15 things about the Olympics

How I will be watching the Olympics.

1. Very much on purpose. I already have a plan for where and when I’ll be watching the major excitement, which for me is the 5,000m, 10,000m, marathon, triathlon, wheelchair rugby and a couple of other finals. Very exciting times.
2. Entirely by mistake. I’m expecting to catch the best of the random other stuff by accidentally flicking on the BBC or Channel 4 whilst looking for something else, only to catch the final of the women’s super-heavy-weight-lifting or a mad definitely-not-sprint finish in the men’s racewalk. This is definitely the best bit of the Games being on 24/7. How else would anyone see the modern pentathlon?
3. Not at all. Specifically, I am deliberately avoiding football. Football is not a proper Olympic sport. There is already too much football in the world. In fact as punishment for the ongoing farce of allowing it as an Olympic sport I am cancelling the next football World Cup and replacing it with perhaps a javelin/shot-putt showcase.
4. At work, online. I have no qualms whatsoever about this. It’s the Olympics.
5. With booze. There’s something wonderful about watching finely toned athletes at the top of their game whilst swigging another beer. Although 5 is somewhat incompatible with 4.

Some predictions. If I get them all right you have to buy me a small gift.

1. Mo Farah to win the 10,000m but take 3rd or lower in the 5,000.
2. Paula Radcliffe to run a decent marathon but miss out on the medals.
3. Usain Bolt to settle for silver in the 100m, possibly beaten by Blake.
4. A 1-2 in the triathlon from the Fabulous Brownlee Brothers. One or both to try to ascend the podium with a Yorkshire flag.
5. Richard Whitehead to clean up in the Paralympics, probably setting a couple of new ORs or WRs.

Desperate hopes

1. Team GB to finish top-three in the medal table
2. No stupidity from hippies, nudists, terrorists, naysayers, Liberal Democrats or tax-evaders
3. No major embarrassments of infrastructure or planning.
4. A successor to Ernie the Eagle & Eric the Eel
5. A new OR for the marathon (either/both men’s and/or women’s)

I am almost definitely not allowed to put this here.

Let the good times roll.

Happy Olympics.

Dave

2012 to date: miles run - 279.7, miles biked - 69.2, metres swum - 2350, races - 3