Thursday, July 28, 2016

Statistics For My 3,260-mile, 108-day Solo Run Across America

While I was running solo across America in 2006, I kept statistics from that 3,260-mile, 108-day run from Oregon to Delaware.

Here is my coast-to-coast USA run by the numbers! Details below include: mileage, weather, stroller, route, injuries, and other statistics.


______________________MILEAGE SYNOPSIS______________________
  • Total Distance Run: 3,260 Miles (in 108 Running Days)
  • Average Daily Distance: 30 Miles
  • Average Weekly Distance: 210 Miles (8 marathons)
  • Average Monthly Distance: 840 Miles (32 marathons)
  • Estimated Number of Steps Across America: 6,259,200
  • Longest Day: 48 Miles (August 25, 2006 - South Dakota)
  • Shortest Day: 9 Miles (July 9, 2006 - Montana)
  • Longest Week: 251 Miles (week 15 - Indiana/Ohio)
  • Shortest Week: 119 Miles (week 9 - South Dakota)
  • Most Distance in One State: Montana (610 miles)
  • Least Distance in One State: Delaware (40 miles)
  • Average Running Pace: 4¼ Miles Per Hour
  • Average Mile Pace: 14 Minutes
  • Average Daily Marathon Pace: 6 Hours (The average U.S. runner completes a one-time marathon in 4:45:47)
  • Average Number of Hours Each Week Spent Running: 50 Hours Per Week For 16 Consecutive Weeks
  • Total Number of Hours Required To Complete The 3,260-mile Distance Across America: 767 Hours
  • Number of Days Logging Distances Between 35 and 48 Miles: 32 Days (or 30% of the total trek)
  • Most Mileage Covered in a 36 Hour Period: 83 Miles (September 14 - 39 Miles; September 15 - 44 Miles)
  • Number of Days Off the Road for Rest or Due to Bad Weather: 12 Days (8 Days in 1st Half; 4 Days in 2nd Half)
  • Ran 961 Miles [30 Days] Without a Day Off During Final 1/3 of the Run (including Appalachian Mountain Range)
  • It Took 57 Running Days to Complete the First Half of the Trek (1,630 miles at 28½ Miles Per Day)
  • It Took 51 Running Days to Complete the Second Half of the Trek (1,630 miles at 32 Miles Per Day)
  • During The Trek I Became The 1st Person To Ever Run Solo Across The Entirety of Montana (610 Miles) 
  • I Became The 5th Person to Run Coast to Coast (Ocean to Ocean) Across America Solo and Self-supported.

______________________WEATHER DETAILS______________________
  • Hottest Daytime Temperature: 105 Degrees (July 4, 2006 - Washington)
  • Coldest Morning Temperature: 34 Degrees (October 14, 2006 - Virginia)
  • Average Temperature for First Half of the Run (1,630 miles): 95 Degrees
  • Number of Days at 100 Degrees or Higher for First Half of the Run: 9 Days (out of 57 days)
  • Number of Days between 90 and 100 Degrees for First Half of the Run: 30 Days (out of 57 days)
  • Average Temperature for Second Half of the Run (1,630 miles): 71 Degrees
  • Number of Days between 80 and 90 Degrees for Second Half of the Run: 8 Days (out of 51 days)
  • Number of Days between 70 and 80 Degrees for Second Half of the Run: 26 Days (out of 51 days)
  • Overall Average Daily Temperature for the 108 Running Days: 83 Degrees
  • Number of Days Running With Rainfall: 13 Days (out of 108 days)
  • Amount of Rain During The First 56 Days: 35 Minutes (Up To Mobridge, South Dakota at 1,427 Miles)
  • Number of Days Running With Hail: 2 Days
  • Number of Days Running With Severe Lightning: 5 Days
  • Number of Days Running When Tornado Warnings Were Issued: 3 Days
  • Number of Days Running With Forest Fire Smoke: 2 Days
  • Number of Days Running in Fog: 6 Days
  • Strongest Winds Encountered: 40 mph with Gusts up to 50 mph (August 17, 2006 - Selby, South Dakota)
  • Worst Storm Encountered: About 8 Miles West of Bowdle, South Dakota (August 18, 2006)
  • The summer of 2006 was the second hottest summer ever recorded in the United States.

