Athletes
Blandine l'Hirondel
I never lose. I either win or I learn.
Nationality: France
Field of expertise: Trail Running
Hometown: Bayeux (Normandie)
With Shokz since:2022
Field of expertise: Trail Running
Hometown: Bayeux (Normandie)
With Shokz since:2022
2025 Trail du Ventoux – BALCONS DES JAS Champion
2024 Festival Des Templiers – Grand Trail Des Templiers – 3rd Place
2024 HOKA UTMB® Mont-Blanc – 5th Place
Blandine L'Hirondel, born on March 3, 1991 in Caen, is a French trail running star who continues to leave her mark on the international trail scene. She rose to prominence as a double world trail champion and European trail champion in 2022, and her journey is defined by resilience, excellence, and an ever-evolving pursuit of greatness.
Her past achievements include a world title win in 2019 in Miranda do Corvo, Portugal, and a stellar 3rd place finish in her first 100-mile race at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in 2023. In 2024, Blandine once again proved her consistency with a 3rd place finish at the Grand Trail des Templiers, one of France’s most iconic trail races. Later that year, she returned to UTMB Mont-Blanc, finishing 5th in the grueling 173 km race, further cementing her status among the world’s trail running elite.
In 2025, she opened her season in winning form, claiming 1st place in the 29km Balcons des Jas at Trail du Ventoux, showing her versatility and strength across varying distances and terrains.
What makes Blandine’s story all the more remarkable is that her life is not solely dedicated to running. A practicing obstetrician-gynaecologist, she balances her demanding hospital shifts — sometimes up to 72 hours — with elite-level training, often fitting her sessions into a tight weekly schedule of around 10 hours. Originally not destined for sport, her passion for trail running was sparked during her medical studies on Réunion Island, where she fell in love with the mountains and the spirit of the trail.
Today, Blandine stands as a symbol of commitment and multidimensional excellence — an athlete, a doctor, and an inspiration.
"I love that feeling, it's amazing."
"I basically use two models of Shokz headphones. On a daily basis, I use the blue OpenRun for training as I like to listen to podcasts or music that I download on Spotify. When competing, I use the black OpenSwim since I can create my playlist and store my music directly in the headphone without having to use my phone, LOVE IT. Whether it's for one or the other, what I particularly appreciate is the fact that I can listen to music while still hearing everything that's going on around me. I love that feeling, it's amazing."
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