35th Anniversary Q&A: 2012 LT100 RUN winner, Thomas Lorblanchet

It’s the 35^th Anniversary of the Blueprint for Athletes Leadville Trail 100 Run! Over the next few months, we’ll be catching up with former LT100 Run winners to get the inside scoop on the race, tips on training and how winning the Leadville Trail 100 Run impacted their lives.

This week, we are catching up with 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Run Champion and Altra Running ambassador Thomas Lorblanchet.

LRS: What inspired you to run the Leadville Trail 100?

Leadville represents everything I try to find with trail running: total freedom, a great physical challenge and sharing the effort and pace with a friend. All of that combined with the feeling of running with half a lung (due to the lack of oxygen at 10,000+ft.) and it comes together to create an incredible experience.

LRS: What was the most memorable part of running the Leadville Trail 100?

Without hesitation, it was making the u-turn at Winfield. At that precise moment, I realized I had a long way to go before the finish line.

LRS: What is the best piece of advice you could give to someone who is thinking about running the Leadville Trail 100?

1. The main key to success at the LT100 Run is adapting to altitude.
2. Forget the race as long as you can and just enjoy every moment!

LRS: How did winning the Leadville Trail 100 Run affect your life?

My victory at Leadville remains one of the biggest successes of my life. I learned more in those 24 hours than I have in 10 years of running. I became acutely aware of the power of my mind in the ultra-distance.

LRS: What have you been up to since you won?

Since Leadville, I have fallen in love with 100 mile races in the U.S. Leadville was the catalyst for my obstinacy for Western States.