Archived Story

Runner Staso cycling back across U.S.
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

After running solo from one side of the nation to the other, Missoula athlete Paul Staso is on the rebound.

The Web designer and spouse of Russell Elementary School health enhancement teacher Vicki Staso started a 3,260-mile bicycle trek Wednesday, reversing the route he successfully jogged last year. The foot attempt took 108 days. Traveling by bike is expected to take about 70 days.

The Stasos turned Paul's travels into a set of year-round lessons for Vicki's students. Her P.E. classes added a “virtual run” where each student's weekly jogging distance was combined to move their class across the country - on a map. Other Russell teachers developed lessons in history, geography, writing and mathematics based on map locations Staso and the students had reached.

Paul Staso's new journey will take him back through the 15 states he jogged through, but this time from Delaware to Oregon instead of the other way around. He intends to cycle 55 miles a day. When possible, he will stop at schools that are using the virtual run program he helped develop. He has also set up a Web site, www.pacetrek.com, to post updates on his position and activities.

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