|
 Home
Get
To Know Paul
Meet
Stroller "BOB"
Check
Out Paul's Runs
Free
Team Registration
Team
Guidelines
Fun
School Assemblies
Paul
Answers Questions
Set
Goals & Be Positive
Health
& Fitness
Info
Running
Tips & Info
Walking
Tips & Info
P.A.C.E.
in the Media
Pictures & News Videos
What
Paul's Wife Thinks
"This
Is Not About Me"
2011
Press Release
Contact
Paul Staso
|
 Paul
Answers Your Questions...
I, Paul, have been
asked many questions over the years about my journey running
and thought it would be beneficial to create a page at this
site which lists many of those questions and my responses.
There is a lot of information on this page and to make it
easier I've listed the questions below. Just click on a
question below and you'll go to its answer.
How
do you do what you do?
Answer
>>
Why
do you do what you do?
Answer
>>
Are
you a professional athlete?
Answer
>>
How
many people can do what you do?
Answer
>>
When
did you first become a runner?
Answer
>>
Are
you available
for speaking engagements?
Answer
>>
How
difficult is it to organize a P.A.C.E. Trek each year?
Answer
>>
Do
your legs ever hurt, and how do you train for something like
this?
Answer
>>
Do
you enjoy what you do, and do you ever get lonely?
Answer
>>
Why
do you always use a stroller for your gear?
Answer
>>
What
do you have for communication?
Answer
>>
What
do you have for protection?
Answer
>>
What
do you do if BOB breaks down?
Answer
>>
What
electronic equipment do you carry on BOB?
Answer
>>
Do
you allow people to run next to you during P.A.C.E. Treks?
Answer
>>
What
makes a person decide that they want to run across America?
Answer
>>
What
was the most memorable response you got from someone as you
explained
your planned U.S.A. run to friends and family
beforehand?
Answer
>>
Five
people had run solo across America, ocean to ocean,
before you. Did you
contact them? If so, what advice,
good or bad, did they have for you?
Answer
>>
Are
there any special bonds you made with specific 4th and 5th
grade students of
Russell Elementary (Missoula, Montana) through your
U.S.A. run?
Answer
>>
Why
is it important to you to teach kids about fitness? What can
an average
teacher do
to help?
Answer
>>
For
individual state runs, how do you decide which states to cross? How do you
plan
a route?
Answer
>>
What
was one of the most difficult moments you’ve had during one
of your P.A.C.E.
journeys?
Answer
>>
You've
had to jump from the road's edge to avoid being hit by
inattentive drivers.
What
makes you get up, dust yourself off, and keep going and not
quit?
Answer
>>
Can
you tell about a transcendent moment you've had
(brought on by the beauty of
scenery,
adrenaline rush, etc.) that you’ll always remember?
Answer >>
You’ve
run in extreme heat, snow, rain, and more. Which weather
conditions are
the hardest?
Answer
>>
Is
it true that you tried to run across America in 1986 at the
age of 21?
Answer
>>
What
lessons can other people learn from your experiences,
regardless of their
goals, about not giving up?
Answer
>>
Do
you provide advice, coaching, route planning, and/or
sponsorship assistance to
those wanting to run across the
United States or other journey run? Answer
>>
  How Do You
Do What You Do?
This is probably the most common question that I'm asked. Each time I attempt to answer it I feel that
my response does not fully answer the question. In short,
covering 30 to 40 miles everyday (and sometimes more) while
pushing an 80-pound jogging stroller over all sorts of
terrain and through all sorts of conditions (weather,
traffic, etc.) is often an incredibly difficult task. Of
course, you have to truly want to conquer the distance and
if you are not properly motivated then it is likely you're not going to succeed.
Physically you have to be able
to endure the pain and discomfort that comes with doing
this, and it certainly helps to have many years of
experience. You have to know your body well and how to take
care of it each day (prepare and repair it for another day
on the road), and you have to constantly be monitoring your
food and water intake throughout the day as well as your pace,
body discomforts, and the terrain in front of you
(mountains, valleys, crowning on the edge of the road, and
more). The mental aspect is important because you have to
manage pain as you continue to move forward. In fact, the
mental element for me is probably more at work than the
physical element. For me, there is a faith component as
well. As a Christian athlete I lean on my faith to see me
through each day. I don't use the P.A.C.E. Trek web site to
promote or endorse any particular denomination or spiritual
path. However, my faith has certainly gotten me through many
miles that I don't believe I could have conquered without
it. Then, there's a social element where people are
encouraging you forward and their positive words are fuel to
the heart that truly help to make the next mile a little
easier. So, there is the physical, mental, spiritual
(faith), and social components all working together in
balance to propel me forward through P.A.C.E. Treks.
Aside
from that, you have to have the right gear (and I do with
the
stroller, "Bob") and you have to have a very good game
plan for the trek as well as countless hours of organizing
and training. It really is a second job for me throughout
the year. Also, for me it's wanting to use the abilities I
have to try and make a positive difference in the world. We
all have abilities and many of us experience the joy that
comes with using those abilities. However, when you choose
to use your abilities to benefit others and not only
yourself, you open yourself up to a whole new level of
enjoyment in your abilities. Some may think that I use
P.A.C.E. as a platform for attention, kudos, or to say 'Hey
world... look at what I can do!' However, that's not it at
all. I truly enjoy using my endurance abilities to try and
make a positive impact in the lives of others - whether
children or adults. In addition, you have to be willing to
accept the assistance of others, whether that be a donation
of lodging, food, money or time. Over the years P.A.C.E. has truly shown me
the heart of America - from coast to coast. There are many
more people in this world that want to see people succeed
than there are those who want to see people fail. It's
important to graciously accept donations which help keep the
project moving forward, and often it's just a person taking
a moment out of their life to help keep me moving down the
road.
Finally
─ and most important
for me
─ you have to have the
love and support of a family that is committed to seeing you
succeed at your goals. I have that with my wife,
Vicki, and my
four children - Brian, Kyler, Ashlin and Jenna. My P.A.C.E.
endeavors are only possible due to the efforts, sacrifices and
expense of our entire family. As I've said before, I work
year round from a home office, so my family has me around
more than most families see their father/husband. My wife
and kids would confirm that I go to most of their school and
sporting events, do chores around the house, and am like
most men who have families. I work a full-time job through
my corporate web development business,
OnTrack Designs, and
certainly try to encourage my own family more than I
encourage teachers and students around the world. In
addition to all of this, I am Founder/President of
The P.A.C.E. Fitness
Foundation. HOW I do
P.A.C.E. Trek is a combination of many factors. It's not
just one thing. Hopefully this answer gives you a little
better insight into what I juggle to make each trek a
success. If interested, you can read
more of my thoughts. Oh... one last
thought. To do what I do it's also good to have at least
2,000 songs on your iPod (and I listened to all of them
while on the U.S.A. run).
Why Do You
Do What You Do?
The reason I do these long endurance treks is simply this: I
want to encourage young people to take care of themselves,
set goals, and see that what might seem impossible is indeed
possible. I want kids to think outside of the box (the
television box and computer box) and to realize that this
big blue marble spinning under our feet that we call earth
has many wonderful adventures and opportunities available
and that they
─ the children
─ can have some great
experiences if they choose to pursue their goals and dreams.
