Sunday was Day 2 for Brett’s training for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon. He’s sore..and sweaty…and his knees are swollen. And he’s wondering if this is normal?

Playlist for Sunday:
Allman Brothers Band
Derek Trucks Band (Best slide guitar player in the business!)

Oh boy, oh boy…I’m out of shape, ladies and gentlemen. I set my sights on trying to run 3 miles today…I barely got to 1.5 and was seriously winded. I ended up running 1 in the morning and 1.5 in the evening. I’ve received a lot of advice from people inside and outside of Zappos, and they keep telling me to start small, and tomorrow I shall take note of that. It’s been so long since I’ve ran any sort of distance. (I think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might have actually been quite popular near the last time)

So, I’m 30 years and 1 week old, and I’m trying to remember stretches from my Sixth Grade Gym class with Mr. Wells. Maybe I should call him for advice…he was always a great help. So, we’re sure I can’t just do jumping jacks and watch Jane Fonda videos for training for a marathon, correct? (Not her exercise videos…her dramas. Nothing inspires me to bust out the door in a full sprint like On Golden Pond. But, digress I do…)

So, tomorrow is another day. Only 3.85 months until race day. Let’s rock and roll.

P.S. I keep forgetting to order my new shoes, so below is a photo of a pair I forgot that I had….love the Asics , yo.

August 1 Playlist:
-Ben Harper and the Relentless 7
-Ralph Stanley and Friends
-Slate Political Gabfest Podcast

This year, on Dec. 6, Zappos will be sponsoring the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon!

We hope to have many Zapponians running the marathon and the half marathon, as well as volunteering in many different areas to help the event to be successful.

We are hoping to encourage as many people at Zappos to participate as we can, and in a meeting earlier this week, we were trying to decide who would be the most unlikely candidate to train hard, eat right and get in shape for a marathon, and Brett H. began to sink into his chair a bit. And then a lot. At one point he might have actually been under the table in the fetal position in a wild, fearful panic.

It slowly dawned on everyone that he would be the perfect candidate to inspire people to train….because he’s widely regarded as ‘un-trainable’. Tom E. and Rebecca L. pointed out that the motto should be: “If Brett can do it, why can’t you?”

So, after a bit of prodding and poking, laughing and joking, tears, fears and a deep desire for beers…....Brett said yes, yes, yes, he would begin training next week and run the Las Vegas Marathon. (Pending a Physical:)

We will be following his progress on Zappos Blogs, Facebook and Myspace.com

We’ll let him explain and let some of his friends at Zappos fill him with confidence…............

Check back next week to see Brett’s progress, and please comment below with any suggestions to help him out or with any words of encouragement!

At Zappos, training is a big deal to us. Every employee, regardless of the position that they are hired on for, goes through our 4 week Customer Training program. And now, the training team has morphed into something completely new in order to further train Zapponians and help them grow as employees, as well as people.

Here you go…I’ll let them explain.

It’s the season for charity walks, marathons and outdoor competitions that help raise funds for your favorite causes, but preparing for the big race demands a little more than your usual 20-minute walking routine. Exercising for good health is one thing, but getting buff for a competition is a completely different fitness scenario; you need the gear, you need time to train, and you need a crew to cheer you on as you race to the finish line.

Get things started with a pair of quality running shoes . You’ll need a sturdy and reliable pair to help you run your route with success, so pick up a pair of super-cushioned soles to prevent major injuries. A soft and flexible sole made with breathable mesh and supportive cushions gives you that extra edge for race day. For comfort’s sake, be sure to break them in with a trial run or two before the big day.

Next, you’ll need some versatile and comfortable clothing. If you’re training outdoors on those brisk fall or winter mornings, layer things up with a stylish half-zip that will keep moisture at bay. You can sweat yourself into oblivion without feeling a thing in one of these comfy tops; just pull it on over a tank or tee for some extra protection on those chilly days outdoors. If you’re tackling an indoor track session, get moving in some Dri-FIT shorts that give you plenty of breathing space with extra ventilation; the polyester/spandex combo also keeps your skin dry during any intensive workout.

When it’s time to keep time and beat the clock for your best performance, pick up an Ironman timex that will track your steps on any course. It’s the easiest way to monitor each workout and make sure you get through the big event in record time.

And as you count down the days to race day, round up your cheering crew with a quick e-mail or phone call proclaiming your race for your chosen cause. You’ll need a supportive troop to keep you in the race when the going gets tough.

A few tweaks to your weekly schedule and the right gear are all it takes to rev up that training routine and get yourself to the finish line like a pro!

Oktoberfest: it’s synonymous with FUN! The sheer mention of that glorious German word conjures images of beer & babes that dance in the heads of people all over the world.

At Zappos, we do things a little differently. Our beer ended up being root beer candies we politely chucked at passing coworkers, and our “babes”... well, you’ll just have to check them out for yourself!

For every Customer Loyalty Training class here at Zappos, there is always a graduation, and it is always a sight to be seen! Each class, in their last week, chooses a theme and creates a cheer, in which they present in a parade around the office! It’s Zappos tradition, and it’s a blast always.

At Zappos, one of our Ten Core Values is Building a Positive Team and Family Spirit, and our wonderful CLT department is an excellent example of how it can be applied and make coming to work a joy!

The latest class had a football theme and had their diploma ceremony upstairs in the 2280 Building…below is a video of how it all went down.

Who doesn’t love arts & crafts??

(First of all, that was a rhetorical question for all you naysayers!) :p

Well, apparently, craft activities are extremely stressful for some people. As long as you’re able to let go of your inner perfectionistic critic, though, they can be a fun-tastic outlet for creativity!

The training team was all set & psyched to go race cars at Pole Position (with Ray A. threatening to put Loren B. “into the wall,” of course).

Unfortunately, this off-site team building event had to be cancelled due to the busy week we were having. :( But, thanks to Renee N. and Marcela G., we were still able to spend some quality time together and build something for all to enjoy! :)

It definitely wasn’t easy, though. First, the rest of the training team was called into a room under pretenses of having a meeting (about what, we didn’t have a clue, though we were all suspicious). Mysterious graphs leered at us from a stand at the front of the room, and there was a wheel to the left with each of our names on it. “We will spin the wheel and the person whose name it stops on will give us their ideas for the direction the team will be taking over the next year,” we were instructed.

Just when everyone was about ready to start hyperventilating (our Boss Lady especially!), the offending graphs were pulled aside to reveal a box of clay tiles and paints, and trays of yummy snacks appeared on the side tables.

“SURPRISE!! We’re having a team building event today regardless!”

Relieved as we were to not be having that meeting, most of us were still stressed out about what to paint on our respective tiles. But once we stopped over-thinking it and remembered how to let loose and be a big kid again, our imaginations poured out onto the tiles through our little plastic paintbrushes.

Renee and Marcela even took them to be glazed and fired for us, and they came out beautifully!

Soon we will be building a “wall” with the tiles for all to see and enjoy when they come visit us over in the training area. Look for a new entry coming to a blog near you! ;)