After setting a new personal best of 2:15:23 at the 2025 London Marathon, Logan Smith has every reason to believe that even bigger achievements are within reach — and much of that belief stems from the altitude training he completed in Iten, Kenya over the winter.
Training at Altitude in Iten, Kenya
Spending several weeks at 2,400 metres above sea level gave Smith not only a physical edge but also the chance to train alongside some of the world’s top distance runners.
“Altitude was a completely different sort of training experience to being back home,” said Smith. “You’re seeing 5:20s and 5:25s on the watch, but you have to trust that it’s equivalent to much quicker at sea level.”
He took a cautious approach, doing over a week of easy running to adjust before attempting any high-intensity sessions.
“You can easily get yourself into a hole if you push too soon. You’ve got to keep the easy days easy and the hard days hard.”
Keeping focus in a world-class environment
While training in Kenya, Smith worked closely with his coach James Senior, who also leads the Norwich Distance Squad, the group Smith trains with regularly.
“Running is such an individual sport,” he said. “You can’t just latch onto someone else’s session — especially at altitude. You’ve got to trust what’s been working for you.”
One of the highlights of the trip was sharing the Iten track with legends like Eliud Kipchoge, Faith Kipyegon, and Geoffrey Kamworor.
“The first time we turned up at the track and Kipchoge was just there warming up — it was crazy,” Smith said. “It’s like turning up to play five-a-side and Lionel Messi is there. But they’re just normal people. Kipchoge finishes his session, walks to his car, and drives home. No fuss — just consistent hard work.”
Running a PB at the London Marathon
The benefits of his time in Kenya became evident when Smith, who took victory at the first race in this year’s Grand Prix Series at the Reedham Ten, returned to sea level and completed his London Marathon preparations. Despite a warm race day and long solo stretches, he ran a superb 2:15:23, shaving time off his previous bests in Valencia (2:19:41) and Frankfurt (2:15:49).
“I think 2:11 or 2:12 was there if the conditions had been perfect. But I was still in good enough shape to hang on and get a PB, and you can’t sniff at that.”
He ran large sections of the race alone after the 8-mile mark but used the crowd and past training blocks to stay mentally locked in.
“I thought, ‘I do this in training — I can do it now.’ And when you’re running alone, the crowd really carries you. It hit me that everyone shouting was only shouting for me. That was special.”
Looking ahead: GB dreams and future goals
The London Marathon PB has opened doors — and sparked belief — that Smith can hit the GB qualifying standard of 2:12:30 for the European Championships.
“This block has given me the confidence that I can run a qualifying standard. That’s the next goal.”
Future options include a fast autumn marathon, a return to Seville in February, or even the chance to represent England if a team opportunity arises.
“At the minute, it feels like we’ve got five different jigsaws to potentially put together,” he said. “We’ll sit down, work out the best plan — and make sure it fits the bigger goal.”
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From Cromer to the world stage
Originally from Cromer, Logan Smith’s rise through the marathon ranks is no accident. Now sponsored by On Running, he’s combining professional backing with consistent training, smart planning, and big ambition.
With altitude gains in his legs, a London PB in the bag, and belief growing, Smith’s journey is only just beginning.
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