P.A.C.E. stands for Promoting Active Children Everywhere
and that's what I'm trying to do while at the same time
setting an example through my own life and actions. Life is
a great adventure, and it all begins with a single idea and
by taking that first step. I'm a former 5th grade teacher
and each P.A.C.E. Trek gives me an opportunity to have a
"classroom" for kids around the world... giving them a
chance to run and walk along with me while learning about
the places I'm actually trekking through, and which they're
virtually trekking through. P.A.C.E. is truly a
one-of-a-kind fitness and learning opportunity.
Also, there's the personal challenge that
I enjoy. I like to push myself to extreme endurance limits
to see what I'm capable of. Then there's the added bonus of
meeting so many wonderful people during my journeys
─
and seeing so many places
─
and the feeling of accomplishment after crossing the finish
line is indescribable.
How Many
People Can Do What You Do?
The short answer: More than you may think! I am certainly not the world's
greatest long distance runner, contrary to what some kids
might think! There are many ultra-marathon runners and
journey runners in the world. I'm definitely not the only
person who can cover mega miles everyday... day after day. I
was the 6th person to ever run across the United States solo
and unsupported - from the edge of one ocean to the edge of
another ocean. However, there have been over 200 people who
have run or walked across America "supported" (having a
support vehicle next to them and not pushing gear). Also, there are many
ultra-runners around the world who cover large distances
(such as 100 miles in a single day, or running in 6-day
races, or taking on other challenges beyond the 26.2 mile
"marathon" distance). In fact, I truly believe that there
are many people in this world who can do these
ultra-endurance treks but don't know that they can. They
simply haven't tried to do it. So, I'm not the only person
on the planet capable of doing this. I've just chosen to do
this because I'm motivated to encourage children using this
ability that I have.
When
Did You First Become A Runner?
During the spring of 1976 I was in the 5th grade and had a
teacher by the name of Mr. Cummings. One day, Mr. Cummings
took our class outside to run a mile... and I really didn't
want to do it. It was a beautiful sunny day and we ran on a
grass-covered area in a large portion of land that was next
to our elementary school. Mr. Cummings yelled "Go" and we
all took off. As soon as I started running I began to enjoy
this particular activity, which I initially didn't care for.
I ran well and finished ahead of the other students in my
class. I don't remember my time, but afterwards Mr. Cummings
called me over and told me: "You're a runner". It was
the first 'title' that I had ever been given. I truly
respected Mr. Cummings and valued his opinion. I took his
words of encouragement and ran with them, literally. From
that day on I believed that I was indeed "a runner" and
joined the track team in my 6th grade year... running
throughout my junior high and high school years - and
through my adult years. Running has been a real joy in my
life. Thanks Mr. Cummings!
Are
you available for speaking engagements?
Yes! If you've visited my
school assembly
page, you've seen that I am available to visit schools
anywhere and to give presentations. I'm available to speak
at a variety of settings, whether it be an elementary
school, middle school, high school, college class, sports
team, running club, retirement home, medical facility,
business, retreat, church group, or other community organization. I
am the recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Service Award
from the Montana Association for Health, Physical
Education, Recreation and Dance and have also received a
Healthy Hero Award from the Mayo Clinic's CardioVision
2020 program for my efforts in promoting childhood
health across the United States. In March 2010, I was
inducted as the first European PTA Youth Ambassador.
Professional, Athletic
& Family Background Includes:
Married for 23 Years to Vicki and the Father of Four
Children
6th Person To Ever Run Solo Ocean To Ocean Across USA
Inducted As The First European PTA Youth Ambassador
Only Person To Run 620 Miles Across Montana... Twice!
First To Run 500 Miles Across Germany With A Stroller
First To Run 500 Miles Through Alaska With A Stroller
Holds 2 B.A. Degrees from the University of Montana
Developer Of The P.A.C.E. Virtual Trek Curriculums
Torchbearer for 2002 Olympic Games Torch Relay
Professional Web Developer & Internet Marketer
Founder of The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation
Coach of Middle & High School Athletes
Former 5th Grade Teacher
Public Speaker/Presenter
Runner Since 1976
Business Owner
I have experience speaking at
fundraising dinners, team events, youth group and church events, K-12
schools, businesses, sports events, and more. And yes, I can even
bring "BOB"
along so that your audience can see up close what I push
for thousands of miles during P.A.C.E. endeavors! You may
contact me
directly to inquire about a presentation at your location.
The
school assembly
page has more information!
Are
you a professional athlete?
I am not a professional athlete. However, I believe there
are many people in the world who find this web site and
believe that I’m a “professional” ultramarathon runner. In
fact, I’m a small business owner, married 22 years, father
of four children, former 5th grade teacher, and
Founder/President of the non-profit organization called
The P.A.C.E. Fitness
Foundation. I spend some of my "spare time" organizing
annual long-distance P.A.C.E. treks to promote youth
fitness. From the time P.A.C.E. started in 2005 up to today
I have spent approximately $13,000.00 of my own money to make
P.A.C.E. Run 2006,
P.A.C.E. Trek 2008,
P.A.C.E. Trek 2009,
and
P.A.C.E. Trek 2010 happen ─
and that does not include loss of income while I'm actually
on the road doing these extensive journey runs. If I'm not
in my office working, I'm not making money. So, I do
considerable financial planning for each P.A.C.E. endeavor,
both to fund the journeys as well as provide for my family.
I have, however, truly appreciated various forms of
donations (financing, lodging, advertising and more) that
have been given by individuals and businesses over the years
to help in making these endeavors possible.
Finding corporate sponsors for what I do has been difficult,
and usually companies want to give you "product" but not
"money". Products are certainly useful, but it is actual
funding that gets the journeys not only to the starting line
but also the finish line. If you're interested in
sponsoring my
efforts through
The P.A.C.E. Fitness
Foundation, please
contact me
with your thoughts.
How
difficult is it to organize a P.A.C.E. Trek each year?
Actually, it is very difficult... and time consuming. After
I cross the finish line of a P.A.C.E. Trek, I'm already
getting underway on planning the next one. It takes a year
to get a P.A.C.E. Trek organized. Throughout the year I'm
communicating with hundreds of school teachers located
around the globe and am personally building my online
classroom - which is unique for each trek. I have a lot of
research that I do about the locations that I'll be going
through and I'm often responding to a sea of e-mail
messages. Aside from that, I'm logging a lot of training
miles and fine-tuning
BOB for each journey. For those of you
who don't know, there is not a team of people working behind
the scenes to create each P.A.C.E. Trek. It is organized
completely by me... from the custom P.A.C.E. web sites, to
the advertising, to communicating with teachers, to
training, to route selection, to arrangements for lodging,
to transportation reservations, and more... I do it all
myself. It is a huge personal and financial commitment by
both myself and my family.
Do
your legs ever hurt, and how do you train for something like
this?
There are times that my legs hurt... and my feet... and my
back. But that is just a part of what I do. Pain comes with
this sport and the key to getting through to the next
milepost is learning how to manage pain. It's not a matter
of blocking out pain, but rather managing it so that you can
continue. You don't want to mentally "block out" what is
happening to your body as you do ultra-endurance events like
this. You need to stay very aware of what your body's needs
are and how it is responding. You need to manage your
movements and pace so that you can endure. Daily icing of my
legs and feet truly help in reducing joint pain and
inflammation. I use ice baths or slush buckets as much as
possible and knowledge of proper foot care is essential
─
including the correct type of sock! I'll take Ibuprofen as
needed and include in my diet supplements that are designed
specifically for the type of endurance I do, including
supplements for my joints. Having the right pair of shoes
for your body type and foot strike is crucial.
