Winning Back What I Lost

Rested yesterday after 4 slow & short jogs last week. The plan is to add 2 mins to every run until I get to an hour of slow running. Thus far, no pain in my lower back.  

I've been throwing in slow miles here and there all month but I feel like its time to start documenting the journey again. No matter what happens, I feel like I have unfinished business and I enjoy running too much to leave it how it was. 

Stretched it out 5 mins.

5 mins more.

Furthest I've run this year. Stretching it out until I get to 5-6 mile runs.

4 days in a row. Keep chopping that tree.

Feeling more comfortable while running than after.

Developing runners knee on my left knee. Hey, you didn't expect to pull this off w/o any hitches at all did ya?

Full night of Little League, put kids to bed and a nightly run. Getting to become a habit.

Lunchtime GB run w/ David from Muni Park.

After LL practice w/ my youngest son I went on a run w/ my youngest daughter. It was the longest run of her 10 yr old life. So proud of her. She loves to run w/ dad and wants to win medals someday, Crossing my fingers that I won't do anything to screw up her obvious passion and talent for running.

Another evening run w/ my daughter. She WILL NOT let me go w/o her. Honestly, as slow as I am these days it doesn't slow me down either. More than anything I love that in the 4th grade she already has a passion for running.

Slow miles. Trying to gradually increase mileage & frequency to rebuild my base. The goal is to shed some excess lbs & obviously avoid re-injury. Speedwork/tempos/hills are a ways off, probably next month once my easy pace drops at least 1:30/mile

Super windy evening. Wanted to go a bit further but duty called. The benefit and the curse of regular running, it keeps you regular.

Great night. Cards won. Kids played well in the field and at the plate. Quin went 2 for 3. Topped it off w/ an easy 5 miles on a near perfect evening.

Lunchtime run on the GB w/ David. Muni Park to WS Golf Course and back. Beautiful day. A little sore from last night's run. Need a good massage on left knee, ankle and back. 

Easy evening run in the wind and light rain. My sweet little daughter (10 yo) won't let me run w/o her on non-school nights. So I bought her a pair of yellow/purple/pink Saucony Kinvara's that arrived today. You would have thought it was Christmas she was so excited. Good stuff.

Wanted to go further but it was a long day and my back was starting to tighten up. Playing it smart. I'm in it for the long haul.

Extended the run just a bit. Received notification that I'm admitted to run the St. George Marathon on 10/4. Obviously, I'm a long ways from being in shape or even in my typical marathon shape. But I enjoy having a concrete goal on the horizon. Something to keep me focused and hungry to train.

Another busy evenîng of little league baseball. Quin played well w/ a couple of great hits and lays in the field. Beautiful evening for a run. Slow and comfortable.

Warmest day of the year = very pleasant evening run in t-shirt and shorts.

Noon: Run on the GB w/ Dave. I consider these lunchtime runs as unorthodox "doubles," considering that I finish my evening runs around 1030 or 11pm the night before and have only 12-13 hours to recover. Legs are not as spry but its nice to have a running partner to push the pace. I told Dave that I'm running a Full marathon in October and he thinks I'm crazy. He thinks I should play it safe and shoot for running a half marathon in October. I told him that I am planning on running a half marathon.........in July. He was incredulous. :)

Late evening run w/ my daughter Solis. Third week in a row for her running w/ me on weekend evenings. Looks like she's in it for the long haul. Don't have to ask her, she tells me. Dropped her off after 3.5 and did 1.5 solo.

2 miles w/ Solis. Did 5 more for my longest run yet and finally going over 30 miles/week.

Lunchtime run on the GB from Firefighter's Memorial to Willow Lane SB Fields and back. Trying to convert to running before or during work. Didn't get up this morning but I'll try again tomorrow morning. Getting the run out of the way early always minimizes the chances of missing a run due to life circumstances.

Finally able to drag myself out of bed & get my run in before work. Aside from being tired, the back seems to be at its worst in the AM. I have a really nice pillow top mattress but this may be an excuse to get one of those sleep # beds. 

Lunchtime GB run w/ Dave. Muni Park to BC Trail and back. Very nice, temps in upper 70's w/ a little bit of cloud cover.

