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.

Shopping for the right bike can be a difficult process, especially if you don't know precisely what you want or need. Some people get caught up in the wrong places, looking at the simple aesthetics of the bike or flipping through the latest triathlon magazine at Borders to see what cool bike is underneath some professional triathlete in a crystal clear photo. While the bike's look should please you, it is, without question, the last idea on a fairly short list that should dictate your purchase.

First, consider your real budget. Bikes, especially the better brands, can skyrocket in price if you're not careful. If you are new to the sport, be careful not to buy the one with all the bells and whistles when you have yet to prove to yourself that you're going to stick with the triathlon. Nothing could be a worse investment than spending over two thousand dollars for a race or two worth of riding. Instead, set a clear budget that reflects your ability and goals, and never max out that allowance on just the bike itself. You will still need to outfit the bike with pedals, cycling shoes, a helmet, water bottle and cage, speedometer/odometer, etc. These extras can add up, so plan accordingly.

Next, think about the style you want. Most people select a basic road bike, and then upgrade it with features such as aerobars to make it work in a triathlon. The time trial bikes are for more experienced riders who know they will race on generally flat surfaces, and who can cycle in that aero position for an extended time. The majority of average to below average triathletes lack the strength to ride in that manner, thus a road bike is the better bet. Not to mention, the road bike works better for daily training and common hill work.

Finally, check with your local bike shop as to what frame will best suit your body style. Getting the right fit is more important than the brand name or color. If you have the bike custom fit with a computer generated program, you will leave the shop, whether it was a stock model or a personally constructed piece, with a bike that is prepared to maximize your ability.

Therefore, make fit, style, and budget huge priorities and don't get caught up in buying a bike that will look prettiest leaning against the garage. Buy with your brain and your body will thank you for it with each mile.

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.

Although some beginning triathletes perceive the bike to be the easiest portion of a triathlon, casually viewing it as a restful period between a tough swim and difficult run, nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact is that you can entirely alter your race performance with a strong bike; conversely, you can seriously hinder the outcome with a poor cycling section. Truthfully, when it comes to triathlon training, nothing beats time in the saddle.

But, spending training hours on your bike does not always equate with success. Just jumping on and turning those pedals incessantly will not guarantee individual improvement; in fact, unless you pay close attention to how you are riding, you probably won't see the type of progress you deserve.

So, how do you cycle better? First, understand that most people have a dominant cycling leg, as they push harder with one over the other, which creates an imbalance in the pedal stroke. Using one-legged drills on stationary bikes helps to eliminate this problem, so make sure the training you complete addresses the issue of balance in the stroke to maximize your output.

Second, train for the race you intend to ride. Too many people think they need to log endless miles, which is not the case if you plan on doing a sprint triathlon. Likewise, don't focus on speed alone when training for the 180 km of an Ironman. Specify your efforts to reflect what the end result will be.

Finally, address your form on the bike. You must get into the most consistently aerodynamic position as possible while still being able to maximize power. For longer rides, a more upright position is needed to give you better comfort over a long distance, whereas in a shorter time trial you can use the aerobar position to streamline your body and, despite the reduced comfort, decrease the time spent on the bike.

If you work to analyze how you are cycling rather than simply getting out and riding, you will discover that your potential is certainly greater than you imagined. Training isn't always about the time invested, but more about quality injected. Be specific and reflective in your approach, and it will pay off on race day.

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.

The sport of ultrarunning is certainly tough enough, with athletes running an incomprehensible number of miles, totals that defy logic and the body at the same time. However, it has grown in popularity in recent years, and the sport's most dedicated athletes always seek to push the athletic envelope to places most would not, or could not, even imagine.

The Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the Untied States according to the Travel Channel, and an easily recognizable place for anyone who is old enough to have completed the third grade, plays host to millions of visitors each year. Vacationers with handheld cameras, artists with paint and canvas, and campers with headlamps and Coleman stoves flock to this mesmerizing place conspicuously nestled in northwest Arizona to seek adventure and inspiration; however, they are not the only ones.

Normally starting out in the early morning hours, somewhere around 1 a.m., small groups of highly trained and motivated runners dispel the warnings posted on trailheads and begin the rim-to-rim-to-rim run. Equipped with flashlights and handheld water bottles, these runners begin the 47-mile trek along the Bright Angel Trail dressed in shorts and long sleeved tops, their breath smoking in the thirty-degree temperatures. Soon they will shed the sleeves in favor of a smaller top to manage the seventy and eighty degree heat that is the high noon sun, and they will traverse rocked paths and cut trails that dip and dive to an approximate elevation change of 11,000 feet.