With
respect to training, it's not necessary to mirror
the same mileage in training that you do during the actual
trek. Proper nutrition, rest and incremental mileage building are
essential. My training consists of running at varying
elevations and at various tempos. Typically, a journey
runner involved in an event will log mileage over the marathon distance day after
day at a pace of around 12- to 14-minute miles. Of course,
those who do journey runs by pushing their own gear tend to
average nearer to 14 minutes per mile. That may seem slow to
an average runner who trains for events ranging between a 5K
and a marathon. However, when pushing 80 pounds of gear 30+
miles per day... day after day... over varying terrain and
through constantly changing weather conditions, a 14-minute
mile is a good pace. It's not
necessary to log distances beyond the marathon distance
(26.2 miles) each day in training. My personal daily
distance training peaks at around 20 miles per day just
before I begin a P.A.C.E. Trek. Of course, I am a strong
believer in the value of cross training and often use my
mountain bike when preparing for a journey run. I also do
weight training and benefit from my own home gym
─
which has a Bowflex, treadmill, and recumbent exercise bike.
I usually only use a treadmill when outdoor conditions are
simply unsafe due to heavy ice on the roads or low
visibility due to a snowstorm (I live in western Montana).
Regarding running conditions in training, I always face
traffic and as a P.A.C.E. Trek nears I will log two runs per
day, pushing BOB during one daily run. Personally, I prefer
to wait until conditions are at their worst before I got
outdoors to run. If it's going to be a hot day, I'll
normally wait until the thermometer is at its peak. Or, if a
rain storm is due to roll in, I'll wait until the rain hits
before heading out the door. The same can be said for cold
temperatures and snowfall. I prefer to train in the most
difficult weather conditions due to the benefits that it
gives me both mentally and physically. Logging a solid
training run in inclement weather conditions helps to build
the mental edge that is needed for journey running and
conditions your body to persevere through all sorts of
weather. Most experienced ultra runners know the benefits of
including walking sessions in long journey runs. I certainly
do not run every step of the journey runs that I do. When
you're pushing 80 pounds of weight with every step you
quickly realize that there are some conditions where running
can actually be more detrimental than good. For instance,
when going over the Rocky Mountains or Appalachian Mountains
you simply cannot "run" up a roadway that is between 7% and
10% grade while pushing 80 pounds. The stress on your legs
and back is too great. You have to know when to run and when
to walk. It is a balancing act and you simply have to
monitor the terrain and your body's response. Generally, I
can power walk uphill pushing BOB
at a 4-mile-per-hour pace. Also, I've never had a personal trainer or a
nutritionist, and I've never received treatment from a
masseuse. However, I do receive checkups from a physician.
One of the most common thoughts I hear from people has to do
with their amazement over the distances I can cover on a
daily basis. When I ran 3,260 miles across America I
averaged 30 miles per day for 108 days on the pavement. When
I ran 620 miles across Montana I ran 31 miles per day for 20
days. The 18-day trek through Alaska required an average of
28 miles per day to do the 500 miles, and in Germany I
averaged 24 miles per day through unseasonable adverse
conditions. Of course, I do all of
this while pushing 80-pound BOB, so the miles I log take
every ounce of strength that my body can give... my feet and
legs to propel me forward and my arms and back to push BOB
each step of the way. It can certainly be exhausting and
painful at times, and many people would classify what I do
as "extreme". Perhaps it is, but it is what I enjoy doing.
If I can make even one child pause and think about what he
or she may be able to accomplish, or how he or she can be
more healthy and fit, then
all of the mileposts are worth it. Based on many of the
comments I've read in my Guestbook and via e-mail messages
from kids, I know that my
efforts through P.A.C.E. are worth it. Covering
distances of 30, 40 and up to 50 miles per day... day after
day... is an experience that is very difficult to put into
words. It is an amazing feeling to stand on top of a
mountain peak after a 30+ mile day and look far off to the
horizon and know that you just did all of that distance
alone and unsupported... and that you can do it again tomorrow. Yes, I'm
fortunate to have these experiences. I see locations in a way
that most people will never see them as they cruise along at
70 miles per hour in a car. Each P.A.C.E. Trek is
truly an adventure and I'm always looking forward to the
next mile.
Do
you enjoy what you do, and do you ever get lonely?
I really enjoy what I do! Running has been my sport since I
was 10 years old and although I am 45 years old now with a
lot of miles behind me, I still love the sport as much as I
did when I started back in 1975. You have to enjoy what you do in order to
do it to the best of your ability. All of us leave a legacy
in this world, and aside from my wife and children I want my
legacy to be that I was a man who used his running ability
to try and inspire and encourage others to set goals, take
care of their bodies, and use their abilities to make a
positive impact in their own lives and in the lives of
others. There's no greater feeling than to do something you
do well and to positively impact the world around you. It's
awesome!
I do have times when I get lonely on the
road. It's not easy being out there for miles and miles
every day and to only have a stroller (BOB) as my companion.
I miss my wife and 4 children and am always looking forward to an
opportunity to speak with them. Sometimes people will stop
me along the road to chat, and that's always a nice break
for me. However, I've run through some very remote locations
where there have been no houses, cars or any sign of life
for many hours. Yes, I've had to get through loneliness on many occasions.
What
makes a person decide that they want to run across America
from ocean to ocean?
On October 20, 2006 I became the 6th person in history to
run solo and unsupported from one ocean to another ocean across the United
States. Before me, five others had accomplished the solo task for
various personal reasons. One of the keys to success is to
run for a purpose that means a lot to you. A run across the
continent takes an incredible amount of determination,
endurance, commitment, and physical ability. To do it
completely alone, as I did, magnifies those ingredients to a
very
uncommon level. My 3,260-mile run in 108 days on the
pavement (P.A.C.E. Run 2006 – PACE being
Promoting Active Children Everywhere) was simply to keep a
promise to 97 elementary children in my hometown of
Missoula, Montana. Some media reported that I was running to
keep a “bet” I had made with the students. That was
inaccurate reporting. The word I used from day one was
“promise” and that is what I set out to do… keep my word to
my then 5th grade daughter, Ashlin, and her classmates at
Russell Elementary School.
In June 2005, Ashlin and I had a
discussion about the fitness level of kids.
She said, “Dad, wouldn’t it be great if we could come up
with something to get the kids in my class more fit.” We put
our heads together and came up with a
virtual run/walk
across America challenge that her 5th grade class, and the
4th grade class, would do during the 2005-2006 school year
at Russell Elementary. My wife, Vicki, is the P.E. teacher
at Russell Elementary and agreed that the run/walk across
America project would be a good challenge for the students.
