About
From my first race to today, I’ve never lost my love of pushing myself.
About
My beginnings in Brittany, the people who matter and the drive to see how far I can go.
About
My beginnings in Brittany, the people who matter and the drive to see how far I can go.
Théo Durand
Haute Bretagne Athlétisme athlete
Born in Reims in 2001, I grew up in Brittany. I’ve been a member of Haute Bretagne Athlétisme, through its Union Athlétique Châteaubourg section, since I started in 2012.
Born in Reims in 2001, I grew up in Brittany. I’ve been a member of Haute Bretagne Athlétisme, through its Union Athlétique Châteaubourg section, since I started in 2012.
Track
1 500 m · 3 000 m · 5 000 m
Road
5 km · 10 km
Cross-country
Théo Durand
Haute Bretagne Athlétisme athlete
Born in Reims in 2001, I grew up in Brittany. I’ve been a member of Haute Bretagne Athlétisme, through its Union Athlétique Châteaubourg section, since I started in 2012.
Track
1 500 m · 3 000 m · 5 000 m
Road
5 km · 10 km
Cross-country
Early years
Early years
From the Ardennes to Brittany
From the Ardennes to Brittany
I was born in Reims in 2001 and moved to Brittany with my parents when I was four. At eight, I started playing football to be with my friends, but I never really took to it.
In 2011, during a family weekend in Reims, my parents entered me in a village race. I’d never raced before. To my surprise, I won, and all I wanted was to do it again.
I joined Haute Bretagne Athlétisme’s Châteaubourg section in 2012, and I’m still at the club today. It’s where I learned the value of training and met the people I run with now.
In 2011, during a family weekend in Reims, my parents entered me in a nearby race. I was playing football at the time and had never raced before. To my surprise, I won and loved it. In 2012, at 11, I joined athletics. I soon made friends at Haute Bretagne Athlétisme. We met up at training and outside it, and pushed each other to improve. We’re still the same group of friends today.
Milestones
Milestones
November 2022
A new coach: meeting Vincent Coopman
Jérôme Morisset was my first middle-distance coach. He coached me for several years, until 2022, and introduced me to every part of training: easy runs, threshold sessions, track work and hills. He helped us enjoy the training while having a great time together as a group. When he moved away in 2022, Vincent took over. That’s when we got to know each other and began the work that has brought us this far.
12 March 2023
My first French cross-country championships
Yes, it took me 11 years to run my first French cross-country championships. But I couldn’t have asked for a better place to make my debut than Carhaix, in Brittany. That race made me fall in love with cross-country. The atmosphere is incredible, and it’s a different kind of racing from the road or track. You forget the clock and give everything for the best possible place.
April 2025
Alexis joins the team
Until 2025, strength training wasn’t part of my routine. I knew little about it and was hesitant to start on my own. That’s when Alexis joined the team. Working with Vincent, he fine-tunes my running programme and makes strength work part of my week. We’ve introduced plenty of changes since he arrived, and it’s given my training fresh momentum.
5 January 2026
Committing to running full-time
After a degree in sports science, I went to business school. For three years, I balanced sport with a work-study programme to complete my master’s degree. I then decided to commit fully to my athletic career and give myself every chance of reaching my goals.
Early years
From the Ardennes to Brittany
In 2011, during a family weekend in Reims, my parents entered me in a nearby race. I was playing football at the time and had never raced before. To my surprise, I won and loved it. In 2012, at 11, I joined athletics. I soon made friends at Haute Bretagne Athlétisme. We met up at training and outside it, and pushed each other to improve. We’re still the same group of friends today.
Milestones
November 2022
A new coach: meeting Vincent Coopman
Jérôme Morisset was my first middle-distance coach. He coached me for several years, until 2022, and introduced me to every part of training: easy runs, threshold sessions, track work and hills. He helped us enjoy the training while having a great time together as a group. When he moved away in 2022, Vincent took over. That’s when we got to know each other and began the work that has brought us this far.
12 March 2023
My first French cross-country championships
Yes, it took me 11 years to run my first French cross-country championships. But I couldn’t have asked for a better place to make my debut than Carhaix, in Brittany. That race made me fall in love with cross-country. The atmosphere is incredible, and it’s a different kind of racing from the road or track. You forget the clock and give everything for the best possible place.
