Phil Sesemann has trained harder than ever before.
The former A&E doctor turned elite British marathon runner and Olympian has been running 140 miles a week, many joined by his dogs Haile and Kipchoge on the canal towpaths outside of Leeds, as he hopes to run a new personal best at the 2025 London Marathon.
It’s been a good year so far for Sesemann, following a breakout 2024 which saw him run a huge marathon personal best of 2:08:04 at the Seville Marathon (despite running sockless in shoes half-a-size too small), a time that was inside the Olympic qualifying standard and got him a place on the British Olympic team in Paris.
The beginning of 2025 saw a change of sponsor to ASICS, and two more personal bests followed. He ran 28:10 at the Valencia 10k in January and then a 1:01:28 at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February. Next stop: the London Marathon.
“I want to run a PB and I want to qualify for the Tokyo World Championships,” he told us, “so that means finishing in the top two Brits and running under 2:08.”
Sesemann is the second-fast Brit in the field behind Mahamed Mahamed, and they face tough competition from Jake Smith, Jonny Mellor and triathlete Alex Yee, who is making his marathon debut. But Sesemann has the experience of three previous London Marathons.
His debut came at the 2021 London Marathon, running 2:12:58 for 7th place and first Brit, all while working as a doctor. He was 10th in 2022 in 2:12:10, then eighth in 2023, out-sprinting Sir Mo Farah to finish as second Brit behind training partner Emile Cairess. Now, as a full-time runner, he’s more prepared than ever before.
“My training volume is the highest it’s ever been, and consistent as well,” he says, and Sesemann’s Strava shows his huge 140-mile weeks, where without altitude camps or training camps this year he’s been focused on high volume from home, with lots of dog jogs with Haile and Kipchoge.
“As long as intensity isn’t suffering” – meaning he’s able to complete all of his hard workouts – “then more volume is always better,” he says. He’s also made the deliberate choice to increase his pace a little on his easy runs.
A few days out from the race, and attention turns to his final preparations. With his London Marathon experience, Sesemann tells us that his favourite parts of the course are Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Birdcage Walk.
“In the first half, at Cutty Sark, you should be feeling pretty comfortable when you go around there and that wall of noise is just amazing,” he says.
“Tower Bridge is very iconic and it feels epic as you’re running across it, and the crowds are going mad, but also just looking up and seeing what you’re running through is very special.”
He explains how the crowd support can be a huge boost to performance – to him and to all runners.
“It’s massive, it really is. Having the noise and hearing people call your name makes a big difference. So if you see me out there then please shout ‘Phil’, it really does help!”
As for the final bit of pre-race prep, what does an elite British marathoner eat breakfast? It’s rice pudding with a scoop of Nutella on top, plus some energy drink.
Phil Sesemann has already run a 10k PB and a half marathon PB this year, and he’s looking to add a new marathon PB at the London Marathon.
Phil Sesemann is part of Team SunGod and he spoke to us at the SunGod Basecamp in Covent Garden. It’s looking like sunglasses weather for the London Marathon this weekend, so look out for Phil in the SunGod FORTY2s – and make sure you cheer him on.
