Home - Francesco Puppi

Un po’ di cose che ho scritto

Cadenze

Relentless pursuit

Olympic Trials

World Mountain Running Championship – Patagonia

Don’t mind this

francesco.puppi

I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of

I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility

#runthedistance #publicland #freetobe #emptiness #ontheroad

It’s an act of creation - a theory of beauty. @

It’s an act of creation - a theory of beauty.

@nike

#distancerunning #oregon #beaverton #nikeworld #pacificnorthwest #mjtrack #btc #portland #runthedistance #creation

Photos: @larsgebraad

Speed is relative 🤯😁 The ski slope section

Speed is relative 🤯😁

The ski slope section of @flagstaffskypeaks wasn’t the most enjoyable part of the race but for sure it displayed some pure uphill skills. Running uphill is a matter of strength and endurance/fitness and it’s so fun to find that sweet balance. You can also notice my left arm kind of everywhere 🤯🤯

I was ready for some flat 😜

#goldentrailseries #flagstaff #flagstaffskypeaks #niketrail #uphill #runthedistance #coconino #intothewoods

📹 @anacufer x @goldentrailseries

Flagstaff Skypeaks essence capture by the artist @

Flagstaff Skypeaks essence capture by the artist @shapirothehero 🎩

Not sure if I’m more stoked about the race or the sick pictures he took. I think that being only one degree of separation from @bygolly.molly and just running as fast as possible on Arizona Trail makes it for a memory that will stay with me for a long time.

As someone put it, “these people are silly fast”. Maybe that’s true sometimes 😁

#flagstaff #flagstaffskypeaks #arizonatrail #fastAF #madness #snowbowl #goldentrailseries #niketrail #nikezegama #airness #oncloudnine #frombadlands #gravity #downhill #runthedistance #worthmiles

📸 @shapirothehero 🤟🏾

Flagstaff you have been amazing. I already can’

Flagstaff you have been amazing.

I already can’t wait to be back on your endless gravel roads and countless miles of trails. But even more than for the nature and the environment, I feel grateful for the people I met and the special welcome that they gave me.

Thank you @caleb.schiff for the time we spent together and your kindest hospitality.
We shared some of the nicest miles I have ever ran.

Thank you @goldentrailseries @aravaiparunning for giving us the possibility to travel here and experience this place.

Now the road leads west, and a bit far up north 🖤

#flagstaff #arizona #runthedistance #sharedmiles #trails #oakcreekcanyon #sedona #niketrail #roadtrip #pizzicletta #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

Flagstaff Skypeaks 🤟🏾 The first race with a

Flagstaff Skypeaks 🤟🏾

The first race with an actual (big) downhill after my injury put me on a challenge. I didn’t feel as good as I hoped but I tried to make friendship with the pain and hold on as long as I could. It kinda worked.

I still find it difficult to race in altitude, even if this time I was better acclimatized. But all in all I am still proud of how I ran and of my final 7th place. And for making it in one piece to the finish with a decent time.

Congrats to my badass roommate @anthony_felber for putting 14 seconds between him and me - Good job, but I’m not gonna let you go any longer! And for everyone who fought hard in front and behind me 🔝

US races are 💥🤘🏾 @aravaiparunning 😍🇺🇸

#flagstaff #flagstaffskypeaks #goldentrailseries #stopthemadness #burritomafia #niketrail #nikezegama #arizonatrail #aravaipa #sharethetrail

Photos: @jsaragossa x @goldentrailseries

Flagstaff It’s hard to describe what this place

Flagstaff

It’s hard to describe what this place has meant for my imagination and the way I approach this sport that - broadly speaking - I can call distance running.
I have been watching, hearing and reading about it, consuming so much content in the form of videos, podcasts, articles and posts by coaches, athletes and training groups that are based in this area. It’s influenced and shaped so much the way I think about running.

Flagstaff feels like the place to be in a similar fashion as its high altitude and crisp air. Its harsh landscapes, the ponderosa forests, the piñon juniper woodland and barren tundra make it uncomfortably welcoming and somewhat in tune with my lone personality.

Where marathon training blocks and 100m preparation are performed, where dreams are born and sometimes shattered, tomorrow is time to challenge the limits of the uncomfortable once again.

