I typically try to warn people I see walking ahead of me that I'm coming by snapping my fingers or singing a little louder than normal. I don't like to scare people, even though it's funny - don't get me wrong. Today, I thought I was being loud enough as I approached a walker, but I wasn't.

The walker had on an iPod and as I passed her she screeched so loud it scared ME! I thought she was gonna hit me next!!! I slowed to apologize to her and went along my merry way. She wasn't very forgiving - It's not like I did it on purpose! Come on, now you're making me feel really bad.

On the last part of my run today, I ran past bunch of kids. One of the kids yelled out, "Are you running in the Olympics"?!?!? I shook my head no and sprinted off just past my house, got my cool-down on then walked back towards the house. As I passed the kids again the same kid asked, ‘Are you'? I laughed and told him no and asked why he thought that. He mentioned that since I was running AND my shorts were really short, he assumed I was training for the Olympics. Ha! - The thought of me running in the Olympics. That's funny. Are my shorts really that short?

The Coin Count

Heck Yeah - A Shiny Nickel!

Running Total: 48 cents

Is it me or there a lot of dead pigeons around here lately? It's gross to think about, but in the last month or so I've seen a dead cat and like four dead pigeons...perhaps it was the same pigeon and someone moved it three times...I don't know, it's weird (in nothing but very best old school John Travolta voice).

The Coin Count

ALAS! One Penny!

Running Total: 43 cents

Top weird thing on my run today:

I ran thru a Vegas community called Cactus Flower. Not only was there no Cactus, there were no flowers either.

There are so many things I see on my runs that I want to write about when I get home, but like those dreams one can't remember the day after, my memory seizes and all I could think about when I hit the computer is food. Today was special. I actually have a story for you. I'm sure you're thrilled.

As soon as I started my run I noticed a ball that was ‘lost' - hanging out in the gutter, no home, no owner, no great prospects, and no dreams. Ahhhhh...Poor little ball. I kicked it into the yard that was directly behind it and pursued my aspirations to get in at least seven miles. I turned the first corner down the first major road I normally run down and what do I find in the gutter? Another ball! This road, like many major roads in residential areas in Las Vegas, is bordered up and down with cinderblock walls. I threw the ball over the wall and proceeded. So now my feeble mind can't help to think of anything but those two balls and what a weird thing it is to find these toys on the street...now we have something! My voyage for the rest of this run was to find as many things that make sense to throw back into a yard as possible...You with me? So seriously, here's what I found:

Four balls total

One Frisbee

One little black rubbery and stretchy action figure

What looks like a base to a balloon launcher?

Some cartoon-face thingy that had the same consistency as a stress relief ball

I threw all these over a wall or back into a yard - Hopefully all you kids that lost these toys now have them back, safe and warm. If they're not yours, enjoy your new toys kiddies!

The Coin Count

Nada today, but look at all the other things I found! YAY!

Running Total: 42 cents

Today, without a doubt, was the hottest day of the year so far. Yes, I think it actually made it to like 75° today...It wasn't super hot, but it was the thought that it was gonna get boilin' hot in a month or so that I couldn't stop thinking about on my run today- ewwwww, I hate those days when you get back from a run when it's like 90° out and you can't pee for six hours even though you drank 2 liters of water during your run AND you smell like a boys locker room...not too mention that wonderful taste of salty sweat the drips off the tip of your nose. Yummy.

The Coin Count

Natta whole lotta, once again. I'm very sad that I'm in this little slump right now X-(

Running Total: STILL 42 cents

During our trip out to North Carolina, we also had the opportunity to visit Thorlos' sock mill and the FEETures! Distribution Center and sales office. We had great meetings today - The people at these two companies, as well as the Wrightsock People, are all so hospitable - I mean, really really nice. If you're looking for a thick sock with great cushion, there isn't anything better than Thorlos - the love is all sewn in! If you're looking for a tighter fitting, well-cushioned sock with great arch support, FEETures! are a great bet (my wife loves the heck out of these - sometimes more than she likes me!).

We stayed at a hotel just off the freeway - right across the street from The Waffle House - Ohhhhh yeah! (You ever hear a couple of those Waffle House theme songs when you're in one of those places - Now that's what I'm talkin about! Their grits ain't bad either!).

I took off for a morning run (a little nippy) before we would hit up the Thorlos and FEETures! buildings. One time getting lost in an unknown town is good enough for me, so as a rule of thumb, I typically don't veer off the straight and narrow - out one way and right back in the same exact way. It was a nice little run - North Carolina is a really beautiful place. In any case, it was the first time I've ever run next to a freeway that crossed a railroad track, a fruit stand and one of those lots that sells antiques and stuff for your yard all in one place. It's nice to get in a run that somewhere and something a little out of the ordinary :)

The Coin Count

No love in NC - Nada today :(

Running Total: 42 cents

Carla (our sock buyer), Janelle (one of our customer loyalty representatives), Jay (our Product Info guy for Athletic) and I had a great opportunity to go out to Burlington, North Carolina, to see the life of a sock - Well, how a sock is crafted anyway. We were fortunate to go on this trip because of the good heart of the Wrightenberry Mills peeps. Tom Weber, our main man at Wrightsock (Tom R O C K S!), came to our ‘Treat your Feet Expo' (an expo we hold for our employees that gets them familiar with all the brands and products we have on the site) we had at Zappos the end of last year. Tom offered up a trip to NC for us and a lucky raffle winner - TOTALLY AWESOME and really, really generous - So, Thanks Wrightsock!

You have no idea how crazy the whole process of making socks is until you go to a sock mill. WOW! The machinery, the rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls of yarn, the amount of people that physically touch a good quality sock- All of it, absolutely unreal. Wrightsock is a double-layer sock that adopts the idea of two pieces of fabric that rub against each other rather than one piece of fabric rubbing against your skin AND it wicks moisture away from the foot - BLISTER FREE, and it totally works.

Just about our entire Zappos team used them for the JanSport 8000m Challenge last fall and I personally have become a HUGE believer in the product for running. Wrightsock Double-Layer Rocks!

Attack of the killer Baby Jogger! It reminds me of stories my mother would tell me about throwing me in the car and driving loops around the block because being in the car just made me fall asleep faster. Every time I throw my girls in this sleep contraption called a Baby Jogger, they fall asleep - completely funny. They go from being completely excited and energized about going on a run to falling into a deep sleep within three or four miles...super funny. In any case, it happened again today - Just thought I would let you know.

BTW, I just learned that we'll be carrying Baby Joggers on the site soon!!!! For all you runners out there that want to drain the energy out of your kids in a single bound - you too will now have the chance! WooOooOOoooOoooo-HoooOOoOoooOoooooo! Three cheers for Baby Joggers!

The Coin Count

Nada today :(

Running Total: 42 cents