In his four attempts thus far, Jim Walmsley has yet to crack the code that would allow him to win the venerable UTMB ultramarathon around Europe’s highest peak.

In an effort to remedy this and to become the first American man to be victorious under the arch in Chamonix, he moved to France to train. This winter, the Arizona-raised Walmsley went full-Euro and immersed himself in the annual ebb and flow of the French mountain-athlete scene… and that meant winter ski mountaineering, or “skimo.”

Our writer Doug Mayer caught up with Walmsley and his wife Jess Brazeau to hear how the season went, what lessons were learned, and if he thinks it’s made him more likely than ever to win the big one.

They all fit in the pockets of the Multi Short. 5+ pockets, infinite snack options. 

With Janji’s latest Spring/Summer 2023 Collection comes the arrival of their latest and greatest Multi Short. Designed to go further — the M’s Multi Short and W’s Multi Short are lightweight, 4-way stretch trail shorts with an extra-breathable, micro-perforated shell and integrated moisture-wicking compression short liner with a multi-pocketed waistband can easily secure nutrition, headlamp, gloves, phone, keys and more. 

Incorporated securely into the waistband, the 5+ pockets are so sneakily tucked away, you might have to poke around to find them. 

The Ultrasignup community gets 15% off all of Janji’s latest and greatest gear with code ULTRASIGNUP15. Gear up for your spring and summer adventures today.

⬆️ We’ve been caught! “No one would run a marathon if they weren’t allowed to talk about it.” ⬆️

? Two-time NHL All-Star and a Stanley Cup champion Zdeno Chara ran his first ultra this weekend at the Watuppa Trail 50K.

? Video of the Week: The BBC covers the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia in the Welsh mountains in the United Kingdom.

? It’s Not You, It’s the Shoes: Once running’s supreme challenge, has the value of a four-minute mile diminished?

? Quoted: “I’m just going to wait until you’re drunk and go on UltraSignup.”

➡️ Lastly, here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week.