The course, which should take an accomplished runner around 14 or 15 hours, will not only encounter varying temperatures, but will also navigate its way through weather extremes, with clouds and storms circulating throughout the canyon. After crossing the Colorado River and edging the Roaring Spring, runners will begin to realize that this task is not one of mere distance and endurance; instead, it is a mental challenge that, if finished, can change a person for life. Surrounded by sheer, breathtaking beauty, each runner has deep time to reflect on the experience within the moment itself, and, in the process, come to understand more of who they are. The journey is both a physical and spiritual one, and then end is truly a beginning.

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!

Triathletes, especially new ones, often find off-season training to be difficult and less intense. While clearly you cannot be as aggressive in your workouts during the off-season, as you are not searching to peak then for a particular race or time period, you can generate a training schedule that permits you to establish a motivated approach that will strengthen your weakest points and help you to avoid the dreaded plateau.

Implementing focus months can allow you to place all of your emphasis on a given discipline. For example, if you struggle with the swim and find yourself to be more proficient on the bike and on the run, spend a dedicated two months perfecting your abilities in the water. Swimming five to six days a week, rather than rotating each day like in a normal in-season workout cycle, will help you make greater gains in both strength and form. While you can do other workouts to maintain your run and bike, the majority of your efforts should be in the pool.

To do so, train hard for two weeks in the given sport, then schedule in an easy week of rest and reflection. Keep repeating this cycle for up to two months, and then turn your sights to one of the two other disciplines. After a six-month off-season, you will have had two focus months for each sport, and your overall proficiency in each will have improved without question. Then, as the triathlon season approaches, begin the normal rotational schedule that will permit you to peak in time for the races in which you will compete.

Sacrificing time on two to work on one may seem like odd advice, but it is sound and logical, especially during the off-season. Getting over that mental block so many triathletes have, the one that drives you to work on everything all the time, represents the first obstacle. The second hurdle to clear is training the right way. If you want to improve the swim, study quick swimmers. Watch their form and their habits, and do what you can to mimic them. Immerse yourself in the culture of the sport in which you need to improve.

If you try this approach in a diligent and dedicated manner, you will find that the gains you make set up your later triathlon season better than your old training methods. In your next off-season, give monthly rotations a try. I think you'll love the results.

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

Open water swimming, especially for a beginning triathlete, represents a stern test, one that extends well beyond the physical challenge presented during pool training. With currents, waves, chop, other triathletes, cold temperatures, and poor visibility, ocean or lake swims can intimidate a triathlete, all the while extracting excessive amounts of energy and confidence. So, the need to get out and practice in open water prior to race day is critical.

Yet all too often people forget one skill that will destroy an open water swim: sighting. No one, no matter how advanced or accomplished you are, swims in a straight line in open water. The ocean floor, if you can even see it, has no lane markings, and no lane lines will exist to keep you headed toward the finish. Instead, knowing that swimmers, if left alone and without ever sighting, will swim in a large circle, you can see the need to practice finding your way in open water.

Whether training in a pool or in the ocean, any triathlete can work on sighting. First, pick a point in the distance: a buoy, the end line, a rock formation, etc. Then, as you swim, practice slightly pulling your head up—just enough for your goggles to be above the water every few strokes to find that marker and readjust your line. You should look forward at the bottom of your rotation to see your target, twist to the side to breathe, and then re-enter into your regular rhythm.

Another drill to practice sighting while working in a pool is to swim half a length with your head held out of the water, and then resume your regular stroke until the wall, doing the same thing on the return trip. Complete this as a set of 200 to 300 meters. Sighting will make your open water experience much more enjoyable, as you will likely swim the line closest to the finish. Your body will not be too happy if you swim in zig zags, forcing it to cover 1,000 meters for a 700 meter swim.

In the end, sighting practice will let you understand the old advice of your geometry teacher: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Not only will your teacher be proud, but your body will applaud your efforts when it comes time to hop on that bike.

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!

So many running events are representative of a stern individual challenge, but ever so often a truly genuine chance arrives, one that permits this normally solitary sport to be enjoyed by groups of close friends, that defies normalcy and lets people accomplish something that there is no way they could do alone. In the bright Florida sunshine, the Ragnar Relay series is that place, and any runner, from novice to seasoned, should think deeply about partaking in such a memorable event.

