Alternate training

Training for a marathon requires running. This I know. But, living in Southwest Colorado has proven to make training a challenge. I don't mind treadmills too terribly much, but not everyday for the amounts of time I plan to run. Nordic or cross country skiing is really popular in this area. Can anyone give me some guidance about this as a possible training alternative? I have read that this is the best cardio workout that you can get, so it can't hurt. I plan to run outside as often as I can, but with snow, ice and cold temps - I have to admit that I am a bit more of a fair weather runner.

Thoughts

So, I went to get my flu shot two days ago and yesterday I felt horrible. I know they say that you aren't supposed to feel any different, but I disagree. All day I dreaded my run and almost didn't go. When I finally did, it was the best thing I could do. I felt great! As for today, I decided to make Fridays my non-running training day, just to keep it interesting. I did some weight training and spent some time on a nordic trainer. Another great day. As I train, I feel so good all the time. Why didn't I try this sooner?

And then there was one...

So, my training partner told me today that he has read up on this marathon business and has decided that it is too much running. I think it boils down to the fact that snowboarding is much more important than a marathon. Anyway, I continued my training today and though not quite as enjoyable as normal, I felt great. With every run, I feel closer to my goal. It is supposed to snow tomorrow, so it seems that I will be moving my run to a treadmill. Maybe Santa will bring me some winter running gear for for Christmas....

Scared of commitment

I have been scared to commit to this on paper, but here it goes.... I am running a marathon on May 4, 2008 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
I have read on many other websites that to help me succeed, I should keep a journal of my progress. So, here it is. I had an amazing run today, probably the best I have ever had and so I thought today would be a good day to start this. I ran for 45 minutes and felt great afterwards. Obviously, I am a beginner at this whole running thing, so if you have any great words of wisdom, please comment!