Twin towers of British mens marathon running are both in action in the TCS London Marathon this month

Emile Cairess and Phil Sesemann have shared countless training miles in the pursuit of marathon excellence. The mutual goal of reaching the Paris Olympics is now within their grasp too. Sesemann has already secured selection after nailing the qualifying time in Seville two months ago, whereas Cairess is expected to cement his place in the British team at the TCS London Marathon on April 21.

Sesemann ran 2:08:04 to beat the Paris 2024 qualifier by six seconds in the Spanish city in February and he was rewarded by being named early for the Games. With 2:08:07 on his debut in London last year, Cairess is the only other Brit with the mark, although he will be aiming to go even quicker in a few days time.

Im happy with the training Ive done and with my preparation, says Cairess. Thats all you can do. You can just make sure you prepared as well as possible. I already have the qualifying time, so I can just try and focus on running a good race rather than thinking too much about the time.

The two men are friends and rivals. Yet for some time they have shared the ambition of trying to qualify for the Olympic marathon this summer. Sesemann is also running in London next weekend, although he is helping with the pacemaking and probably not for Cairess. If so, it will be a rare occasion when the duo will be striding along separately instead of in synchrony.

Were both in Leeds, were both nearby and weve both got similar ideas of training, says Sesemann on why their relationship works. We both value the kind of camaraderie of doing it together. And were both really ambitious.

The pair are good friends and clearly relaxed in each others company. There are certain times when it becomes more of a business relationship, though.

When asked if they chat to each other during training, Sesemann says Cairess sometimes snaps at him mid-run: This isnt story time!

The two men believe they first started training together around 10 years ago. Cairess, who is five years younger than Sesemann, was only about 16 at the time when he joined in a grass session with coach Phil Townsends group in Leeds. Emile did about two thirds of the session in his tracksuit bottoms and I would have been running with my top off and trying to get as much out of it as possible, Sesemann remembers, while Cairess adds: I dont remember talking to Phil much!

After growing up in Bradford, Cairess then went to St Marys in 2016 so they didnt run much together for a couple of years but then began to hook up more around 2018 when Sesemann, who is originally from London, joined Leeds City and they found themselves in relay teams.

When it comes to memorable sessions, in the early days they remember doing 1km reps shortly before Cairess won bronze in the 10,000m at the European Under-23 Championships in Sweden. Emile was doing 1km reps with a 400m float but I just did the 1km reps, Sesemann says.

He adds: We did a couple of 40km runs in the build up to London Marathon last year together. They were big ones. They were both kind of really good for the confidence, just ticking off a big run like that at a good pace.

With Seseman being coached by Andy Henderson and Cairess by Renato Canova, it means they have to occasionally tweak their programmes in order to work out together.

Even if your training is not completely the same, youre going do as much as possible together knowing that theres an equal benefit to both of you by doing that, Sesemann explains. We know the importance of individual specificity, but also know that we can work together well.

Does it ever get competitive? I think it was maybe for when I was younger, says Cairess. Nowadays we are both going to training to do the best session that we can do. And obviously having each other there will help that. Thats the goal of the session. Its not for me to beat Phil or for Phil to beat me but to do the best we can on that day.

When it comes to personalities, there is a bit of a paradox. Sesemann, who has worked as a junior doctor in recent years, looks studious with glasses on when hes not running, whereas Cairess slouches slightly in his seat as he casually sips on a drink and munches on a snack during our interview. Yet both men agree that Cairess is perhaps a tiny bit more focused and monastic when it comes to marathon training.

Emile is probably more polarized, Sesemann explains. Hes more laid back in most aspects of his mannerisms and his life. But also probably Id say hes more dedicated and more disciplined than I am with training.

Emile is a bit more single minded and does what needs to be done for his training. Whereas Im probably a little bit more relaxed with what I do on a day-to-day basis. Ive tried following Emile with that kind of stuff and I just cant sustain it like he can.

Cairess adds: Its not as if Phils going out clubbing or anything! Were not massively different. At the end of the day the lifestyle and routine you have to have to be a marathon runner at a good level is pretty mundane.

Cairess has also helped get Sesemanns mind back in the game when the older athlete has felt a little exhausted training at altitude. They have been on three altitude camps to Kenya together including one in January this year plus one in Font Romeu, but Cairess often pulls away from his training partner during harder workouts in the thin air high above sea level.

I sometimes have to go soul-searching a little bit as Emile is very good at altitude, says Sesemann. I remember doing a session in Font Romeu last June and I was sitting there afterwards questioning if I really wanted to carry on doing this as I was so tired. And especially during the Kenyan camp early this year Emile was spending maybe an hour a day persuading me not to buy a flight home and to just keep doing the sessions and keep training.

The shared training and goals clearly helps, though. If one athlete is feeling low, their friend will help lift their spirits and vice versa.

When Sesemann finishes his pacemaking duties in London in a few days time, he will be keen to find out what kind of time and position Cairess ends up with. The feeling is mutual.

When I saw Phil Sesemann 2:08:04 after his run in Seville, it was such a good feeling, says Cairess. I was so happy for him.