Time (target): under 11 hours
Distance: 85 km
Elevation: 6,500+ feet
Race: Le Maioliche di Laterza 85 K – Puglia by UTMB®, Saturday 8 November 2025
I’m heading to southern Italy for the Puglia by UTMB 85K, a race that threads through ancient canyons and olive groves. It’s the next evolution of everything I learned at the Garda Trentino Trail – and another test of the MaxWellness way.
Learn more about the event at puglia.utmb.world
From 65 KM to 85 KM – the next chapter
Back in May I ran the Garda Trentino Trail (65 KM) – 9 hours 50 minutes, 12,000 feet of climb, and a lesson in pain and purpose.
It changed how I train, eat, and think.
Now I’m heading south – to Puglia, Italy – for 85 KM through the ancient limestone ravines of the Terra delle Gravine.
Less vertical, more heat.
Less mountain, more canyon.
Different challenge – same philosophy.
Why the Puglia by UTMB 85K Matters
Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones.
This race isn’t about chasing distance – it’s about depth, discipline, and calm under stress.
At MaxWellness Cafe, that’s our philosophy: train naturally, fuel cleanly, live purposefully.
Training upgrades since Garda
Strength first. No endless mileage. Hill sprints, sled pushes, weighted carries.
Mobility daily. Spine openers, hip rotations, deep squats. Fluid tissue = long career.
Contrast therapy. Cold immersion + sauna cycles 3× a week. Regulation over recovery.
Nutrition simplified. Tallow, honey, eggs, salt, fruit. Nothing that needs a label.
Training is the easy part.
Consistency is the art.
The Puglia by UTMB 85K is a perfect field test for the MaxWellness system
Fuel plan: real food only
No gels. No lab formulas. Just:
🍯 Raw honey for quick carbs.
🧂 Sea salt for electrolytes.
🥚 Real food meals pre-race for stable energy.
🥩 Tallow-based snacks for fat fuel during the long grinds.
If the body wouldn’t recognise it 10,000 years ago, it doesn’t go in my bag.
Mindset heading into Puglia
Ultras aren’t won by speed. They’re won by patience.
I’m running this one with respect for the terrain and a quiet head.
When you train to stay calm under stress – cold plunge, breath holds, long holds under a barbell – you learn to make peace with pressure.
That’s the real skill.
What I expect from race day
Cool air can fool you – hydration still matters.
Limestone trails will punish lazy footwork.
Eighty-five kilometres will demand patience over power.
But that’s the point – to strip everything back and find what’s left when the noise fades and only truth remains.
Lessons for You
You don’t need to run the Puglia by UTMB 85K to live this way.
- Move daily with purpose
- Eat real food that heals
- Seek discomfort voluntarily
- Recover intentionally
That’s MaxWellness Cafe – From Inflammation to Liberation.
After the race
Next week I’ll share the results, splits, fuel notes, and lessons from Puglia.
However it goes, the real win is in the process – not the podium.
Until then, if you’re ready to build your own version of endurance – physical or mental – start where you are.
Move. Eat well. Show up.
📅 Book a Session with MAXWELL
Maxwell offers free consultations and 1:1 sessions at MaxWellness Cafe.
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