Leaning Into Weakness: Rekindling a Growth Mindset
A look at the rewards to be gained from leaning into one’s weaknesses.
Jenn Lichter and Vincent Bouillard won the 2026 Western States 100 on Saturday! Read our results article for the full race story.
Bryon Powell
Title: Founding Editor and Gear Editor, currently managing iRunFar’s buyer’s guides and product reviews
Location: Silverton, Colorado
Social Media Links:
Strava | Instagram | Linkedin
Results Links:
UltraSignup | ITRA index | UTMB index
Expertise and Experience
- Topics of Expertise: Trail running, ultrarunning, running gear, run coaching
- Amount of Expertise: Over 35 years of trail running, over 25 years of ultrarunning, nearly 20 years of reviewing running gear, and 3 years coaching runners. More than 2,000 articles and interviews published on iRunFar. Book author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a co-author of Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running.
- Competitive Ultramarathon Highlights:
- Winner & Course Record: 2024 Ultra Gobi 400k
- 2x Age Group Winner: Western States 100 Mile
- 2x Top-10 Finisher: Leadville 100 Mile
- 4x Finisher: Hardrock 100 Mile
- I use high-altitude, ultra-distance mountain races and the training for them as my laboratory for testing the limits of the gear we review at iRunFar.
Winning the 2024 Ultra Gobi. Photo courtesy of race.
Education & Certifications
- Education: Bachelor of Arts, History, Haverford College; Juris Doctorate, George Mason University
- Years of Professional Experience Relevant to iRunFar: 20
- Certifications: Inactive Member, DC and Utah Bars (I bring the same rigors for details, analysis, and ethics from my legal background to every gear review, buyer’s guide, and article on iRunFar.)
- Club or Association Memberships: Running Rivers (conservation non-profit) board vice president, Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity
- Awards or Recognitions: George Mason University Law Review
- Other Relevant Positions, Current or Past: Former Contributing Editor at Trail Runner magazine, former freelancer with publications such as Outside, Sierra Magazine, Running Times, and GearJunkie
A Word from Bryon Powell
I aim to inform and inspire others about and through trail running and ultrarunning. My personal interests include trail running, ultrarunning, fly fishing, gardening, and skiing (both Nordic and Alpine).
Bryon Powell, iRunFar’s Gear Editor, getting ready to test some trail shoes in his hometown of Silverton, Colorado. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Ruth Croft: An Evolving Relationship with Running
Ruth Croft takes a dive into her early years as a runner, and how her relationship with the sport has evolved.
Be Like Dooper: Be Grateful for Others
A look at the many ways to be thankful for others while running an ultramarathon.
Preparation, Gratitude, and Trashed Feet: An Interview With Ihor Verys After His 2024 Barkley Marathons Win
An in-depth interview with Ihor Verys after his win at the 2024 Barkley Marathons.
Finding a Groove: An Interview With Camille Herron About Her 6-Day World Record at the 2024 lululemon FURTHER Event
The U.S.’s Camille Herron broke the 6-day world record at the 2024 lululemon FURTHER event.
Changing Gears: The Excitement of Changing Things Up
Bryon Powell writes about the enjoyment of trying new things, in this case, running faster.
Camille Herron Sets 6-Day World Record by Running 560.33 Miles at the 2024 lululemon FURTHER Event
Camille Herron sets a new 6-day world record by running 560.33 miles (to be confirmed) at the 2024 lululemon FURTHER event in California.
Injury, the Great Complicator of Running
How injury can complicate running with pain, fear, and lack of motivation.
Snapshots from The WILD’s V5000 Race
Bryon Powell, Meghan Hicks, and Eszter Horanyi share scenes from the Pioneer Edition of The WILD’s V5000 race on the South Island of New Zealand.
Savoring Improvement Experiences
Savoring the joy in improvement experiences in running and elsewhere.
World Trail Majors, a New Global Trail Running Series, Announced
World Trail Majors launches as a new global trail ultrarunning series.
An Alaskan Sabbatical’s Most Memorable Runs
Bryon Powell shares where running took him during an Alaskan sabbatical.
Observing Joy: A Runner’s View of the 2023 Hardrock 100 Course
A look at the 2023 Hardrock 100 through the lens of runner Bryon Powell.
Javi Dominguez Post-2023 Hardrock 100 Interview
A video interview (with transcript) with Javi Dominguez after his third-place finish at the 2023 Hardrock 100.
A Look Ahead to Running Hardrock
Bryon Powell shares his thoughts ahead of running this year’s Hardrock 100.
Peter Fraňo Post-2023 Trail World Championships 80k Interview
An interview with Peter Fraňo after his third-place finish at the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k.
2023 Western States 100 Women’s Preview
An in-depth preview of the women’s race at the 2023 Western States 100.
New Journeys at iRunFar
There are new journeys ahead at iRunFar with a trio of role changes for Bryon Powell, Meghan Hicks, and Sarah Brady.
Marion Delespierre, 2023 80k Trail World Champion, Interview
A video interview (with transcript) with Marion Delespierre after her win at the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k.
Benjamin Roubiol, 2023 80k Trail World Champion, Interview
A video interview (with transcript) with Benjamin Roubiol after his win at the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k.
Manon Bohard Cailler Post-2023 Trail World Championships 80k Interview
A video interview (with transcript) with Manon Bohard Cailler after her third-place finish at the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k.
2023 Trail World Championships 80k Live Coverage
Live coverage of the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k held in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria.
Blandine L’Hirondel Pre-2023 Trail World Championships 80k Interview
A video interview (with transcript) with Blandine L’Hirondel before the 2023 Trail World Championships 80k.
