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Hello! My name is Vladimir Lysenko β I'm an athlete and PR manager at TRUNK. Why am I here? Should I be here? I think yes! Because TRUNK is not just a project. It's a space where sport, nature and technology meet, helping us become better, faster and stronger. And who, if not an active athlete with organizational experience, can help develop such an initiative? By education I'm a civil engineer. In college (2009β2013) I ran a bit and did multisport. Then β university, a bicycle, a backpack and travels across Belarus and Karelia. It was a time of discoveries, roads and freedom. But one day everything changed. I decided to take a risk and completely change my life. While finishing my studies in the final years of civil engineering, I simultaneously obtained a category D driving license β I dreamed of transporting people and traveling around Europe. When I learned you could upgrade from category D to C for free, I went the same day and passed without any problems. Friends said: βBetter to carry quiet cargo than unhappy people.β I went on to get category E and move into the field where I could travel.
2018 became the start of a new road for me β I went into long-haul trucking. I liked this life. I still do. But there's a family you miss. There are friends, many of them. They also wait for my return so we can gather and ride bicycles far away again. Driving is not only about roads but also constant sitting. After several years my weight began to increase, my body sent signals. Yes, I walked a lot through cities, forests, sights. But it wasn't enough.
Summer 2022 I remembered what running was. I started small β 3β4 kilometres, three times a week. Then I was invited to the club WE ARE NIGHT RUNNERS. I started training with them and it took off: indoor track, intervals, hurdles, general physical training, strength work β everything needed for real running. Only I understood nothing. My multisport from college (10 years had passed) is different: 30/100, 2000/3000 m runs, pull-ups, jumps, shooting, swimming. Back then I trained on my own as I could. Thanks to the PE teachers β they helped with swimming, found time and resources for training. The base was there. But it needed to be brought back to life.
In March 2023 I bought a Fenix 6X Pro Solar for β¬550. I realized: if you want to progress, you need to monitor your condition professionally. Just giving blood after a shift is not an option. Although I tracked bilirubin and cholesterol. Nutrition? Mostly grains. No pasta or cheap instant noodles. A chest heart-rate strap is still on the agenda. It's a pity to spend a hundred euros, but it's a matter of time. April 2023. Friends invited me to my first race β 10 km in Osipovichi. The actual distance turned out to be 9.65 km, and I ran it in 41:01 with a 4:15 pace. I finished third. The guys said: βGreat time for a first road race!β And I was in ordinary trainers. So there is potential. We work.
First race in Osipovichi
Then it kept rolling. In May β "Elk Trail". On the first day β short bike, again 3rd place. The next β short trail, 11 km, and 9th place. Competition was serious, the guys were strong. But I like it. I love to compete. This is mine.
Elk Trail - short bike
Elk Trail - short trail
September 2023 β Elk Trail again. Running is still a bit scary, because the guys are strong. But bikes have been with me since 2015 from touring trips. I decide: I take two starts β open bike, and an hour and a half later β short bike. I didn't fully understand what I signed up for, but you have to try.
Elk Trail - open bike
Open bike, 16 km β 2nd place. I lost to a young triathlete by just a couple of seconds. I conserved strength because short bike was ahead. Quickly change numbers and go. 35 km, 700 meters of climbing. They exhausted me. Finish β 11th, 14 minutes behind. There they are, the pros. Now I know who they are. Conclusion: time to return to running.
Elk Trail - short bike
November 2023. Wild trail. Second place. And the main realization: trail is mine. Not road. Running on asphalt is too harsh on the legs. But forest, mud, roots, climbs and descents β there is life in that. There I met Denis from Bobruisk β a great guy.
Wild Trail
A year later we put on a real show at the finish. Here it is, if you're interested)
Finish with Denis
Beetle Trail. There I met many who became real friends. 12th place, 550 meters of climbing. The course was interesting; the first snow had already fallen, it was slippery. I was remembered for my "butt pad" β a special padding I used to slide down hills. Yes, it looked funny, but it worked! Someone even joked: β15% discount for the next ARF start!β And they actually gave a discount.) That year the strongest gathered at the start. And that only fueled interest. I want to grow. I want to be among them.
