Home - Francesco Puppi

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4 febbraio 2024, domenica

Un po’ di cose che ho scritto

Cadenze

Relentless pursuit

Olympic Trials

francesco.puppi

Chevron Hill There’s beauty in places that are

Chevron Hill

There’s beauty in places that are meaningless for most. Some acquire a kind of beauty through the repetition of hard efforts, especially if you stay present long enough.

I did this hill workout on a 12% grade dusty shoulder next to a Chevron gas station on a Friday evening. Nothing special except maybe the light, which is an impression I often get when I move to the west.
My left adductor has been bothering me a bit since then and today I decided to give it a break and rest. Resting, deviating from the trajectory that you imagined, feeling your perspectives shrink and having to readjust always creates a bit of friction. It’s part of the job, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier. You just gain experience and adopt better strategies to cope with it. I think it will be fine, but I also don’t want to get injured during or after Black Canyon. We’ll see..

Anyway, Chevron Hill is another place of madness, like the Badlands or the Giro di Veniano back home. Madness is good. And that’s why we love it

#chevronhill #runthedistance #flagstaff #anysurfaceavailable #ordinarypeople

Images @demiangoaway and @danielemolineris

Recovery day after the 52km long run yesterday A

Recovery day after the 52km long run yesterday

AM: 75’ indoor cycling (HR 110)
PM: 1h easy run (12,8km +200m, HR 123)

Flagstaff days 🫶🏾
Thanks @jbrazeau and @walmsleyruns for the bike and so much more! 🥰

#runflagstaff #altitude #runthedistance #flyhumanfly #tapering

Video @demiangoaway
Cover @danielemolineris

Make it cool to try as hard as you can Video @de

Make it cool to try as hard as you can

Video @demiangoaway
Photo @danielemolineris

Last one of 2025. Keep running, always 🫶🏾

“Dedicated to all you
All human beings”

See you in 2026!

Video @glo_87

I almost didn’t realize how much 2025 had added

I almost didn’t realize how much 2025 had added up until I saw my @strava Year in Sport 😊

We easily forget how each of those numbers have a story behind, a deliberate decision to lace up our shoes, hop on the bike, go outside; an intrinsic motivation and responsibility to show up day in and day out.

809 hours (still missing December!) are made by 48540 minutes and over 2 million 900 thousands seconds, each one of them counting exactly the same and being unique at the same time.

I believe the magic lies in the consistency and in the power of tiny little steps which, added up, can lead to big things.

You can unlock your Year in Sport with 20% off Strava with the code PUPPI20 or through the link in bio. Part of your subscription will help support my running (plus, you will have access to many incredibly useful Strava features like the ability to plan routes).

2025, what a year 😊

@strava #YearInSport #StravaPartner #ad

14:28 road 5k, nice to let the legs spin a little,

14:28 road 5k, nice to let the legs spin a little, feels good to remember there’s some speed in there too!

After 6 weeks of base training, consistent strength work, drills, strides and a couple of decent track sessions… I’ll take it. Solid step today and I’m excited to keep building from here 😊

Thanks for pushing me today @fframazza! We had to slalom a bit through ambulances, a police car and a few distracted volunteers 😅

Nice to be back running in my hometown and see many familiar faces today, congrats to everyone who showed up!

@runincomo

#roadseason #trailrunning #anysurfaceavailable #wearesobackontheroads #tooslowtobefast #flyhumanfly

Video: @glo_87

First VO2max workout of the season, it’s mandato

First VO2max workout of the season, it’s mandatory to say WE ARE SO BACK 🙌🏾

Una cosa di cui mi sono reso conto è che molte persone assumono che tra l’ultima gara del 2025 (i mondiali di Canfranc) e la prima del 2026 (tba very soon) io - e in generale gli atleti pro - abbia un generico off-season, un lungo letargo in cui ho tutto il tempo per andare in vacanza, fare le cose con calma, allenarmi in maniera destrutturata, senza programmi né intensità.

In realtà le mie vacanze sono durate quattro giorni, l’off-season tre settimane (in cui peraltro non sono mai stato del tutto fermo, sia per scelta che per piacere) che si sono riempite rapidamente di impegni, con la scusa di dedicarmi a tutto ciò a cui non riesco a dare attenzione durante il resto dell’anno, e una leggera pressione per dover essere disponibile con tutti. Anche per questo vivo l’off-season sempre con un po’ di discomfort: lo aspetto con ansia, poi quando arriva è sempre più deludente rispetto alle aspettative. Per fortuna passa subito, quasi senza che me ne accorga, e di questo non mi lamento affatto, perchè correre mi piace tantissimo e la routine degli allenamenti inizia a mancarmi fin da subito. Così nel giro di poco è già ora di rimettersi al lavoro, programmare la stagione successiva, si torna alle solite 20 e passa ore di allenamento a settimana, i workout, la forza, la bici, il base training.

