It’s the time of year when a no-longer-young man’s heart turns to writing a column about trying to take up running again, writes Colm O’Regan.

A plaque is being unveiled to one of Ireland’s greatest Olympic coaches — Albie Murphy — at Bishop Lucey Park in Cork today.

The shock announcement on Sunday that Fionnuala Britton will run in the marathon at the European Championships on August 16 is a high-risk strategy which has raised eyebrows in the athletics community.