184. Francesco Puppi, Moisés Jiménez & Max Keith | Francesco Puppi Black Canyon Preview

<p>Days before lining up at Black Canyon 100K, Francesco Puppi sits down with Moisés Jiménez and Max Keith for a deep dive into training philosophy, double-threshold blocks, and what he learned from living and training alongside Jim Walmsley in Arizona.</p><p>This conversation centers on performance — not hype.</p><p>Francesco breaks down what he saw firsthand inside Jim’s preparation: Norwegian-style double threshold days, lactate testing between reps, treadmill precision at 7,000 feet, and the detailed charts mapping grade-adjusted pace to real-world effort. They unpack how controlled treadmill sessions can sharpen fitness — and where that approach may fall short when it comes to downhill durability and technical trail adaptation.</p><p>They explore:</p><ul><li>What double-threshold training actually looks like (5x6min uphill + 10x3min controlled efforts)</li><li>Why Jim measures lactate mid-workout — and what he’s looking for</li><li>How to build aerobic power without going “all out”</li><li>The pros and limitations of treadmill-based performance blocks</li><li>Translating controlled lab-style fitness into chaotic desert terrain</li></ul><p>Francesco also shares how his own training differs — why he prioritizes eccentric load, downhill strength, and trail specificity — and how he’s integrating lessons from Arizona without abandoning his system.</p><p>The conversation shifts into race execution: sodium strategies, heat adaptation ahead of Western States, passive vs. active heat training, and the discomfort of Black Canyon’s rolling, relentless terrain. They discuss how early-season American racing forces athletes to sharpen fitness in January and February — and whether that’s sustainable long term.</p><p>If you’re interested in the <em>how</em> behind elite performance — the data, the structure, the experimentation, and the honest doubts — this episode delivers a rare look inside high-level ultra preparation.</p><p>What you’ll learn</p><ul><li>The structure of Jim Walmsley’s double-threshold block</li><li>How lactate testing shapes workout intensity</li><li>Why treadmill precision can accelerate aerobic gains</li><li>The missing pieces when training indoors for trail ultras</li><li>Heat and sodium strategies for Western States-style racing</li><li>How to evolve your system without overhauling it</li></ul><p>🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.</p><p>🏃‍♂️ Want to train smarter, not harder?<br>Use code RUNNINGLONG30 for