Morning briefing

The modern marathon has its roots in ancient Greek legend (born 490 BC). Buster Martin is merely an ancient Brit (born Sept. 1, 1906).

Yet the two will soon be linked, possibly forever, in a Google search. The 101-year-old London resident has announced plans to compete in his city’s marathon April 13, which will make him the oldest person to compete in a marathon.

“I’ve said I’ll attempt it,” Martin told Reuters. “I haven’t said I’ll complete it.”

At 101, he can run on fumes

Martin did run in, and finish, a half-marathon in Essex last Sunday, with his first words at the finish reported to be, “Where’s my beer?”

He plans to celebrate the London Marathon in similar fashion.

“I’ll do what I always do and have a pint and a [cigarette],” Martin told Reuters. “People ask what is my secret, but I haven’t got one. They say [cigarettes] and booze are bad for you, but I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Yeah, but how long can you last with that lifestyle?

Talkin’ ‘bout my generation

Martin has reached celebrity status in England, as he is billed as England’s oldest worker. After two years of retirement, he returned to his former employer, a plumbing company, at age 99. He also is a member of a musical group whose members range in age from 90 to 101 and recently had a single make the charts.

No, it’s not the Rolling Stones.

Trivia time

Who was the last quarterback to start for the Green Bay Packers before Brett Favre?

On not-so-golden pond

The Chicago Blackhawks are considering playing an outdoor game at Wrigley Field. An appropriate choice. The Blackhawks have not won a Stanley Cup in 47 seasons, the longest current streak by an NHL team. Still, Chicago Cubs fans can do 47 years without so much as cracking open a Falstaff.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has yet to sign off on the plan but did tell the Associated Press, “as we do these games in the future, obviously, Chicago will make a lot of sense.”

Of course, Bettman also thought Versus made a lot of sense as well.

I know, it’s only rock ‘n’ roll

The Blackhawks are getting a boost of support from the metal group Ministry, which Wednesday released a tribute song, “Keys to the City,” which has lyrics such as “ . . . Mikita! Hull! Esposito! Savard! To name a few, that’s why we play so hard . . . “

As for keys to actually winning the Cup, well, Stan Mikita is 67 years old, Bobby Hull is 69, Phil Esposito is 66 and Denis Savard is 47. None is expected to be much help this season.

His race is run

George Helms posthumously redefined the meaning of reaching the finish line.

Helms, an avid NASCAR fan, had planned to attend last weekend’s race in Las Vegas, but he died Dec. 28. Family members and friends decided to give the 6-foot-5, 400-pound former logger a checkered-flag sendoff and arranged to have the urn containing his ashes take a victory lap, or two, around the track.

Driver Mike Harmon did the honors, with the urn secured to a fire extinguisher during a practice run. Harmon later told ESPN he could hear someone squealing, saying, “I heard a noise I’ve never heard before. It happened just one time, through Turns 1 and 2.”

A haunted car? Maybe it was just the wind . . . maybe not. Harmon failed to qualify for the race.

Trivia answer

Don Majkowski, who tore a ligament in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 20, 1992, and was replaced by Favre. Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback heir to Favre, was 8 at the time.

And finally

Wide receiver David Tyree is the first current New York Giants player to get a publishing deal, the New York Post reported. He will collaborate on a book about the season, his faith and his catch in the Super Bowl.

File it on the shelf next to that dusty copy of “Simms to McConkey.”

chris.foster@latimes.com