Home - Francesco Puppi

Cadenze

Relentless pursuit

Olympic Trials

World Mountain Running Championship – Patagonia

Don’t mind this

Bergen – Hochfellnberglauf

fra_puppinho

With @kilianjornet and @fatsimpson, after Sierre-Z

With @kilianjornet and @fatsimpson, after Sierre-Zinal 2018.

And no, unfortunately that's not the podium picture. That time Kilian won the race, Robbie was second and I was fourth after being overtaken by Surum in the last downhill. I was still learning, as I am doing right now.

Kilian and Robbie are undoubtedly two #mountainrunningsuperstars for whom I have huge respect and I have taken some inspiration. They couldn't be more different: Robbie more oriented to the road/marathon approach to the trails, Kilian more devoted to skyrunning and ski mountaineering. Yet their results have been equally amazing.

You'd say it's easy to be inspired by Kilian Jornet. True, he's redefined the limits of our sport, the shape and look of what today we call trail running. Robbie is an accomplished marathoner and a world medallist in several mountain running events.
One reason they inspire me is that they both show what works for them, in terms of their training and racing approach. During wintertime, one needs to put on the skis, the other needs work his threshold down to 3'/km. I have exchanged several opinions with them and it's just cool to spend hours discussing about training, adventures and views.

Understanding what works for you is crucial to perform at your best as well as to simply enjoy the sport. It's a never ending process, as we undergo constant change in our body, mind, habits and relationships. Champions like Kilian and Robbie are interesting to follow because they show these peculiarities so clearly and effectively

#kilianjornet #robbiesimpson #sierrezinal #mountainstateofmind #trailrunning #training #marathon #processoveroutcome #athletesunfiltered #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

Pictures: @albertostretti @trailaddicted and @justinbritton

With my Kiwi friend @ruthcrofty We had the chance

With my Kiwi friend @ruthcrofty
We had the chance to meet a couple of times this year, in Zinal and at the Azores. She's super tough and she's for sure one of the athletes I admire the most.

I would like to start a series of #mountainrunningsuperstars where I present a few athletes I consider an inspiration in the way I approach training and also life in general. We'll see.
That's one cool thing about traveling and racing internationally, to know different people, experiences, ideas, to break barriers and convictions, to exchange and embrace change.

Have a nice Sunday out there 😉
Run with care

#anysurfaceavailable
#azores #goldentrailseries #sierrezinal
#trailrunning
#mountainrunning #athletesunfiltered #sundayrun #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

>>GIVEAWAY>> ENG+ITA It's official: Vert.run Win

>>GIVEAWAY>>

ENG+ITA

It's official: Vert.run Winter Training Programs are up and running!

I wrote a really nice and useful 4 week program to approach winter training and build up some trail speed.
It includes my training philosophy, tips and real workouts that I personally do to get ready for the summer season while having some fun during wintertime.
We are kicking off next month with a giveaway of a FREE monthly subscription to Vert explore plans!
Entering couldn't be easier:

- follow @vert.run and @fra_puppinho
- like this post
- tag two friends in the comment section

Giveaway starts today and closes on Sunday, November 29th 2020 at 12 p.m., the winner will be announced next monday.
Comment multiple times with different friends to increase your chances of winning!

•

Vuoi vincere un mese di allenamenti con Vert.run?
Ho scritto un programma di allenamento perfetto per la stagione invernale: un mese di costruzione in vista della prossima stagione sul trail. È già stato tradotto anche in italiano!
Le regole del contest sono semplicissime:

- segui @vert.run e @fra_puppinho
- metti like a questo post
- tagga due amici nei commenti

Hai tempo fino a domenica 29 novembre a mezzanotte. Il vincitore sarà scelto e annunciato lunedì prossimo.

Good luck! 😉

#vertrun #fromwhereirun #giveaway #training #conditioning #speed #endurance #trailrunning #mountainrunning #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

Photos: @alicerussolo

Facendo un po' di violenza su @glo_87 (ma oggi la

Facendo un po' di violenza su @glo_87 (ma oggi la lascio stare..)

