Running, Photography, & Punk Rock Music: Meet Fleet Feet Fox Valley Ambassador Paul Arnold

Meet Paul Arnold, another one of our amazing Ambassadors. He is a runner who is in the middle of a pretty amazing run streak (more on that below!) and a marathoner whose running adventures have even taken him to Japan (more on that below too!) We not only talked to him about his Ambassador involvement, but about his running in general. In following his adventures on Instagram, you will find out he not only enjoys running, but also photography and punk rock music (You can check out his IG story and follow along at paul.v.arnold.) Paul and his wife Deb have three children, Mitch, Zoe and Evan, and two dogs, Koda and Luna.

How long have you been an ambassador for Fleet Feet Fox Valley?
“While I've been a Fleet Feet Fox Valley ambassador since 2015, I think I've been an out-there backer of the brand since I moved to the Fox Valley several years prior to that to take a job in the area. I had heard about the store's sponsored Tuesday night runs in Appleton and decided to check it out. The Tuesday night crew became some of my first friends in the area. It was so much fun and the people so welcoming that I began talking the event and the store up to people that I'd meet.”

What is your favorite part about being an ambassador?
“I really enjoy sharing my story and my knowledge with others, particularly those who are new or newer to running or who are looking to exercise to make a health change in their life. I know what it's like when you are looking for answers or advice on products or even a little motivation. I get a lot of satisfaction being someone that people can turn to for those and other needs.”

When you aren't running, what can we find you doing?
“I enjoy listening to music and attending concerts (I have diverse tastes, but punk rock is my passion); collecting vintage Japanese baseball memorabilia; and searching for oddities at flea markets, thrift stores, and antique malls.”

How long have you been running?
“I used to run recreationally in college in the 1980s, but I got reacquainted with it in my early 40s after acknowledging that my weight and health numbers were trending in the wrong direction. My initial goal was to be able to run a mile. After reaching that, I pushed the goal to 5 kilometers, then 5 miles. I completed my first 10-kilometer event in 2008 at age 43, my first half-marathon in 2009 at age 44, and my first full marathon in 2010 at age 45. Since getting more serious about my health and focused about running in mid-2008, I've lost weight, got my health numbers more in check, and logged almost 16,000 miles.

What is your favorite distance to race?
“I have a love/hate relationship with the marathon. The distance is, for me, the ultimate challenge of physical and mental preparedness, performance, and toughness. It is painfully delicious, based on the holistic toll and rewards that occur over the span of 26.2 miles. I take a lot of pride in finishing 16 marathons in 10 states and 2 countries. After most of them, I've said, "Nope, not doing that again." But a week or so later, I undoubtedly say, "Well, maybe just once more."

What is your most memorable run?
“I won my first 5K race on November 20, 2010. I was visiting the Phoenix, Arizona, area for work and decided to sign up for a Thanksgiving event put on by Arizona State University's polytechnic campus in Mesa. While I was in perhaps the best shape of my life, it was an uncharacteristically cold and rainy day, and the course was a puddly mess. For most of the race, I stayed on the fringe of the lead pack of four runners, including the two-time defending event champion. In the final quarter-mile, I made my move and decided to all-out sprint. I moved into the lead, just behind the pace motorcycle. With the finish line in sight, I fully expected someone to be nipping at my heels. I peeked over my shoulder, and saw that I had a sufficient buffer to close the deal. At the awards ceremony, I think I surprised a few people when they announced, "The winner is from Wisconsin and 45 years old."

What is your most memorable marathon? 
“Hands down, the most memorable marathon that I've participated in was the 2016 ECO INBA Marathon in Inzai-shi, Japan, northeast of Tokyo. It's run by Hajime Nishi, a guy who has run more than 700 marathons around the world, including the Fox Cities Marathon in 2011. The whole purpose of the event is "harmony"--harmony with nature, harmony among humans, harmony with history, harmony within yourself. Throughout the run, you are asked to submerse yourself in this concept through experiences. You complete a foot-washing ceremony, remember your ancestors while passing through a cemetery, ponder your place in the world and the universe outside a temple, sit and watch a woman in traditional garb make you a cup of matcha tea, eat hand-pounded mochi and stop for some sakura-infused water, and try your hand at taiko (Japanese drumming). Hajime takes his event, and the importance of mindfulness, serious. If you finish the course in less than 5 hours, you are disqualified because "you did not use the event for its intended purpose." Hajime's mantra changed my whole approach to running, which is explained in a bit more detail a few questions down. … On a sidenote, ECO INBA was also memorable as a result of who I wound up running with. The event had a couple hundred participants representing countries around the world. There were a handful of Americans. Within the first couple miles, I started running behind a woman and I immediately became intrigued with her hat. The back read "Fox Cities Marathon." I thought, ‘Nah, couldn't be.’ As I pulled up beside her, I asked, ‘Did you happen to run the Fox Cities Marathon in Wisconsin?’ Turns out I was introducing myself to Mary Schumann from Oshkosh. I was 6,200 miles from home and meeting someone who was not just a U.S. citizen, but a person who lived less than 10 miles from my house.”

Tell us a little about the run streak you are in the middle of, consecutive months you have run 100 miles or more?
“I have a couple of different running streaks that keep me motivated and keep me pounding the pavement, day after day. Perhaps the most prominent one is running 100 miles in a month. I've done that 64 months in a row. Keeping that streak alive has been a testament to my health and ability to avoid injuries (knock on wood)--and the willingness of my family to give me the time I need to consistently and persistently exercise.”

Someone reading this may want to start running. What is the best piece of advice you have received when it comes to running that you can pass along?
“My advice stems from my experience with Hajime in Japan, and that is to ‘run with your eyes open.’ You can take that literally. You always need to be alert and safe when you are walking or jogging the streets and roads of the Fox Valley. However, the intent of that advice is to be observant. Don't run with blinders on and be too focused on "the goal"--the Garmin watch time or the PR that you set for yourself. I did that for several years and can admit now that the experience can be pretty unsatisfying--particularly when you don't reach that all-or-nothing time-based goal. If you focus too much on that, you can really miss out on all the beauty and color and magic that's around you. So, I keep my eyes open. If I see something cool while out on the run, I stop, check it out, admire it. It might be a flower, or a bug, or a lawn ornament, a sticker on a lamp post, a bird's nest, or graffiti on the side of a train car. I take out my smartphone and take a picture. Later, I'll play with the photos and share them on Instagram as ‘postcards from the run.’”

Favorite piece of running gear?
“I use several brands of running shoes from Fleet Feet. I'm a big fan of Altra and On Running. But right now, my favorite pair of shoes are my Saucony Kinvara 11s. The pair I wear for my long runs is very comfortable and I love the fit and responsiveness. But what really makes them my favorite shoes is they are kelly green and black, and are adorned with shamrocks … everywhere--on the tongue, on the heel, on the upper, on the overlay, on the sole. They're intentionally a little bizarre. I think they're fun, wild, and a little lucky.”

What are your running plans for 2021?
“Throughout 2021, I hope to continue my string of months with 100 or more miles and finish the year with around 1,500 total miles. I hope to log miles in at least a half-dozen states and complete another marathon somewhere."