Per rimanere competitivi è necessaria una quantità di lavoro e di fatica che se ci penso mi spaventa un po’. È spesso la parte meno raccontata e meno evidente dell’essere un atleta. Ci si sofferma sui successi, sui dettagli, e si tralascia la sostanza, che invece è fatta delle ore, dei giorni, dei mesi e degli anni di continuità. Un ordine di grandezza fatto di cose molto piccole e molto umili, quasi banali nella loro apparente semplicità, ma fondamentali.

Il workout era: 2000 off 2’, 5×400 off 50’’, 1000 off 2’, 5×300 off 50’’. 6:00, 1:07, 2:46, 49

Correre 100km, ovviamente, non fa rallentare. Ma questo lo sapevamo già.

10:06:02 - On August 29th 2025 in Chamonix, I won

10:06:02 - On August 29th 2025 in Chamonix, I won the CCC at @utmbmontblanc, the 100km final of the @utmbworldseries

So much went into this race, and together with my team we tried to capture some of the most meaningful moments from both the competition and the preparation leading up to it.

I hope this video inspires you to take on hard challenges and believe in yourself.

A huge thank you to everyone who was part of this journey 🫶🏾

Dropping tonight at 6pm CET. Watch on YouTube

Direction: @demiangoaway
Production: @themothorchestra
Camera operators: @demiangoaway, @filipposolaro, @stefanosolarodb, @damianoballarin, @filippocaon
Photography: @danielemolineris

Crew: @glo_87, @tito_tiberti, @dedeandre, @ul_fabius, @lapeppina, @bani.barbara, @francescotagliabue84

Additional footage @peigneeverticale @utmbworldseries

#ccc #utmb #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #trailrunning #hoka #flyhumanfly #believe

It’s good to be back home 🫶🏾🫶🏾😍

It’s good to be back home 🫶🏾🫶🏾😍

@hoka @hoka_eu @utmbmontblanc

#wearesoback #flyhumanfly

Next week I’ll be racing CCC at @utmbmontblanc.

Next week I’ll be racing CCC at @utmbmontblanc. I’m excited and a bit nervous to tackle a distance that still feels very new to me and an incredible field of athletes.

It’s been a fun and challenging preparation, which started way back during the winter, and went through some pretty special places and circumstances, thanks to many great people.

Of course, a race is just the tip of the iceberg of a massive amount of training that goes into it, it’s when we get to enjoy what we love the most: running in the mountains and trying to push our bodies beyond what we thought was possible.

I’ll try to bring you with me through the process: the highs and lows, the doubts, the joys, and a bit of madness that makes this adventure my own.

Watch on Youtube: GOING FURTHER - Season Two: The Build

[ITA]

La prossima settimana correrò la CCC a @utmbmontblanc. Sono emozionato e un po’ nervoso nell’affrontare una distanza che per me è ancora nuova e un parterre di atleti incredibile.

È stata una preparazione divertente ma anche molto impegnativa, iniziata già durante l’inverno e passata attraverso luoghi e circostanze davvero speciali, grazie a persone straordinarie.

Una gara è solo la punta dell’iceberg rispetto al percorso e al lavoro che ci stanno dietro, è il momento in cui possiamo divertirci facendo ciò che amiamo di più: correre in montagna e provare a spingere il nostro corpo oltre quanto ritenevamo possibile.

Cercherò di portarvi con me attraverso il processo: gli alti e bassi, i dubbi, le gioie e quel pizzico di madness che rende questa avventura la mia.

Watch on Youtube: GOING FURTHER - Season Two: The Build

Production and editing: @demiangoaway
Support: @hoka @hoka_eu

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #trailrunning #summerofmotion #utmb #wearesoback

Sierre Zinal madness at its finest ⚡️⚡️ S

Sierre Zinal madness at its finest ⚡️⚡️

Success is going from finishing 4th, running 2:35 and feeling like a failure, like in 2018….to running 2 min slower, placing 10th and feeling at peace, like this year.

Sometimes the real win is how you carry yourself across the line. It’s in the way you choose to see yourself when the race is done.

Every race, no matter the result, can be a step forward in becoming a better athlete

@hoka @hoka_eu @enervitsport

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #trailrunning #sierrezinal #basetraining #flyhumanfly

Video: @timetjean

I try my best #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailab

I try my best

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #summerofmotion #track

Filming and editing: @demiangoaway @danielemolineris

Non è facile stilare una lista precisa dei criter

Non è facile stilare una lista precisa dei criteri con cui scelgo una scarpa - come ho cercato di spiegare, dipende da moltissimi fattori, razionali ed emotivi, che si mescolano tra loro - ma spero di avervi dato qualche insight di come funziona per me, e magari anche un’idea diversa su come approcciare questo aspetto dell’allenamento.

