I recently took apart my BOB Stroller -- which I used on all of my solo adventure runs across the USA, Germany, Alaska, Montana, and the Mojave Desert -- and stored it permanently in my attic. It is in its special storage bag and will sit in the back of my attic in somewhat of a time capsule that perhaps one day my children will uncover. Since I completed my last adventure run in 2011 (becoming the first person to run 500 miles all alone from the south rim of the Grand Canyon to Badwater Basin, Death Valley), the stroller has generally been assembled with all of its gear in tact. As many of you know, in November 2016 -- at the age of 51 -- I retired from running across states and countries to promote health and fitness. Since that announcement, I have had people who have wanted to get their hands on my support stroller, and they have quickly learned that I am not willing to give up BOB.
As I was taking apart the stroller for the last time, I actually had complete peace. I've had such peace since retiring from extreme ultra-endurance running in 2016. As I was packing away the stroller, my wife came into the garage and smiled... knowing that I am satisfied with what I have accomplished in my running career and am truly happy and content with not only the milepost I am currently at, but also with the mileposts that I can see on life's horizon. I work full time in a law firm; am the father of four wonderful adult children; am experiencing for the first time the joy of being a step dad; and, am blessed to be married to the most amazing woman in the world. Life is indeed good and for the first time in my life I have nothing to run from or to run to. I feel that I have finally arrived at where I've wanted to be.
Those of you who have followed my athletic adventures since 2006 are very familiar with my reliance upon the B.O.B. stroller to help support me as I would run between 30 to 50 miles every day across a state or country. To be completely self sufficient required me to devise a way to carry the essential gear, food and water... and B.O.B. was the answer. Through this blog I've shared many details about how I accomplished the running endeavors I have across vast land masses, and I wouldn't have been able to do any of it alone without the support stroller I modified with a solar panel, lights, water reservoirs, and more.
Thanks to the B.O.B. Company for making my 2005 Ironman Sport Utility Stroller so durable and reliable. B.O.B. and I had quite a run!
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
