Home - Francesco Puppi

Un po’ di cose che ho scritto

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Relentless pursuit

Olympic Trials

World Mountain Running Championship – Patagonia

Don’t mind this

francesco.puppi

We should celebrate recovery more. Good running d

We should celebrate recovery more.

Good running depends on great recovery. Just as putting in a lot of hard work requires energies and dedication, recovery takes effort: we need to create time and space for it.

The problem is that we’re immersed in a culture that mostly stigmatizes recovery. Working hard is badass, recovery is a sign of weakness. No one says “I skipped today’s workout and did an easy run instead” and people go “oh great!”, we usually feel proud of things like double threshold workouts or working 60h a week; those are the things that generally get public recognition and acceptance.

I think it mostly starts from ourselves and we need to be ok with admitting how tired we are sometimes, instead of pushing through and only carving a deeper hole of fatigue. It might seem trivial, but until we don’t give ourselves the ability to recover, we’re not going to recover. A lot of times we blame other things such as losing inspiration, not being focused, not being motivated and not leaving up to our expectations…but in reality we’re simply tired. And sometimes we’re scared to admit it and take action - at least I am.

If we’re working too hard for too long, we are not going to last and we’re not going to perform. So: let’s celebrate recovery more. Let’s make recovery badass and as interesting as building fatigue.

Let’s set us up for long term success and take advantage of the huge work we do by recovering with just as much passion and care. Wouldn’t it be just better for everyone?

#endurance #runninglong #trailrunning #anysurfaceavailable #recovery #badass #toughness #milesformiles #training #diary #runsteepgethigh #alpine

Photos: @stephan_wieser

Restarted running yesterday (Yes I only own basic

Restarted running yesterday

(Yes I only own basically two cycling outfits. I don’t think I need more)

#fromwhereiride #milesformiles #runthedistance #niketrail #aerobic #nonsobene #carlofino #stopthemadness #anysurfaceavailable

📸 @glo_87

A lot of times I get asked what is the correct int

A lot of times I get asked what is the correct intensity of each workout.

First of all, I think that besides all the technology that we could use to monitor our training, the ability to listen to our body is invaluable. So in the end any device that we might use should only confirm what our body is already feeling.

Then, regarding the training intensity of quality workouts: the correct intensity should be the one that allows us to achieve that specific workout. And by that I mean that we should be able to complete the session at the highest possible pace without slowing down and without going to the well. If our training is set up correctly, that’s likely the correct intensity.

I think that in general almost all our sessions should be at a B+ level: hard but not exhausting. A+ workout will likely suppress our ability to recover fast enough for the next key session and they usually require a disproportionate amount of willpower compared to the physical and mental benefits that we can get. And that’s a limited force that we want to save for race day.

I also think that most people - myself included, occasionally - tend to run too fast on their easy days. It’s easy to get caught up in that loop, but it’s also very detrimental for performance. It’s true that this also depends on many variables, such as your training volume, but as a general rule I’d rather go 20% too easy than 5% too hard on easy days. Pace or any other external parameter don’t matter too much as long as you’re actually recovering.

I’m thinking about doing a series of posts about training. Did you find this one useful? Let me know 😊

#training #rpe #distancerunning #niketrail #endurance #intensity

Photos: @lapeppina

You know what? I’m reframing the concept of prep

You know what? I’m reframing the concept of preparation, thus I’ve decided that I’m officially starting my 2023 trail season right now. I don’t need or want to wait until I’m healthy, healed, physically and mentally ready, for the next mri or for the stars to align. I just need to get the hell out of here and make my current training style the new normality. I’ll probably fail, but that’s ok.

I want to go beyond the expectations that I had for myself and that I told my sponsors and the people around me that I was going to run certain races and make my debut on the trails sooner than usual, run longer and just crush it the way I was hoping for. That was the original plan, but things very rarely - at least in my case - go according to plans, or plans that are maybe too strict for what my current reality is.

I’m feeling pretty good, mentally. It’s not one of those moments of weakness and self sabotage that I don’t pretend to have learned to deal with it in every case, it’s more like a moment of awareness and “let’s see what happens, what I can get out of this situation”. Which is allowing me to see things from a more interesting perspective.

That is, what if? What if I give myself the chance to try, what if I train for Zegama or whatever race with a bike, what if I don’t care about the mileage or the elevation that I do each week, what if I try to be the best I can day by day, what if I set my own measure of success?

Maybe people won’t like it as much, but does it really matter to me, as long as I’m feeling good about it? Honestly not so much.

Feeling good about it is pretty damn hard. Self acceptance is a very difficult topic. But I’m learning something about it along the way. I’m grateful to all the athletes out there who are inspiring me with their wisdom and imperfect journey towards being the best they can.

