The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation, Inc.

Promoting Active Children Everywhere

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About The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation's Beginning

Although The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation was incorporated in June 2009 (and designated as a non-profit organization), the journey to its creation actually began four years earlier. During the summer of 2005, founder and president Paul Staso had a bedtime discussion with his then 10-year-old daughter, Ashlin, about the fitness level of kids. From that discussion a challenging project was created... and a very unique promise was made. Both the challenge and the promise would ultimately form the cornerstone of what has now become The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation.

“My coast-to-coast run across 15 states during the summer of 2006 was to keep a promise I had made in September 2005 to 4th and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary School in Missoula, Montana,” Paul says. “During the summer of 2005 my then 10-year-old daughter, Ashlin, and I had a discussion about youth fitness. She wanted to do something to help get the kids in her class more active and fit, so we created a virtual run/walk across America curriculum – from Oregon to Delaware.”

Paul developed an extensive web site for the kids’ 9-month undertaking, which remains online at www.pacetrek.com/seeusrun, and many schools across the nation adopted the curriculum.

2006 Solo Run Across U.S.A. Music Slideshow
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The project that Paul and his daughter (shown in the picture to the left) brainstormed eventually drew the attention of governors and senators, who wrote letters of compliment and encouragement, and local media sources followed the kids’ progress during the 2005-2006 school year. Letters and online guestbook entries poured in from teachers, parents and children worldwide applauding the project. Paul's research had shown that an individual elementary grade in the United States had not yet accomplished a documented virtual coast-to-coast trek across America within a single school year. In an effort to motivate the two “teams” participating in the daunting 9-month trek (which were the 4th grade and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary), Paul made a very unique promise to the kids: If either class could accomplish the virtual 3,200-mile journey before the end of the school year, he would run their route across America for real… solo. It was a promise that Paul was willing to work hard to keep should the kids be successful. So, as the kids ran and walked throughout the school year ─ often in Montana's snowy winter conditions dipping down to zero degrees ─ Paul prepared for the possibility of a solo run across the United States.

Ashlin Staso - April 2006 Both classes proved to be very determined and each completed the virtual U.S.A. trek in the spring of 2006 ─ a few weeks before summer vacation. The 5th grade class of 41 children (including Paul's daughter, Ashlin) completed the journey first, with the 4th grade team of 56 students finishing second. Overall, the first team acquired an average of 3 marathon distances per child (78 miles) during the school year. As a result, Paul kept his promise during the summer of 2006 and ran completely solo and unsupported from Oregon to Delaware, a total of 3,260 miles in 108 running days (averaging 30 miles per day). Paul's grueling coast-to-coast trek took him over the Northern Rocky Mountains, traversing barren plains, into numerous towns and cities, across the steep Appalachian Mountain Range, and through the second hottest summer ever recorded in the United States – all while pushing "BOB", his sole companion (which was a jogging stroller containing his gear, food and water). "BOB" stands for Beast Of Burden and the stroller weighed a total of 80 pounds when fully stocked.

Paul became the 5th person in history to run solo from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the U.S.A., completing his journey on October 20, 2006 after conquering the most northerly route ever attempted. His trek was P.A.C.E. Run 2006 (Promoting Active Children Everywhere) and was watched online by people of all ages. The picture to the left is a moment between Paul and Ashlin seconds after he completed the run, keeping his promise to her and the 4th and 5th grade students.

After completing his solo journey across America, Paul decided that he wanted to continue motivating, inspiring and educating children toward greater health and fitness. He also wanted to encourage kids to learn about the world beyond their school boundaries while developing their abilities to effectively pursue their goals and dreams.

In 2008 he accomplished a 620-mile solo run across Montana in 20 days, and in 2009 he completed a 500-mile solo run through Alaska in 18 days – virtually bringing thousands of kids worldwide along with him through his one-of-a-kind fitness and education project called "P.A.C.E. Trek". He was back on the road in March 2010 and conquered a 500-mile solo run across Germany in 21 days. And then, in April 2011, he became the first person to run 500+ miles in a solo run across the Mojave Desert ― in only 17 days! He's planning another P.A.C.E. Trek that he'll announce at a later date.

In an effort to carry on the purpose from which the initial project and promise were made between he and his daughter in 2005, Paul created The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation. His hope is that more children will benefit from the aim and mission of P.A.C.E., just like the 68,652 children from 10 countries that have already logged 326,252 miles through P.A.C.E. projects in recent years ─ which equates to about 13 laps of planet earth!

In May 2008 ─ nearly two years after Paul had completed his run across America ─ his daughter, Ashlin, wrote a paper for a 7th grade school assignment. The topic was to write about one major event that had happened in her life, and to write about it in such a way that if she were to go back and read the story in 20 years all of the details would come flooding back like it was just yesterday. Ashlin chose to write about her father's promise and successful run. Below are the words that she wrote.

Something Amazing
by Ashlin Staso

Paul Only Steps From Keeping His Promise My eyes welled up with tears as I saw my dad running towards me. I will never forget that beautiful day when my dad completed something that I had always believed, in my heart, he could do. It was that day he completed his solo run across America, and he did it to fulfill a promise that he made to me. When he splashed into the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, I felt the most joy that I have ever felt in my life. Even now, I can remember how I felt... like it was just yesterday.

I had just jumped out of the car, onto the dusty gravel. As the car doors slammed, I continued on, and stopped a few feet away. My siblings jogged eagerly up behind me, and then came to a stop. We were in Cape Henlopen State Park, standing just a short distance from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The breeze was blowing, ever so slightly. You could hear the faint sounds of birds calling and the waves crashing. The silence seemed to dominate everything. The day was clear and beautiful in every way imaginable. The excitement filled the air, because we were all waiting for someone ─ and that person was my dad.

We hadn't seen him for four months, but we had talked on the phone every night. Now, we stood on our tiptoes, trying to catch the first glimpse of him. After what had seemed like years of standing there, he turned the bend, and came into our sight. With shouts of joy and happiness we ran towards our dad. When we neared the place where he was standing, he reached out to each of us. We were pulled up into an affectionate hug.

Paul Staso Completes His U.S.A. Run My eyes were filled with tears that began to run down my cheeks. I was overwhelmed with joy and emotion. He had run across the United States of America to keep a promise that he made to me. Looking back on it now, I realize even more clearly how amazing that really was. He had battled pain, stress, fear and danger in order to stay true to his word.

We talked for what seemed like a few seconds, because he was so eager to complete his journey. After we cheered for him, he was off to complete the last mile of his 3,200 mile journey.

When he reached the boardwalk that led out on the beach, my whole family joined him in running. Our footsteps pounded on the wood, almost simultaneously. We ran the last few steps together out onto the sandy beach. The sun was shining and the clouds were as white and as fluffy as cotton balls. The rays of sunshine danced along the tops of the waves, glittering.

He ran straight into the clear blue waves, yelling out in joy. I stood there on the sand and watched him splash through the water. The contentment and happiness on his face was incredible to see. As he stepped back up onto the shore and looked at my family and me, his eyes filled with tears, which began to run slowly down his face. After the whole family had embraced him, everything was busy. He talked to all the excited people that had shown up for awhile before doing some interviews and posing for pictures. There were many people on the beach congratulating him, but I have to say that I really didn't notice them. My whole focus was on trying to remember every little detail of the moment so that I would never forget it. The waves continued to roll in slowly in a soft and soothing rhythm. Something was different for me, though. I have to say, that the experience was the best few minutes of my entire life. To see him again, and to experience him accomplish a lifetime dream of his, was truly amazing.