P.A.C.E. Run Across America
A Look Back After Two Years Since P.A.C.E. Run Concluded

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2008
Current Location: Missoula, Montana
Next Scheduled P.A.C.E. Trek: April 20 - May 12, 2009
Click Here For Never Before Seen Pictures From P.A.C.E. Run 2006

I've always believed that there are benefits to looking back over the road you've traveled. Too often in our fast-pace lives we're looking forward to the next event on the calendar. We are frequently running at full throttle to our kids' sporting events, the grocery store, the post office, and so many other places. When we are finally at home we can often get busy with tasks that need accomplishing, such as cleaning the garage, trimming the bushes, various fix-it projects, and more. My life is very much like that. However, there are two dates in particular that I pause in my busy life and look back. Those dates are June 23 (when I began my run across America in 2006) and today, October 20, the day I finished that 15-state journey in 2006.

Today I am looking back with fond memories to October 20, 2006 when I took my final steps across America. I'll save you from having to recount every step with me, because I understand that the adventure of one person is not always as exciting to someone else. Suffice it to say, October 20, 2006 was the day that my biggest dream in running came true... and I fulfilled a promise to 96 elementary children. The run across America remains as the most difficult undertaking I've ever accomplished. This spring I ran 620 miles across Montana solo by pounding out 31 miles per day for 20 days on the pavement. "Bob" once again supported my every step. For those of you who may not know, "Bob" is the support stroller I push. It weighs around 60 pounds when fully loaded and "Bob" stands for Beast of Burden. I will once again push the same stroller 500 miles through Alaska next spring for P.A.C.E. Trek 2009.

Today as I reflect back on that incredible solo journey of 2006 I'm not thinking about the pain, blisters or strain. I'm not thinking about the intense heat of that summer, the torrential rains of Iowa, or the strong winds of the Dakotas. I'm not thinking about the beautiful sunrises, the roadside wildlife, or the serene moments while all alone. I'm not thinking about the times I had to jump from inattentive drivers, chasing a thief, or fixing flat tires. I'm not even thinking about how much I missed family during those 108 days of running across America. Today, I'm thinking about the people that were involved with P.A.C.E. Run 2006. There were so many people who opened their homes to me in order to make the journey a success. Total strangers willing to reach out to help by providing a roof for an evening, a good meal, a word of encouragement, and advice. People who paused in their daily routine to allow for a cross-country runner to have a glimpse into their lives for 12 hours. People who truly showed me the heart of America. My run across America showed me this country in a way that was so personal and revealing. From apartments, to farmhouses, to million dollar homes, to ranches, to resorts, to many places off of the beaten path. I saw America. It made an imprint on my heart and memory that can never be erased. The people of America joined with me to help make the run a success and as a result gave me a personal lesson in what "united" means in United States of America.

However, there were other people just as important in the run. Those people did not receive recognition for their efforts -- aside from some writings about them that I made in my journal entries and a commemorative plaque for each that I had made for them. They worked behind the scenes to make the run a success. Their satisfaction in P.A.C.E. Run 2006 is knowing that they contributed to the fulfilling of a promise that many deemed unlikely to be fulfilled. These wonderful people are listed on the "team" page of this web site. I grew close to each one during those long days across the U.S.A. and time has an unfortunate way of creating gaps in what was once close communication. I don't communicate very frequently with any members from that 2006 P.A.C.E. team. We all have lives filled with the busyness and responsibilities of families, jobs, and more. However, for the summer of 2006 we all worked together as a well-oiled machine (although there were certainly some squeaks now and then!). I want to take this opportunity to thank them: Diana Sontag, Stacey Rossmiller, Rob Remler, and Tim Bamforth. They were the core "behind the scenes" people of P.A.C.E. Run 2006. Of course, my wife and children, parents, close friends, and others were also instrumental in my success -- as well as the many financial donors who unselfishly gave money to keep the project moving across the country. As I walked away from the Atlantic Ocean on October 20, 2006 I knew that my life wouldn't be the same... and that the relationships that were formed during the journey between myself and my team wouldn't stay exactly the same. I was correct on both accounts. Although I don't often see or hear from that core "team" of people who helped me in such amazing ways, I do hope that each of them is well and that they carry fond memories of P.A.C.E. Run 2006.

So, that's my "looking back" for this year. I've even put together a page of pictures from the 2006 run across America that I haven't put onto the pacerun.com web site before. Thank you for stopping by this milepost and looking back with me. Be sure to always take a moment to pause, reflect, be thankful, and look to the future. Life is a journey and you select which road you'll go down. Make sure to take time to enjoy the view!