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DRAPER — A 10K, half-marathon and marathon took place in Draper Tuesday. There were 26 participants — all inmates at the Utah State Prison.
Those inmates ran together on the same skinny dirt track within the high prison fences and walls, while 13 other inmates volunteered to keep time and count laps.
It took 110 laps around that track for the marathoners.
Inmate Jason Penney organized it all. Penney started running to lose the weight he put on behind bars and found other reasons to continue.
"There's definitely a mental health benefit," Penney said. "Depression and anxiety in this place are pretty common."
After running on his own, other inmates began joining him outside.
"There were many times in previous years when I was out there all by myself," he said, "going around in little circles."
Inmatea running group read all they could about the sport, but wanted to get better, so Penney sent out letters. Weber State University assistant cross country and track and field coach Isaac Wood received one.
"It was surprising and something completely different than anything I thought would come in the mail," Wood said. "But it moved me. It kind of spoke to me, and I felt I had to do something about it. I couldn't let this opportunity go by without helping people who need more help than a lot of people do."
Wood went to the prison every Friday he could over the summer, coaching the men in 90-degree heat. Tuesday morning's chilly weather was much better for long distance.
"It's in the 40s now, maybe," Wood said. "That's good running weather."
Wood liked what he saw in the prison yard. One runner he didn't know caught his eye. Guadalupe Cuevas, who won the 10K with the time of 47 minutes, 49 seconds in basketball shoes.
"I feel good," Cuevas said after he finished. "It's my first time."
Wood immediately approached Cuevas, asking where he'd been all summer.
"You're a good runner," Wood said. "We could have had you run the marathon instead of just the 10K."
"Maybe half," Cuevas responded, laughing.
Running in the prison comes with challenges like lockdowns, transfers and bad weather, but they hope this is not the last appearance of the Draper Invitational Marathon, half-marathon and 10K at the Utah State Prison.
"Being able to set a goal and work toward it, it provides a different blueprint in how to live," Penney said.
