Bar manager to run at the front of London Marathon

Smith is set to attend a training camp in Kenya in preparation for the Marathon

A bar manager who has only completed two marathons is at the front of this year's London Marathon, as part of the elite field.

Logan Smith, 27, from Cromer in Norfolk, will race alongside the best long-distance runners in the world in April - at what will be only his third marathon.

He is no stranger to crossing the finish line first and Smith has won the Run Norwich 10km event three times.

He usually trains with City of Norwich Athletics Club (CONAC), but will ramp up preparations for the 26.2-mile (42.1km) race at a training camp in Kenya.

"It's going to be a pretty surreal experience for a guy like me who just enjoys running," said Mr Smith.

He will be positioned alongside Olympic champions and the defending London Marathon champion.

The upcoming London Marathon will be the third marathon Smith has competed in

'I didn't enjoy running'

Smith was not always a runner - the promise of an extra afternoon off school from his PE teacher initially lured him into the sport.

As a youngster his dream was to play at Carrow Road, for Norwich City.

"I played football when I was young – everyone wants to play for Norwich and score the winner in front of the Barclay. When I was 15 or 16 I didn't enjoy running," he said.

The London Marathon is set to take place on Sunday, 27 April 2025

Despite not being his first love, it was clear he had a talent for running. He experienced success at shorter distances and was encouraged to gradually extend his range.

While many runners at his age have completed multiple races at a marathon distance, London will only be his third competitive race.

His marathon debut was in Valencia in 2022. Last year, in Frankfurt, he managed to improve on his initial time, completing the course in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

To qualify for the front section in London, applicants needed to run a full marathon, on a certified course, in under 2 hours and 38 minutes, and a half marathon in under one hour, 11 minutes and 30 seconds, in 2024.

As for London this year, Smith is keen to try and improve on his personal best.

He said: "London is an interesting course, it's not as flat as Valencia or Frankfurt, but obviously a personal best would be fantastic."