Blogs - Pave Your Lane

I HAVE RUN ACROSS AMERICA!!!! December 29 - Day 276, 8.7 miles, the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, CA!!!

I am crying. My bare feet are in the Pacific Ocean and I am crying, alone, staring out into the endless terraces of waves. I hear seagulls and I see the sun’s rays, yet everyone that just cheered me on for the last mile all of a sudden disappeared. All the beaming proud faces were gone and nothing was visceral to me anymore. Their voices, the patterings of their feet, and their presence all disappeared. It was me and the ocean. It was all intrinsic. It was all my own. It was me and the accomplis… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 31, 2009 at 1:30pm — 8 Comments

Is THAT the ocean?!?!? December 26 - Day 274, 18.0 miles, Ramona, CA

Am I supposed to be freakin' out right now? Should 33.2 more miles to go be making me cry? Should I be waking up these last few mornings with a sense of accomplishment and pride? Should I be tearing up during my last days? With my run about to end on Tuesday, I have all these thoughts like this - what is this SUPPOSED to be like? Then...I stop in my thoughts and tell myself, "this is not SUPPOSED to be anything...it will JUST BE what it is." My run is against all the "supposed to-s." My run is… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 27, 2009 at 9:49am — 3 Comments

We’ve been post-it noted!!!!! December 20 - Day 267, 17.2 miles, west of Westmorland, CA

I am in love with the Brawley, CA High School boys and girls Cross Country Teams!!! True love:-) I was able to spend such wonderful time with the girls and some boys last night as we watched “The Long Green Line,” a documentary about the York High School XC coach, Joe Newton (we competed against York in IL in high school!!). It was a special experience to watch this movie, a movie that’s message is, “running is like life...and it gives you life,” with a high school team that reminded me of my ow… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 21, 2009 at 6:30pm — 1 Comment

Amusement and Random Stories - December 18, Day 265, 17.4 miles, Holtville, CA

11 days till the Pacific Ocean!!! I amused myself this morning in a way I never thought would be so funny. Yes, when you are out on the road for double the amount of time it takes to run, you GOTTA find ways to pass the time! HAHA. Here's my story. You know the ladies who powerwalk by swinging their arms to power each step? I mean, super arm swing action. HUGE PENDULUM ARM SWINGS. Ok, you have the picture in your head now? I set off on my walk this morning, still wishing I could run, but, "heck… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 18, 2009 at 11:23pm — 2 Comments

From the Driver's Seat...December 17, Day 264, 17.7 miles, Holtville, CA

Hi everyone! Jenny here. I'm Katie's driver for this leg of the journey, from Kansas to San Diego. I thought I'd answer some of the frequently asked questions about being a driver for Katie. Feel free to post other questions if you have them! Q: You must read a lot in the van, huh? A: Yep! I've gone through 18 books over the last 3.5 months, some a lot better than others. In each town we stop in, we swing by the local library to take, trade, or buy used books. Other times, our hosts unload re… Continue

Added by Jenny Sadler on December 17, 2009 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

A change of pace - December 12, Day 259, 18.3 miles, Wellton, AZ

When the going gets tough, find your inner strength. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone. When you fall off the horse, get back on with a smile. They are all hackneyed sayings yet they ring deep and true when they happen to you. I have found my inner strength. I have rediscovered my passion and love of running. I have gotten back on the road after it hurt me. All this has happened over the past 6 days when I have not been able to run. I am walking. Someone who is running across the c… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 13, 2009 at 7:30pm — 8 Comments

Stress Testing! December 2 - Day 249, 16.8 miles, Phoenix, AZ

Ever heard of a VO2 Max Test? It's a test that measures the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual (taken from Wikipedia). Many athletes do this test. Welp, Jenny and I did one today at Arizona State University!!! HOLY COW this thing was hard. We walk in to the testing room on campus to meet Sid, a grad student who would be performing our tests. We asked, "so, what exactly did… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on December 8, 2009 at 10:14am — 6 Comments

Running DOWN a dream (and a mountain) - November 18 - Day 235, 18.9 miles, Kohls Ranch, AZ

Ran with my favorite AZ runners again today - John and Larry from Overgaard, AZ!!!!!! John made another one of his videos, haha. Gives you a quick look at some of the scenery and views we had coming down the Mogollon Rim. Basically, all 18.9 miles of my run today was downhill, most at a 6% grade!!!! Worked the quads, baby!

At points during our run, John and I turned to each other and said, "wait, where's Larry!??!?" We turned around, and I hear John jokingly yell out to Larry… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on November 18, 2009 at 10:30pm — 2 Comments

Overgaard, AZ is the best place in the world - November 16, Day 233, 17.3 miles, Overgaard, AZ

John and Larry are the only two runners in the entire town of Overgaard, AZ, and I happened to RUN INTO THEM, literally, yesterday morning on my run. They were being trailed by their respective wives on bikes, Diane and Vicki, who are both spunky and very sweet. OK, to cut a REALLY long, amazing story short (sorry), I picked them up, or they picked me up, we ran for the next 5 miles together, then John and Diane came to find Jenny and I later that afternoon as we were eating our free hot lunches… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on November 16, 2009 at 11:44pm — 1 Comment

Just plain funny - November 14 - Day 231, 9.8 miles, Overgaard, AZ

What was funny about today? I will tell you exactly why I was laughing out loud to myself like a crazy person during my run. I was laughing because it was 40 degrees, cloudy, raining...and THEN IT HAILED...and I was running. HAHAHA! I was running, in that!!!!! IN HAIL! Let me tell you, today was the first time that I have run in hail on this trip. Day 1 out of 231 days. That is bogus. I just get a real kick out of this. I ask myself why. Because it is insane to run in the hail? Yes. Yes, it is.… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on November 14, 2009 at 7:30pm — 2 Comments

