Making My Declaration!

I have started this blog because I have made my declaration....I will qualify for the Boston Marathon this year!  I know that this endeavor will require every bit of determination and commitment that I can gather and I am hoping that my blog will help keep me motivated...and maybe help others find some encouragement and motivation along the way.
I have been an avid mountain biker for a long time and have participated in and completed a number of races including several ultra endurance mountain bike races.  For those not familiar, these are typically 100 mile races that average 10,000 to 12,000 feet of climbing throughout the race. 
I started running a few years ago primarily as an additional way to stay in shape and train for mountain biking.  I quickly became hooked on running - which is shocking as I HATED running for the longest time.
At this point, I have completed a number of races - most of which have been half marathons.  I have also completed a 20 mile race. 
So how far do I have to go?  First off, I clearly need to complete a FULL marathon of 26.2 miles.  As challenging as that is - that won't qualify me for Boston.  To achieve my goal, I will need to complete the marathon in less than 3 hours and 10 minutes.  That means running an average pace of about 6 minutes and 50 seconds per mile for the entire race.  At this point, I am running about a 7 minute and 15 second pace for a half marathon.  Yes, I have a long, long way to go to get ready!
The training starts now and I hope that you will stick with me along the way!  I am not starting this alone - my girlfriend and biggest supporter Jennie will be by my side as she has completed a number of marathons and is my trusted advisor. (Hi everyone! You can do it honey... I love you)