______________________STROLLER DETAILS______________________
  • Stroller Was Donated By: BOB Trailers, Inc. (A 2005 Ironman Sport Utility Stroller)
  • Stroller Weight Empty: 20½ Pounds
  • Stroller Weight Full: 80 pounds
  • Main Contents of Stroller: Tent; Sleeping Bag; Clothes/Shoes; Food; Water; Personal Necessities.
  • Technical Equipment: GPS; Solar Panel; Satellite and Cell Phones; Weather Band Radio; Mini Laptop; Small CD Burner.
  • Photographic Equipment: Digital Camera With Video Capability; Small Tripod; CD-R Disks.
  • Maximum Amount of Water Carried on Stroller: 2 Gallons (16 Pounds)
  • Water Containers: Two 100-ounce CamelBaks With Thermal Control Kits, Plus Hand-held Containers.
  • The Same Stroller Was Used Throughout The Trek Across America.
  • The Stroller's Nickname Was "BOB" - Short for "Beast of Burden"
  • I Ran Every Step of the Trek Across America Pushing "BOB".
  • There Were a Total of 8 Flat Tires.
  • New Tires Were Installed About Every 800 Miles.
  • One Broken Parking Brake Cable (After 2,000 Miles)
  • The Bright Yellow Material of the Stroller Made it Easy to See on the Edge of the Road.
  • There Were 7 Times When I and "BOB" had to Jump into a Ditch to Avoid Being Hit by a Drifting Car.
  • Ironman Stroller Specifications:
-- Frame: High Strength Aluminum Alloy
-- Seat: 15" wide x 21"high x 10" deep
-- Capacity: 70 pounds
-- Tires: 16 x 1.5" (Slick)
-- Rims: Aluminum Alloy, 20 hole
-- Spokes: Stainless Steel
-- Hub: Quick release, Aluminum axle with sealed cartridge bearings
-- Brake: Caliper type (includes parking brake feature on brake lever)
-- Suspension: Adjustable shock absorbers, coil spring with elastomer core
-- Accessories: Weather Shield Made of PVC-coated Nylon; Handlebar Console.
-- Storage: 2 small interior pockets; 1 seat back pocket; large Cargo Basket underneath.
-- Key Features: Lightest of BOB strollers. Adjustable wheel tracking. Fast, compact and simple folding system; shock absorber suspension system.

______________________ROUTE DETAILS______________________
  •   Number of Days and Mileage Run in Each State:
  • Most Difficult States: Iowa (Lots of Hills, Gravel Shoulders); West Virginia (No Shoulder, Steep Mountains)
  • Easiest State: Delaware (Flat Terrain, Good Shoulders on Road, Narrow State)
  • Longest State: Montana (610 Miles Across)
  • Shortest State: Delaware (40 Miles Across)
  • Hottest Multi-Day Period - Daytime Highs: Montana (July 23 - 27) - Temps were 102, 100, 90, 100.
  • Coldest Multi-Day Period - Daytime Highs: Iowa (September 10 - 12) - Temps were 57, 56, 58.
  • Most Dangerous Road: 150 Miles of Highway 12 in Idaho (Logging Trucks, Blind Corners, No Shoulder)
  • Safest Road: Highway 12 in South Dakota (Little Traffic, Decent Asphalt, Miles of Visibility)
  • State With The Most Wind: South Dakota
  • State With The Most Rain: It's A Tie Between Minnesota and Iowa
  • The Route of P.A.C.E. Run 2006 was the Most Northerly Taken by a U.S. Trans-continental Runner.
  • This was the First Run Across America to Finish on the Coast of Delaware.
  • The Route Consisted of 15 States and Avoided Major Cities -- Primarily for Safety Reasons.
  • Main Geographic Points: Northern Rocky Mountains; Northern Great Plains; Mid-West; Appalachian Mountains.
  • Much of the Route from Washington State to the Minnesota Border had Many Barren and Desolate Areas.
  • The Highest Elevation Encountered was the Continental Divide in Montana (6,325 feet).
  • As the 2nd Hottest Summer on Record, Some Cattle on the Route were Dying and Crops Deteriorating.
  • During the Heat of the Summer Months (July-August), the Pavement Surface was Often 130+ Degrees.
  • Water Resources Along the Road were Generally Non-existent in E. Washington, E. Montana, & Dakotas.
  • The Route Across America was Primarily Selected by my 10-year-old Daughter, Ashlin (during September 2005).

