let the quest begin ...

Intro.
So, I don't know that much about blogs ... in fact, what I do know tends to bore me.  I believe I have never really read through an entire blog, and perhaps that's just the idea, you find what interests you and read what you want ... the rest is just filler ... who knows ... Either way, I wanted to try to find a way to create a running account (no pun intended) of my latest goal and to share it with whomever it may interest...

It began on the morning of March 7th, 2010 at around 11:41:09am (Barcelona time) ... that's the moment I crossed the finish line of the 2010 Barcelona Marathon in my personal best time ... 3hours 11minutes and 9seconds .... got it? ... eleven minutes (and nine seconds, but who's counting?) .... at that precise moment, even though I had just "shattered" my own personal record by more than 19 minutes in a full marathon (42.2km / 26.2miles) and had fallen short of my goal for that day of coming in under 3h:10m:00 I knew that I had to strive to come in under that magical cutt-off point of 3 hours.

My registration (via qualifying time of 1h:27m for a half marathon) for the 2010 New York City Marathon had already been accepted.  I knew that my plans this coming fall would take me back to New York where I ran my very first marathon in 1998 (3h:50m)  ... and I knew that I had to make it a big.  I knew that it was where it was going to happen....  three hours ....

Sound like a realistic goal?  I'm not quite certain it is... 
Impossible? .... no way!

Now, ahead of me lies the next 7 months that will be filled with the joys and hardships of balancing "real life" with the demanding challenges of preparing for my next marathon.  Over that period my daughter will have her first birthday.  My wife and I will celebrate our 7th anniversary.  Our son will turn six ... on the same day that I'll turn 42.  The patience and support of my wife, my family and friends will be invaluable tools for reaching this goal.  I look forward to documenting and sharing all I can throughout the course of that period here. 

I think I can do it in eleven less.  Dare me?...

Gotta run ... Ryan