I had done research on the Internet and could not find a
successful virtual trek crossing of the United States by a
single elementary class within one 9-month school year. I
challenged the 4th and 5th grade students as follows: If
either class (or both) can acquire enough running/walking
mileage during the school year to virtually cross America
from coast to coast, then I promise that I will run the
route for real… solo. The promise was made to motivate the
students, and it certainly did. There were forty-one 5th
grade students on a team and fifty-six fourth grade students
on another team. Throughout the year the kids virtually
raced across the 3,200-mile route, crossing through 15
states from Oregon to Delaware. The 5th grade students
finished the journey first, about 6 weeks before the end of
the school year. The 4th grade team finished 3 weeks before
summer arrived. As the kids ran throughout the year, I did
also… preparing for the possibility of running solo across
America. Overall, the students ran the equivalent of 3
marathons each during the course of the school year.
Then,
keeping my promise, I left Cannon Beach, Oregon on June 23,
2006 heading for Delaware… solo. I pushed all of my gear in
a jogging stroller weighing a total of 80 pounds. It
included clothes, shoes, tent, sleeping bag, food, GPS,
solar panel, video/camera gear, and more – including 2½ gallons of water. The
summer of 2006 was the second hottest ever recorded in the
United States and I often had days between 95 and 105
degrees. In fact, I didn’t see any rain for the first 1,000
miles of the west-to-east journey. I was motivated each day
by recalling the wonderful effort the kids had put in
throughout the school year, and I was also motivated to keep
my promise to the kids. For 108 days on the pavement I
logged an average of 30 miles daily, with my longest day
being 48 miles. I ran through heat, rain, hail, tornado
warnings, incredible lightning storms, and more on my way to
Delaware. Then, on October 20, 2006, I reached Cape Henlopen
State Park on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Delaware. My
wife and four children were there to meet me and waves of
various emotions crashed over me as I looked out upon the
vast ocean. I had kept my promise and had succeeded at my
biggest dream in running.
Yes, my purpose was to keep a
promise to some school children. I also hoped that my run
would inspire other children toward better health and
fitness, and pursuing their goals and dreams. The run across
America was an incredible experience and one that I’ll never
fully be able to put into words. People run for a variety of
reasons, and I know that my run across America is just one
of many stories in the world of running. However, I know
that there is great interest by many people to run across
the continent because since I completed my coast-to-coast
U.S.A. run I’ve been contacted by hundreds of people wanting
advice, support or training assistance to do a continent run
of their own. I cannot possibly reply to all of the numerous
questions I receive each month from people, but I do see
that there is a strong interest in running across the United
States. Each person who has contacted me has shared their
reason for wanting to run across America. The most common
reason is to raise awareness of, and funding toward, the
fight against an array of diseases. The inquiries I receive
are as varied as the ages of those who contact me. I’ve
heard from people as young as 15 and as old as 75 wanting to
cross the continent for one reason or another. They
typically find me through searches on the Internet.
What was the most memorable response you got from someone
as you explained your planned U.S.A. run to friends and family beforehand?
I would have to say that my most memorable response was from
my parents. My folks, Mike and Jeanne Staso, live in
Glennallen, Alaska in a home that my father built at the age of 73. Back in September 1986 I
challenged the existing world record for the run across
America (46 days) through a fully-sponsored record attempt
at the coast-to-coast crossing. That endeavor, called
Trans-America ’86, was supported by such companies as Timex,
Gatorade, New Balance and others. My parents acted as my
support crew, traveling alongside in their motor home.
However, on the very first day I received a right-knee
injury while coming off of a deep sidewalk drainage curb at
mile 36. After 4,000 injury-free training miles I ended up
getting hurt on the first day of the 1986 run across America
attempt and had to cancel the journey.
Marriage, children,
professional responsibilities, and more followed and my
dream of crossing the United States by running seemed to
fade with each passing year. My parents had hoped that I
would one day attempt the journey again, but even they were
beginning to wonder if it would ever happen as the years
ticked by. In fact, my father had even kept the pair of
shoes that I was wearing when I got hurt on September 19,
1986 and showed those shoes to me about 15 years later. He
had hoped that one day I would try it again and he wanted to
give me the shoes that I was wearing when the first attempt
was halted. When I told my parents that I was going to run
across America to keep a promise – 20 years after the first
attempt – they were both so incredibly supportive and
encouraging. They knew that it was my dream in running and
were so pleased that it was for a much more noble purpose of
keeping a promise rather than chasing after a world record.
Hours before I completed my run across America in 2006 my
mother sent me the following message:
“Over the past 4 months, many people have referred to you as
"Running Man" - "Marathon Man" - and even "Iron Man"! But I
am most fortunate of all. I am proud and honored to call you
"Son". As I knew you would - you have kept your promise to
the kids at Russell Elementary. You have been a shining
example to them as well. My hope is that other adults in
this country will join in, and continue the quest to promote
health and physical fitness for children everywhere. They
are our future and they need to be strong.”
My father sent me this note just before I crossed the finish
line on October 20, 2006:
“Well your tremendous journey is almost over. It truly has
been a remarkable achievement. Of course neither your Mom
nor I had any doubt that you would finish what you started.
We knew that the only way you would abort the run would be
due to an unexpected injury or someone doing something
foolish that would cause problems. Of course, as we read
your guest book entries each day and saw how many people
were praying for you we began to feel that you were being
watched over all along the way. As a lot of folks have
written, your daily journals have been great and a lot of
fun to follow; however as your Mom and I spoke with you
every day along the way, that you had phone coverage, we
know that this journey was a lot tougher than you let on. It
has really been a remarkable achievement.”
My parents were unable to be at the finish of the journey in
Delaware, but as I ran into the waves they were truly there
in my heart.
Five other people had run
solo across America, ocean to ocean, before you. Did
you contact any of them? If so, what advice, good and/or bad, did
they have for you?
There were five people who had successfully run solo from
the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the United
States before I did it in 2006. I did not contact any of
those people to seek advice – although one of those
individuals did contact me a few weeks before I actually
began my journey. The reason that I did not attempt to
contact any of them is that I did not want to try and mirror
their journeys or to be slanted one way or another with
respect to what I may encounter. I wanted a unique adventure
and by planning, preparing and training for the endeavor on
my own without the assistance of those who had gone before
me I took full ownership of my own experience and had the
privilege and satisfaction of experiencing success in
something that I had created with my own effort. Of course,
I had made a fully-supported attempt at running across
America in 1986 and had acquired a lot of experience in the
planning and preparation for that undertaking – even though
that crossing was not successful. In 1994, Forest Gump ran
across movie screens and brought to the public’s attention
the feat of running from coast to coast. However, I had
personally attempted to do just that 8 years earlier. I’ve
been compared to Forest Gump a lot and that’s just a ripple
effect of our culture and its ability to be impacted by
movies and other forms of media. I am not Forest Gump,
although I’ve had many people write and ask me if I am the
man that the movie was based on (some people just don’t seem
to realize that Hollywood movies are not always based on
true characters). Prior to my run across America I did hear
from several ultra-marathon runners who offered advice on
running through intense heat, how to repair and prepare the
body each night for another day on the road, and similar
endurance topics.
Are there any special bonds you made with specific 4th
and 5th grade students of Russell Elementary (Missoula,
Montana) through your U.S. run that you could
tell about?
