streets or flagged meadows in local parks. Most offer a distinct challenge: make the individual push harder than before while offering enjoyment and lifelong fitness. Regardless of the distance, whether a spirited 5k or a marathon, the race gives the runner a blank canvas upon which to become something greater.

However, not all races are created equal, nor provide the same challenges. Yes, the goal remains the same in regards to a person proving something to himself, but the experience varies, and no one place gives a more creative, unpredictable run than the Leatherman's Loop.

The race, a 10k trail run held annually in April at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, New York, is a massively popular event, with the 900 spots filling up in a mere 16 hours. Combining all that Mother Nature can dish out, the terrain houses mud bogs, deep streams with moss-slicked rocks, steep sand hills, and paths barely wide enough for both feet side by side. Although the budding tree canopy can provide some protection, the pounding sun, which recently reached a record high of 90 degrees on race day, can sap your energy, and the punishing wind can make the race double in its perceived distance. Needless to say, the race is physically abusive. It is one of those workouts that will have you hating it while you're doing it, but loving it when it is all over.

The atmosphere, one that is as supportive as it is fun, more than washes out the agony the race can bring. Runners can be found all across the course pulling others along, un-sticking them from the mud or pushing them up the hills. The sense of camaraderie bubbles over the second you arrive, as runners share advice, trade stories of duct-taped shoes and pricker-torn legs, and promise to meet for a drink at the finish line. No one feels alone on this day, with each person's success seemingly everyone's concern.

Regardless of your ability, take the chance and go. Train hard and enjoy the race that has the potential to keep you coming back for more. Not only will you have accomplished something physically impressive, but also you will have proved to yourself that almost anything is possible.

OK, OK, I know that I promised to limit the Forrest Gump references. I'll keep that mind...but I do know what love is. Oops....sorry, sorry, it's a habit, it's a habit.

I've received some cool running shoes from our Vendors and Merchandising Department since my training for the marathon began, and this week was no exception. Rockport, a fine brand that Zappos is proud to work with, sent me a pair of Dressports Abraim dress shoes, and they challenged me to put them on for a little run. Rockport says that this shoe is as comfortable as an athletic shoe, and I wanted to see for myself.

Many Zapponians that are planning to run the 13 mile Half for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon are training hard and have their eyes on Dec. 6. We all have different reasons for wanting to run the Half Marathon, and today we profile some of the brave souls who have decided to boogie on to the finish line. I introduce some of our Half-ers in the fine video below, produced by our own Jason C..

For Those About to Run, We Salute You!

Ani DiFranco reference in the title of this blog? Anyone? Anyone?

Hey there, Brett here. I've learned a lot during this training for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon, and I sure would like to share a bit of it with you.

1. Know your limits. If your knees are swollen, ice them and take the night off. If you're feeling dehydrated, don't run until you're feeling like you're up to it. If you feel like your ankles or knees are getting weak, or you have any real pain going on, get it checked out, or, at the least, take a break for a day or two till you're not feeling like your legs are going to go out. I know you get that feeling of guilt if you don't get out there and run everyday, but getting injured and being forced to sit out for a month would really be the icing on that Guilt-Cake.

2. Diet does matter. I have always thought that I could eat whatever I wanted, as long as I was exercising. I would, more or less, have a big bowl of grease for at least one meal a day. I'm not saying that you can't have a nice fast-food treat every now and again, it's just that onion rings for breakfast probably isn't the best way to train for a marathon. So, if you're trying to train for a marathon and the only vegetables that you have are deep fried and come in a little cardboard container, things might be a little easier for you if you limit that to about once a week.

3. Keep trying to improve a little every run, but don't kill yourself. It doesn't have to be a mile increase every run, but try to go just a little farther, or run your distance in a little quicker time. In my experience, just getting in a minute or so quicker than the night before makes me really anticipate beating that time the next day. It's motivating, and this is coming from someone who two months ago was unmotivatable.

So, keep getting out there and training; Dec. 6 is just around the corner...let's keep rocking and rolling, ya'll!

Sign up for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon here!

Playlist for the Week:
Gov't Mule: Banks of the Deep End Volume 1
Jay-Z: The Black Album
Scene Unseen Movie Podcasts

The training continues, after a few days of healing. The blister issue was explained to me quite well by our in-house expert on running. Chris P. told me, "Dude, you have to stop running until these heal. Seriously."

I listened to him. (As you may have noticed, if you've been following this, I'm not a big fan of..you know....listening to advice, of any kind. But I'm trying Ringo, I'm trying real hard.

So, I took 5 days off from running and just lifted and hit the elliptical about 20 minutes a day. I had a great deal of back issues when I began training, and at the advice of our in-house life coach, Dr. Vik, I visited a chiropractor. He helped me out the most by saying that my posture is real, real bad and that I need to work on the muscles in my back, otherwise the problems would persist. I actually listened to something for a change, and man, it's working like a charm, yo! And for the first time in my life, I don't have the posture of someone living in the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Below is a little video of my cool-down ritual every night. Take a gander, if you please.


My playlist for the last week has been:

• The Black Crowes-Before the Frost
• Chris Thile-How to Build a Woman From the Ground
• My Morning Jacket-Songs: Ohia-EP

Get out there and sign up for the marathon, Zappos!

My marathon training continues on, and today, I take you on a run through Henderson, NV, the home of the Zappos Headquarters!





(Yes, that title is a Yonder Mountain String Band reference!)

I must say, it's getting easier. I'm topping out at 5 miles with a little walking in there, but I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. Gotta start somewhere, right? Just 3 weeks ago, the idea of running 3 miles was a disturbing and frightening idea that filled me with terror. Now, it's just what I do 5 days a week, and I actually don't really feel good unless I do it.

On the advice from our running experts on the athletic team, Chris P. and Kelly B., I have avoided blisters for about a week. Trust me, everyone, it's better to avoid cotton socks and get some good shoes before you do some real damage to those important items that are your feet.

This is what I'm running in:
The Asics Gel Nimbus 11 and the New Balance MR 1063; these are some killer shoes, my friends. Whatever you do, don't just go start training for a marathon in whatever you have buried in your closet from when you were younger and more energetic. I paid the price, yo! Blisters-a-plenty. It's worth it to get the right shoes to spare yourself the pain in the long Run. (Pun possibly intended.)

Also, Socks, Socks, Socks! Again, say it with me; Socks, Socks, Socks! Here are some double layer Wrightsock socks that have an Inner Layer of 70% CoolMax®, 30 % Nylon, and an Outer Layer of 72% CoolMax®, 24% Nylon, 4% Lycra® And, behold, the Wigwam Ultimax.

We have a lot of Zapponians that are deciding they want to take on the half or full marathon, and it's making my day to hear that. This is going to be a lot of work, ya'll, but let's keep on chooglin', we have many weeks yet to train.

Boogie on, I say!

Playlists for this Week:
-The Band-Remasters
-My Morning Jacket-Evil Urges
-The Raconteurs-Consolers of the Lonely
-James Brown.....YOWWWWW!

Oh, dear, blisters are no fun, kids. I've found myself with two big ones since the start of my running. But I've gotten through it with the help of our resident Zappos running experts.

In the video below, Chris P. tells us of a few ways in which we can avoid blisters when running or hiking, and ways to deal with them when we inevitably get them.