P.A.C.E. Run Across America
Paul's Thoughts One Year After The Trek Began

SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2007
Current Location: Missoula, Montana
Next Scheduled P.A.C.E. Trek: April 28 - May 14, 2008

It's hard to believe that one year has passed since I dipped the front wheel of "Bob" into the Pacific Ocean at Cannon Beach, Oregon to begin my running journey across America. As I look back on that day I realize just how fortunate I am to have completed the journey. I truly could have benefited from more training hours on the road. However, as a small business owner, husband, and father of four I committed all the time that I could to preparing. I recall standing on the beach the morning of June 23, 2006 completely at peace, surrounded by my family and some good friends. I knew in my heart that I had the ability to accomplish the trek, and I knew that it would be my heart that would have to carry me through. Running across a continent requires an incredible amount of willpower. I had the desire to succeed, and my heart, mind and spirit seemed to carry my body along for the ride. June 23, 2006 was the start of the most difficult and rewarding personal endeavor that I've ever attempted.

When you undertake such a journey, there are always going to be skeptics amongst the supporters. That was certainly the case with my run across America. However, I still marvel at the hospitality shown to me by complete strangers, which I describe in more detail in my November 7 entry. The "heart" of America's "heartland" was revealed to me in a very personal way, and which made an impression that will last forever. As I ran away from the starting line on the Pacific Ocean's edge that June day in 2006, I was running into the unknown. How would my body react? What dangers might arise? Would I endure the time away from my wife and children? What would I find around the next bend? What would it feel like to reach the Atlantic Ocean? Questions were racing through my mind on that first day, and with each step there was only one thing I knew for sure... that I was getting closer to my goal.

Over the course of the past year I have been contacted by 68 people (yep... I've kept track) wanting advice, coaching, or some other support for a run across America attempt. From a 16-year-old high school student to a 64-year-old father of five children... the inquiries have been constant. The strangest inquiry I've received from someone considering a run across America is this: "I wanted to inquire about lavatory activities. Did you "pack it out", carrying your waste on Bob and disposing of it at each evening's stop, or did you find a few moments of privacy and bury your waste a few inches deep by the side of the road when duty called?" Here's the interesting thing - this guy was planning his run to support the fight against Inflammatory Bowel Disease. No joke! So, perhaps his inquiry seemed quite reasonable to him considering that he's aiming to fight bowel disease. Yep... the questions have been frequent and of just about everything imaginable.

This web site appears in Internet search engine results for a variety of queries related to long distance running, doing a run across America, and other perseverance-related topics. Some people view the photo gallery of this web site and get captivated by the idea of a "four-month running vacation" - as one writer described my feat. My journey was far from a vacation, and perhaps I should have been more graphic in my daily journal entries about the pain, tiredness and loneliness that comes with such undertakings. I don't believe that people get the full picture of what I experienced out on the roads of America based on my journal entries of the 108 days of running. Some people do see it as a running "vacation". I'm standing by state welcome signs smiling and waving... apparently looking pain-free and having a grand time. Although the run certainly had its moments of fun and enjoyment, there were countless hours of complete pain and exhaustion. My children were watching the run unfold on the Internet... accessing this web site to see how their Dad was doing. I wasn't about to scare them with graphic journal entries of pain, or unsightly pictures of my terribly damaged feet. They had just lost their grandmother to cancer and the last thing they needed was to be scared about their father's well-being on the edge of America's roadways. So, the pictures and journal entries of this web site do not tell the complete story. It was agonizing at times and my statistics page shows how demanding the trek was. I'll always remember some of the most painful portions of the journey, and there were several. I should tell you that I've included more information in this web site since the trek. For instance, the extensive photo gallery has been expanded with some new pictures from the endeavor!

Following my coast-to-coast run, Running Times magazine published an online article about the trek. In the article the author wrote the following - which is a pretty accurate summary of what unfolded last summer:

"Between June 23rd and October 20th 2006, Paul ran, alone and unaided, from the Pacific coast in Oregon to the Atlantic shoreline in Delaware - a total of 3,260 miles. It is easy to define Paul’s journey by the bookends provided by these natural boundaries, but that would be oversimplifying the accomplishment. For Paul, the start and finish of the trip were just two of the 108 days of the journey. The other 106 days, while the rest of us worked, ran tempo workouts and local 5K races, cooked dinner for our families and socialized with friends, Paul was somewhere between those two great oceans, alone, running."

I also like the simple summary of my coast-to-coast run which a friend wrote to me: "God allowed you to see the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean without any assistance by a motorized vehicle in between. Pretty cool!" I agree, it was pretty cool!

