Local children can join athlete’s virtual ‘run’ across Alaska
A 44-year-old husband, father of four and ultra-endurance athlete pushing a jogging stroller of gear will virtually trek with thousands of children and adults worldwide over a 500-mile course through the rugged terrain of Alaska from April 20-May 12.
Paul Staso accomplished a 3,260-mile solo run across the United States in 2006 and a 620-mile solo run across Montana in 2008, virtually trekking with teams of children using his unique approach to promoting youth health and fitness.
Now he is heading as far north as the Arctic Circle and for the first time will virtually bring adults along on his journey.
“The Alaska journey, called P.A.C.E. Trek 2009, is my way of trying to make an impact in the childhood obesity issue and the continuing decline of youth health and fitness,” Staso said. “The journey through Alaska will require me to average 30 miles per day as I encounter some rugged and breathtaking terrain.
“I’ll be virtually traveling with teams of children and adults from around the world as they access my Web sites, www.pacetrek.com and www.stepthere.com, and learn about the locations we’re trekking through via my writings, pictures and media files,” he continued.”
In May, Staso accomplished the inaugural P.A.C.E. Trek by virtually bringing children with him across the state of Montana. Through rain, wind, heat and snow, he persevered across Montana, averaging 31 miles per day for 20 days during the east-to-west run.
There were 108 teams of children – 8,000 plus runners and walkers – globally following along with him and cumulatively those teams logged more than 42,000 miles during the trek.
P.A.C.E. stands for Promoting Active Children Everywhere and that is what Staso aims to achieve through his endeavors.
Staso, a former fifth-grade teacher, has developed an extensive Web site at: www.pacetrek.com so teachers and students from kindergarten through 12th grade can be involved in the trek.
There is no cost to register a P.A.C.E. Trek team and teachers can sign up a team at: pacetrek.com.
For the 2009 endeavor Staso decided that it was time for adults to get involved in the virtual journeys. Therefore, adults can register teams for free via: stepthere.com. Staso, who organizes and funds much of the endurance journeys himself, intends to do the treks annually in different locations as long as his body holds up.
“We’ve set it up so that teachers will have everything needed at the pacetrek.com Web site and it would not take any more than 10 minutes per day for 17 school days. That’s a commitment of less than three hours total,” Staso said.
“Last year we had teams reaching from Germany to Georgia, Malaysia to Maine, Australia to Alaska, Italy to Iowa … and so many places in between,” he continued. “I’m very excited to also offer an opportunity to parents and non-parents to get involved through stepthere.com.”
Once again Staso will push a jogging stroller to carry essential equipment including food, water, GPS, running gear and even a solar panel for charging electronic gadgets. Lodging will be arranged before the journey begins.
Staso is asking all who hear about his latest endeavor, P.A.C.E. Trek 2009, and the adult challenge called S.T.E.P. There, to share the upcoming 2009 Alaska trek with as many people as possible.
Learn more about P.A.C.E. Trek 2009 at: pacetrek.com, and the adult challenge at: stepthere.com. Also experience Staso’s 2006 solo run across America online at: pacerun.com, and his 2008 solo run across Montana at: pacetrek.com/montana.
For more information about his journeys, call Paul Staso at 406-360-9127.