His girlfriend, Annie Bierbower, who also spoke at the news conference, noted that some have remarked that Mr. Kauffman will not have any trouble getting dates. (She agrees that he will not, because she will be taking him on said dates.)

Mr. Kauffman, who is a lanky 5-foot-10 and about 150 pounds, opened his news conference by asking reporters whether they were disappointed that he was “not, in fact, Chuck Norris.”

“I know,” he added. “Pretty big letdown.”

And reminded of the “Game of Thrones” nickname he had been given, he was quick to admit: “I will never be able to live up to the reputation. And maybe that’s what has led to some of my reticence for actually coming out. The story is bigger than my puny form.”

Those self-deprecating remarks provided several moments of levity and good humor on Thursday as Mr. Kauffman recounted the details of the deadly serious attack, which left him with seven stitches along his cheek, six along the bridge of his nose and three on his wrist, which the mountain lion had latched on to. He wore the blue jacket he had on during the attack, and several cuts were visible on his face.

Despite somber introductions from wildlife officials who cautioned that there could have been “a much different outcome,” Mr. Kauffman said he felt great, was healing well and had started running again with the intention of training for a race. With wildlife officials accompanying him, he has already returned to the trail where he was mauled.

He plans to run there again. But in the future, he said, he will do his trail runs with a friend. And he urged other runners to do so, too.

Mr. Kauffman, of Fort Collins, Colo., also urged other runners not to listen to music while running. Had he put any devices in his ears as he was running along the West Ridge Trail at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, he might not have heard the pine needles rustle behind him, which alerted him to the mountain lion.