Dear Sports Fans

I am not a sporty person. In fact I have absolutely no athletic ability what so ever, something that my high school PE teacher would testify to wholeheartedly if ever she was asked.

Part of me would have liked to have had some kind of sporting skill. To be able to kick butt like Buffy, or dance like Madonna, but alas I am sadly lacking in all these areas. Walking is about my limit, though even that can cause me problems; something that the numerous sprained ankles and even a dislocated shoulder that I have had would testify to.

I have come to terms with my serious lack of co-ordination and to any dreams that I may of had of being an a gymnast, a dancer or a kick ass uber vampire slayer.

This doesn't mean though that I still can't appreciate the skill in others, or that I don't enjoy watching sport, because I do.

I'll admit I'm not quite the fanatic about it that my partner is, who freely admits that he'd watch New Zealand compete in any sport, even if it was grass growing. If New Zealand's competing he is watching. You've gotta love the dedication, even if you personally think it's just a little nuts, but as he would probably say "Never get between a man and his sport".

As you can imagine he is (more than a little) looking forward to the Olympics. His calendar has been cleared, his clients have been informed and everyone knows that they are not to contact him unless it's a matter of life and death for the two weeks that the games are on. As I said, just a little nuts.

I will be, of course, watching at least some of the games and cheering our guys and girls on as they do what they do best.

In the meantime there are always plenty of sporting books to fill in the time until then.

The book of Olympic lists by David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky.

Just some of the lists mentioned on the cover of this book are enough to make me think about reading it, 'The 7 best excuses for failing a doping test, The 5 most violent water polo incidents.'

Really?

The mind kind of boggles at what else might be listed in this book.

Munich 1972 : tragedy, terror, and triumph at the Olympic Games by David Clay Large.

I'm too young to remember these games or the terrible event that happened there, though I have seen the images that were captured from this time

It shocked the world and changed the way that we viewed sporting events and certainly changed the way they were run with security now as big a feature as the games themselves.


How to watch the Olympics : scores and laws, heroes and zeros-- an instant initiation into every sport by David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton ; diagrams by Belinda Evans.

Have you ever wanted to know exactly what is Greco-Roman wrestling?

I can't say I have but if I did then this would be the book that would tell me all about it along with every other Olympic sport. Sounds just like the kind of book that I will need to guide me through the current Olympic Games.

The armchair Olympian by Phil Ascough.

Described as being strangely addictive and the book to release your inner sporting geek.

I'm not sure if I have one of those, Scifi geek yes, sporting geek... mmm not so much, but if this is the book that will get me in touch with my inner sportsman (make that sportswoman) then who am I to judge.

At least it has quizzes.

Second chance : the autobiography by Mark Todd with Kate Green.

I remember when Mark Todd won his first Olympic Gold and his second.

Both competitions were nail biting stuff that left you on the edge of your seat and made not only Mark Todd a legend but his horse Charisma one too, which is just as well since he (the horse) is the one doing all the running and jumping.

100 essential things you didn't know you didn't know about sport by John D. Barrow.

"Focuses on the mysteries of running, jumping, swimming and points scoring across the whole sporting spectrum. This title lets you find out: Why high-jumpers use the Fosbury Flop? How fast Usain Bolt can ultimately run and how he could break his records without running any faster? And more."

Personally I'm not sure I want to know 100 things about sport then again it might come in handy in our daily quiz at work.

Replay : capturing 20 years of New Zealand sporting glory.

Focusing on the last 20 years of New Zealand competing in sports I'm actually quietly surprised as to how many of these events I had actually watched.

Obviously my partner's watching habits have been rubbing off onto me of which he would be pleased about and which I'm more than a little alarmed. Next I'll be watching tiddlywinks.

Run like crazy : 52 marathons 52 weeks 42 countries : how running changed my life by Tristan Miller.

Now this is the kind of book that appeals to me, someone somewhere doing something utterly crazy for no good reason than it sounded like a good idea.

He may not win an Olympic medal but Tristan Miller certainly has my admiration for even attempting something like this.