If you want to learn something, I’ve recently got some great inspiration from @tomevansultra conversation with @dylanbo on @runfreetrail podcast and @allie_ostrander on @runsingletrack 🙏🏾

#marchmadness #anysurfaceavailable #runthedistance #niketrail #crosstraining #selfacceptance #piday #helloitsme #norwegianwood

Photos: @glo_87

Reimagine winter - Monte San Primo We are outdoor

Reimagine winter - Monte San Primo

We are outdoor people. We cannot give up and not stand for what currently is the biggest issue for humanity, climate change and environmental protection.

Mountains are a unique ecosystem, where the effects of climate change are particularly evident. Reimagining winter means reimagining an outdated business model and a tourism based on the exploitation of the mountain, on the ski industry, on concrete and fossil fuels, for a slower, more sustainable and authentic form of interaction with the mountain.

We cannot let the local governments and industry finance ski slopes and lifts on a mountain where the snow is just a memory of the past, below 1500m, near Como Lake. We can, although, promote different outdoor activities and the beauties that our mountains already offer, without destroying their habitat. Trail running, hiking, mountain biking, cycling, paragliding, there are so many alternatives to skiing, driving up a mountain with a car to only park and have lunch in a mountain pass rifugio, flying helicopters, riding motorbikes just for the sake of it, because there’s nothing better to do.

And yes, I biked to today’s meeting point for our event, and then we hiked to the top of San Primo to express our thoughts and share some good time together. That’s my idea of living the mountain

@theoutdoormanifesto @circoloilariaalpi @protectourwintersitalia @protectourwinterseurope @pow_cycling @kilianjornetfoundation @protrailrunners @occhio_del_gigiat @altorilievo.vdm @montagnelago

#reimaginewinter #outdoors #sanprimo #comolaketrailrunning #selfpowered #anysurfaceavailable #climateaction #theoutdoormanifesto

Experiencing real FOMO right now as everyone is ge

Experiencing real FOMO right now as everyone is getting ready for XC nationals while I’m getting ready to ride. Which honestly sucks.

Follow along Festa del Cross and the many competitions happening across the globe. My day to join will come ✌🏽

Nonetheless, wish me good luck as @glo_87 is going to swatt the hell out of me on today’s tarmac 🤯

#fomo #crosscountry #madness #runthedistance #mileage #swatt #nikerunning #xcnationals #basics #anysurfaceavailable #timetogo

Photos: @lapeppina

The human ability to deal with discomfort is prett

The human ability to deal with discomfort is pretty amazing.

Distance running is a sport where you are alone, in your head, navigating immense levels of discomfort during races and especially in training. I tend to see this latter ability as the most difficult one to master, as many people are able to focus and push through the pain for the relatively short time of a race, much more difficult it is to handle adversity, fatigue, unpredictability and stress - in many different forms - during the much longer period of a preparation.

Yet, we find ourselves wanting to re-experience those moments and, if we really think about it, it’s hard to quantify or have a clear memory of what navigating through them was really like.

Pushing through the pain and being tough during training is generally not a good idea, although generations of coaches and a sport culture very oriented on performance and outcome rather than process have promoted this idea which still permeates our world. There’s a fine line between training hard and being kind enough to ourselves so that we can progress and learn how to handle adversity and stress.

Yet, as you can see, most times during a race all these thoughts get thrown out of the window, you go to the well and finish yourself as you can see in these pictures. And the day after, you sign up for another one

Again, again and again

@nikerunning @corosglobal @naakbars @runpikespeak

Photos by Parker Seibold, on top of Pikes Peak, September 2022

#againandagain #distancerunning #pikespeak #runsteepgethigh #goldentrailseries #niketrail #exploreperfection #fuelyourultra #anysurfaceavailable

7 day training camp with @atleticaitaliana at @tus

7 day training camp with @atleticaitaliana at @tuscany_camp

Km percorsi: 54 di corsa, 136 in bici
Ore di allenamento: 11
Sport preferito: aprire
Aperte: 3, forse 4
Giorni di riposo: 2
Peso della mia bici: almeno 14kg
Parole maggiormente utilizzate: aprire, a canna, follia, fenotipicamente, fattuale, VdP 🙏🏾, assurdo
Argomenti: bitcoin, VO2max, mercato immobiliare, agricoltura biodinamica, forza, allenamento aerobico, aerodinamica
Infortuni: 1,88
Ecografie: 2
Gelati: 1
Sessioni di madness: 4
Sessioni di forza: 1 (fake)
Segmenti gravel: 12
KOM: 0
Ritmo dei lenti: 3’20/km
Canzone preferita: Feel Good Inc
Atleti: Jakob Kiplimo, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Tom Pidcock, Mathieu Van der Poel, il Bandito
Head coach: Giuseppe Giambrone
Roommates: @henriaymonod @cecemaestri @perkmann_hannes

