We're fascinated by sports partly because in physical matters, elite athletes set the outer limits.
Athletics accounts for more competitors than any other discipline, with 1124 athletes set to take part.
Some athletes set watch alarms to remind themselves to swallow a gel or take a swig of a sports drink.
Still, as the Olympic flame was set aglow for the first of 16 nights, even the most fearless athletes set to compete here were shaken.
With the first athletes set to arrive in India on Friday, the future of the Games was in the balance last night.
Doing what we do as athletes sets us apart because we are willing to do that extra little bit that might take us to the top.
But, he added, no city with laws that seem to contradict the rights of athletes set forth in the Olympic charter should be allowed to bid on future Games.
Last week, the spotlight shone on the skier Lindsey Vonn, one of the most famous and accomplished athletes set to return to the Olympics, who will instead be forced to stay home after re-injuring her knee.
The bankers got the first glimpse, their ranks of pale blue shirts cramming the streets outside the temples of mammon as the parade of Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes set off from in front of the Mansion House, preceded by carnival paper lions and a high-stepping band.
Amid an increased police presence, thousands lined the streets to see the athletes set off.
Of the 3,500 participants, the host island has the largest team with 316 athletes set to turn out.
