- In a 17 year period, I've run a marathon, that's 26.2 miles, in all 50 states.

I've bicycled across America and I've paddled the length of the Mississippi River.

My name is Paul Mellor, and this is my take on perseverance.

(bright upbeat music) I've done these feats 'cause I wanted to explore.

My family traveled across the country when I was young, and just the beauty of America and its people, and I've always been an adventurer.

Perseverance comes into play in every aspect of my endeavors.

It's one thing to go out for a run from your back door.

It may be easy to quit.

But when you're out in California or Pikes Peak, Colorado, running a marathon up a mountain, you say to yourself, "I have to go on.

There's no alternative."

One acquires perseverance, you have to have the mentality that you're going to go on, and so many people think about ready, aim, aim, but they don't shoot.

Instead of saying, "On one day I'm gonna do it," you have to say, "On day one," and that's the main thing.

Just take the first day and then get ready for the next day.

It's been said that a marathon is like a mini Mount Everest that comes to a town near you.

When I moved to Richmond, Virginia, I learned that the marathon was coming to town and I wasn't much of a runner, but when I took part in that race, I just put one foot in front of the other.

I was one of the last ones to finish, but my proudest moment was crossing the finish line, and that's what every runner looks back, not so much of the time, but you know what?

I finished this darn thing.

(bright upbeat music) Shortly after running a marathon in Virginia and then Pennsylvania and then Ohio, I thought, "You know what?

There's only 47 states left."

I knew that I would finish them all.

I wasn't sure when, but once you circle a date on the calendar and go out to North Dakota or Texas or Utah, you finish the race and look forward to the other one.

(bright upbeat music) The most difficult aspect of cycling was probably the first couple of weeks in Virginia.

You wouldn't think it, but the mountains in Virginia were more of a strain than the mountains of Colorado because the grade is steeper and very hot and hilly.

(bright upbeat music) The first 300 miles of the Mississippi River resembles a giant question mark, and then it questions itself whether it should go to the left or to the right, which it does for the next 2,000 miles until it enters out into the Gulf.

During that time, from top to bottom, you've encountered wing dams and bog jams and beaver dams and 27 locks and dams and floating debris and flying fish, mud and mayflies, wind and wonder.

The greatest example of perseverance was probably the paddling trip because it was dangerous.

Any second, my world could have been tipped upside down.

(bright upbeat music) (thunder rumbling) I think you have to get scared sometimes in your life.

We can sit in bed thinking, oh, we want to do this, but you just have to go out and do it.

For people who want to get out of their comfort zone and pursue challenging endeavors, do something out of the ordinary and then decide what you want to do and circle a date on the calendar and by golly, do it.

You'll look back and say, "You know what, I'm glad I did that."

And I've met so many wonderful people across this country, have seen so many wonderful places, and I did it because, well, quite frankly, I got off the couch and there's a big world out there when you get off your couch.

My name is Paul Mellor and this has been My Take on perseverance.