@flagstaffskypeaks | 26km +1300m | start at 7:30 MST (16:30 CET)

@nikerunning

#flagstaff #flagstaffskypeaks #niketrail #buffalopark #goldentrailseries #nau #coconinonationalforest #highaltitude #runthedistance #arizona #placetobe

Photos: @jsaragossa and @larsgebraad x @goldentrailseries

You know what is coming 🤌🏾 #flagstaff #road

You know what is coming 🤌🏾

#flagstaff #roads #arizona #runthedistance #coursepreview #niketrail #stopthemadness #canyon #pizzicletta #vert #offtrail

📸 @philippreiter007 x @goldentrailseries

A couple days ago I did a short and steep climb wi

A couple days ago I did a short and steep climb with @remi_bonnet near Moab. The way he moves when he runs uphill, his efficiency and seemingly effortless stride are just incredible and I hope you can appreciate his form and strength from this video. This is about 30% grade at 1800m of altitude.

This year Rémi has been one, if not the best climber in the world. He never ceases to inspire me with his feats, races and style, and I am grateful to have shared many runs with him over the past few days. There’s always so much to learn from the best athletes

@remi_bonnet @goldentrailseries
#running #runninguphill #climbing #uphillathlete #uphilltraining #runthedistance #remibonnet #moab #goldentrailseries #madness #fishertowers #desert #utah #roadtripping

The Canyon Makes cowboys 💥💥 @coconinocowboy

The Canyon
Makes cowboys 💥💥

@coconinocowboys ⚡️

🔜 Arizona 🌅

#bangbang #grandcanyon #coloradoriver #niketrail #runthedistance #milesformiles #utah #wilderness #bornintheusa

Photos: @mickael.mussard

For miles and miles and miles and miles @nikerunn

For miles and miles and miles and miles

@nikerunning

#running #roads #utah #moab #bornintheusa #ponytail #grassroots #fisher #runthedistance #striding #distancerunning #gravel #tempo #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

🎥 @remi_bonnet

The emptier the spaces, the fuller the heart #na

The emptier the spaces, the fuller the heart

#naturemore #moab #utah #niketrail #roadtoyou

📸 @philippreiter007

It feels good to be back doing what I love the mos

It feels good to be back doing what I love the most ☺️

Pikes Peak Ascent | 5th place 2:12:56

@nikerunning

#pikespeak #runthedistance #niketrail #stopthemadness #ponytail #pikespeakascent #manitousprings #colorado #trailrunning #uphill #incline #goldentrailseries #iloveanthonyfelber

📸 @jsaragossa @philippreiter007 x @goldentrailseries

Ready to be myself out there again 😊 @runpikes

Ready to be myself out there again 😊

@runpikespeak @goldentrailseries starts tomorrow at 7 am MDT (15 pm CET). 21km and 2380m of elevation from 1920m to 4300m above sea level awaiting for us!

#justonehill #pikespeak #niketrail #goldentrailseries #colorado #trailrunning #ascent #puppigruppi #runthedistance #moscapass

Photo: @jsaragossa

Some memories from the last time I was here, with

Some memories from the last time I was here, with some special people 🥰

Going back to a race that you already ran after a few years gives you the chance to reflect on the path, on your growth, on the process, as some like to say.

There’s a lot of things that I could write, and sitting down for a second, allowing my thoughts to wander freely, what I feel the most is a sentiment of gratitude.

It’s a privilege to be here doing the thing that I probably enjoy the most, running. I feel grateful towards the people that have made it possible for me to come this far, to run at a professional level, to be able to travel the world and train with good conditions.

I feel like I tend to overcomplicate a lot of things about myself, probably because I often think too much. Looking back to these three years, it wasn’t as difficult as I often perceived it. But somehow, I have made it here again.

A bit older, sometimes a bit stronger, other times a bit weaker. With more awareness and less naivety, more kindness and less carelessness towards myself, more experience and sometimes also a bit more madness. Always trying to be transparent and truthful to my values in continuing this story.

With my good and bad, highs and lows, a rarely fast and often slow.

