'The Biggest Loser': Running on empty

It's only an elite few who have ever completed "The Biggest Loser" Marathon. Time to add another four people to that list!

By the end of this show, we'll know which two contestants are guaranteed to be finalists. We'll also be able to put ourselves down by knowing that these contestants have run a marathon while the rest of us merely watch from our comfy couches. But first, the Final Four are sent home for 30 days to test the waters of losing weight without Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.

First on everyone's checklists is to weigh in for their respective towns. Two of them have set new records; Mike has lost the most weight of any contestant on the ranch ever with 204pounds, and Ashley has lost more than any female with 143 pounds. Daris also hasn't done too shabby by losing 151. Koli is at 172 pounds lost. So all in all, these guys are well on their way. Before they can leave, Ali Sweeney materializes on the big screen to make a big announcement. Duh--they're going to be running a marathon. Just like the past few seasons.

Once home, it seems like everyone is struggling. Usually one contestant does OK, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Daris is having a problem eating too much. Then there's Ashley, who initially decides not to go out partying, but then she caves and feels guilty about it later. Mike starts out worried about eating with his large Italian family, but they solve that problem by making healthy versions of their favorite dishes. Koli has decided to leave home and move to Las Vegas for a month. Wait, what? He says there are too many distractions at home, and spends the month learning martial arts.

Flash forward to marathon day! It's a month later. None of them particularly looks much skinnier than when they left. But hopefully they'll prove me wrong. It's kind of a miserable day to run a marathon. It's cold and windy, but at least it's not hot. And they're off! Daris, the runner of the group, takes off like a road runner. He wants to beat the record set by Tara, which was 4:55... but his personal goal is to come in around 4:00. That would be quite a feat. Koli is second place the whole time, with Mike and Ashley teaming up to run together. Speaking of which, are they hooking up? I'm sensing some sexual tension.

Along the way, the contestants are met by past Biggest Losers. Matt Hoover, the winner of Season 2, joins Daris at the halfway point. Then there's Sione from Season 7 (who looks like he's put on about 40 pounds) who joins Koli. Ali Vinson, probably the most commercialized winner ever, joins Ashley for a few. And joining Michael is Season 7's Mike. It's always cool to see past players and how they've maintained their weight loss.

Friends and family are waiting for Daris as he crosses the finish line with a time of 4:02! Not only did he beat Tara's record, he smashed it. Koli didn't even come close. He finished two hours later, with Ashley and Michael coming in 30 minutes after that. They all get moneys! Ten thousand bucks each toward the charity of their choice. Who else kind of wants to know which charities they chose?

Let's get down to business. It's time to weigh in. As I was expecting, making the Top 2 is Mike and Ashley. He lost another 23 pounds, and she lost another 18 pounds at home. Battling it out for America's vote will be Koli and Daris. Koli ended up only losing 13 pounds and admitted that he over-trained because of his tunnel vision for the million bucks. Then there's Daris. Even though he's right (it's hard to lose weight while training for a marathon), it seems that he's been eating one too many midnight snacks.

So, America. Will you vote for Koli, whose goal seems to be more about winning the money than winning his life back. Or will it be Daris, the kid who's still depressed about not having a girlfriend and takes it out his frustration on junk food?