Love,
Ultrarunning
A site powered by self-love and good trails
From the book
Finding Leadville: My Story to the Hallowed 100 Mile Finish Line
"When we hear who we are supposed to be over and over again, doing otherwise is a sacred act of rebellion... Pressing my hand to my heart, I accepted the responsibility: I was in Leadville to embody my power. No one can take that from me. No religion, no person, no egregious act of control over me. Not the patriarchy, not Catholicism, not the voice in my own mind that tried to slow me down or stop me. I was here to embody my power."
Free Reading Material
From the book
Finding Leadville: My Story to the Hallowed 100 Mile Finish Line
Mountain Town
I’ve never been, yet
it’s a homecoming.
The fog-tipped peaks,
signaling weather over trails
that tuck left and right,
up and through,
and out the tree line again.
Some places
you just belong.
Some places
have spoken to you before—
in photographs, in stories.
Some places
have room for you.
Here I am,
in a mountain town,
and the trees
all know my name.
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Love, Ultrarunning:
Run. Adventure.
And then, write about it.
The Author: Barbara Powell, MA NBC HWC
Barbara Powell is a writer, coach, and ultramarathon runner whose work focuses on embodiment, endurance, and emotional transformation. A former collegiate runner and lifelong journaler, Barbara blends a deep reverence for the body with a soulful curiosity about what it means to be alive. Her memoir Finding Leadville explores her journey with her body, self-discovery, and training for—and completing—the Leadville 100 ultramarathon.
Barbara has spent the past decade working as a coach and facilitator, supporting others in their personal growth and healing. Her writing has been described as poetic, honest, and full of heart. She believes in the power of story to unlock what’s been buried, make sense of what’s been lived, and offer hope for what’s ahead.
She currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she runs year-round, drinks lots of coffee, and dreams up her next trail adventure.