Sign of a weakening battery, or something else

[WeeYari]

6 months after posting this, my battery did indeed die. Morning temperatures are now at where they were when the problem manifested itself. With the new battery, I can happily report that the engine once again catches immediately with twist and release of the key.

So, to echo what others had said and now from personal experience, I'd say that this is definitely a battery issue. If you are starting to experience the need to hold the key while cranking, you can assume that your battery is on it's way out. Deal with it soon! I didn't, and found myself stranded under less than ideal circumstances.