In a West Cork Minute

Kilmichael athlete Liam Cotter

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 on how funny you are?

I would say about 7 but that might be wishful thinking!

Highlight of your sporting career? Running the Berlin Marathon in two hours and 45 minutes last September. Also achieving personal best times in New York, San Sebastian, Boston, Berlin and Barcelona rank right up there.

Most dialled number on your phone? My wife Fabiola’s of course!

What’s your karaoke song? Forever Young.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? Classical guitar is my other passion.

Best-ever holiday? New York. It had it all, the tension and adrenalin of a marathon build-up, the pain/fulfilment of taking your body to a place it has never been before, the sheer exhilaration of crossing the finish line with a PB achieved and then the best bit, relaxing for an entire week with the two most special people in my life – all done in the most exciting city in the world.

If you won the lotto what would you buy first? An apartment in Manhattan.

Separated at birth, who’s your celebrity twin double? Roy Keane.

What’s your favourite word? Passion.

If you could change any part of you what would it be? My Achilles tendon. This defines a runner – the quality and length of your Achilles tendon. This reminds me of the crying baby in the seat behind you in that flight back from your holiday – it goes to sleep but you know you better not wake it up!

Your most treasured item of clothing? My racing shoes. My Newton racers are amazing. They look great, weigh about five ounces and simply propel you forward. You can’t run slow in these.

Favourite cartoon? Tom and Jerry. Are they still on TV?

If I was an animal then I would be a ... horse.

What question would you liked to have been asked in this interview? The desert island one. My answer would have been my wife, my running shoes and my 30-year-old battered guitar (assuming I was allowed three items).