If you’re an ultra runner then there isn’t any question that you have heard the name Jim Walmsley. Some of his accolades include being a 3 time winner of the JFK 50 miler. And a 3 time winner and course record holder for the Western States 100 miler. With many considering him to be the greatest American ultra runner in history. So what does it take to train like the one of the best in the world? Today we’ll take a look at Jim Walmsley’s training and workouts.
With all of this taken directly from interviews and his Stava account. These are the proven techniques and workouts that have built him into the monster that he is today.
Jim Walmsley’s Training and Workouts
Overall Approach to Training
To understand Jim Walmsley’s training, it helps to understand his overall approach to training. Jim is known for following the Lydiard approach, which consists of lots and lots of volume at slower to medium pace. It was not uncommon for Walmsley to run 175 miles (281.64 km) per week. But with big miles comes the risk of injuries and burnout, so in recent years Jim’s training has started to consist of other sports that build strength and cardio endurance. And whale these will continue to help him grow as an athlete, there is no question it was this volume that helped build him into the machine he is today.
Incorporating Other Fitness Modalities
It’s no secret that logging 100++ miles a week has been proven to increase the chances of injury in runners. And while it’s not a guarantee, the odds go up the longer you do it. And I think that Walmsley’s recent training on Strava has shown that he is aware of this. He has recently started incorporating more comparable fitness modalities that will continue to help him improve his overall fitness. While reducing the impact on his body. These include:
Long Bike Sessions
If you watch Jim’s Strava account you will have noticed an increase in long bike rides. We are talking 30-60 mile rides on his recovery days. Allowing him to improve his overall cardiovascular fitness without the impact on his legs and joints. You can tell he is training smarter with age.
Cross Country Skiing / Nordic Skiing
Another new (as of 2022) part of Jim’s training time has come in the form of Nordic / Cross country skiing. It’s no secret that many of the best European mountain runners spend a lot of time on their skis in the winter. With the leg strength and cardio involved being one of the toughest sports in the world. It is also very low impact, unless you crash, making it another great way to improve overall fitness for mountain running while saving the impact on the legs.
Again, it’s clear that Jim is making a concise effort to train smarter on his body. Which could lead to more impressive results as he integers his prime of ultra running.
Jim Walmsley’s Workouts
3 MIle Warm Up
10 x 1 Mile Repeats
2 MInutes Rest Between Each Mile
3 Mile Cool Down
3 Mile Warm Up
4 x 2 Mile Repeats
2 Minutes Rest Between Each Round
1 Mile Cool Down
3 Mile Warm Up
10 x 800 Meters Repeats
260 Meter Recovery Jog Between Rounds
1 Mile Cool Down
3 Mile Warm Up
12 x 400 Meter Repeats
600 Meter Recovery Jog
2 Mile Cool Down
4 Mile Warm Up
5 x 1600 Meters Repeats
2 Minutes Rest Between Each Round
2 Mile Cool Down
3 Mile Warm Up
12 x 400 Meter Repeats
100 Meter Recovery
2 Mile Cool Down
3 Mile Warm Up
8 x 200 Meter Repeats
400 Meter Jog Recovery
2 Mile Cool Down
Conclusion
One thing I love about Jim Walmsley’s training and workouts is that he doesn’t keep it a secret. The formula is simple and anyone can follow the same approach. As long as you have the time and commitment. His base is built on running a lot of miles weekly. Adding in a combination of speed work and intensity and you are going to make big gains in your training. We are also seeing him adapt with age and experience. Adding in a combination of long bike rides and cross country skiing to take some of the impact off of his body. And because of this, he is setting himself up to potentially sustain his level of performance for many more years to come. And I for one am excited to watch what comes next.