As I've mentioned, I did the solo run across America to keep
a promise I had made to 97 fourth and fifth graders at
Russell Elementary in September 2005. Immediately I think of
my daughter, Ashlin. It was she and I that created the
virtual
run/walk across America
curriculum and to have her involved on the 5th grade
team was so incredibly special to me. It certainly wasn’t
easy being apart for nearly 4 months as I ran across the
nation, but I believe that Ashlin learned a lot through the
experience – particularly how a single idea can blossom into
something that can impact the lives of many people in a
positive way. There were certainly other children that truly
ran and walked with commitment and zeal to place me onto
America’s highways to keep my promise, and I appreciate each
and every one that did there very best to accomplish their
virtual trek through some rather difficult weather
conditions in Montana – including some days of running and
walking in zero-degree weather. Here are just a few of the
notes that I received from some of the 4th and 5th grade
students following my successful coast-to-coast run:
"I love that you kept your promise! Thanks for all you have
done."
– Ryan
"I can't believe you ran that far! I've ran so much that
I've gotten in better shape and I got faster, and I'm sure
other kids have too! I think it's great that kids everywhere
are getting in better shape. Now I run at home, at recess,
and well... a whole lot of other places!
– Cami
"Not a lot of grown ups keep their promises."
– Cheyenne
"A friend and I are doing this thing we call 'Mission
Possible'. We get together every Saturday to walk the track
or ride bikes or something. We did it all because of you!
Thanks!"
– Kristy
"I think it's great that you believe in yourself."
– Chantelle
"This year you encouraged us to virtually run across
America. A lot of people thought that we couldn't do it, but
we did!"
– Ollie
"You encourage kids to run, that don't normally run. By
doing this you got us to realize we can do a lot of stuff...
So for this, thank you."
– Matthew
"You are such an inspiration to me!"
– Chelsea
"Thank you for everything, especially keeping your promise.
All I can say is WOW!"
– Alice
"Thanks for teaching us the good that running gets you."
–
Aaron
"I had so much fun during our virtual trek across America.
Plus, I've become more fit!"
– Kelleigh
"From the virtual run experience I learned to never give up,
even if you're exhausted. You should keep going."
– Jessica
"I think running is fun. I'm glad that you let us do the
virtual Run/Walk Across America."
– McKenzie
"You have done so many good things, and this run is one of
them."
– Joree
"You have been a real inspiration to me, and a lot of other
kids."
– Ashlin
"I knew that you would keep your promise. You are awesome!"
– Emily
"I learned this year from running across America (virtually)
that anything is possible. This has been a great year for me
to run so much. You just have to set your mind to it and
run!"
– Kristy
"I am so amazed of what you have done. You took the
challenge and succeeded!"
– Shae
"One day I wish to become as athletic as you. I'm currently
doing sports in school... and you just amaze me so much!"
–
Laura
"I want you to know how much of a hero you are to our
family. I am so proud of you that you made it across the
U.S.!"
– Ashley
Those messages were written
several years ago and the children noted above are now
older. Hopefully, they remember what they accomplished in
their virtual trek across America as well as why it was so
important to me to keep my promise to them.
Why is it important to
you to teach kids about fitness? What can an average teacher do
about kid fitness?
The current generation of children is far less active and
fit as the generation before them. There are numerous
reports and studies to support that fact. The numbers show
why it is so important to teach kids about fitness:
 Exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke,
high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes,
arthritis, osteoporosis (bone loss), and loss
of muscle
mass.
The average child gets less than 15 minutes of vigorous
activity a day.
The average American child spends 20% of his/her waking
time watching TV.
The average child consumes at least 20 ounces of soda pop
a day.
9 out of 10 parents think their kids are fit, when only 1
out of 3 actually are.
In a typical P.E. class, only 27% of the time is devoted
to motor activity.
36% of middle school students say they think kids who
exercise do better in
school; about 33% are not sure, and
28% disagree.
54% of students claim that their P.E. class is very
important to them.
About 50% of all students report that P.E. class time
should be increased in
the middle school.
By the time they reach high school, 63% of children are no
longer physically
active.
Roughly 40% of U.S. school districts either have
eliminated recess or are
considering eliminating it.
An estimated 22% of American children under age 18 are
exposed to second
hand smoke in the home. It is estimated
that 2,000 American young people
become smokers every day.
78% of
all Americans are not meeting basic activity level
recommendations.
According to a U.S. Surgeon General report, obesity is
responsible for
300,000 deaths every year.
As the father of four active
children, I am committed to encouraging kids toward greater health
and fitness, and the pursuit of their goals and dreams. My
unique approach is to use my ultra-endurance abilities to
get kids running, walking and learning through long-distance
journeys. I believe that through this combination of fitness
and learning students experience places beyond their school
boundaries in a unique and challenging way. Through each
endurance trek I undertakes I aim to teach children a simple
idea: If you take care of your body it can take you on some
wonderful adventures. P.A.C.E. is about getting kids
physically active... learning about new places... setting
personal goals... working as teams toward a common goal... and encouraging
children to think about what they might achieve in life.
The average teacher can encourage better nutritional habits
and increased exercise by looking for creative ways to
incorporate those subjects into their curriculum and not
simply relying on P.E./Health teachers to do it. Getting
kids more healthy and fit is going to require a team effort
─
including parents!
Teachers need to be open to new ideas for promoting health
and fitness, like
signing up teams of school children for free to
participate in P.A.C.E. Trek journeys.
Teachers also need to model the right nutritional and health
behaviors to set a good example for children. Teachers are
in a position to impact a child’s life in a very powerful
way, and as a parent and former 5th grade
teacher I would encourage educators around the world to try
and modify one area of their personal life or classroom
environment to positively impact the lives of children
toward greater health and fitness.
In your individual state runs, how do you decide which
states to run across? What kind of route planning do you do?
When I choose to run across a state, there are a lot of
factors that come into play in arriving at a decision. For
instance, when I chose to run
620 miles across Montana in 20
days during May 2008 I had to look at geographical elements
(Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, terrain variances); climatic
elements (running east-to-west into the jet stream, which
involves running into a lot of wind; the heat/snow that
occurs during that time of year in Montana [I ran in
temperatures from 19 degrees to 90 degrees over the course
of 20 days]; and other elements, such as rain and sleet);
and, educational opportunities are important to examine,
such as what areas of Montana that I wanted to teach about
through my web site. The idea is to get kids
running, walking and learning. P.A.C.E. Treks are active
learning at its finest, and I’m the only person in the world
who is taking children on a virtual running/walking
challenge by being out on the road and using the Internet as
my roadside classroom.
I speak at many schools each year and children often have recommendations as to
where I should run. For the 2009 P.A.C.E. Trek I decided to
run
500 miles through
Alaska. I chose
Alaska for several reasons: (1) many children had suggested
it because they were curious about that place and didn’t
know much about it; (2) I grew up in Alaska and returning to
the place of my childhood intrigued me; and, (3) I believed
that Alaska will be a significant personal challenge while
at the same time being a location that would be wonderful to
share visually while at the same time being one that
children could learn a lot about. In preparation for any state
crossing there are a lot of training miles to be
accomplished as well as detailed route planning in order to
pass through the highlights of the state to be crossed. I
have to examine lodging options, daily terrain challenges,
and much more when arriving at the daily mileages that I’ll
attempt on such a run. For the Alaska challenge, I logged an
average of 30 miles per day on the solo trek... pushing all of my
gear in an 80-pound jogging stroller.
Why do you always use a stroller for your gear? How
beaten up is 'BOB' by the time you’re done?