See you at Pikes ✌🏽😊

#pikespeak #colorado #threeyears #life #madness #14ers #barrtrail #oncloudnine #altitude #whywerun #athletesunfiltered #niketrail #run

Red Rock because we rock 🤟🏾 Getting acclima

Red Rock because we rock 🤟🏾

Getting acclimatized, resting, easy running and a bit of work in my first days here in Colorado. Stoke is high and I can’t get enough of this light and colors 🥰 there is a feeling I can’t explain- it’s in the air and in the sand - some places are just meant to be 🤗

Not going to lie, Saturday is going to be very hard, the altitude is a huge factor and I won’t underestimate it, even if I’m quite fit. Four more days!

@runpikespeak @goldentrailseries here we come! 🇺🇸

#colorado #redrock #niketrail #pikespeak #pikespeakascent #goldentrailseries #thinair #highstoke #popcorn #coloradosprings #trailmix #crew

The connection between @redbull and the word “ex

FLYING WITH PATRICK!! 🚁😍 The main motivatio

FLYING WITH PATRICK!! 🚁😍

The main motivation to push hard in the @redbulldolomitenmann - as always - is the helicopter ride 😁😁 only top 3 get a spot! (this year top 4, probably because @henriaymonod is a lucky bastard!) So you gotta run really fast!

@patrick.kipngeno @aa_rostan @henriaymonod @redbullaustria @redbull @helicopter.madness @wucherhelicopter

Ps I know this is not eco friendly at all, but still a cool experience to do in this occasion

#helicoptermotivation #madness #redbull #flying #redbulldolomitenmann #patrickkipngeno #helicopter #alps #tyrol #austria #lienzerdolomiten #berglauf #ohohoh

@redbulldolomitenmann is not made for frapuppinho,

@redbulldolomitenmann is not made for frapuppinho, but frapuppinho doesn’t care so he walks like a bastard and use his hands to climb like a macaque 🐒😁

It’s good to share the lows, but every now and then it happens that I have a “high” so I guess this was a great day for me, and I wanted to let you know that I’m really happy about it! The legs were there and I have had positive feelings during training over the past few weeks. You kind of expect a good performance, but then you have to actually go there and do it, so it’s never trivial 😉

Second place in 1:24 (12k +1800m) behind the king of 2022 mountain season @patrick.kipngeno in the mountain leg of 2022 Dolomitenmann (a 4 event relay with mountain running, paragliding, mountain biking and kayaking, that reunites the best of each discipline) and stoked to have contribute to team @elk.at second place with teammates @aarondurogati @andreas_seewald_ and @gerhard_schmid1st 😍💪🏾🔥

Almost time to fly now! 🇺🇸🔜

@nike @nikerunning @redbull @redbullitalia

#highstoke #macaque #runningtechnique #steep #madness #ponytail #goodforyou #mountainrunning #dolomitenmann #redbulldolomitenmann #usabound

📸 @redbulldolomitenmann @redbull

I was going to brag about how well my training has

I was going to brag about how well my training has gone this past week, but I changed my mind and I’m going to tell you about how bad and weak I felt last week, and ultimately how guilty I felt for not achieving what I wanted and being seemingly out of control over the situation.

Instagram is full of success stories and athletes doing incredible things, nailing one workout after the other and reaching incredible levels of fitness. Which is great, I completely get that, and I also contribute to this type of narrative sometimes.

Less frequently I come across stories that values failure and making mistakes as part of the process. Being in a bad mental spot - for whatever the reason - is tough and happens against our will. I find myself in those situations more frequently than you might imagine.

When there is no evident reason for things to be wrong, but you just feel wrong, worried and disordered inside.

I don’t have any real tips, mantras or instructions to help you because just using your will to try to solve the situation is not going move a needle or make you feel better. If you want, you can. Bullshit.

But being able to embrace the situation for what it is, not necessarily pretending to deal with it, is already great. Dwell on it for a while, even if it hurts, I understand. Listen to your emotions and where they come from. Try to give them a name, maybe.

It’s funny how I have always kind of neglected the mental aspect of running - or probably a certain narrative that I still struggle with and find very little value in. But over the years I have become by greatest opponent and now it’s quite clear that the main game is mostly played inside myself.

I feel like I am a really complicated and sometimes introvert person. And I’m sorry for the people around me who might try to help me but don’t understand what’s going on.

I’m learning to get to know myself better. And this is also a cool thing.

So, instead of telling you how great my interval session was yesterday - which is probably not going to help anyone besides my ego - I decided to share this so that someone might relate to it, find some value or even feel less alone.

#runthedistance #niketrail

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