Beetle Trail
Beetle Trail
2024 passed... well, as it passed. I could describe it in more detail, but is it worth it? Training happened β as best as I could. Volume? I didn't know much about it then. Maybe 100β150 km per month. Just running. No system, no plan. But with desire. Our club WE ARE NIGHT RUNNERS disbanded. Very sad. We stopped meeting, everyone went their own way. I needed motivation and discipline. Hearing about FARTLEK, I decided to try. Almost a year, with breaks for work (cadences), I went to the indoor track and outdoor trainings. It seemed the loads were small, so I added workouts myself. After some time my coach and I diverged in views on training, we parted ways and I was alone again. But already with experience. I continued training independently. 2024 was mixed. There were successful races and unsuccessful ones. In the Elk Trail cup for the year I took 4th place in the Top 6 classification on the short trail distance. That was big. But keeping that result the next year turned out difficult β work in 2025 made its adjustments.
Elk Trail Cup
My calendar is simple: 2β2.5 months on the road, then 1β1.5 months off. Sometimes I try to align with races, sometimes it doesn't work. It's not always convenient, but I learned to find balance. Somewhere between the road, running and myself.
December 24, 2024. I leave for work. My truck is based in Poland but it breaks down. I take it into the service, they send me away and it breaks down again. And this is right before New Year. I stay at the base, in a hotel: shower, warmth, food, running, the gym. I say: βWhat's work? Let's do it after the holidays.β And they supported me. I left only on January 2. Meanwhile training. Every day. Running 5, 6, sometimes 7 times a week. Plus the gym. The fatigue was there, but pleasant. I spent New Year in the hotel gym. I ran at low heart rate, up to 140. I focused on volume β winter is ideal for that. First races were planned only for summer, so I decided: now I need a foundation. Every day 12β20 km. In January I logged a record 400+ km, 100+ km per week. No injuries. February a bit less, around 350 km. But February is shorter. All this in winter, in the dark, after work. Headlamp on the forehead, another in hand. Frost drained batteries fast. It was hard. But this is forging. Through hardships to strength. It invigorates. The main thing in my job is a shower. And it's not always nearby. I preferred the MAN truck because behind the passenger seat a Webasto heats water in canisters and bottles. While I ran an hour or two, the water warmed up. I returned and could wash right at the cab in the parking lot. Even at -10Β°C. That was 3β4 times a week. Sometimes every day. Got used to it.
Yutsky Trail 29.03.2025 March. I'm heading home. I see registration for the Yutsky Trail and realize: I must participate! My running friends, now teammates in "Three Cats", decide on a relay. New format. Strong teams. Interesting. I'm without intervals, without sprints, only on volume. Vitalik, a running colleague from Mogilev, says: βDon't be afraid! You're on volume β you'll pull it!β We try. Mud, hills, lost markings, broken breath... Where were those "clean springs" the organizers mentioned? The course was tough. But it worked out. As a team in the relay we took 1st place. In the absolute standings I was 8th by time. Excellent. After the finish, back to the shift. On the truck. But with the feeling that it was not in vain.
Yutsky Trail - relay
Until June 2025 I continued to build volume β up to 350 km per month. When I was home, volumes fell to 150 km, simply not enough time and strength. It was hard, imagine: 10β15 hours behind the wheel, then find and get to a parking, and another "shift" β that's training. All that exhausted. And you still needed to cook on a single-burner stove, sleep, recover. It's hard. Only mandatory 45-hour weekends helped. But even they were not enough. You had to sleep, cook food for the week, wash clothes. Washing had to be done by hand, in a bucket or in the shower. That's the hardest. Especially in winter, when clothes pile up, several layers, everything wet. A washing machine, if lucky, once a month. Not at home. And long runs on weekends: 20β25 km on Saturday and Sunday. Almost no rest. By the end of a cadence the body simply shut down. At home I slept 12 hours, took the child to kindergarten and slept again. And summer and a series of races were ahead. It scared me. And at the same time it pleased. Summer calls. Even while on runs I started to add intervals and accelerations. The build-up began. Inside β excitement. Outside β the road. Ahead β a competitive summer. And, as always, travel!
X-Trail, June 28 Last year's rivals didn't let me relax. The race turned out truly muddy, the rains didn't stop for several days. Even new trail shoes with studs didn't save me: LIGHTSPEED and BOLT XI, brought from Poland, slid like on oil. Although water drained fast after 60 meters of lake. Maybe it's not about shoes, but that I needed to be stronger? Result β 2nd place. First went to my last year's rival. Back then I was his "dark horse"; now he knew who he was racing. Positions swapped :(
X-Trail
Elk Trail, June 28β29 Right after X-Trail we went to Lepel district. That same night the Elite Night Trail, 11 km. Goal β make the top three. This is elite, serious guys. But worth a try. I was very close but didn't make it, finished 4th, only 3 minutes behind one of the strongest athletes who took 1st. Night starts are mine. I prefer them.