#rita #madaiii #ritaallatredicesima #rita^13 #loveyou #giornatamondialecontrolaviolenzasulledonne #womenwhorun #womenempowerment #stopviolence #stopviolenceagainstwomen #ritaswanderings #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

#EverySingleStreet I was thinking about it since

#EverySingleStreet

I was thinking about it since our spring lockdown... yesterday I finally gathered the crew and we burnt off some madness across our home streets. How cool it is to rediscover places and sights around our village and see them from a different point of view!
My ride includes a fatal error, as everything I do will never be perfect. Can you spot it?
Too bad I don't live in Milan, the ride would have been insanely cool. Will you try the same? 😜

©️ @rickeygates of course 🤟🏾 (thanks for the inspiration)

#fromwhereiride #bandofbrothers #appianopunk #ult #ultegra #nolessthenduraace #mapeimadness #appianogentile
#appianoisthenewtexas
#oilrush #swatt #hillspaythebills #viafilata #crew #salutamiiltuopà

Pics and @ul_fabius styling: @lapeppina

Ok so what point were we at? • • After the Gol

Ok so what point were we at?
•
•
After the Golden Trail Championship I took three weeks of almost complete rest. By "almost complete rest" I mean than I ran 2 times in 20 days, did some cycling grazing around home without going too far beyond our village borders, did a few yoga and gym sessions (the only times I actually some put some effort and felt like training, I know it's good for me to keep some strength).
I put on some good weight, I ate a lot of sugary and fatty food, I took my time for all the things I don't do when I am in full training, I baked, I wrote, I followed Rita in her lunch break escapades, I didn't pay attention to stretching, foam rolling, integration....I finally didn't have a training program. Planning is something I love when I want to do things carefully and to go deep into an activity, but I can't do that all year round.
Off-season and resting felt soooo good. And yeah, now I'm almost ready to get back into training 🤟🏾
Just two more days!

#offseason #escapades #madaiii #ritaisfitterthanme #royalwedding #bagels #pinetapark #villaloop #pianopiano #imps #lockdowndiary #wearyourmask #athletesunfiltered #sharethetrail

Cover picture: @jan.nyka.photography

Today, one year ago, I reached the highest point i

Today, one year ago, I reached the highest point in my athletic career so far. The performance I delivered that day is still unmatched, in Patagonia Jim pushed me beyond my limits. It was a very special day from many points of view and I felt so sharp, so ready for what I was doing. I think this is one if not the best feeling for an athlete.
And no, it was not enough to win. But I was so proud to lose from @walmsleyruns

#patagonia #argentina #niketrail #oncloudnine #getducksinarow #athletesunfiltered #inspirationaltrails #unboundedrunning #forwhatisworth

How we trained for the mountain running season 🤙🏾😉

#speed #mountainrunning #trailrunning #sestriere #sestriere2035 #altitudetraining #nikerunning #whatgravity #whywerun #athletesunfiltered #trackandfield #anysurfaceavailable #aymogoal #unboundedrunning #oneteam

Photo: @gian_michele_maiocco

We were made to chase dreams. Races or not, always

We were made to chase dreams.
Races or not, always tying to better ourselves. We've shared so much in this past year..
HBD @cecemaestri 💙🥰

E rispondi al mio vocale, subito!

#cecemaestri #robocop #niketrail #happybirthday #patagonia #argentina #whatsapp #worldchamps #silvermedals #unboundedrunning #trailaddicted #sharethetrail #justdoit

Walk like a bastard 🤟🏾 I used to hate walki

Walk like a bastard 🤟🏾

I used to hate walking during races. I used to think, what the hell did I sign up for? My sport is called trail RUNNING, not trail WALKING. To go hiking I don't need to wear a bib and compete. I love hiking because I can enjoy the landscape and all the little things I always miss because racing requires so much concentration and energy. I can run most trails no matter the steepness, but when you are off trail and it gets too technical running becomes impossible. So why organize a running race there?

The experience of the Azores changed a little bit this attitude. While I remain convinced that the technical purpose of the race was very different from the original idea of @goldentrailseries, and that they should have told us before, in Faial I had to adjust, get dirty, crawl, climb with my arms, elbows, teeth and knees. It was just about getting as quickly as possible through those undefinable sections of something I had never experienced.
All the track sessions and tempos I did during my preparation also came through my mind while there. Other athletes seemed just fine as I watched them passing me, apparently floating above the mud!
I like the type of athlete I am. I like that I can compete on the road, on the track and in the mountains all in the same year and that I don't need to train in the mountains all the time to be competitive on the trails. I built a personality on this and it's part of my athletic culture. Everyone is different and when we race together these differences show up and make us the athletes we are. It's part of the beauty of our sport. What's your view on this?

#anysurfaceavailable #azores #niketrail #faial #running #endurance #sportculture #athletesunfiltered #walklikeabastard #unboundedrunning #trailaddicted #sharethetrail

Pictures: @philippreiter007 who is also very good at cheering while taking pics!

Three years ago in New York. Crossing those stree

Three years ago in New York.

Crossing those streets is something I find really hard to describe. Overwhelming, legendary, just too much for me to encompass.
I was running for my life! And my life was a mess. I was about to graduate from university and I turned in my master thesis in physics from JFK airport terminal 😱 using one hour of free wifi.
NY marked the end of a chapter in my life and the start of a new, probably more balanced one.

Haven't run a proper marathon since then. I was close to run one last spring but the opportunity slipped away with the virus. Man, how I miss it..

