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"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." — Steve Prefontaine

Winter used to be the hardest season for me to find the time and energy to exercise.

First there are the holidays. I’m the first to admit I overdose on holiday cheer in just about every way possible — food, family and fun. (Let's just say I've never lost weight during the holidays.) Over the years it has made for great memories but a bit of regret when it comes to carving out time for fitness.

The last two winters, however, my attitude has slowly shifted, and this year, I was so excited about getting into the mountains after the first snowfall, I actually hiked during the storm.

The shift began when I had race commitments for which I felt obligated to train. What those commitments were isn't as important as what happened when I managed to train just a little through the coldest months of the year.

Two years ago, I spent nearly two hours a day in December at the gym cycling and running. I didn't always enjoy it, but I was afraid my failure to train would result in my untimely, and possibly unflattering, demise. I admit it, fear was my primary motivation.

But I noticed something midway through December. Because I was working out, I was making better food choices. My usual diet of sugar and carbs just didn't cut it when I was asking so much of my body.

Still, I have never loved the gym. It has always been a necessary evil, and without a race to train for, I was certain I would abandon my winter workout regimen.

Luckily, my job forces me out of my comfort zone. I ended up trying two activities that I'd always wanted to sample, but for some reason never had — snowshoeing and skate skiing.

I loved them both. Both were exhausting and exhilarating, and for me, a much better option than the gym.

Sure, my old excuses popped into my mind before I made my way into the winter weather. But now I had something I cared about more than staying warm — having fun. And while I value and respect the work one can do in a gym, I have never, ever felt a love for any of the workouts or activities I participate in at the gym.

Some years the seasons have changed and I saw very little of what made them special. But experiencing them on foot, on a bike or atop my horse changed the way I appreciate the fact that Utah has four distinct and beautiful seasons.