Keep stacking the hours 🤙🏾

#tuscany #tuscanycamp #training #aprire #swatt #pidcock #stradebianche #pro #sramroad #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #tentativeschedule

You gotta run fast to run fast I mean, relatively

You gotta run fast to run fast

I mean, relatively fast. Don’t forget that 😉

Fun VO2max workout. 1000-800-600-400-200 off 300m jog, 200-300-400-300-200 off 200m jog, 200-300-400-300-200 off 100m jog. Not meant to change my VO2max of course, but to get better at using a higher percentage of it 🙃👌🏾

@nikerunning @corositalia @corosglobal @naakbars

#track #workout #workoutwednesday #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #intervals #vo2max #threshold #running #loops #lonelyboy #rita

How to trail run in a city 😁🤟🏾 Surviving

How to trail run in a city 😁🤟🏾

Surviving the urban areas can be a challenge for any trail runner 🤯 Or maybe you live in a city and you have never really considered yourself a trail runner.. until now 🤗🏔️

Some madness and plenty of fun in London Town 🤟🏾

#howtotrailrun #citytrail #running #distancerunning #madness #london #niketrail #anysurfaceavailable #runsteepgethigh #everybodyrun

…and all the running influencers suddenly freak

…and all the running influencers suddenly freak out as they notice they can be used for faster stuff 🤯😁

Guess what - I’m back on The Loop 🤟🏾

#distancerunning #tempo #running #nike #nikerunning #looping #consistency #training #madness #invinciblerun

Start lines of 2022. As the season approaches and

Start lines of 2022.

As the season approaches and my build up continues - with the usual ups and downs that always add some spice - I like to imagine what kind of feeling each start line will give me. Some of them I already know really well, having toed those lines multiple times in my career, others will be new or relatively unknown.

I was thinking how running, to me, is primarily a process of discovery, of myself in first place but also of the incredible variety of experiences that an athlete is able to live. And it’s probably this type of feeling that still attracts me the most towards training and competing at a high level. Without sacrificing going as deep as I can, specializing but also being versatile enough to be competitive and have fun across a wide range of distances and terrains. Always being really conscious of what running fast and being a great athlete actually means - still quite far from both things but nonetheless working my way to being the best I can mile by mile✌🏽

@nikerunning

#startlines #2023season #niketrail #distancerunning #highmileage #anysurfaceavailable #trailworks #trending #running

Photos: @goldentrailseries @jsaragossa @philippreiter007 @the.adventure.bakery @petermaksimow @redbulldolomitenmann

2023 by the numbers, so far: - 2 races, 2 injurie

2023 by the numbers, so far:

- 2 races, 2 injuries in the house @glo_87 (ok maybe 3 @ul_fabius)
- 9 different types of cake tasted
- 18 videos of @allie_ostrander watched
- 1kg of hair cut
- >24h deep in the pain cave
- 3 great interviews recorded, 2 good interviews given
- sub 15’ (14:58) on Civiglio climb a canna 🚲 achieved
- not enough minutes spent moving at a sub 3’/km pace
- 1,61 average Filata loops per day walked
- 0 sub 60” 400s
- 4 books started, 0 books finished
- 20+ chocolate bars eaten
- 50 pictures printed
- 18957 #madaiii 🤌🏾 pronounced
- 42 great hugs given 🤗
- +122 madness points acquired

#wearedoingwell #paythebills #runthedistance #acanna #madness #paincavetales #skinnylove #runningmafia #gettingchanged #sweatelite #ontothenext

Photos 1-2 @lapeppina

Matt Carpenter Height: 5 feet 7 ½ inches Weight:

Matt Carpenter

Height: 5 feet 7 ½ inches
Weight: 122 pounds
Birth date: July 1964
Hometown: Manitou Springs, Colorado, USA
Business: Owner/Operator of the Colorado Custard Company
Author: Training for the Ascent and Marathon on Pikes Peak
Signature line: Go out hard, when it hurts speed up!
Lung capacity: 90.2 VO2
Favorite books: Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite food: Spaghetti
DQs: 1
Longest running streak: 10 years and counting

Running accomplishments:
18 times winner on Pikes Peak (6 ascents, 12 marathons)
Current record holder of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon with 2:01:36 and 3:16:39
First person to win the Ascent and the Marathon on back to back days
Course record holder of the Leadville Trail 100 - 15:42:59
Fastest time for a flat marathon at altitude (2:52:57 at 4370m, 3:22:24 at 5200m)
8 times winner of the Barr Trail Mountain Race
3 times winner of Mount Washington Hillclimb
Member of the Colorado Running Hall of Fame

Best ice cream and frozen custard in town 👌🏾

#mattcarpenter #colorado #pikespeak #distancerunning #niketrail #trailworks #icecream #manitousprings #outandback #sanremo2023 🤌🏾

I’ve experienced a few setbacks with my training

I’ve experienced a few setbacks with my training recently.

