Get on the elliptical and/or bike and really work out intensely. Go fast to get your heart rate up, to burn calories and to get your body used to moving fast.

Come out to some of those Tuesday and Thursday track workout days. Those intervals are short and fast and they burn calories and make you strong.

Get on that stationary bike, get on the elliptical, run your four days consistently, eat a little better week by week and continue to lose a pound or two every two weeks or so. Stay with that and you can dramatically reduce your marathon time. Also, as the marathon gets closer, add an easy run and extend your long run gradually. That is the formula. Use your time wisely by going in the gym and blasting on the elliptical for 20 minutes after a 5 minute warm-up and then stretch. When you finish you should be soaking wet. Add 2 days of this to your normal running schedule.

Circuit training is also a very good activity. Start by running a mile or two. Then, do one set of several exercises like bench presses, squats, lat pull downs and curls, then go run one mile at a fast pace. Without resting, run right back to the weights and do a second set; then run another mile. You want your body to be working most of the time during these workouts.