#runforgood #whywerun #newyork #bidenharris2020 #nycmarathon #borninthestreets #juniors #artichoke #marathondebut #cosmopolitan #bigapplememories

Work hard, lay hard. It's a lifestyle 😜 #strug

Work hard, lay hard. It's a lifestyle 😜

#struggleisreal #strength #plank #homegym #lockdown #LOCKEDIN #yoga #home #athletesunfiltered #hardwork #offseason #workout #endurance

Mi ha risposto: "La delusione quando c'è, non va

Mi ha risposto:

"La delusione quando c'è, non va nascosta. Nemmeno coccolata o mugugnata. Va tirata fuori per guardarla un attimo, superarla, elaborarla in qualcosa che ci motivi a continuare. Continuare cosa? Mah...la vita, mi vien da dire. Più o meno. Che é una facile uscita - la vita - per dire tutto e niente. Più tutto, che niente, visto che per quanto ne so, tutto si svolge lì dentro. Se ne può parlare con le persone che possono capire e accogliere. Sono contento perciò che hai condiviso con me questo tuo sentire. Mi fa sentire dalla parte delle persone di cui ti fidi, ed è sempre un grande onore per un padre. Poi, spieghi bene che non si tratta di archiviare la delusione il più in fretta possibile.. ma si può, si deve riflettere sul perchè. Cosa c'è dentro, e cosa c'è oltre.
Fai uno sport che come tanti altri sport praticati intensamente e ad alto livello, richiede una grande quantità e qualità di motivazioni. E nel tuo pensiero, ne hai scritti un bel po'. La ricerca del limite, inteso quasi come affinamento continuo, nelle condizioni date.
Oppure scorgere il confine tra diletto-dilettantismo e professione-agonismo intenso. Entrambi i concetti possono avere un significato nobile o banale. Si tratta quindi di trovare il nostro - il tuo - posto tra questi due estremi, forse. Un posto che mica rimane fisso ogni giorno, ogni allenamento, ogni gara. Ed è bello leggere che hai colto anche un aspetto nuovo, 'finire per dire ho fatto'.
Elaborare un po' di amarezza, forse, assomiglia a fare i conti con l'acido lattico nelle gambe. Nella carriera di un atleta penso sia una condizione possibile, forse frequente, di certo nota. E ogni volta sta a te trovare dentro e attorno le vie per andare oltre e trovare, come hai scritto, anche la nostalgia di un'impresa che pochi al mondo sanno affrontare e solo sei, in questa occasione, sono riusciti ad arrivare prima di te.
Ultima cosa..quando hai scritto che al mattino, soprattutto del giorno 3 e 4, non sapevate dove trovare la forza..beh, io sai cosa penso...? che ci vuole anche un grande coraggio, e fiducia, e autodisciplina, per partire."

Ph. @jsaragossa

Ieri ho scritto al mio pà. "Non nascondo di aver

Ieri ho scritto al mio pà.

"Non nascondo di aver provato un po' di delusione subito dopo la gara, non tanto per l'errore di percorso nel finale, dopo oltre 100km già corsi, con la stanchezza e tutto il resto..più per un po' di nervosismo per non riuscire a interpretare certi tratti con poco senso tecnico all'interno dei tracciati. Quando vedi che gli altri scappano via in un momento in cui tu non sai cosa fare, non perché siano più forti, ma perché evidentemente non sei ben preparato a quello che stai facendo..è stato un po' questo. E di occasione così ne sono capitate parecchie durante i 4 giorni di gare. Dopo questa sensazione però è subentrata presto la soddisfazione per aver portato a termine una cosa un po' fuori dalla mia portata e range di esperienze. Forse per la prima volta ho provato quella sensazione di "finisher", di avercela fatta nonostante tutto, di esserci arrivato con le mie possibilità e le mie forze, anche a prescindere dal risultato finale (che pure è buono e sono convinto sia stato il meglio che potessi fare, in quelle condizioni). Non tanto per la lunghezza e la durezza dei percorsi, più per l'intensità con cui ogni giorno ci siamo confrontati, e nonostante avessimo la sensazione di aver finito le energie la mattina prima di partire per le ultime due tappe, ne trovavamo di altre inaspettate. Non ho mai ben capito la soddisfazione di chi semplicemente porta a termine una gara lunga a prescindere da ciò che ci mette dentro, cioè dal risultato o tempo di percorrenza che volendo o no, proprio per il fatto di essere in gara, è una cosa che conta, conta eccome. Altrimenti corri da solo mi viene da dire..altrimenti possiamo sempre spostare il limite un po' più in là e fare la corsa più lunga, più estrema, più alta, più deserta..ma non è questo il punto. Credo che sia la cura, il valore e il significato con cui riempiamo lo spazio che ci é concesso, farlo al meglio delle nostre possibilità, prepararsi per spostare più in là quanto ritenevamo in grado di fare.
Dopo qualche giorno la vedo meglio e con più leggerezza non solo per valutarla, ma anche per imparare qualcosa, avere un po' di nostalgia, apprezzarla per ciò che é stata."