______________________INJURY DETAILS______________________
  • Numerous Blisters and Some Loss of Toenails.
  • One Visit to a Doctor on July 1 to Receive Confirmation of Tendonitis in Right Foot.
  • Tendonitis in Top of Right Foot (June 28 - July 7) - Resolved by Consistent Direct Icing.
  • Tendonitis in Front of Lower Right Leg - Tibialis Anterior (July 29 - August 5) - Resolved by Slush Buckets.
  • Some Bruising to Bottom of Feet due to Running on Gravel Shoulders of Iowa (September 8 - 17)
  • Some Cuts/Scrapes from Pushing "BOB" Through Weeds on Road's Edge When No Shoulder Available.
  • A Few Moments of Being Hit by Small Rocks Shot From Car Tires, and Wood Pieces From Logging Trucks.
  • Occasional Soreness to Back, Shoulders and Arms From Navigating "BOB" Along the Route.
  • Some General Leg Muscle Soreness and Overall Fatigue that comes with Such Endeavors.
  • Some Hand Cramping and Calluses from Having to Grip the Stroller Handlebar Every Day.
  • Daily Treatments Included Self Massage, Ice Massage/Baths, Stretching, Supplement Intake.

______________________OTHER STATISTICS______________________
  • I Was 41 Years Old When I Ran Across America.
  • I First Got The Idea To Run Across America In 1984 When I Was 19 Years Old.
  • I Ran With 1,368 Songs On My iPod - All of Which I Listened to During The Run.
  • On a 40+ Mile Day in 90+ Degree Heat, Approximately 2½ Gallons of Water/Electrolytes Were Consumed.
  • Food Was Consumed Throughout the Day to Help Combat the Average of 5,000+ Calories Burned Daily.
  • Approximately 500,000 Calories Were Burned During The 108 Running Days.
  • In Some Locations, Store-bought Water was Used due to Poor Water Quality in Certain Small Towns.
  • I Averaged About 17 Miles Per Gallon of Water During My Summer Run -- Not Bad 'Gas' Mileage!
  • There Were 12 Days Taken Off The Road Here And There For Rest or Extremely Poor Weather Conditions.
  • I Lost Approximately 12 Pounds While on the Journey.
  • I was the First Montanan to Run Across the United States.
  • No Illness Was Ever Experienced During the Course of the Run.
  • The Average Amount of Sleep Per Night was 7 Hours.
  • I Saw Family Members Only One Day During My 120 Days Away From Montana (Aug. 21 in Aberdeen, SD).
  • I Did Approximately 60 Media Interviews While on the Roads of America -- and I Didn't Seek Out Any Interviews.
  • I Estimate That I Could Have Completed The Run In 72 Days (45 miles per day) With a Support Crew.
  • Most Times My Hat Blew Off In One Day From A Passing Semi-Truck: 3 Times (Idaho).
  • Most Times I Had to Stop in One Day to Empty Stones Out of My Shoes: 41 Times (Idaho).
  • Worst Sunburns: Left Shoulder and Top of Right Ear (in Oregon).
  • Worst Taste: Grasshopper That Flew Into My Mouth on the Roadside When Talking to My Mom via Cell Phone.
  • Moment of Feeling Overwhelmed and Wanting to Quit: August 14, 2006 -- In a Desolate Part of South Dakota.
  • Number of Times I Was Stopped by a Police Officer Wanting to Know What I Was Doing: 6 Times.
  • Most Disgusting Incident: Two Auto Passengers Pulled Up and Spit Chewing Tobacco All Over Me.