Another AM workout. Little easier to drage myself out of bed but legs feel so stiff, tired and lifeless. Calves are super tight. I'm also convinced that the calibration on my Garmin is off significantly. Maybe I'm wishful thinking and/or have a bad memory but it seems as though some these 6 mile routes I used to do are just barely over 5 miles now.

AM: Short run. Developing a bad sore throat. All of my kids have it so I guess it was inevitable. Looking forward to running w/ my daughter again this evening.

Sick w/ flu.

Forced myself to get out for a late evening run. Been recovering from flu all holiday weekend. What a great way to enjoy the 3 day weekend. Labored mightily. Legs felt very heavy. I feel better than I did 2 days ago but still weak.

As I said before, I think my gps watch is not accurate. I have a pretty good memory for how far my old routes were. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to fix my watch. If I wasn't so pre-occupied by numbers & stats it wouldn't bother me nearly as much. 

First run in my new pair of Brooks Launch. So glad Brooks listened to its customers and began manufacturing the launch again. This is my 2nd pair and I have to say I like the new blue/yellow color combo better than the black. Fit and cushion is as good as I remembered.

Late night run. Started out very tired and finished strong. Might not get a run in on Friday as I'm currently in the waiting room waiting for my wife to come out of surgery. Hopeful that it will be routine and successful.

At the hospital all day w/ my wife. Surgery went as well as we could hope. Huge load of stress of my shoulders. Felt so good that I put the kids to bed and was able sneak away for a late night run. Had my mother in law on hand in case my wife needed anything while I was out.

Full week of running. Still going very slow. Man I wish I didn't let myself get so terribly out of shape. It'll probably take me another couple of months before I'm running my normal easy pace.

Late evening run. Just can't get up in the morning consistently. I set my alarm and sleep right through it. Probably something to do with the fact that I don't get to bed until midgnight every night.

Trying to ramp up weekly mileage to near 40. Daily runs should increase by 10-15%.

Starting to feel just a tad stronger. I've lost 15 lbs and it's taken roughly :30 sec/mi off my easy pace. My goal is to lose 10 lbs a month over next 4 mos going into race day. That corresponds perfectly w/ my median race weight & should land me precisely on my previous "easy" pace.

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB. Awful run. Back was sore. Stomach ache. Ran the evening before so I had no energy. Just a horrible, useless run but for the miles. Not at the point where I can pull doubles. Need to get better rest and commit to my strength exercises (core, back, legs). 

Back still sore but the bigger problem is my legs are extremely stiff and weak. I suspect that the leg weakness is attributable to my back condition as before. I just took things very slow and tried not to worry about pace and just be in the moment. That's harder than it would seem.

Longest run yet. Felt reasonably comfortable. Legs not as stiff as yesterday. Doing my strength exercises and hoping that will pay off. Need to be smart about what sort of projects I do around the house. Setting up the kids pool made them happy but it almost injured me again.

More easy running.

Easy plus faster finish.

Included some faster miles. Faster being relative. Still 1 min/mi slower than my typical easy pace. I've also started doing some specific running drills to improve the efficiency of my stride (buttkicks, high knees, etc.).

 Very warm (high 80's) and breezy evening run. Keep improving my easy speed a few seconds pe mi. every run.  

Lunch: Easy run w/ David from Muni Park. Comfortable temps and nice breeze but still a little tired from last night's run and less than mediocre sleep.

8PM: First double digit mile long run. Felt great, no issues. Weather was perfect, near 70. Ran :30 sec/mi faster than my typical easy pace. Getting there, week by week. Starting a more formal training plan. 16 weeks left until SGM.

Noon: Easy out and back lunchtime run on the GB from AM Park to VM Park. Couldn't get up this morning. I'll try again tomorrow.

Late evening: Very windy. Easy + 2.5 miles at a quicker pace. My training schedule says marathon pace but since I have no idea what that is right now I just ran about 1 min/mi quicker than easy pace into a headwind most of the time. Felt good to stretch it out and run a little quicker even if it's still really slow.

Easy run. Super tired but I got through it. Passed a group of teenagers in full camo w/ air soft guns on the out and back. I sped up a little and ran zig zag pattern each time I passed them. :)

9PM: Easy + 3 x 1000m comfortably hard (marathon pace). 

Easy.

9PM: Medium Long Run: Was supposed to go 12 mi but I had a long day on my feet and in the sun so I cut it short. Disappointed but wasn't getting much out of it anyway. Need to concentrate on getting better rest and fueling better.

