I am always pleased to get a call from Mark Costello of The Irish Field but was surprised that he called in search of another autumn diary from me as there is no ludicrous athletic training programme to record this year. However, hopefully the busy sales season ahead will throw up the odd anecdote that is worth sharing.

Last year’s diary was largely focussed on the Katie Nugent Duathlon in aid of a fund that my wife Alice and I established in memory of our daughter, who died from leukaemia in 2010.