Baldini, now 38, by his own admission lost a little of his appetite for racing at major championships after he finished 12th in the Marathon at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He didn't contest last year's World Championships but he has re-discovered his desire in recent months."For some time I have been cultivating this great little dream (of defending the title he won in Göteborg four years ago). I am well aware that you can't hold back time but I really want to do well and I'm highly motivated," Baldini told the Italian athletics federation web site www.fidal.it.
"I know it will be difficult to even think about running the times of four or five years ago but to have an important goal on the horizon is a nice boost. Frankly, last year I took it easy. It is true that I still ran a lot, I ran almost 7000km in 2009, but I lowered my intensity in order to relax and try again in 2010.
"I'll be 39 when I get to Barcelona but I want to compete there, not just turn up. Personally, I want to get back in the game for Italy, pull on the Azzurri shirt and do something important. I think we can expect something from our marathon runners and athletes such as myself and, on the women's side, (Rosaria) Console and (Anna) Incerti can look at a place among the top five in Barcelona," added Baldini.
Baldini has a special fondness for the European Athletics Championships after having competed in the last four and also winning the Marathon in 1998.
In 2006, he had a memorably duel with Switzerland's Viktor Röthlin over much of the second half of the race before pulling away from his unexpected rival with two kilometres to go.
No man has ever won the Marathon at the European Athletics Championships on three occasions, with only himself and his fellow Italian Gelindo Bordin, the 1986 and 1990, having won it twice.
Baldini, who holds the Italian record at 2:07.22, which he ran at the 2006 London Marathon, spent most of January training in Kenya and putting in the miles.
"It was a change for me after several years of training in Namibia and initially I struggled to adapt to running at 2300 metres, I certainly felt the altitude," added Baldini.
"I went there with Daniele Caimmi (fourth in the 2002 European Athletics Championships Marathon) and Ottavio Andriani. We did an average of 30 kilometres per day. I also spent a day with the Kenyans Sammy Wanjiru and Martin Lel (first and fifth in the 2008 Olympic Games Marathon respectively) and did two training sessions with them. Seeing where and how they train, I understand even more where they get the strength in their ankles and their ability to run cross country."
Baldini anticipates that he will have his first race over 26.2 miles since Beijing at the Treviso Marathon on March 14.
[EURO athletics reports]
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