Starting on the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater and ending on the Atlantic coast in Daytona Beach, you and eleven teammates will traverse the 191-mile course in relay form, running anywhere from 3 to 8 miles at a time, with each member taking three turns. Trailed by a maximum of two support vehicles stocked with apparel, food, and water, the runners will cheer one another on as they cover the entire width of Florida. The vehicles will perform leapfrog maneuvers to get runners to and from check points to keep the race moving and organized, so there is no need to worry about logistics and technicalities. Just train and run!

Live music will line the scenic course, which covers Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, and parts of the Ocala National Forest, and prizes will be given to top finishers by team and age division, and the best decorated vehicle will be honored at the race's completion. The relay's tone, one of celebration and triumph, will surely inspire all of those involved, as the end result is not one that rewards just a single person for crossing first; instead, the relay's intent is one that seeks to promote camaraderie and togetherness, ideals that the world certainly needs a little more of.

If you are not interested in running, or physically cannot, teams can offer volunteers to work the race route, and registration information can be found at ragnarrelay.com/florida. If you are looking for a memorable event, one that brings you to a place a sheer beauty, one that will deeply test your fortitude and leave you proud, grab your running buddies and find your way to the sunshine state...there is no way you'll ever regret it.

Successful triathletes are master planners. Each time they hit the pool or road, they have a specific goal in mind for that given session, and that goal is directly related to the end result they wish to attain. They pay close attention to detail and listen intently to their bodies, as remaining healthy through training is just as important as making adequate progressions. Basically, they spend time preparing to train so that time in training is never wasted or misused.

So, when setting up a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule, reflect on what exactly you wish to do and how you can best accomplish that given your set of circumstances and talents. Consider the following tips when devising your sessions.

Be Specific: Know what your end result will be. Are you working toward completing a sprint triathlon? Then do not spend hours and hours running endless miles. Instead, prepare for the needed distance. Likewise, if you are attempting a half-iron, don't cut yourself off at five miles on long run days. Make sure that the workouts you implement match the eventual competition.

Making Progressions: Your body will respond to training, and it naturally will improve; however, if you allow it to plateau and you do not schedule moderate progressions as your training continues, your body will never make the needed adjustments to reach your end goal. Thus, make sure you design safe increments that will encourage your body to progress, yet be careful not to over do it too quickly.

Reversibility: While you should never allow training to engulf and overtake your life, making time for daily workouts is important if you wish to succeed. Being dedicated will reward you, but being inconsistent will destroy you. Taking too much time off will reverse all the work you have done, essentially collapsing the base you built. Starting all over is just plain hard.

In the end, well-planned sessions that you complete consistently will give you a positive result. Remember, a triathlon is not about winning, as you hit that course trying to prove something to yourself. Give yourself the best chance by being organized and disciplined.

Although Usain Bolt's dynamic performances have dominated track and field headlines as of late, and America's obsession in recent times has been with the sprint distances, no event over the history of the sport has generated more interest and enthusiasm than the running of the mile. Having its roots set deeply in English history, the mile became official in 1850, which was the first year recording results came to be, and later, in August of 1865, the first real spectator race, which housed approximately 15,000 onlookers, was held in Manchester, England, with the world's best milers competing. The winning time was 4:17. And so it began.

Now, some 144 years later, the mile remains a strong draw, and the idea of 4:17 being the world's fastest time is almost laughable. And while so many remarkable stages exist across the world upon which this time-tested, treasured event is contested, the energy and excitement felt all along Fifth Avenue, in the heart of New York City, is ever so tough to replicate.

With some of the world's quickest milers converging upon the Big Apple to compete in the professional race, normally held at the end of the race day, fans flock to see just how fast the Kenyans or Ethiopians can go. However, the day also provides the chance for the commoner, the regular runner, to trudge up the world renowned street in their own glory.

With open divisions extending from the age of 8 all the way through 70+, the day has reserved spots for any miler who wants to take on the challenge. On September 26, 2009, this year's event will kick off at 9 am with the wheelchair and handcylce division and will conclude with the professional men at 1:05 pm. Sponsored by Continental Airlines and in conjunction with the New York Road Runners, the race is sure to have moments that exhibit incredible athleticism and endurance as well as those poignant stories that pull at the heart and make us all remember why we run.

After providing a nominal entry fee, you can fly up Fifth Avenue with all you have, run beneath the big timing clock, and dive headlong into the post-race refreshments. Whether you are a professional poised to win or a regular runner searching for that personal best, participating in the Fifth Avenue Mile will undeniably be an experience you'll always remember.