@hoka @hoka_eu thanks for the performance, the cushioning, the fun, the feeling like I can fly and the myriad of other sensations of when I run!

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #trailrunning #trailshoes #runningshoes #whywerun #flyhumanfly

Run track @hoka @hoka_eu @enervitsport #runthed

Run track

@hoka @hoka_eu @enervitsport

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #basetraining #whywerun #flyhumanfly

🎥 @riccardo_amadori

Things you don’t see on @strava: strides They d

Things you don’t see on @strava: strides

They don’t look particularly impressive (unless you start and stop your watch and record a 2’30” km made up by 10x100m, which I never do - who cares about stopping the watch or looking at the average pace on Strava!) but they’re another training mean with a very low cost to benefit ratio. Incredibly effective! And they feel sooo good 😍🏃🏽‍♂️

You could copy and paste here the caption of my latest post because what’s valid for drills is basically also valid for strides. I generally do two sessions per week, either after easy runs or after a warmup, before doing speedwork.

At the training camp with @hoka in Font-Romeu a couple of weeks ago, I had a bit of a calf issue that forced me to pause my usual training. I’m grateful to have the awareness and experience now to stop before a small niggle becomes a real injury. So after a short break (which wasn’t a break, because I trained my butt off on the bike), today was my first proper run without any pain and I think it’s mandatory to say, we’re so back!

Way less glamorous location than Mammoth this time, but the Via Varese is where each prep must go through and where we’ve learned to love the grind. Ring up @glo_87 and @ul_fabius for more info ✌🏾

#runthedistance #stridesforlife #strides #anysurfaceavailable #flyhumanfly #giroditalia #viavarese #runthebadlands #lovethegrind #runlikerita #ritaunchained #doyourstrides

Coaching and 🎥 @tito_tiberti

Things you don’t see on @strava Drills are an i

Things you don’t see on @strava

Drills are an important and maybe underrated part of my training for basically any type of race. They help improve running economy, ground contact time, strength, coordination... small things that add up and do make a difference for performance.

I’m not particularly good at them, but I try to stay consistent: one dedicated session a week, and a lighter set after a warm-up, before a flat workout.

Drills are easy, cheap, time efficient, kind of fun and effective, so the cost to benefit ratio is rather low, which is a principle that shouldn’t be underestimated when we think about training.

Yeah I forgot to say, they feel way harder but at the same time they’re way more glamorous when done on the Mammoth Lakes track ✌🏾

#trailrunning #runningdrills #trainingprocess #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #flyhumanfly #basetraining #madness #drilling

Videos: @kt_asmuth

It’s so fun to watch people racing… think I mi

It’s so fun to watch people racing… think I might sign up for a race someday!

Every weekend I get my weekly dose of inspiration from friends and their incredible performances and stories from around the world. Just wanted to say thank you!

Keep that fire alive and to everyone reading or watching… get out and move!

#racingislife #runthedistance #zegama #zegamaaizkorri #runthedistance #canyons100 #anysurfaceavailable #outsideisfree #zegamamadness #anysurfaceavailable #trailrunning #flyhumanfly

GOING FURTHER - The Canyons 100k The perfect race

GOING FURTHER - The Canyons 100k

The perfect race does not exist, but at Canyons, I experienced one of those rare moment when the best version of yourself meets everything you’re capable of.

This was my debut on the 100K distance.
What happened that day… was something special, primarily for myself.

I documented the full journey, from the altitude camp in Mammoth Lakes to the finish line in Auburn.

Link in bio to watch the full video on YouTube.
I hope it inspires you as much as it meant to me.

#canyons100 #trailrunning #goingfurther #runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #ultrarunning #goldenticket #flyhumanfly

Video: @thejuniperlab - editing @demiangoaway
Cover photo @banta.visuals

Race strategy was basically to run the first half

Race strategy was basically to run the first half at 50k race pace and then continue for another 50k 🤌🏾🤯

Run hard, do good 🤟🏾

#runthedistance #anysurfaceavailable #canyons #trailrunning #flyhumanfly #calstreet

Video: @runfreetrail

This moment. When @lord_balls - the race director

This moment.

When @lord_balls - the race director of @wser - asked me whether I wanted to accept the Golden Ticket for WS, right on the Canyons 100 finish line. Overwhelmed by pain, exhaustion and emotions.

It felt surprisingly uplifting to give away the Golden Ticket. To be in a position where I could pass along something so meaningful, and watch someone else light up with that opportunity, was a quiet joy I didn’t really expect, but won’t forget.

#runthedistance #runthecanyons #anysurfaceavailable #california2025 #flyhumanfly

Video: @thejuniperlab

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