9PM: good workout. 2+ miles over to the MVHS track and then 2 x (800m-600-600) w/ 90 secs rest between. Then 3+ miles cool down. Been a looooong time since I ran on a track. Felt good to stretch it out and run faster. No pain. My biggest problem still remains all this excess weight that isn't falling off as quickly as it did back in '07 when I started this crazy running ritual I'm in. I shouldn't complain. I've lost 16 lbs in 2 months but I just have so far to go to get to my old racing weight which I always thought was 20 lbs above ideal. I guess it's just a matter of perspective as u get older. Maybe the cure all is to increase mileage up to 50+ Per wk before I see any rapid weight loss?

9PM: Windy and muggy. Easy run.

9PM: 2M easy + 15 min hard before a rainstorm hit. Also, had 2 imbeciles w/in 5 mins of each other yell and/or blare their horn as they passed. Why is this such a favored pastime for these idiots? What compels them? Most of the time I ignore them but other times, like tonight, they make me furious and I wish I could drag them from their car & beat them senseless. :)

930PM: Late start because I was watching the Cards game until Wainwright lost his no hitter. Listened to the rest of the 1-0 heartbreaker on mlb radio on my phone. Easy + 15 mins fast + cool.

930PM: Easy

830PM: Medium long run. Perfect conditions but just felt blah from the beginning. Ran by the Meridian Speedway which failed to inspire me to pick up the pace. Obviously it's gonna be a challenge to lengthen my long runs carrying so much weight. It's a catch 22: need to run longer to drop the weight and need to drop the weight to make my long runs more tolerable.

830PM: Warm day; had an upset stomach from the get-go which caused 2 potty breaks, the 2nd one I almost didn't make; haven't had a close call like that in years so maybe that's a good sign?

Warm, 3 x 2000m intervals w/ 3 min rest, cool.

10PM: Late evening easy run to start off July. Very hot so I waited for sun to go down. Shooting for 200+ miles this month. This is in line with the 20%ish increase per month since I began running again in late April. The plan is to get up to 250-270 miles in September (60+mpw) right before the marathon

930PM: Easy medium long run on a hot & windless evening. These midweek longer runs really build my aerobic base. The speed will lag and come little by little w/ every lb. I lose and interval I complete.

Noon: Short GB run w/ Dave from Muni Park. Super hot out this afternoon. Felt a little queezy til we crossed over to the north side of the river. Think I might be done w/ these midday lunchtime runs until September.

1030PM:,Spent the evening at my bro's for a BBQ and fireworks. Highlight of the evening was 1 of a string of m-80s shot out and landed underneath my moms lawn chair, she barely reacted. Brought my running clothes and ran home after a day of sun and gluttony. It was enjoyable however. Ran down Cloverdale w/ no ear buds and just watched the airal fireworks go to east west and south. List of people visiting Nevada and/or Fat City just outside of city limits.

930PM: Had a weekend that started well but ended w/ me in bed w/ the cold sweats. Stayed in bed most of Sat, Sun, and Mon but finally felt guilty enough to drag myself outta bed to hit the road again. Hydrated like crazy and was able to do some light intervals 2x (4 x 800m). Hopefully the worst is behind me.

930PM: easy run on a hot and humid evening. It's only gonna get hotter. I'm probably not going to run Fit for a life on Saturday. I thought I'd be ready by now but I'm just too heavy and slow for it to do much, if any, good. I'll just keep putting in the miles and hopefully I'll be in race shape by late August/early September.

930PM: medium long run. Hit the Bear Creek Hill midway thru. Finally getting back to normal post-flu and I get a cold sore for the first time in forever. Ugh, worst thing ever!

930PM: Easy run. Still hotter than hell.

10PM: easy 5+ miles.

930PM: Still unbelievably hot. Drank plenty of water but my calves were still on fire and cramping the last 4-5 miles. Probably shoulda raced today like I planned but didn't wanna waste $ on a horrible time because I'm still 30+ lbs over my normal racing weight, but dropping steadily.

930PM: So very hot, even at night. Warm + 2x (4 x 800m) w/ 90 secs rest.

930PM: Progression run.