When I was planning my run across America in 2005 for the
summer 2006 attempt, I decided that I wanted to create the
most difficult running challenge possible. For the 2006 run
across America I was 41 years old and I knew that I was at
an age where I truly wanted to test my endurance abilities
in the most extreme manner possible. I had to study options
for how to run across the country alone and it was very
important that my body not carry on it the weight of any
gear. Therefore, a
jogging stroller seemed like the most
ideal means of taking my essential gear across the country.
The stroller was sponsored by BOB Trailers, Inc. of Boise,
Idaho and is an Ironman Sport Utility Stroller. It’s
nicknamed “BOB”, which stands for Beast Of Burden – which it
truly is. I’ve used the same stroller for all of my training
miles and for each journey run that I’ve done, including the
U.S.A. crossing – so it has logged thousands of miles! The
stroller is still holding up very well and the only repairs
it has required are new tires and a replacement of the brake
cable. Other than that, Bob has performed amazingly well in
all of the demanding conditions I’ve had the stroller in.
The stroller has been slightly modified from its “out of
the box” form, but it is indeed the same stroller that I’ve
used for each P.A.C.E. endeavor. It is a very convenient way
to be able to be solo for thousands of miles while at the
same time having everything with you that is necessary for
conquering 30 to 45 miles on a daily basis. The stroller
carries many items, including: food; water; clothing; shoes;
sleeping bag; tent; phone; computer; GPS; solar panel;
weather band radio; and, other equipment. It can carry up to
20 gallons of water via two 100-ounce CamelBak reservoirs
with thermal control kits, as well as a couple of other
hand-held containers. The stroller is equipped with lights
in the front and back for traveling in dark hours of the
day, and is outlined with highly-reflective material for
optimal visibility. The all-weather solar panel charges my
GPS unit, phone and iPod. The question is, which will hold
up longer… BOB or I?
What
do you have for communication?
For past journeys I've had such things as satellite and cell
phones, two-way-radios, and Wi-Fi computers. The standard
forms of communication tools that I carry on BOB are a cell
phone (which is for both voice and text) and a Wi-Fi
computer. I also use a
SPOT, which constantly communicates my precise position
via Google Maps. The SPOT also provides me (and my family)
with the comfort of knowing that I have 9-1-1 emergency
assistance at my fingertips 24 hours per day. Also, I
occasionally use
Skype to
communicate with family while I'm on the road for P.A.C.E.
Treks. I feel confident that between my cell phone,
mini computer,
Skype service, and SPOT that I have excellent communication tools for my
treks.
What
do you have for protection?
BOB carries particular tools for protection against
unfriendly animals or people who may be aggressive. I have a
3-foot long club, pepper spray, and a knife. I do not carry
any form of firearm on BOB. Through the thousands of miles
I've covered during P.A.C.E. journeys I've never had to use
my pepper spray or knife, and have only had to use my club
once on an extremely aggressive dog in Alaska that acted a
lot like a wild wolf. I keep my protection tools close at
hand.
What
do you do if 'BOB' breaks down?
If
BOB gets a
flat tire while on the road, I simply stop and repair it. I
carry a tire tube patch kit as well as spare tubes and one
spare tire. A flat tire is typically the kind of "break
down" that BOB has. However, the stroller does not get that
many flat tires! In fact, during the run across America it
had only 8 flat tires (which is about one flat tire every
400 miles). And, it didn't get any flat tires
during the 620-mile run across Montana, the 500-mile run
through Alaska, or the 500-mile run across Germany! I put new tires on BOB after every 500 to
700 miles of rolling. If BOB were to experience a serious problem
─
such as a cracked frame
─
I would need to seek assistance to help get it repaired.
Overall, BOB is one tough stroller!
What
electronic equipment do you have?
I carry specific electronic equipment on BOB for each
P.A.C.E. journey. I have a small computer, a digital camera,
and a digital video camera that I use for updating my online
classroom during each trek. BOB also carries a cell phone,
SPOT tracking device, a GPS unit, iPod, and an all-weather
radio. Size and weight of each item are as small/light as
possible since I have to push all of the gear. The solar
panel that I have on BOB charges some of the items during
the day, and I have power cords to plug in my electronic
equipment at night to obtain full charge. The lights on BOB
are battery-operated.
Do
you allow people to run next to you during P.A.C.E. Treks?
I've had people join me before for some miles during a
P.A.C.E. Trek, but I've had to put a maximum on how far I'll
allow for them to be with me. In the early days of doing
P.A.C.E., I'd have some people run with me for as much as a
half marathon (13 miles). I've even had a running club meet
me on the road and run with me in a relay fashion - one
person running a mile and then tagging another running club
member who runs the next mile... and so on. I got to the
point where I needed to set a limit on how far people can
run with me.
There are two reasons why I've set a limit: (1) because my
journey runs are designed to be "solo" and part of the
mental challenge of a solo run across a state or country is
being completely alone and relying on yourself to push
through the miles; and, (2) because it can be distracting to
run with someone else. Let me explain that "distracting"
comment. You see, when I do a P.A.C.E. Trek I am pushing 80
pounds of gear. Those who want to run with me are not
pushing anything and often end up pushing the pace because
they don't have 80 pounds in front of them slowing their
stride. I often feel like I'm having to try and keep up with
their 6-mile-per-hour or more pace... which is not good.
Also, it's distracting because I am typically on the edge of
highways and those who run with me tend to want to be right
next to me. That creates a greater danger with respect to
traffic, and too often my attention is on keeping them safe.
Finally, the people that run with me are strangers and I
truly don't know their fitness level. I had a guy go 10
miles with me once who was breathing incredibly hard - only
to inform me afterward that he had never run that far
before. I definitely don't want someone collapsing next to
me while on the edge of the highway. For these reasons, and
others, I've decided to limit the distance people can go
with me to 3 miles (about a 5K distance).
When someone runs with me I always let them push "BOB" (the
support stroller) for at least one-half mile. They quickly
see how demanding it can be to push 80 pounds of gear every
step - particularly along the edge of a narrow roadway where
the stroller may be halfway on rough ground and halfway on
pavement. Then, they understand why I average about 4 to 4
1/2 miles per hour when I'm on a P.A.C.E. Trek. When you're
doing between 26 and 40 miles per day, every day for 3
weeks, the body needs to fully understand what it means to
pace properly. You must run to the rhythm of the terrain.
Walking breaks are essential, especially when going uphill.
The stress on the calf muscles when trying to run uphill
with 80 pounds of gear (particularly on a 6% or greater
grade) is too risky for a journey runner, so staying alert
to pacing, terrain, and a constantly shifting
running/walking needs is essential. I have to stay focused
when on a journey run, and I am all too often in and out of
focus when other people enter the picture. It's not always
another runner who can be a distraction and keep me from
entering the 'zone' I need to be in when I'm on a journey
run. Sometimes, it's just curious people who pull their cars
over and want to talk.