Runnin' :-) - October 31st - Day 217, 15.2 miles, Magdalena, NM

Oh, and to give you a hoot, how could I pass up the opportunity to be FORREST GUMP for Halloween? Yep, beard and all. Ran first 7 miles in total costume, and got the most amazing looks from driver-bys that made me laugh out loud for miles. One older cowboy dude just shines me a huge fat smile as he drove by. Gave that dude a chuckle, eh? HAHAHAHAHAHA! One of the most unique experiences of my life. You gotta milk that goat for what it's worth, right? AND, to make it even better, Jenny was Charle… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on November 7, 2009 at 10:18pm — 3 Comments

Who thought this would be hard? November 2 - Day 219, 16.9 miles, Datil, NM

This is hard. Running across the country is hard. It’s been 7 months on the road. I’ve run equivalent to 94 marathons. I’m sometimes tired, but I’ve been humbled. Mountain ranges that stand in front of my path, standing as strong as a warrior standing akimbo, have tested my metal capacity to think positive. There is no way around the mountains. There is no way to dig a hole under them and excavate my way through. The only way is to go over these warriors that stand to test my limits. Pic of me… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on November 5, 2009 at 7:01pm — 6 Comments

This is what I do - October 4th continued...

Here is a segment filmed by a reporter dude who broadcasted it online on the Quay County Sun website. It's video taken of me peppin' up the Tucumcari, NM High School Cross Country Teams and of us running together. When teams come out to run with me, I always do a pre-run pow-wow to talk about following dreams, etc. YAY!!!!! Beautiful day:-) click here for link to video! Love, kt Continue

Added by Katie Visco on October 6, 2009 at 7:30pm — 1 Comment

Let’s Give ‘em Hope - October 4th, Day 190, 17.6 miles, Tucumcari, NM

Tucumcari, NM is a colorful place. With Historic Highway 66 running through the town, the main street comes alive with retro motels, murals of 66 and New Mexican history, touristy restaurants whose signs try to reach taller and taller than the next one, motorcyclists traveling in groups, vagabond-looking weathered men carrying bags, and funky turquoise and red-painted trucks parked in front of equally as funky buildings. To top it off, the town is even situated at the base of the towering “Tucum… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on October 4, 2009 at 11:30pm — 1 Comment

Katie on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show! - September 16, Day 172, 18.1 miles, Hayne, KS

I was on the Ellen DeGeneres Show today! Watch both parts of the show below!! Part 1:

(YouTube link to part 1 here) Part 2:… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on September 21, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Running with a Pancake - September 15, Day 171, 18.4 miles, Collano, KS

Today was the day I had been waiting for...for months!!! Today was the day that I got to run with a pancake, yes, a real pancake, through the town of Liberal, KS. Liberal, KS is the last town before Oklahoma and it is known for 1) the annual pancake day race, 2) Dorothy's house (the real one used in the movie), 3) kind and caring people, and 4) its yummyyy pancakes...that you not only run with but also eat!!!! So, this video will give you an idea of how Liberal was a total climax for my journey… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on September 17, 2009 at 4:00pm — 4 Comments

What Land May Hold - September 11, Day 167, 17.3 miles, Dodge City, KS

A old man’s story came full circle for me today. Jenny and I were driven out to the farmlands of Dodge City, Kansas, in the evening when the sunset was melting in the sky...as if someone’s hand was smudging the sun across the clouds...almost like a child’s finger painting. Even though the journey to get there was impossibly beautiful, there was a deliberate destination for this drive. We were headed to the land that once stood a beautiful, strong red barn, and that now holds the ghost-like prese… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on September 13, 2009 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Humbled - September 6 - Day 162, 17.7 miles, Pawnee Rock, KS

For the last two nights, Jenny (my friend who is my new driver for the next two months!) and I have stayed with Buzz and ClifAnn Birney, a couple who lives in Ellinwood, KS with their 21 month old son, Joshua. ClifAnn, from Trinidad, is one of the most beautifully-spirited human beings I have ever met in my life, and Buzz, well, what can I say, is truly committed to living as not a good, but extraordinary Christian. The two met on a mission trip and were married four years ago. Their unmasked de… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on September 7, 2009 at 2:02pm — 2 Comments

Traveling with all sorts of friends (August 18 - Day 143, 17.1 miles, Hoyt, KS)

People on animals and various methods of transportation have joined me on the trip. It's crazy! Two women in Kansas hopped out of a driveway about 3 miles into my run this morning and started running with me, without me even knowing ahead of time! One of the women, Trisha, heard about my run on the news and said to herself, "I can't let the opportunity pass to go run with this girl!" So, she got her friend, Candi, out of bed and up and out running! Neither of these amazing women are runners, but… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on August 23, 2009 at 3:41pm — 3 Comments

KANSAS!!!! August 15 - Day 140, 17.8 miles, Atchison, KS

I'm finally here! Might sound corny and unreal, but I have been waiting to cross into Kansas since day one. Why? I am determined to find the excitement in Kansas, to prove everyone wrong who believes the state is just a bunch of gray, boring fields of wheat. Even Dorothy thought her home of Liberal, KS was not dreamy, but this place IS dreamy, you just have to look at it that way;-) The morning of my foot trek into Kansas:

Kate and Hannah, from Atchison, met up with me for t… Continue

Added by Katie Visco on August 17, 2009 at 4:12pm — 6 Comments

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