Francesco Puppi

“Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn't matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough.”

Biography

Running has always been in my DNA and my first love as a sport since I was 6 years old. I'm from Italy and I live near the beautiful Como Lake, on the south side of the Italian Alps. I feel like my trajectory in the sport of running has always been a process of discovery: of myself and my possibilities in the first place, but also of the incredible variety of distances, places, and opportunities that it offers.

My goal is to become the best version of myself and to leave something worthwhile to the sport of trail running, which means giving a better opportunity to the athletes who will come after me. I like to use my platform to speak up and stand for what is right - both in sports and the world, leveraging my voice to make trail running more inclusive, accessible, fair, and professional. I really value the importance of building a culture around trail running, inspiring people, and leaving a mark in the sport, pushing it to the next level. This is why I'm also involved in it at different levels, both as an athlete but also on the media side and as a co-founder of the Pro Trail Runners Association.

Beyond my athletic career, I'm a physics graduate, I enjoy camping in the wilderness, cycling, growing vegetables in the garden, and baking bread and cookies (and also eating them). I am passionate about learning and constantly try to develop my knowledge in different fields, from sports science to environmental action to social issues.