Things haven’t quite worked out the way that I wanted and expected, and it’s always hard to admit that you’ve maybe made a mistake in the way you planned or approached something you care so much about.

Over the past 3 weeks I’ve spent more time in the pain cave, on the bike and in the pool. I’ve been watching other people running, and I’ve felt somehow inadequate to my own expectations or what other people usually expect me to be good at.

I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to do things in a certain way, train hard and do what is generally expected from a pro athlete. But sometimes I realize how breaking this thought process and accepting to just be ok or not feeling like cross training for one day, going to the physio, taking a rest day, releases a lot of the same pressure.
Feeling like you need to leave up to an ideal or someone’s expectations is an empty thing, but I find it so to realize and make it mine.

This is to say that using a more gentle approach, rather than raising the bar of this moral imperative or sense of duty, sometimes is just more useful, human and also productive in the longer term. It means putting yourself in a situation where you can decide what you want based on how you consciously feel.

I feel this is an important step in the right direction to be a better athlete.
So then we can keep on running

#distancerunning #niketrail #trailaddicted #runthedistance #alpineclimbing #griplessrun

Picture: @trailaddicted

Confession: I am a trail runner but I suck in the

Confession: I am a trail runner but I suck in the downhills. Until I train and become really good at them. Watch out 🤟🏾😁

Utah desert, September 2022

#castletowers #moab #usa #niketrail #trailrunning #runthedistance #endurance #downhill #desert #goldentrailseries #madness #freerunning #motivation🤌🏾

Video: @anacufer x @goldentrailseries

So how should we train? What are we actually doing

So how should we train? What are we actually doing while we’re out there?

It’s a really good question. Let’s try to set some boundaries first and then give some general principles.

For well trained adult endurance athletes, I think the main idea is that - physiologically - we train to use a better % of our VO2max, and to sustain it for longer periods of time at a higher speed. During the course of a preparation or even an athletic career, we can’t expect our VO2max, which is largely predetermined, to change much. What changes greatly is the % that we use to run at a given speed, or conversely how fast and how long we can run at a certain % of our VO2max.

This has to do with two main factors:
- how close our lactate threshold is to the VO2max speed
- how good our running economy is

You can see the % of VO2max as the intensity of your effort (how hard you’re running): the higher your fitness, the higher the speed you can maintain at a similar intensity.

When we’re training for a long effort, we are basically using our time (a lot) and energy (pretty incredible amounts) to increase the speed at which the lactate threshold occurs and a higher % of our VO2max. As a bonus, our running economy - meaning both the mechanical and metabolic components - improves, if we show up with enough frequency (our technique will become more efficient and our muscles will learn how to produce the energy that is necessary for movement in a better way). This leads to improvement.

For a successful training, run easy or very easy often, hard occasionally and pay a visit to god just for the very special occasions.

For people who are not well trained, or whose body weight is not optimized, of course VO2max can change (if you lose weight, your VO2max will generally improve, but I’m not going to get into this tricky topic).

Does it really matter to know your VO2max? Probably not. Is it predictive for performance? To some extent, but lactate threshold and running economy have a better correlation with it.

I think having some basic training principles is very useful to any endurance athlete to handle their training. What do you think?

Photos by @glo_87 somewhere in the French alps

Turns out that, if you’re not ready to give your

Per me, che sono in continuo movimento, è diventa

Per me, che sono in continuo movimento, è diventato fondamentale prestare attenzione alla mobilità sostenibile.
Nel mio piccolo, cerco sempre di pesare meno sul pianeta, come mi ha insegnato @engieitalia.

Volete sapere come?

Venire a vedere 😉

@engie

#mobilità #mobilitàsostenibile #netzero #carbonfootprint #emissioni #co2 #engie

Had so much fun doing this muddy thing that I’ve

Had so much fun doing this muddy thing that I’ve signed up for another one!

Sunday, January 15th - five rounds of type II fun @cinquemulini.official 🤟🏾

#crosscountry #running #trailrunning #spikes #winter #madness #cinquemulini #runthedistance #fullyengaged #gasprices #climatechange

Photos: @lattugh_99

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