Jim Walmsley: Western States Reflections, Summer Olympics Reactions, UTMB Outlook (Sunday Conversation)

Jim Walmsley returns to the Singletrack Podcast to talk about his upcoming title defense at Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB), final takeaways from his win at the Western States 100 in June, observations from spectating this year's Hardrock 100, whether he would ever do a full season on the Golden Trail series circuit, and how his career in ultrarunning has progressed to date both from training and race standpoints.Timestamps:00:00 The Increasing Competitiveness of Western States09:02 The Importance of Mental Strength in Racing15:19 Considering the Golden Trail Series18:22 Adjusting Strategies for Future Races22:50 The Challenges of the UTMB Course27:56 Keeping Training Private for Focus33:25 Approaching UTMB with Caution 35:30 Considering the World Trail Championships39:31 The Longevity of a Successful Career49:29 Finding Inspiration in Other SportsPartners:Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order. Additional Links:Follow Jim on Instagram, StravaFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show