April 2025
Alexis joins the team
Until 2025, strength training wasn’t part of my routine. I knew little about it and was hesitant to start on my own. That’s when Alexis joined the team. Working with Vincent, he fine-tunes my running programme and makes strength work part of my week. We’ve introduced plenty of changes since he arrived, and it’s given my training fresh momentum.
5 January 2026
Committing to running full-time
After a degree in sports science, I went to business school. For three years, I balanced sport with a work-study programme to complete my master’s degree. I then decided to commit fully to my athletic career and give myself every chance of reaching my goals.
Thun photo · to add
IRONMAN Thun
24 August 2025 · Thun, Switzerland
10:36:26
10:36:26
14th in the men’s 18–24 age group
After a difficult track season in 2024, I wanted to try something new and rediscover my enjoyment of training. I decided to test myself in a different sport, over a longer distance. A much longer distance…
Preparing for this IRONMAN changed my routine completely. I cut back on running to make room for cycling and swimming. That break did me a lot of good and taught me plenty. I’m now fully focused on running again, with the ambition to compete at the highest level.
Thun photo · to add
IRONMAN Thun
24 August 2025 · Thun, Switzerland
10:36:26
14th in the men’s 18–24 age group
After a difficult track season in 2024, I wanted to try something new and rediscover my enjoyment of training. I decided to test myself in a different sport, over a longer distance. A much longer distance…
Preparing for this IRONMAN changed my routine completely. I cut back on running to make room for cycling and swimming. That break did me a lot of good and taught me plenty. I’m now fully focused on running again, with the ambition to compete at the highest level.
Day to day
Training
A typical week is 145 km of running and two strength sessions.
Usually, that means two easy runs, two steadier runs, four threshold sessions (at the first or second threshold) and one more specific session, depending on what I’m preparing for.
That adds up to 11 or 12 sessions, leaving me two or three half-days off.
On social media
Between training sessions, I love sharing my everyday life on social media. It lets me share another side of my passion and encourage the people who follow me to take on projects of their own.
Day to day
Training
A typical week is 145 km of running and two strength sessions, making 11 or 12 sessions in total. Depending on the season, I alternate easy or steady runs, threshold work and race-specific sessions. I keep two or three half-days free to recover, share my day-to-day life and meet potential partners.
On social media
Between training sessions, I love sharing my everyday life on social media. It lets me share another side of my passion and encourage the people who follow me to take on projects of their own.
Day to day
Training
A typical week is 145 km of running and two strength sessions, making 11 or 12 sessions in total. Depending on the season, I alternate easy or steady runs, threshold work and race-specific sessions. I keep two or three half-days free to recover, share my day-to-day life and meet potential partners.
On social media
Between training sessions, I love sharing my everyday life on social media. It lets me share another side of my passion and encourage the people who follow me to take on projects of their own.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead
Goals for 2027
Goals for 2027
On the road, I’m aiming for under 29 minutes over 10 km and under 14 minutes over 5 km. In cross-country, I’d like a podium at the Brittany championships, a top-35 finish at the French championships and a team podium with Haute Bretagne Athlétisme.
On the road, I’m aiming for under 29 minutes over 10 km and under 14 minutes over 5 km. In cross-country, I’d like a podium at the Brittany championships, a top-35 finish at the French championships and a team podium with Haute Bretagne Athlétisme.
Looking further ahead
Looking further ahead
I don’t know where I’ll be in two years, let alone five or ten. What motivates me is feeling that I’m improving, physically and mentally, and finding out how far I can go.
I don’t know where I’ll be in two years, let alone five or ten. What motivates me is feeling that I’m improving, physically and mentally, and finding out how far I can go.
View results
Looking ahead
Goals for 2027
On the road, I’m aiming for under 29 minutes over 10 km and under 14 minutes over 5 km. In cross-country, I’d like a podium at the Brittany championships, a top-35 finish at the French championships and a team podium with Haute Bretagne Athlétisme.
Looking further ahead
I don’t know where I’ll be in two years, let alone five or ten. What motivates me is feeling that I’m improving, physically and mentally, and finding out how far I can go.
View results