I've received some wonderful letters of congratulation from people who followed my progress, some letters coming from highly-accomplished endurance athletes. For instance, on November 10, 2006 Dean Karnazes (who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days during 2006, won the 2007 ESPY Award, and is said by some publications to be the 'fittest man in the world' and 'America's greatest runner'), wrote to me and said: "You are a HUGE inspiration to me!!" And on May 23, 2007 I received a message from Charlie Engle, one of the three men who ran across the Sahara Desert last year, and he said this about my trek: "A great cause and a superb personal mission. Unsupported is incredible." These two men were nominated for the 2006 Everest Award for the most challenging expedition of 2006 and are well known by endurance athletes. I appreciate their words of support about my endeavor... and no, I wasn't nominated for the "2006 Expedition of the Year" award as they were for their running accomplishments. I guess that's the downside of not having a publicist, major corporate sponsors, or national media connections.

I've been back at my job with OnTrack Designs and am looking forward to this summer with my family. My wife, Vicki, will be taking part in the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk in Boston, Massachusetts during the beginning of August - in honor of her mother who passed away just months before my run across America began. Vicki and her sister will each complete 60 miles in a mere three days during that wonderful event to raise research funds and awareness. My four children are enjoying their summer vacation after a very successful school year academically, musically and athletically. Personally, I will be in Redmond, Oregon on July 21 to take part in the "Rockchuck Ramble", which is likely the shortest fun run in the United States. The 327-yard run (yep... less than 1/4 mile) is quite a contrast to the 3,260-mile run I did last summer! The fun run is sponsored by the insurance office owned by my good friend, Joe Lochner. Joe surprised me last summer by attending the start of my run at Cannon Beach. I look forward to supporting his event and seeing him and his family.

I'm asked that question regularly. Actually, there's a lot in the planning stage right now. Vicki and I will be doing another virtual running/walking trek with her P.E. students during the 2007-2008 school year and we'll be working on that curriculum over the next couple of months in order to launch it in September of this year. It won't be the same challenge we did with the students' virtual run which ultimately put me on America's highways last summer (seeusrun.com). This time we have a different plan. The students will be virtually running and walking the historic Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California (a journey of 2,278 miles across 8 states). Their 2007-2008 curriculum web site is online at kids66.com.  And following their Route 66 trek, "Bob" (the stroller) and I will be back on the roads in an attempt to get more kids across the nation up and moving toward greater fitness. Beginning April 28, 2008 I will begin a solo trek with "Bob"... which will once again carry my gear. This trek will be different from the run across America in 2006, and no... I won't be running Route 66. This will be a race between me and school children who are located around the United States, and perhaps even some schools from overseas. My "competition" will be young people ranging in age from 5 (Kindergarten) to 18 (high school seniors). The idea is to race from one point to another over the course of 18 consecutive days. "Bob" and I will actually be on the road, updating our progress daily through an educational web site. Visit pacetrek.com!

Aside from that, Vicki and I are considering the formation of the P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation. The non-profit Foundation would promote youth fitness through various program and curriculum goals. We have been exploring the legalities and costs involved in forming the Foundation and have been looking toward the future and what possibilities exist, including the Foundation applying for grants to support its purpose and goals. There is more that we can do and we're looking down the road to see how we can best accomplish this.

That's about it from this milepost of life. One year ago I embarked on a journey to keep a promise. That journey pounded a satisfying accomplishment into my life with each stride. There are more strides ahead... more goals... more projects to promote youth fitness. I hope that you'll come along for the run, and extend support by word or deed as the path unfolds and opportunities arise.

The start of P.A.C.E. Run 2006 on this date last year was just the beginning, and I'll keep running forward in Promoting Active Children Everywhere.

Here are some comments that Paul has received in response to the above writing:

Wow! What you are doing is just fantastic Paul. I really enjoyed the read. I am so glad that you are putting so much into your journals and writings on your site. This has to go into a book someday. You truly are an inspiration to so many of us out there that can't run, walk or whatever it might be (in my case a busted up back). I really miss being able to run more then I ever thought I would. Do it while you still can. It is so remarkable to think of the journey of running across the continent in the days that you did it in. I look forward to what the next adventure will be. Thanks for the inspiration to face my week.
- P.G. - San Luis Obispo, California

What a great idea for next spring. I love the idea of starting the P.A.C.E. Foundation, too. Count on me for a donation if and when you get it up and running (no pun intended ).
- A.F. - Marion, Iowa

Glad to see you are getting back out there with your important message.
- A.C. - Hanna City, Illinois

Who would have thought your dream would become a blessing to so many.
- A.N. - Claremont, Minnesota

Click Here To Read Paul's Thoughts 1 Year After P.A.C.E. Run 2006 Finished On Oct. 20, 2006!