930PM: The heat never ends. Still 90+ when I started out. Hamstring cramped up on me the last 4 miles. After reading maybe a thousand reviews, professional and non-professional, I finally ordered some Hoka One One Rapa Nui's. A big guy like me just needs more cushion for these long runs. I'm dropping weight consistently, 2-3 lbs/week, but even at my typical racing weight of 170 I find that my legs get beat up on the longer distances on the road. We'll see if this is a game changer as far as recovery and being able to safely add more miles w/o injury. BTW, I found the shoes at Boulder Running Co. for $99 & zero shipping, $30 less than normal retail. Never ordered from them before but so far the cust service has been great. They shipped out that day which I thought was impressive. Should be here on Monday.

930PM: Not as warm tonight. Felt pretty good and my easy pace was almost 1 min faster than it has been during this heat wave. Need to transition to working out in the cooler AM but I've been saying that for weeks.

945PM: Not as warm as it has been. First run in my new Hoka's that arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. I only have one thing to say- I wish I would have purchased these shoes a long time ago. They are a little more pricey then most trainers, although I bought them for $30 under retail w/ no shipping, but the fit and cushioning is next level.

They obviously don't make you run quicker but they do make it more enjoyable. Soft enough to eliminate the fatigue that I've grown accustomed to with my other trainers but firm enough awhere I can still push off. As I sit here immediately after a 6 mile run I really don't feel as if I've run tonight. My Kinvara's are certainly much lighter, about 4 oz. lighter, but my legs begin to feel the onset of fatigue after 4-5 miles. I've learned to work through that fatigue over time but now I feel like I won't have to. If I can just get to my normal racing weight I'm sure this effect will be felt over much longer distances. All that and Hoka is releasing a new model next month, the Clifton, which weighs 2 oz. lighter than my Rapa Nui's. I already know I'll be purchasing a pair in a few weeks.

And that is the impression I got straight out of the box! How good will they feel once they've broken in?

6PM: Wow, it's been a busy weekend+ in the Price household. I can't be sure but I think we've either attended or hosted every single event that's taken place in SW Idaho the last 3 days. 

I finally told the wife that I needed to get a long run in. Left right after work for the greenbelt. The first 1.5 miles were horrible because I had inadvertently pulled the lacing system too tight on my Hoka's. Once I loosened them it was easy and pleasurable until mile 13 when I just ran out of fuel. I hadn't brought anything to eat so it was to be expected. 

My wife's sister and her 6 kids are at the house this week so running will be a challenge. It's either risk pizzing the wife off or miss some training. I'll have to pick my spots carefully. Maybe I'll actually get up early in the morning.......nah, who am I kidding? I'll never do that. That would make too much sense.

930PM: Snuck away from yet another family event we were hosting at the house. The BBQ was long over with but my wife's family really loves to linger. I've decided I'm not going to let that come between me and my running schedule. I quietly slipped away for an easy run that turned nasty when massive lightning bolts and a sheet of rain started up when I was about a mile from home. Had planned to go 8 mi but caution and a shortcut seemed like the better option. 

1030PM: Coaxed my wife to finally leave here sister in law's house where we had dinner so I'd have enough for a short midnight run. If things don't settle down soon I may lose it. This just heightens the rationale for running in the morning. Nobody schedules BBQs, reunions, dinners, etc. at 6am in the morning.

1030PM: Yet another late night for the zombie runner. 

10PM: Another late night run just as soon as we got home. Only 2 days til the in-laws leave.

635AM: Finally got the energy and will to rise in the AM for a workout. Wanted to get up at 6AM for a longer run but this is a start. Have to say that I really enjoyed the much cooler temps. A LOT more people out running/walking in the AM so plenty of company out pounding the pavement.

Missed another Saturday long run. I sprained my ankle playing in a family softball game. Ugh. Not as bad a sprain as I've had in the past and I was able to ice it immediately and repeatedly on Saturday and Sunday for 10 min intervals. Feels relatively good now.

6AM: Day 2 of morning workouts. I forgot how much I enjoy having my nights free. A little bit warmer and more humid this morning. Discovered some new running paths to the south which was nice.

630AM: So tired. Getting the workout out of the way in the morning is great. It's less great when you fail to adjust your sleep pattern. Working on about 6 hours of sleep debt so far this week that finally caught up to me. Felt sluggish & near comatose on a really muggy early morning. Hoping to get to bed much sooner tonight.