Those who contact me and request to run alongside me are
informed of the 3-mile maximum distance. There is a lot that
goes on during a typical day on the road. There's constant
monitoring of food and water intake; speaking with those who
stop me along the road (curious people; reporters; etc.);
taking pictures and videos for my online classroom;
monitoring my pace, distance covered, and distance
remaining; taking care of my body as needed; getting to my
daily destinations on time (particularly if I have a
speaking engagement scheduled for the end of a running day);
and more. From sun up until sun down my days are quite full
during a P.A.C.E. Trek, and then there's the nightly routine
of icing my legs, taking in proper nutrition, hydrating, and
generally repairing and preparing my body for another
demanding day on the road. So, allowing someone to come into
my mentally/physically busy day for 3 miles seems
reasonable. However, accompanying me for a few miles must be
arranged ahead of time and anyone joining me must run/walk
at the pace I set. And, each day begins with a 2-mile walk,
and ends with a 2-mile walk.
What
was one of the
most difficult moments you’ve had
during one of your P.A.C.E. journeys?
One of the most difficult moments during my 2006 run across
America occurred when I was about 1,300 miles into the trek
while in the Standing Rock Indian Reservation of South
Dakota. The day called for 30+ miles in wide-open plains and
the temperature quickly soared over 90 degrees. That being
the second hottest summer ever recorded in the U.S., there
was no water and the countryside was brittle and desolate.
You could literally wait a couple of hours before seeing a
car. I was running along and came up onto this small rise in
the terrain… only to look out onto a view of the highway
going straight off into the horizon for as far as you can
see. The heat was shimmering off of the pavement and I still
had about 12 more miles to go on that long, hot day. I stopped in
my tracks and stared at the sight before me. I had already
conquered 1,300 miles through intense heat and the deserts
of eastern Washington and eastern Montana.
I hit an
emotional wall at that moment and simply started to cry. I
began to question why I was doing the run and what
difference, if any, it would make in the lives of others. It
was truly a low point in the journey and had I not been
alone out there I likely would have told my support crew to
get me out of there. I had no cellular service and for one
reason or another my satellite phone was not picking up a
satellite signal – which I thought was odd for being out in
the middle of nowhere. I was truly falling apart emotionally
and the heat and conditions were pounding me into the
ground. I made a lean-to with the stroller and a tarp that I
had brought along to create some shade – since there wasn’t
a tree to be found for at least a hundred miles. I sat in
the lean-to and tried to pull myself together. I was truly
struggling to take even one more step and then I realized
that the thermal tarp I was sitting under was making me feel
like a baked potato. I knew that I had to get moving and get
out of that heat. My lodging was somewhere off in the
horizon and I had to get there.
So, after an hour of struggling emotionally I crawled out of the lean-to and
stepped back onto the searing hot pavement. I walked at
first… very slowly… literally concentrating intently on
taking each step. I truly felt like a two-ton elephant was
on my back. My mind felt defeated and my body was joining in
on the struggle. Somehow, I managed to complete the distance
and arrive at my lodging. I spent the evening trying to
regain focus and ability in all areas – mentally, physically
and others. The next day I stepped onto the highway and
conquered 28 miles in 90-degree heat in 7 hours. I had
succeeded at getting my mind and body back into the trek.
From that point on, I only got stronger and never again
experienced such a low on that particular journey.
Sometimes
you've
had to jump from the edge of the road
to avoid being hit by inattentive drivers. What makes
you get up, dust yourself off, and keep going rather than
quitting?
During my run across America I had to literally pull the
stroller and jump off the shoulder of the road 7 times to
avoid being hit by a car or semi-truck that wandered onto
the edge of the highway. I always run facing traffic so that
I can see what is coming. When you’re running 30+ miles
every day it gets difficult to concentrate every moment
while having traffic approach you at speeds of up to 70
miles per hour. It gets particularly more difficult in large
cities – such as my experience in Washington D.C.. However,
it’s imperative that I not lose focus and that I stay aware
of what drivers are doing. My life depends on it.
There have
been many instances when I’ve laid in a ditch with the
stroller after jumping to avoid being hit by an inattentive
driver. With each instance I’ve managed to avoid serious
injury. However, that’s just a part of what I do. My wife
and children understand the dangers associated with the
journey runs that I embark on and their love, support and
prayers are so crucial to my success. I have a strong will
to not only live, but to live a life of purpose. I am now 45
years old and after 23 years of marriage I can tell you that
my wife and four children are truly my motivation and
inspiration. They unselfishly let me go off on these
endeavors knowing that I do so to try and positively impact
the lives of others. Without their love and support, I would
never be able to do what I do. It’s not always easy to climb
out of a roadside ditch and brush myself off to keep going,
but I know in my heart that what I’m doing is making a
difference in the lives of some people. I guess that’s what
I hope will be my legacy. To positively impact the life of
even one child to pursue his or her dreams while maintaining
a healthy lifestyle makes all of the mileposts worth it. I
don’t dwell on the dangerous part of what I do. I simply
rely on the thousands of miles of experience I have, and as a
Christian I place my full trust in God to protect me and to
bring me safely back to my family.
Can
you tell about a transcendent moment you may have
had (brought on by the beauty of scenery, adrenaline rush,
or something else) that you’ll always remember from one of
your runs?
As I’ve mentioned a few times in my journal entries during
P.A.C.E. endeavors, I’m a Christian and truly believe that
I’ve been blessed with an ability to persevere. With that
said, there have been many times when I’ve looked back over
my shoulder at the end of a long day on the road and simply
been amazed at the distance I was able to conquer alone.
There are many times when I look down and see my legs moving
along and wonder why I’ve been blessed with such abilities of
endurance, determination and simply a “don’t quit” attitude
when it comes to such treks.
One day in particular that I
recall was on August 5, 2006 when I ran 42 miles from Ingomar, Montana to Forsyth, Montana on an 85-degree day
during my run across America. I began the day at 3:00am in
order to try and avoid some of the afternoon heat and
experienced two incredible moments. The first occurred the
moment I stepped out onto the highway at 3am. I was in the
middle of the eastern Montana plains and the sky was filled
with stars. After the first 3 miles of the day I turned off
the lights on the stroller and just stood under the stars…
watching the twinkling lights and seeing an occasional
shooting star. There was no wind whatsoever and the silence
was incredible. No cars… no people… no artificial lights…
just a vast sea of stars above me. It was a moment that made
me think about just how small I am in the grand scale of
this universe we live in. It was actually a humbling
experience and one that I’ll always cherish. Later that same
day I experienced a sunrise that was absolutely
breathtaking. I watched the sun slowly rise over the horizon
as a group of antelope ran around me. I felt as free as a
person could be and I stood there thinking about my life and
how fortunate I am. It was an incredible day and I often
think back on that when my business or family life have me
running in 20 directions at once. Everyone should have such
a moment that they can recall when life seems to be running
full throttle.
You’ve
run in extreme heat, snow, rain, and more. Which
weather conditions are the hardest?
Both cold weather running and hot weather running have their
own unique challenges. I’ve run in temperatures ranging from
25 below zero (40 below zero with wind chill) to 112
degrees. It’s crucial to know precisely what your body can
take with respect to temperatures, exposure time, and
overall pace. In my 33 years of running I’ve learned well
what I can endure. I believe I perform better in cooler
temperatures. It’s always easier to layer up more for warmth
and to generate heat through movement to stay warm than it
is to try and cool down while logging 30 or 40 miles on a
100+ degree day. Most of my solo daily runs while crossing a
continent or state require me to log more than a marathon
per day – and I don’t have an air-conditioned support
vehicle to climb into. Heat can be quite a foe in trying to
log such distances day after day in constant exposure. It’s
very depleting and successfully performing self monitoring
of body temperature to avoid heat stroke can be challenging.
