First thing, off to Maylor’s to help take entries for the ‘King of Pana’ race up St Patrick’s Hill.  Delighted to meet Joanne Fearon again, fresh from her astonishing Malin to Mizen run, presently awaiting confirmation of the record; also husband Niall who was part of the support team.  The Guards provided cars, bikes and patrolmen on foot, stewards were deployed across the junctions and Niall had commandeered a fire service jeep.  We were all set for a great occasion and we waited for the runners to turn up.  Eventually they did, all three of them!  Nothing ventured etc.

Off to registration at City Hall and the Expo.  The T-shirt is actually very nice and good quality – more for knocking about in than running though.  The Expo had more exhibitors as promised but most of these seem to consist of people handing out race leaflets.

Then the fun part of the day.  Off to Cobh with Deirdre to revisit (in my case) the old cemetery above the town containing, amongst others, some 150 bodies of the Lusitania disaster in 1915 – the ship was torpedoed off the Old Head of Kinsale.  Also Jack Doyle a local lad who became world boxing champion before dying destitute in 1978.

Heading back to Cork we were held up by great activity in Cobh town centre and we parked to investigate.  If you’ve never watched a pipe band competition you’ve never lived.  And who was there, elected ‘chieftain’ for the day and handing out prizes but Cobh girl Sonia O’Sullivan.  It’s a few years ago now that Sonia, partner Nic and daughter Ciara came to see us in Jersey, leaving everyone with a wonderful impression.

So, a two-mile loosener and and an early night ahead of the main attraction.