6AM: Got a little bit more sleep. I actually went to bed earlier than normal. Imagine that, go to bed earlier and get more sleep. Six hours instead of five. Next stop is getting a solid 7 hours. How would that be?

Felt nauseous and weak the entire run but I plowed through it. Should have eaten a little something beforehand. Will start experimenting w/ various foods to see what works. 

Noon: Easy lunchtime run from the workplace to the GB and back. Very hot. Hotter than hot. Some like it hot, I don't.

9PM: I really need to do these long runs in the early AM. It was 90+ when I left the house and didn't cool off much even after the sun went down. Brought water but no calories. Ended up running out of gas at about 10 miles so I cut my planned 17 miler to 14 miles. Made no sense to push it if I'm just shuffling on a death march.

615AM: Only 5 hrs sleep. Legs still sore from Saturday. The rout I chose on Saturday night was fairly hilly so my quads definitely got a workout. Took it easy this AM w/ 1 mile at 80% effort.

620AM: 5.5 hrs of sleep. An extra half hour over last night! Mixed in a half dozen 100m strides. Aiming for 10M today so I'll try to get a short run in tonight if possible.

630AM: 5.5 hrs of sleep. Hit the alarm a couple times. Try to get another short run in tonight, but I said that yesterday too. :(

615AM: 5.5 hrs of sleep. Seems to be my max sleep no matter what time I try to go to bed. Easy + 6-7 strides. 

6AM: Easy + strides. Cool morning. Legs felt better. Ate half a bagel which seemed to help my energy level. Still running very slow. Pulled out my heart monitor yesterday and I'm only running at 125-128 bpm. This confirms what I've felt, my cardio condition is good but my legs are not strong. Obviously, the strength will come as I lose weight. Unfortunately, not enough time to get down to my typical racing weight of 170 lbs. Looking more and more like I'll probably be in the 185-188 lb range for SGM. Won't hit my ideal racing weight until my spring marathon.

830PM: Very warm- 90 degrees when I left the house. But still, it was the best I've felt on a long run. Right hamstring started to cramp about halfway but never gave out. Drank as much water as I could but unfortunately all of the park fountains had very warm water. Yuck.

615AM: 5.5 hours of sleep. Very slow w/ 1M cooldown. A little sore this morning. Back has been cranky since Saturday when I made the ill-advised decision to till our garden plot in the backyard w/ a shovel. Certain movement really aggravate my back & shoveling is one of them. 

615AM: 5.5 hrs sleep. 2.5M warm then 4x800 (400m recovery) on MVHS track. 1.5M cool. Very muggy this morning. Gonna be uncomfortable today. My AC broke in my truck for the 3rd time in the past year. Ugh.

630: 5 hours of sleep. Easy recovery run. Cloudy and muggy.

Noon: Easy lunchtime run on the GB from AM Park to Vets Memorial Park. Very warm.

930PM: Didn't get up for the 2nd day in a row. Just not getting to bed early enough and the sleep debt piled up on me. Legs felt really good though. Going camping tomorrow so this might be my last run this week.

Hiked from trailhead to the Lake w/ a heavy (60 lbs) pack. Horrible thunder/lightning/rain/hail storm hit when we got to within a half mile of the lake. Toughest hike I've ever been on. 

Hiked to another lake until a storm chased us back to basecamp. 

We decided that 4 days of living in or near our tents was enough and hiked out. Turned my ankle at least 3 times on the way down on the mud-filled and rocky trail.

9PM: Tried to get up in the morning but it wasn't happening. I think it will take me a few days to get back into the morning groove after last week's backpacking trip. Legs and lungs felt really good though. I think last week refueled my tank.

930PM: Late start. Temps are cooling in the evening and mornings. Legs and lungs still feeling very good.

630AM: Slept through this short run. Felt like I barely got home from last night's run and I was on the road again. Will try for another short run tonight before transitioning fully to morning run. 

630AM: 5.5 hrs of sleep. Transitioning back to morning runs. It'll take me at least a week before I'm fully accustomed and no longer sleepwalking. 

Noon: Lunchtime run on the GB. Very warm. Looks like we're in for a cool down starting on Monday. 

830PM: Went camping w/ the kiddos this weekend so I got back late. Need to squeeze in a couple of 20 milers soon but its been near impossible to find the time. Hopefully things will slow down soon. On the upside, I felt really strong and springy. I attribute that mostly to my Hoka's and the extra rest. I'm so impressed that I think I'm going to buy the Hoka Cliftons this week, which are essentially are lighter version of the Rapa Nui.

