Paul Seibert doesn’t let a minor ailment such as kidney stones get in the way of his daily running.
The 52-year-old Fort Mitchell resident has a running streak that is nearing 500 days — which he will hit Sunday when he paces the Heart Mini Marathon downtown. Officially — yes, there are rules about these things — that means that he’s run at least a mile for the last 496 days (as of today, March 11).
Those who keep track of such things — yep, there is an official group, the United States Running Streak Association — give Seibert the 471st longest running streak in the country, He’s the only person from Northern Kentucky — indeed, all of Kentucky — or Cincinnati on the list, which you get on after maintaining a streak for at least 365 days. (The top guy on the list, by the way, Jon Sutherland of West Hills, Calif., started his streak in 1969.)
Paul’s streak started because of a dare from a running friend.
“I challenge the jerk to one small two-month span of running, and he goes and runs for a year plus,” said Em Freman of Fort Thomas, who runs with Paul in the Pain By Numbers group. Then, turning serious, she added: “I couldn’t be more proud of my running buddy.”
Em said she likes to challenge people to do a holiday streak — starting in November, and running every day to New Year’s Day
“I post (it) each year to get running friends motivated to run through the holidays and help non-running friends get started and build a habit,” she said. “Paul didn’t do so good the first year of it (in 2012, when he admittedly missed a few days). But the next year? Dude just never stopped.”
Eric Kavalauskas of Edgewood, who has run with Paul many times while training for his first ultra-marathon, said such a streak is “quite an amazing accomplishment when you consider all the little things in life that can get in the way of a run.”
This streak started in November 2013, Paul said.
“My worst day was when I had a kidney stone about five months in, and I thought my streak was over,” he said. “I even posted on Facebook that I thought my streak was dead. I felt a little better later that day and was able to run a mile without too much pain.”
Other than that, he said, the streak is motivating and fun, and not as time-consuming as one might think.
“I keep it up because I committed early on to continue as long a I could,” Paul said. “I still have fun with it. It is also a way for me to keep healthy. It is never a question for me whether I will run on a particular day; the only question is where will I run and how far will I go.
“I still have ‘rest days’ where I run only one mile and at an easy pace. It doesn’t become a burden. I try to get my run in early (so) I don’t need to be concerned about it later in the day. On days that I really don’t have time for it, I just do the minimum. It only takes 10 minutes out of my day.”
But don’t let him fool you. He’s not out and back like that every day. He keeps track of his mileage, and at last count, on Day 493, he had run a total of 2,692 miles, an average of 5.46 miles a day.
His runs aren’t mere strolls down the block, either. He regularly posts about his speed intervals and hill repeats. He was the 2014 overall winner in the Runners’ Club of Greater Cincinnati Grand Prix — which he insists is only because he shows up and runs a lot of races. But he is fast. He routinely places in his age group in races of varying distances. He runs at an 8-minute per mile pace. In his last race, the Bockfest 5K, he ran a sub-25-minute 5K.
Melanie Owen of Cincinnati remembers the time she and Paul drove to Rome, Georgia, to run a half-marathon.
“Even after the race was canceled due a severe storm washing away part of the course, he still wanted to run 13.1 miles,” she said. “The guy is a running machine with a purpose.”
He’s already inspired a competitor. Sara Gage Danks of Cincinnati has surpassed 130 days on her streak.
“Paul has been my inspiration and motivation to keep at it,” she said. “He inspired me to complete my first marathon, then with the help of him and PBN, to continue running through pregnancy, then start back up to start a streak and keep me out there.”
Paul’s friends are truly in awe about his streak.
Adam Sherk, a Michigan native, moved to Cincinnati about a year ago, and soon found the Pain By Numbers group to run with.
“Paul has welcomed me into the Cincinnati running community,” Adam said. “Paul is a true friend and his kindness extends to everyone — this much I know through observation.”
Adam said it’s hard for him to fathom what it takes to continue such a streak. “Consider the level of dedication it takes to be a runner — and one who has a daily streak that remains intact and soon will surpass 500 days. I urge everyone to congratulate Paul on his accomplishment — one of perseverance.
Charles Ray Bell used the same glowing terms.
“Paul’s running streak is true dedication and perseverance,” Charles said. “Paul is truly a class act. (We) have had so much fun while running — and not running.”
Paul Long writes weekly for the NKyTribune about running and runners. For his daily running stories, follow him at dailymile.com or on Twitter @Pogue57