It’s official. I got an email the other day:

Congratulations Vinod Kurup! You are eligible for guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon 2005. Simply follow the instructions below and register between January 31 and May 1, 2005, in order to enter the marathon without applying for the lottery. The marathon will take place on Sunday, November 6, 2005.

So, I registered today and am now committed to running the New York Marathon in under 4 hours. My number is #17166. Real training begins around June or so. Keep posted for updates :-)