Biography
Hour Record Flyers
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OVERVIEW OF SOLON AND HIS SPORTING LIFE Paul grew up with three older brothers, and with them he began playing baseball at age one and one half years, trying to keep up. A few years later, as a young boy, he was a city champion in basketball (as a guard, with his father as the coach), city runnerup in Pop Warner football (as a halfback, with his brother as the quarterback), city runnerup in Little League baseball (as a pitcher, with his brother as the catcher), state champion in AAU track (100 meters, long jump, and mile), state champion in tennis, state champion in Pass, Punt & Kick (American football competition), and city champion in singles table tennis and in doubles table tennis (with his brother). A few years later, in high school, he was All-State in football (as quarterback), in basketball (as guard), and in baseball (as pitcher), co-captain of teams he played on, and co-winner of the Most Valuable Athlete award. A few years later, in college, he was All-Conference in football, Most Inspirational in basketball, and a principal dancer in ballet and modern dance performances. Paul received his B.A. degree from Claremont McKenna College (with Highest Honors) and law degrees from the Universities of Virginia in Charlottesville and California at Berkeley. After law school, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in San Francisco, California, USA. As a lawyer, and missing sports, he decided to train for the longest bicycle race in the world, the transcontinental race across the United States, called RAAM. In 1987, to qualify for RAAM, he entered the first bicycle race of his life, the non-stop 894 kilometer/552 mile John Marino Open. He won. In 1989, he entered RAAM. He won again. In that race, he also set a new world record for racing across the United States. On a total of 14 hours of sleep, Solon, despite a neck injury which cost him 24 hours of time off the bike for medical treatments, raced from Los Angeles to New York (4860 kilometers/3000 miles) in a time of 8 days, 8 hours. Solon went on to set world records on the track for 24 hours, for 12 hours, and for 100 miles. In Aug.-Nov. of 2010, he set the 6500k world record Across Europe (Cape North-Palermo), the 1800k national record Across Italy (Brennero-Catania), the 1000k national record Giro of Sicily (start and finish Catania), and the 300k national record Across Italy (Tyhrrenian Sea-Adriatic Sea). Solon trains 40 hours or more a week. The training is geared solely for the hour record. Weight lifting, swimming pool exercises, stretching, yoga, chiropractic care, acupuncture, leisure days without work, a healthy diet, and sleep are all part of the regimen. Paul's natural physical attributes, work ethic, and spirit make up the mix for more success at setting the one hour track world record, currently held by Chris Boardman, the United Kingdom's former world champion in pursuit.
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Méx-USA-Can USA 48 Capitals Race across America Rome to MeccaPaul Solon - Copyright 2010
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