Elite Night Trail
The next day β Open Trail 6 km. Fatigue was felt even before the start, but give up? Not me. We run! Although competition here is much higher than in the elite, I managed to take 3rd place, almost catching second. I lacked a bit, but I hadn't pushed to the limit. The third race in two days took its toll; the goal was to stay on the podium. Strong guys from behind were closing in, future Top 6 OPEN trail prize-winners.
Open Trail
Museum of the NAS, July 5β6 Team "Three Cats" is back. We registered first for the relay. Almost until the start we had no competitors, we were about to scatter into individual standings. But then "Region" appeared β a very strong road team whose marathons are 2:30, pace 3:20. We tensed... Give up? But no! Challenge accepted. We run! One of our team suggested several tactics. We chose one, but I won't reveal which β it's a secret! And the tactic worked! I ran third, holding position. The 2-minute reserve held until the finish. We are 1st! Thanks to Lesha and Dima; it's more their merit than mine. At that time I barely ran at home: June β 210 km, July β 120, August β less than 100. Monthly volumes very low. Only intervals, VOβ max and specific preparations for particular races. I struggled to breathe on almost every race; I don't know the reason. No one trained me, taught me. Everything was willpower and self-preparation.
Museum of the NAS - relay
Water run, July 26 This event overlapped with others. Elk Trail was the most interesting, but I chose the water run. Something unusual, my first time in such a race. I trained on the Dnieper: 300 m in water, 300 m on land. It wasn't easy. People looked at me like I was crazy; I thought they'd call the police, but it went fine :) At the water run everything worked out. At the start I let everyone go ahead, observed. I realized I could work; by the end of the first lap I took the lead and broke away. Ten laps of 500 m water and 500 m land. Katya, our operator, volunteer and helper from the TRUNK team, counted laps, handed water, announced lap times. Thanks to her I knew the lead over competitors and when I could slow down and rest more in the water. There was a chance to drink and tie shoelaces (which untied three times!). Result β 1st place with a good gap. We went to rest at the campsite with tents.
Water run
Five Lakes Trail, July 27 Rest before the start didn't happen. We went to Naroch, stopped at a campsite by Lake Beloe. Noise around, generator humming, many vacationers. Gathering wood, cooking. And we walked around the whole lake on foot β beautiful, but extremely tiring. Didn't rest properly. Woke up β straight to the start. I knew a strong rival would set the pace. I decided to stick to him. The course was about 70% road, then sand and forest. Until the third kilometer we ran in a group of four, gradually dropping rivals. My main adversary attacked often. At some point I realized: in such heat competing with him is pointless. He's stronger. Hoping for a miracle β not an option. I stayed second and finished that way. It was very hard. After the eighth kilometer I looked back more often; guys were closing in. But I held distance, didn't let them get too close. Heart rate was high but under control. Finished second, 10 seconds ahead of third. More than a minute behind first. I'm pleased with the result. Especially considering the water run the day before and sore muscles. In the water you had to lift knees and hips high to avoid getting stuck and slice the water smoothly with the toe of the shoe. But I set a personal record for 10 km: 38:55. Yes, it's road + trail, but still nice. I don't like road running. I don't run for records. I thought "Five Lakes" would be real off-road. It wasn't. But I worked with what I had. Shoes chosen well β Hoka Mach 5 β and I enjoyed the route.
Five Lakes Trail
Oressa Trail β 16.08.2025 I decided to run two distances. First β 7 km along the Oressa river, second β 1 km swamp run. Grass, sticky sand, fishermen, fields. A real trail! Only nettles! From the start I understood β it would be tough. Then I saw a man 50+ running my distance and moving like a young man. I thought: βOh no. Need to speed up.β On the second kilometer I overtook him and went ahead. Then β holding. But heat and stuffiness, breathing terrible. At the finish I was stung all over by nettles, felt bad. They offered an ambulance, I refused. I came to myself on my own. I even thought: maybe an allergy to nettles? Katya brought water and sweets. After about an hour it eased, I ate a little. And after an hour and a half β the swamp run. A novelty, oddity. Curious. Few participants, though many registered. Recovered, started and immediately led. Two guys ran worse; they were also after 7 km like me. Short distance β 1 km through reclamation channels knee to waist deep. Fun, unusual. Two first places that day β in 7 km and the swamp kilometer. Fun experience. I want more :)
Oressa Trail
This is where I faced failure on all fronts. I registered for two days: first β bike race 30 km, second β trail 10 km. Sounds simple. But no.