  • Most Sticky Incident: Auto Passenger Emptied a Cup of Coke and Ice on My Head/Chest While Driving By at 60 MPH.
  • Most Commonly Heard Negative Comment: "You're Crazy!"
  • Most Unique Comment: "You've Got The Brain of a Scarecrow!" (Elderly North Dakota Man During a Hard Rain Storm)
  • Deliberate Attempts to Run Me Off The Road: 3 Times (once by a motorcyclist)
  • Attempted Theft: In Winchester, Virginia a Man Tried to Steal My Satellite Phone, Which I Retrieved.
  • Number of Dogs That Wanted My Leg for Lunch: Approximately 20.
  • Worst State for Loose Dogs: West Virginia.
  • Number of Times I Had to Use My Pepper Spray: Zero!
  • Number of Snakes That Crossed My Path: Minimum of 10.
  • Number of Roadside Crosses I Saw From Accident Scenes: Sadly, Too Many to Keep Track.
  • One Hallucination: August 2nd, 40 mile day, 90º, Flat Barren Land -- I Thought I Saw A Grove of Trees.
  • Special Highlight: Seeing Family For One Day Near The Halfway Point (The Only Time)
  • Milestones: 1,000 Miles (August 3); 2,000 Miles (September 9); 3,000 Miles (October 11).
  • Most Media Attention: Rochester, Minnesota.
  • First Autograph Given: August 11, 2006 (To a Waitress in a Diner in Bowman, North Dakota)
  • Number of Times I Was Compared to "Forrest Gump": Too Many to Count.
  • Most Commonly Asked Question: How Many Pairs of Shoes Does it Take to Run Across America? (For Me, Six Pairs)
  • Most Commonly Served Meal From Hosts: Lasagna.
  • Biggest Daytime Food Craving: Ice Cream.
  • Number of Massages Received While Running Across America: None.
  • Most Number of Online Guestbook Entries Made by One Person: 25 (Amanda Freese - Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  • 'Unique' Foods Offered to Me at Roadside: Empty Hamburger Buns; A Whole 10+ Pound Watermelon.
  • Total Amount of Cash Given to Me by Various People at Roadside Across America: Approximately $600.00.
  • Special Donation of Money at Roadside: An Elderly Woman Who Gave $1.00 of Her Bingo Money.
  • Most Special Handmade Gift: Watercolor Painting From 4-Year-Old Anna Who Lives In Minnesota.
  • Most Special Non-Handmade Gift: A Bear Claw from an Indian Named Gray Wolf in Lenore, Idaho.
  • Most M&Ms Given as a Gift: 5 Pounds.
  • Hardest Surface Slept On: Picnic Table.
  • Softest Surface Slept On: A Bed That Must Have Been A Hammock In A Former Life!
  • A Supposed "Haunted House" That I Slept In One Evening: In Montana.
  • Number of Times I Used My Tent: Zero!
  • Number of Times I Used My Sleeping Bag: 3 Times.
  • Percentage of Evenings in Residences: 38%
  • Percentage of Evenings in Motor Homes: 3%
  • Percentage of Evenings in Camps: 2%
  • Percentage of Evenings in Hotels, Motels, Bed-and-Breakfasts, or Bunk Houses: 57%
  • Number of Road Kill Seen Along The Way: Stopped Counting at 100... But Much More Than That.
  • Worst Smelling Road Kill: A Skunk's Remains (Baking In 100 Degree Heat) That Was Run Over By Many Cars.
  • Saddest Road Kill Seen: A Baby Deer.
  • Most Unique Item Seen Along The Road's Edge: False Teeth.
  • Most Common Litter Seen: Beer Cans and Bottles.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

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