Jim Walmsley’s Trailblazing Comeback: Overcoming Adversity and Chasing Ultra-Running Success After Military Service

Jim Walmsley, an avid endurance athlete, thrives on motion and loathes idleness – a trait that led him to a profession involving the regular running of approximately 140 miles per week, predominantly uphill and almost exclusively on trails.

“I’m an extremely active individual,” Walmsley describes himself. “I need to be on the move.”

Recently, the renowned ultrarunner has returned to his preferred activity, having seemingly overcome a persistent knee issue. In preparation for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Spain and the Pyrenees in late September, he is increasing his weekly mileage. This not only boosts his running fitness but also elevates his spirits.

“I’m able to embark on longer runs that take me to fascinating destinations,” Walmsley shares with CNN Sports, “so I’m back to an enjoyable phase of my relationship with running and have the capacity to accomplish what feels fulfilling.” He observes progress.

Throughout his life, ultrarunning has served more than just a career or pastime for Walmsley – it has offered a refuge. In 2008, he joined the Air Force Academy and was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. His work involved 24-hour shifts in a small underground room as a nuclear missileer, leaving little time for running.

When he did manage to run, Walmsley would venture into the Montana wilderness. “Joining the Air Force made me think my running career was over,” Walmsley recalls. “I was unaware of the whole trail-running world.”

However, his military stint was brief. An incident involving a proficiency test cheating scandal and an earlier DUI charge resulted in his discharge from the Air Force. In the ensuing period, he battled depression and suicidal thoughts. Even today, over a decade later, those memories remain painful to recollect.

“I haven’t revisited that time too much,” Walmsley admits. “Mentally, it’s easier for me to focus on the present.”

Post his discharge, he found employment at a bike shop in Flagstaff, Arizona, where his love for running was reignited. He discovered solace in structuring his life around training, planning each day after every run.

“That period marked a more stable phase in my life,” Walmsley reflects, “coming out of getting kicked out of the Air Force and other life challenges.”

Running provided a positive aspect amidst a life that was otherwise less optimistic. “We identified running as a bright spot and something that made me happy,” he adds. “I started receiving positive feedback from running at a time when most aspects of my life were not so positive.”

The key, according to Walmsley, was establishing a routine and avoiding prolonging off-days. Eventually, this lifestyle became addictive.

“It seems I was destined for ultrarunning,” Walmsley states, “in that we tend to overdo everything. I leaned entirely into it and resumed making training a part of my daily life.”

Ultrarunning generally encompasses distances longer than the 26.2 miles of a marathon. Known for its arduous conditions and punishing terrain, races can span several hours or days, pushing participants to their physical and mental limits. Perseverance and suffering are inextricably linked.

With a background in track, road, and cross-country running, Walmsley’s involvement in ultrarunning is unique. In 2020, he temporarily abandoned his ultrarunning career to train for and compete in the US Olympic marathon trials, placing 22nd.

However, it is over trails and longer distances that Walmsley has truly excelled. He previously held the world’s best 50-mile time (4:50:08) and is the course record holder and four-time champion at Western States, an iconic 100-mile ultramarathon in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.

In 2016, during his debut at Western States, Walmsley took a wrong turn seven miles from the finish, leading to a 20th place finish. Since then, there have been few such dramatic missteps. After signing a contract with sportswear brand HOKA in July 2016, his profile within the ultrarunning community soared.

Beyond Western States, Walmsley is also the course record holder and the first and only American man to win the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), which he describes as “essentially the biggest prize you can win in trail running.” The roughly 108-mile race circumnavigates the base of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak, and passes through the mountains of France, Switzerland, and Italy. It features 9,900 meters (around 32,480 feet) of elevation gain – approximately 1,050 meters (about 3,445 feet) more than Mount Everest’s height.

Mastering races like UTMB has necessitated a steep learning curve, particularly for an athlete who honed his skills on the comfort and familiarity of a 400-meter running track.

“American running culture has prepared me to harbor numerous misconceptions and fail in various ways in ultrarunning,” Walmsley admits, “I’d say, typically, it makes me impatient.”

Now, he understands the benefits of walking up steep inclines instead of running, even using it as a strategy against competitors during races. He recognizes the importance of staying on top of his fueling and eating frequently, despite his stomach protesting. And he forces himself to slow down and remain patient, even when every part of him – particularly his long, agile stride developed on the track – urges speed.

Ultrarunning, according to Walmsley, is “very much” a different sport compared to running during high school and college. He now considers himself a veteran of the trail and ultra scene, captivated by the beauty and brutality of an endurance race lasting a day.

“A 24-hour race is a really long, really beautiful duration because you’re racing for one day, one rotation of the Earth, so to speak,” Walmsley explains.

“One common theme throughout every participant in the sport is that we all go through a phase of doubt and questioning it, and it kindles motivation to finish and the drive to keep going.” He believes this simplicity in racing is a unique feeling humans can experience.

Walmsley will compete in the OCC at UTMB week on August 27, one of several races held alongside the full-distance event. The roughly 37-mile OCC course starts in Switzerland and ends in Chamonix, France, host to thousands of competitors and spectators each year.

The knee injury he sustained while racing 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) in Chianti, Italy earlier this year has prevented him from competing in the full UTMB distance. Living in Arêches in southern France, Walmsley expresses frustration at missing out on the event close to his home and one he won in 2023. However, his priority is preserving his knee from further injury for future competitions.

“I’m not very good at not racing it,” Walmsley acknowledges. “But this year, I’m more concerned about regression, and I hope to move past this injury. Hopefully, long-term wise, it won’t be a problem next year and beyond.” He emphasizes patience as the key to success, especially in preserving his future health since he plans to continue running even after retiring from competition.

“I would like to think I’ll be a lifelong runner,” Walmsley concludes. “I believe I’ve learned that about myself – that being active mentally helps me a lot.”