Day one β bikes. There was a trick with the bikes. First the distance was announced as 28 km, then 30 km, and on race day it turned out to be 32 km. And none of us leaders knew. On the 20th kilometer I saw the second participant go the wrong way. I was third and followed him. I ride out of the forest and the second is gone. I go by the watch, by the markings. Everything seemed fine. But I came out... in the opposite direction, where the runners are. A volunteer looked at me and asked: βWhere are you even from?β I realized I followed an old track left in the watches. I accepted it and went to the finish by the map. I finished with 35 km on the speedometer and status DNF (Did Not Finish). Like our leading trio, and the fourth became first. As it turned out, on race day they changed the track and only a few knew. We tried to dispute the result, but the organizers refused to review. Result: minus a day, minus strength, minus result. But most importantly β minus trust in the organization.
Bike race - DNF
Day two β 10 km run. After the bike failure I wanted to redeem myself. But the body decided otherwise. From the evening I didn't take vitamins or minerals. Only a dozen potato pancakes. That was a mistake. I kept up with the leader all race, trading places with rivals for 2β3 positions. But on the final straight across the field I was simply overwhelmed. Sun, +27Β°C, no water, nothing to cool down. I sped up to hold at least third, but with each step it got worse. My vision dimmed, I staggered. Heatstroke. 700 meters before the finish I simply stopped. Stood for about 20 seconds. Then somehow ran down the hill, almost crashing into trees. Competitors overtook me; I saw it and it hurt. In the shade of the woods it eased a bit. The last 200 meters uphill. I sped up. I don't know where I found strength. But I finished. Collapsed under the arch. They revived me for half an hour. Drank 3β4 bottles of water, vomited twice. They asked me to move away from the finish so as not to obstruct others. Friends and colleagues gave pills and advice. I only listened. Had no strength. Washed, changed. Went home. Result: no prize, but a victory over myself. And an important lesson: nutrition, hydration, preparation β not empty words. To me those were weekend failures. So I thought. But friends said otherwise: it's experience. And they were right. Sudden heat, washed-out salts, lack of microelements β that's the result. I'll take note. I'll learn.
Heatstroke at the finish
After Kaspersky back to shifts. On October 1 I left for work. In the office, while waiting for a truck, a colleague noticed my watch and shoes and asked: β Do you run? β Yes. β Let's be friends, β he said. That's how we met. Exchanged contacts, went together to the base in Bucha. The trucks waited several days, he a bit longer. I already took mine and on weekends returned to the same base. We ran those days together. Thanks to you, Sanya from Ukraine. You gave me calm, measured running. No racing, no pressure. Just pleasure. I even picked up some advice. Although you're a simple amateur, without a drive for competition. But we still decided on a mini-challenge: who runs more in a month. I ran 350 km, he about 320 km. A win, with respect. Work stays the same. October β volume month. November β intensity, intervals, accelerations, sprints. And strength training? Didn't do it. Laziness. When you need to run a lot, it's hard to force yourself to spend time on strength work. Although I understand: it can save you from injuries.
In 2024 I went through this already. Then knee pain appeared. Classic "runner's knee". Dima and I were friends then, and he recommended good YouTube rollers. I practiced with them and recovered in less than a month. I even risked a start in my city β the Green Marathon, 4 km. Pace 3:45, 8th place. Without prep, right after injury. Risk? Yes. But I felt good. Then calmly continued recovering.
A huge plus of my work in Europe is the opportunity to see interesting places, cities, people and their way of life. Every training here is not just a run, it's an excursion and a journey into a new city or a piece of nature. Trails along rivers, lakes, sandy beaches, forests, fields, over mountains; unexpected encounters with domestic and wild animals β all this gives a sea of emotions and impressions, making running more interesting and easier.
