Utah gears up for races and XTerra

Lace up the sneakers, folks. It's time to hit the trails.

Marathon season is a lot closer than most people realize, and the options for the 26.2-mile club are growing. First up is the Utah Valley Marathon on April 12.

Of course, the Salt Lake Marathon on April 19 is the first major running event in the state, with thousands of participants and a hefty prize package. Starting at the University of Utah, the race wraps up at the Gateway and has become one of the biggest races in the Mountain West. Saltlakecitymarathon.com is your source for registration information.

If that's too soon for you, the Zion's Bank Ogden Marathon on May 17 is looking for participants. With 5K, half marathon and relay options, the race which travels from the Ogden Valley to the heart of the city has something for everyone. Visit ogdenmarathon.com for registration information.

Perhaps to little surprise, there are several other marathons popping up around the state. The first Bear Lake Marathon will be held on June 14 along the eastern shores of the lake and a new race through eastern Utah's Little Grand Canyon of the San Rafael Swell is set for September 13. Visit mammothmarathons.org for information on these new endurance races.

If 26 miles is just more than you want to bite off, there are ample opportunities to race in shorter events. Moab hosts a half marathon on March 8 and the Spectrum 10K in St. George is just a week later.

OGDEN VALLEY PREPS FOR WINTER WORLDS: Distance running is certainly not the only form of endurance competition taking place in the state. The XTerra Winter Worlds will invade the Ogden Valley on March 7-9.

With events for everyone ranging from the snowboard scramble to snowshoe races, the XTerra weekend will be packed. The highlight, of course, will be March 8 when many of the best endurance athletes in the world will show up to race their way around the Snowbasin Resort starting at 10 a.m. Unlike most winter triathlons, XTerra has thrown in an extra wrinkle. A 10K mountain bike ride will be followed by a 5K snowshoe race. Add on a 5K trail run and an 8K ski mountaineering finishing leg and the winners will have well earned their share of the $10,000 purse.

The weekend will have a festival feel to it, though, and Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed is among those expected to be in attendance. According to XTerra promoters, Reed will be racing in Sunday's snowshoe relay race.