Phil Sesemann, junior doctor from Leeds, returns to London Marathon to cause another shock

Then the 29-year-old junior doctor at St James’s Hospital finished seventh in the biggest marathon in the world, leading home his British team-mates after a good hour running off the front of the chasing pack.

It was a performance that would change the course of the City of Leeds Athletics Club member’s life and means he returns to the London Marathon this weekend with a more professional outlook.

"Last year’s marathon has allowed me to go full-time with my running,” Sesemann tells The Yorkshire Post.

"Whilst that’s always been the focus for me personally, it definitely is now and the medicine has been able to take a backseat. I’m quite fortunate to have that back-up, but that’s what it is right now, a back-up.

"I've been quite fortunate this year that the running has paid the bills and I'm at the stage in my career where I can have this almost indefinite break so long as I keep up the little things at St James’s."

He is even now talking about the Paris Olympics. First thing’s first, though, a solid first year of dedicating himself full-time to his craft.

Seventh place in London last year opened a few doors, not many, but more opportunities than had been available to him before.

Most notable was the European Championships in Munich in August, when Sesemann finished 17th on a suffocatingly hot day.

"Munich was pretty tough. It’s a result I’m content with, I wouldn’t say I was thrilled or disappointed,” he reflects. “I went out aggressively and tried to keep myself up there as long as I could, which meant the second half of the race was very tough, very painful. It’s nice to be able to bounce back so soon after in London.”

His preparation this year has been considerably different. Where last year it was running around the countryside of West Yorkshire with dog Kipchoge in tow, now it is altitude camps in the Pyrenees.

"Sadly Kipchoge couldn’t come to the last one,” laments Sesemann.

“It has been more professional this year, doing things we thought would be of more benefit. We’ve tried not to leave any stone unturned, and we've done altitude camps to learn how I respond to that, and use that going forward to hopefully the Paris 2024 Olympics. If there are any mistakes to make, we make them this year.”

Victory in London on Sunday might be a stretch although the absence of Mo Farah with a hip injury increases Sesemann’s chances of being first Brit home again.

Asked what he can take into the race from last year, he said: “Enjoy the experience as much as possible. It was great running those early miles and seeing people out on the course, friends, family, people I’ve ran with cheering you on.

"Race-wise, I’d like to save something for those final six miles that were a bit of a death march last year. Having already had a solid marathon this year, this one is very much enjoy it, take a risk and see what I can do.”