fahrenheit 451

I’d happened upon Alex Vero’s story a couple of times since my first attempts at marathon running - here’s a pretty unfit guy who wanted to see if he could reach an Olympic marathon qualification timebearing in mind that 120 British men achieved this in 1960, but only five in 2006. The documentary finally popped up on TV this week and you now have a chance to watch it online too.

Although it’s not quite the film I expected, and personally I’d like to have know more about the mental as well as physical challenges Vero experienced on his way to the final race, it’s interesting viewing and an incredible amount of dedication. Added satisfaction in watching him run the same paths that I do (similar but not identical Battersea Park - related emotions when watching Simon Pegg in that Nike product placement movie).

It’s probably going around the internets faster than a skidding doubledecker bus, but this is a rather nice and almost (crikey!) useful output of twittering.

Remember all that fuss about the A380’s never ending delays, and the shame it brought on Airbus? And how Boeing gloated and crowed about it? Well, I have a sense that there’s been a little less coverage of the fact that first flight of the Boeing 787 is nearly three years late. (So far - it’s due tomorrow.)

These two aircraft arguably represent the difference between success and possible failure, and alternative views of the future. The 787, whilst delayed, has an order book stretching for years; the A380 will struggle to break even. But at the end of the day, even a slight airliner geek such as me realises that they’re just buses with wings, and neither has the elegance or character of a nearly forty year old 747.

Great to see that Bradley Wiggins has signed up for Team Sky. Odd, though, that the rights to the TdF are with ITV and Eurosport until at least 2013.

I’m keen to see Premier League football teams also named after their sponsors, to reflect how money, dirty money, has permeated football at the top level. I see that Acorns beat AIG 1-0 last night. Who’d have thought it?