Training in Europe
Training in Europe
Bright Vertical β December 13, 2025 Visa expired at the end of November, and I knew: by December I'll be home. Which means I can make a few races. One of them β a vertical stair race. 591 steps. 23 floors. National Library. I knew there would be a team classification. I called my guys from "Three Cats", they agreed. But we needed a girl. And here began the quest. The girl who ran with us last year didn't want to participate and didn't buy the slot. So two tasks: find a slot and find a girl. We wrote to many, received refusals. But we don't give up. A week later β luck. We found Nika. She is strong. Very strong. We also managed to buy and reassign the slot to her. Team assembled! It began. Preparation started. At home I ran the stairway of my ten-story building three times. Did 300/300 intervals on the stadium following the program recommended by the TRUNK AI assistant. The main thing β not to overload and minimize injury risks. In my group I started first. But in qualification I didn't become the best in our group; a participant starting right after me beat me. Time slightly worse than last year. But I passed. Lesha and Nika passed too. Left to wait for Dima; he started in one of the last groups. We followed results online. Dima's start time approached. We looked at the board β he's not there. What?! We just saw him changing. We ran to the start and saw β he's warming up with group #16, while his group #15 had already gone. Panic. Laughter. Stage fright. The team could fall apart. We went to the organizers, explained. They allowed Dima to start with group 16. But the result... not pleasing. Dima ran decently, at the level of one of the strongest women in the race. Well, you understand. At the level of a girl :) We had to scold him a bit. And then β another blow: he didn't pass qualification. Top-3 at risk :( Final. They selected 25 strongest. Only three of our four team members went to the final run. We ran. After the first run to the library roof I felt so bad I only wanted to lie down and forget. But I had to run again. For the team you can endure. We ran the final. Improved our time only slightly. It seemed we were first. But... recount. And we lacked 7 seconds to confirm the title. Only 7 seconds! We took 3rd. That's also a victory. Though with a taste of resentment. Dima wasn't in top form, was ill, on tablets β but, alas, not doping :) Third place. Gifts. Cups. Diplomas. We earned it.
Bright Vertical
Mir Castle β December 21, 2025 The final race of the year. After the vertical race at the National Library I started preparing for the Mir Trail. I didn't want to run 10 km, I don't like road, laps, monotony. But it turned out there was almost no road: paths, gravel, mud, leaves, stairs β a real mix. I registered for 5 km in two laps. A couple of weeks of build-up: 1000/300 intervals, 300/300, 30 minutes tempo. Nothing extra. When I'm home I play volleyball on Tuesdays and Fridays. It relaxes me mentally. But calves β no. After volleyball they and my knees are tense. But the base is there, intensity is there β we go perform. At the start I see my first rivals. Someone says: βI'll run at 5:00 paceβ (Lasyuk). Someone β βnot in the moodβ. But we know how it goes. Start. Tactic was to latch onto someone and run with them. Zhenya Grishchenkov unexpectedly surged ahead. I ran with him in a duo, five others behind. I look back β and here Yura Lasyuk, with his "5:00", runs with us at 3:30 :) Well, well... On the second kilometer I even took the lead, but by the end of the first lap a stitch hit. On the second lap five passed me. Then two more. That's it β I'm eighth. The stitch didn't let go. I switched to my pace and finished somehow. The body signals β listen. Two kilometers left. I just finished. But rivals were already closing in from behind. Here I switched on. Our group of eight ran together the first lap. Now I fought for that eighth place. We ran. I heard someone's coach shout βWork!β to his athlete breathing down my neck. I turned it into myself. I worked. I broke away. On the stairs the pain intensified. Deep breath, exhale. After the stairs a straight to the finish along an embankment. Full speed. I pulled away. Finish. I took my honorable and beloved 8th place. Result: 4.9 km at 3:50 pace. Lost by one and a half minutes. But didn't give up.
Mir Castle
I'm disappointed I didn't close the year on the podium. But that's also experience. Now I have a new approach: AI assistant, pool, new volumes by April. I'll try for the podium. Meanwhile β preparing for the winter Elk Trail start (Jan 31 β Feb 1). Getting a visa. And around Feb 3 β a new cadence. Travel. Run. Through cities. Through trails. Through feelings.
2025 was a year of experiments, overcoming and discoveries. I didn't just run β I lived by running. On the road, on shifts, in parking lots, in forests, on water, on stairs, in mud. There were races I won. There were those I lost and fell. Sometimes literally. But each time I got up. And went on. I learned to listen to the body. Learn from others. Not to fear failures. Be part of a team. I realized that the podium is not always important β honesty with yourself is. And if you gave everything you could β you already won. Now a new winter ahead, new volumes, new races. I don't know where I'll be in a year. But I know for sure: I will be running. Because it's what I love, what makes me stronger.
At the end of this year my friend Dima told me about his project TRUNK. It's a project for trailrunners that can help prepare you for your races and plan the season. The project is built around an AI assistant that, by analyzing your trainings, physical data and well-being, will prepare an optimal training plan tailored for you. I liked the idea. That's how I ended up here. To share experience, inspire, meet new people and help the project grow. Because movement is life.
Thank you for reading, Yours, voyka_gt!