Death and taxes may be the only certainties in life – unless you are a clued-up tax partner, perhaps, or the eternally young Nigel Boardman – but there are other reassuring regularities that let you know life continues as normal.

Yet another England footballer struck down by a crippling toenail injury in the run-up to a major tournament, for instance, or charity-minded City partners embarking on gruelling tests of personal endurance that actually sound rather fun.