London Marathon 2021: Junior doctor Phil Sesemann first British male to finish
- Published
Sesemann warmed up for London Marathon with victory in last month's Trafford 10k
What a way to celebrate your birthday - and your marathon debut.
Junior doctor Phil Sesemann turned 29 on Sunday and marked the occasion with a remarkable seventh-place finish in the London Marathon.
Sesemann, who trains with a dog called Kipchoge and describes himself as an "occasional GB distance athlete" on social media, was the first British male to finish, crossing the line just one place behind defending champion Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.
Best known as a track specialist, the Yorkshireman only completed his first half-marathon six weeks ago and inevitably tired in the closing stages of Sunday's race, but dug deep to finish in two hours, 12 minutes and 58 seconds.
His time means he qualifies for selection for next year's European Championships and Commonwealth Games, although he just missed out on the time required for the World Championships.
"The last six miles were a death march," he said. "It was just really difficult to get the pain out of my head. The headwind was really strong and I was just employing damage limitation at a solid pace.
"I am disappointed to miss the World Championship time but it's my birthday today, so it's been a 10 out of 10 result for me.
"I work in A&E at St James's Hospital in Leeds and my colleagues have been incredible in supporting me in the build-up," he added.
"Today has been special, to share it with my friends, family and colleagues - they have enabled me to reduce my hours and reduce my risk from Covid so I can continue training.
"Now I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and friends, and my girlfriend Jess and my dog Kipchoge."
'She doesn't pace me. She usually lags behind'
This year's London Marathon was the first on the usual Blackheath-Pall Mall course in more than two years after the pandemic forced a postponement, re-routing and scaling down of last year's event.
Sesemann has seen the crisis close up through his work at Leeds General Infirmary.
"It's been difficult for my colleagues and I have tried to support them as much as I can," he said.
"There have been challenges but more around Covid risk for myself. I have done all this training and been trying to avoid catching Covid beforehand. It wouldn't be worth it."
Sesemann's most regular training partner is his dog, an energetic spaniel named after Kenyan marathon great Eliud Kipchoge.
"She's on 80-plus miles a week. She will do 20-milers and stuff. She seems to love it - but she doesn't get a choice," he said.
"She doesn't pace me. She usually lags behind, but she's a stalwart on the Leeds training scene."
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