HOKA Top Trails - Scottsdale

This year, RunnerSpace and HOKA introduce some of the interesting places our Humans of HOKA run in around the U.S. This stop for the HOKA Top Trails series is in Scottsdale, Arizona. HOKA Athlete Jim Walmsley takes us on a trail run in the Sonoran Preserve, just fifteen minutes from where he grew up. Named Ultrarunner of the year in 2016, Jim talks about his hopes for the 2017 Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Run. Host Matt Barnhart then meets up with Brian Whiton, manager of Fleet Feet Scottsdale, where they discuss Matt’s running career and the dangers of living in the desert. Later, Matt and his co-host, Ian Terpin, get breakfast with Jim at one of his favorite cafes.
Starring: Jim Walmsley wearing the HOKA Challenger ATR 3
Check out the full Top Trails series: toptrails.runne...

[@tomrankin2564]

Jim is such a legend! He got me running in the first place, would love to meet him👍🏻

[@mondoc7976]

Jims an absolute beast ascending those technical sections..incredible!

[@snazzycracker2]

Great episode. I almost missed it as I didn't see it drop back in May. Only found it again because of all the buzz around again for Jim Walmsley as WS100 comes round again this weekend. Can't wait to see what happens..

[@halimhasan775]

Good perspective on the Europeans and technical descending. I've noticed that a lot and you saw that with Sage in Transvulcania those 3 years in a row he ran it. Definitely looking forward to Jim at UTMB.

[@shredftw]

very inspiring. Jim is a beast!

[@JaniceWeedman]

Good video and great interviews. It is always a treat see footage of Jim running, such a great stride.
I was expecting more talk about the trails they run during training, only one trail/mountain area was mentioned. The title was a little misleading.

[@auctionmusic]

in the start he is running the gateway trail in scottsdale. Run that loop hundreds of times. I've been a trail runner for over 20 years in arizona, but have never run any races. I do it for the enjoyment only. I can see some problems with this running in the video that I wouldn't do. First fast and furious running is just not necessary and dangerous as many trails are very rocky with cactus everywhere. if you hit the ground it will be very painful. And running hard downhill will take out your knees, hips, and ankles. You need to slow it down going downhill taking smaller steps. If you keep running hard downhill you will permanently injure yourself. I'm 72 and no problems but you won't make it this far running hard downhill. You dont want to be running during the day in May, June, July, August, September, October. I always run near the end of the day in these months. I've run all the trails in McDowells now I run at South Mountain. Over the years I trained myself to not need water, don't drink any water for about 2 hours before running, and no eating 4 hours before my run. And I can run, again, when the sun is near setting, in 120 degree weather doesn't bother me at all. I never run with a hot sun beating down on me however. You accomplish nothing doing that. Its best to run on flat trails at first to get used to the uneven terrain. Find a road with a hill (shaw butte) and jog up in a criss cross pattern to build up the muscles in the back of your legs in the back between your knees and ankles. I perfer running as a solitary activity also, running in a group and racing and all that doesn't interest me. No competing is the name of the game. Shaw Butte is a great place to train, I have run that hill over 1800 times. Have jogged up Piestua peak a few times as well. Hiked many many mountains in the area with my brother including the canyon, humphreys, also Pikes Peak in CO and Mt Elbert in CO, Mt Whitney in CA, nothing outside of the 48. I lived in Fountain Hills for 10 years and ran all the roads there as well. A really nice run, my fav maybe, is Sunrise Trial, but from 136th street, not from 124th. It cuts through this canyon it is very trippy. Take Shea from Scottsdale, left onto 136th, right onto Via Linda, go to the end till you get to the gated community, you'll see the dirt road that leads to parking area. My fav trail on south mountain is the ridgeline.

[@charlessmith7156]

Great spot but head south to South Mountain Regional Park for 40 miles of trail fun.

[@jg8526]

I hope he wins Mont Blanc this year 🤞

[@JK-vc7ie]

I ran that trail when I was in PHX. I was going much slower. Much slower.

[@LimamenitMatFis]

What kind of Hoka Jim's used in this video?
Thank u for the answer

[@Purespeed941]

Taurus Widjaja Challenger ATR 3 I think