Ph. @una_grana

Pico summit before leaving the islands. We didn't

Pico summit before leaving the islands.

We didn't get to race in Pico as the weather conditions were too extreme and dangerous for the athletes. Yesterday, with a clearer sky, we had the change to climb this majestic volcano rising 2351m above the ocean. We took our time and appreciated the slowness of moving in such a peculiar, barren, unspoilt environment that has something I can't just catch. The intensity of colors, one of the brightest sunlights I've ever seen filtering through the ever present clouds running across the sky, the power of the ocean and the Earth evidently breathing from the volcanic rocks.
We shared precious moments, laughter, thoughts, silence and food. The opportunity of racing brings together people from very different backgrounds and personal stories, and it's cool to live such adventures with someone we'd never thought to spend this time with.

Leaving the island, but also leaving something here.

#azores #pico #goldentrailseries #mountainstateofmind #summit #oncloudnine #mountainsmatter #athletesunfiltered #sharethetrail

📸 @martiskka (the good ones) and me (the bad ones)

It was good to be reunited after almost one year.

It was good to be reunited after almost one year.
The current circumstances have made us realize that nothing can be taken for granted and who knows when we will have the next chance to meet and compete together.
Grateful for every shared mile. Until the next

#finishline #goldentrailseries #goldentrailchampionship #azores #faial #anysurfaceavailable #athletesunfiltered #milesformiles #runforgood
#sharethetrail

Pic. @jsaragossa for @goldentrailseries

@goldentrailseries stage 4 The experience of this

@goldentrailseries stage 4

The experience of this Golden Trail Championship is finally over. It will take me some time to sort out the thoughts and the emotions I've had during those 4 days, 9h44', 112km, 6200m D+ of running. Thousands of steps, calories consumed, hands shaken, hugs given, masks worn. Now I just feel really really tired and my whole body is in pain.
7th place overall. This is what I was able to give, with my strengths and my weaknesses, my hopes and my fears.

Thank you for following me on this journey.

@niketrail.running @nikerunning @azorestrailrun @visitazores

#GoldenTrailSeries #GoldenTrailChampionship #NikeTrail #AnySurfaceAvailable #NotEnough #RunForGood #ForWhatIsWorth

Shots: @una_grana @jsaragossa @martiskka

@goldentrailseries stage 3 ...coming out of Hallow

@goldentrailseries stage 2 Rough day out there bu

@goldentrailseries stage 2

Rough day out there but I managed to grab an 8th place like yesterday and to move up to 7th in the general rank.
The course is getting even more wild and difficult. I felt really scared when, running on the edge of the volcano's crater, the strong wind was pushing me against the barbed wire fence next to the trail. I fell several times and it was bad. Some other parts were anything but running. I enjoyed the last section where I manager to close a bit of gap from the leaders on more runnable trails (and also off-trail).

Side thought; I wonder what this whole thing has to do with the initial idea and purpose of Golden Trail Series, as the courses we are running on are nothing like Sierre-Zinal, Mont Blanc Marathon or Pikes Peak, to name a few. The spectacle of racing should not go against the technical meaning of trail/mountain running and against us, athletes. But I guess it's just me and a few others like @walmsleyruns, and that most people are of a different opinion. Anyway I won't complain and i will go to the start of the 3rs stage tomorrow with the goal to win. Not done yet 🤟🏾

@visitazores @azorestrailrun #GoldenTrailSeries #GoldenTrailChampionship #NikeTrail #AnySurfaceAvailable #NotDoneYet

Shots: @martiskka and @una_grana (thanks for your amazing job!)

@goldentrailseries stage 1 Adventure running in i

@goldentrailseries stage 1

Adventure running in its wildest form. Hard to run well on such a peculiar, undefinable, strange but fun course! Lava rocks, mud, thick forest, volcanic sand, there was pretty much everything and the weather played a big factor in today's race too. Quite happy about my effort which brought me home in 8th place. MVP of the day is certainly the stunning landscape we are running through 😉

Looking forward to the next days going with the 60% Kipchoge mentality. When he closed Monza sub2hrs half marathon test in 59'20 and asked about his effort, he elegantly said "60%". Try that! 90km of racing and probably about 8hrs running still waiting for us 🤟🏾

@azorestrailrun @visitazores #GoldenTrailChampionship #GoldenTrailSeries #NikeTrail #AnySurfaceAvailable #Run

Shots: @una_grana and @philippreiter007

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