630AM: 6 hrs of sleep. Easy recovery run. 

9PM: First run w/ my new trainers, Hoka Clifton. I've been looking forward to purchasing these shoes since before they were put out on the market. They have the same Hoka comfort but w/o the added weight. I don't know how they packed that much cushion into a lightweight shoe but they did, and it feels great. Ran :20-:30/mile faster w/ no added effort. I have just enough time to break these in for SGM. 

9PM: Running late. Temp is now cooling off in the evenings and early mornings. 

630AM: 6 hrs of sleep. Tired legs.

11AM: Long, easy run. 18M + 1.5M cool down. Out and back on GB from Glenwood Bridge. Temp rose to high 80s but I felt good.

830PM: Easy + 6-8 pickups. Perfect running weather, neither hot or cold. 

9PM: Easy + pickups. Life is getting busier and I'm struggling to fit my running into it. Hopefully, things slow down soon.

9PM: Cool evening run. Had to return to the house and get a vest to put over my long sleeve. Felt like fall already but I hear its supposed to warm back up. Tripped over a curb in the dark and went face first into the sidewalk. Put my hands out to save me from eating some concrete so their chewed up, along w/ left elbow. Hazards of running at night. Could've been much worse.

9PM: Cool evening run. Lots going on. My friend Matt came to town on Wednesday and we did what we always do when he's in town, we went fishing. On Friday night I forgot that my 2 youngest had movie night at their elementary so I was roped into that. Saturday was even busier. I'll have to get my long run in on Monday after work.

930PM: Short, easy run. Long run tomorrow.

830PM: Comfortable evening. Temps still getting into 90s during the day. Still trying to find time for this week's long run. Maybe tomorrow? 

9PM: Still not finding time for a long run. Had to take my son to the doc right after work and it was 8 o'clock before I got home. Life gets in the way.

Looks like I'm going to have to return my Cliftons for a new pair. A seam on the inside of the forefoot is coming apart after just 30 miles. Doesn't appear to be a common problem, as far as I can tell from reading online reviews.

9PM: Coming down w/ something my kids brought home. Not ideal.

930PM: 7 x 200M. Kudos to REI. Replaced my Cliftons (rip at seam of forefoot of right shoe), no questions asked. They were actually going to give me my money back but I told them I love the shoe and wanted another pair. This pair seems a little more comfortable in the forefoot. We'll see.

5PM: Finally found time to get in a long run. Legs were stiff and calves were super tight. Sick stomach. So I basically simulated a normal marathon w/o the food and drink support. Counting last nights run, I ran a full marathon in less than 24 hrs. One more long run next week and then I'll do a 1 week taper. I prefer the shorter tapers. 2-3 week taper always seems too long.

9PM: Weak legs. Still battling flu.

930PM: Legs are a little better today. Still battling sickness but I think I'm winning.

9PM: Windy & raining. Just got this run in before the storm hit.

930PM: Late run in the rain. Temps have cooled significantly. A nice trend.

Last long run on the green belt. Went relatively smoothly but for one pit stop. I'm not in as good a shape as I'd hoped but running this marathon more or less to prove to myself that I still can, to get back into the game sorta speak. It's been a long hard road to get back even to where I'm at. I'll run this marathon and it might even be the slowest marathon I've ever run but I think it'll be the most satisfying.

830PM: Taper week. 7x100m strides. 

830PM: Easy run to keep the legs tuned up. 

Short evening run in St. George to get the bowels moving. It was a success!

Marathon #11 is in the books. It was my slowest one to date but thoroughly satisfying. Those who know me best know what I went through & had to overcome just to toe the starting line today. Sharing it w/ loved ones gives it even more meaning & makes it a life worth living. Blessed.

Hike out and back to the Lewis River Channel between Shoshone and Lewis Lakes. Beautiful weather. Semi-close encounter w/ a grizzly. Great time and great memories w/ 2 of my closest friends.

930PM: Short run to ease back into training this week. Goal: Maintain fitness and lose weight over the winter so as to begin spring marathon training w/ a nice base. Haven't decided which marathon yet. Trying to choose between Famous Potato (Boise), Newport, OR, Utah Valley or Ogden.