Thomas Lorblanchet, an ultra trailer, is the new monbento ambassador!! He is familiar with the monbento range of products and has been using them for years now; he loves nature, travels… And he is from Clermont-Ferrand as well!! (#unwillinglychauvinistics ;-))
Actually, we could speak about him for hours! However, he accepted to be interviewed, which is even better…
Hello Thomas and welcome to the monbento team! First, we must warn you we are very curious! Let’s start with a quick description to get to know who you are in less than 15 seconds! You are familiar with challenges, aren’t you?
Hello everybody, first of all I am glad to join the monbento team and help the Clermont-connexion to grow… 😉
whether, with trail or life, I like challenges and to get involved in great projects.
Age?
I was 20 years old in 2000, so I’ll let you do the calculation…
Nicknames?
Tomtom or Belette.
Interests?
I have many interests… I am a physiotherapist and it is almost a survival issue to have many hobbies with this job 😉
More seriously, and personally, I love everything related to the functioning of the human body (when in movement or at rest).
Little weaknesses?
I don’t live a monastic life. I live downtown and love going out to restaurants with friends!
Favourite catchphrase?
It is not necessary to be skilful to start something, neither to be successful to persist.
The biggest craziest moment and best thing that happened to you?
For the moment of madness, being the happy owner of a townhouse with endless repairs… And for the best thing: It’s definitely to love and share my life with my childhood best friend.
Juju?
I don’t really have a juju, or maybe one or two photos of my wife and my daughters in my luggage. However, over the years, I am beginning to have some OCD’s before races…
Not even breathless! We can see that you are athletic! Tell us everything about your passion for trail! It is not common. Generally, men play soccer… or rugby when they are native from Clermont-Ferrand 🙂 Where does this passion come from?
I was born 200m close from where I currently live. I grew up close to the Puy de Dôme. The Chaîne des Puys is an invite to escape and discover wonderful landscapes. I decided to run to explore the environment.
So, when you love something, you truly love it: something tells me you’ve been adding up a few successes along time! Including one title that is really amazing!
You are probably referring to my victory at the La Montagne newspaper cross running in the “under eleven years old” section back in 1987 … 😉 Or maybe to my victory at Serre-Chevalier in 2009, when I became the first trail world champion. Great memories just as I love them.
We can imagine that it is your best trail memory. Or maybe there is another one? And what would the worst one be?
Not really… I started trail in 2001 with the Sancy – Puy de Dôme race, which was one of the first trail race… I’ve had the opportunity to travel for numerous races and my best memory would probably be my victory in Leadville (USA) in 2012. A first successful experience on a 100-mile race, one month of total immersion in Colorado with my family. An experience in my life I will remember for a long time.
This sport creates great opportunities to travel! Okay, it requires a bit of endurance… (laugh) Before we get to be as good as you, make us dream: which countries have you travelled to?
As I told you, I’ve had indeed the opportunity to travel to many places. My running shoes took me to the USA, Japan, the Canary Islands, Madeira, or the Island of Reunion … I like travelling but what I prefer is to share moments of life and racing experiences on the legendary paths.
We are far from our mountains! When you are not all over the world, what does your everyday life look like? Subway-work-run-workout-sleep?
We don’t have a subway in Clermont-Ferrand yet but for the rest, you are not that far from the truth… I am a physiotherapist, working in a liberal activity and being the dad of two little girls. I sometimes find a 24 hour day is a bit short to fit in everything. It requires a good organization between my wife and I; but when I slip into my running shoes and park at the base of the Puy-de- Dôme, time just stops and that’s when I start to get excited.
In the end, you are (almost) like us… With only a few additional physical abilities! 😉 It might be the reason why we contacted you to become our first monbento ambassador 😉What convinced you to join us?
All my life, I’ve been fond of useful products, beautifully designed. The culture of “good taste” often leads my choices. With all these conditions united in the same product, and moreover close to my home, I could not resist 😉 Seriously, the lunch box concept is an evidence for busy people, and I like the idea of being included in the monbento team, and thinking all together about great projects.
Thank you for your answers! See you soon for great projects together!
More about Thomas: http://www.thomas-lorblanchet.com/