Since the stroller does not carry a freezer, it’s impossible
to carry ice successfully through 8 to 10 hours in 80, 90,
or 100-degree heat. Even with thermal insulators, my water
supply becomes warm on the stroller.
During the summer of
2006 there were countless reports of people suffering from
heat stroke in cities nationwide. I was running across
America alone on a pavement
surface that was often radiating over 130 degrees of heat
during that summer. Heat can be a killer and I truly was
fortunate to avoid serious injury due to the intense
temperatures. I’m contacted by a couple of people each week
wanting advice on how to run across America. What I do is
extreme and requires a level of experience, concentration
and perseverance that is somewhat uncommon by the average
runner. I don’t say that to pat myself on the back or to try
and acquire a following of admirers. It’s just that solo
running through hundreds and thousands of miles on a trek
while pushing 80 pounds of gear over a marathon per day is
more demanding that can be fully explained. The terrain and
weather conditions are always changing, as are the social
conditions around you. One day you’ll be going through a
city of thousands of people in a hurry to get to offices or
stores and who could care less about the guy on the side of
the road with a jogging stroller. The next day you could be
in the middle of nowhere and exposed to the elements in a
way that only journey runners completely understand. You
have to be able to handle all situations well, and with a
level of confidence and wisdom that are truly sharp. If you
attempt such undertakings without that, you can quickly
place your life in danger.
Is
it true that you tried to run across America in 1986 at the
age of 21?
Yes, that's true. I was attending the University of Montana
and running... a lot. I was logging about 130 miles per week
and believed that I could take on the world record for the
run across America. The year was 1986 and the world record
had been set in 1980 by Frank Giannino, Jr. of 46 days, 8
hours, 36 minutes. Back then the Internet didn't exist and
it was difficult to get much information about journey
running or how to tackle such a challenge. I did the best
that I could in my training, planning and preparation. I
managed to pick up some very good corporate sponsors,
including: New Balance; Gatorade; Spenco; Duracell; Timex,
and others. My parents were my "support crew" with their
motorhome and on September 19, 1986 I began running at
Pillar Point on the Pacific Ocean (which is near San
Francisco, California). The plan was to try and log 68 miles
per day across America, arriving in New York City ahead of
the current world record. However, on the very first day I
twisted my knee while stepping off of a deep drainage curb
and the pain did not allow for me to keep on the record
pace. The trek ended only 6 hours into the odyssey. It was
very devastating for me and my dream of running across
America was put aside for 20 years while I went about the
life and responsibilities of being a husband, father of four
children, and business owner. It wasn't until 2006 (20 years
after the first attempt) that I
actually succeeded at the run across America - although it
was to keep a promise rather than to set a world record. To
me, keeping my promise means far more to me than any world
record would have been. So yes, at the age of 21 (in 1986) I
tried to run across America. Although that run was not a
success, it certainly laid the foundation for the long
distance running I would do in my adult life and ultimately
it helped to prepare me for my solo U.S.A. run in 2006. By
the way, the world record for the run across America set by
Frank Giannino, Jr. in 1980 has not yet been broken!
What lessons can other people learn from your
experiences, regardless of their goals, about not giving up?
Any goal worth pursuing takes dedication. My journey runs
require me to stay dedicated to the purpose with each
stride. I hope that my P.A.C.E. treks show that the human
spirit is quite strong and we can often accomplish much more
than we believe we can. Thorough planning and preparation
are crucial to success, and accomplishing any task requires
a combination of heart, will and commitment. I am rather
tenacious when it comes to P.A.C.E. treks. I have been in so
many difficult situations and one thing that I’ve learned
about myself is that I won’t quit. Sometimes I have to
endure a lot of intense pain to do what I do. However, in
the end I’m always quite satisfied with the endeavor and
hope that along the way I’ve been a positive role model for
children.
It’s an unfortunate fact that many people give up
on their goals too easily. They
set goals and
then hit the first road bump and
call it quits. Later in life they look back with regret,
wishing that they had persevered and worked harder at their
goal. When it comes to my running career, I know that I
won’t have any regrets. By running across the United States I
fulfilled my biggest dream in running and since then I’ve
been able to
speak at many schools,
banquets, conferences, and more – hopefully encouraging others to pursue their
goals and to take fitness more seriously. In short, it
doesn’t matter what goal you set for yourself. What’s
important is what you do to reach that goal. The first step
is to believe in your heart that it is indeed possible. In
1986 I announced that I wanted to run across America. The
reaction of most people was that I was crazy and it couldn’t
be done. It took 20 years until I was able to successfully
run across America and for 20 years I endured the laughs and
negative comments of those who were aware of my dream to run
across the United States. On October 20, 2006 my final step
into the Atlantic Ocean quieted those pessimists forever.
Not everyone is going to support your goals. What’s most
important is that you believe in your goal… and that you pursue
it with your whole heart.
Do
you provide advice, coaching, route planning, and/or
sponsorship assistance to those wanting to run across the
United States or some other journey run?
With respect to advice or sharing "tips", I do not provide
assistance to
individual journey runners in planning,
organization or training for a run across a continent or to
take on another type of journey run. Since
completing my run across America I’ve been contacted by
hundreds of people wanting advice for a variety of treks
in and across America ─
by running, walking, biking, skateboarding, unicycling,
inline skating, and more. I simply cannot provide the advice, coaching,
sponsorship, planning assistance, and so many other things that people seek from
me after reading through my
P.A.C.E. Run 2006
web site. I always direct people to this web site to learn
about my personal journey runs and to acquire as much
information as they can from my written experiences. My run
across America web site is the most thorough site online
about a solo run across America. There is a lot of
information in those web pages and I’ve had many novice and
experienced journey runners benefit from what I’ve shared
there.
So, why don't I commit to communicating with
all of the people who contact me with their cross-continent
or other journey run goals? For the most part, it's a matter
of time. I own and operate a small business; am a frequent
speaker at events; log many of my own miles on the road; am
always planning for the next P.A.C.E. Trek; oversee The
P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation; am a husband, a father, and
avid fan from the sidelines of my 4 children's events; and
so much more. My life is very full and although I wish each
and every adventurer well, I cannot provide the type of
communication and assistance so many people seek. In
addition,
as I stated
above, in planning my own run across America
I did not attempt to contact any of the few people who had
accomplished a solo crossing before me. I did not want to
try and mirror their journeys or to be slanted one way or
another with respect to what I may encounter. I wanted a
unique adventure and by planning, preparing and training for
the endeavor on my own without the assistance of those who
had gone before me I took full ownership of my own
experience and had the privilege and satisfaction of
experiencing success in something that I had created with my
own effort.
Take care, be safe, and believe in your heart that you can
do it. Perseverance is an ability that everyone has, but not
everyone has it to the same degree. If you are completely dedicated to your personal
reasons for doing a run across America (or some other
journey run), and you have planned
and trained thoroughly, then you should be successful.
I’ve never known anyone who has done their first journey run
and walked away from it the same person as they were before
starting. Journey runs tend to reveal things about a
person’s character that do not normally surface in everyday
life. Those stepping out to run across a continent
─
or to take on some other journey challenge
─
need to enjoy the journey and cherish the experience.
It will certainly make an impact on your life that will last
the rest of your days!
|
