Robin Arzon

{{short description|American exercise instructor and author (born 1981)|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox person | name = Robin Arzón | image =  | alt =  | caption = | birth_name = Robin Amelia Arzón | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|09|20}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = VP of Fitness Programming at Peloton<br/>Runner<br/>Author<br />Fitness instructor | years_active = 2012-present | known_for = | notable_works = ''Shut Up and Run'' (2015) | spouse = Drew Butler | children = 2 }}

'''Robin Amelia Arzón''' (born September 20, 1981) is an American exercise instructor and author, best known as an instructor at Peloton, for which she is also the Vice President of Fitness Programming.

== Early life and education == Arzón was born in Philadelphia to a Cuban refugee mother and a Puerto Rican father. Her mother is a doctor who taught herself English by watching PBS. Her father is an attorney and former law professor.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=How Robin Arzon, a former non-athlete, became the face of fitness for cycling superpower Peloton|url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/life-style/article/26808750/how-robin-arzon-former-non-athlete-became-face-fitness-cycling-superpower-peloton|date=2019-05-23|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Introducing Robin Arzon - An Ultra Marathon 'BridgeRunner' Running 130 Miles In Five Days For MS Run The US|url=https://thiswomansword.com/inspirational-interviews/introducing-robin-arzon-an-ultra-marathon-bridgerunner-running-130-miles-in-five-days-for-ms-run-the-us.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220062632/http://thiswomansword.com/inspirational-interviews/introducing-robin-arzon-an-ultra-marathon-bridgerunner-running-130-miles-in-five-days-for-ms-run-the-us.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 20, 2014|date=2013-05-22|website=This Womans Word|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> As a child, she was encouraged to focus on education and family. Athletics were never part of her life growing up.<ref name=":0" />

Arzón attended New York University, where she graduated magna cum laude.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABOUT |url=https://www.robinarzon.com/about |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=RobinNYC |language=en-US}}</ref> Afterwards, she went on to attend Villanova University School of Law.

== Career == === Law career === Arzón graduated from Villanova University School of Law in 2007 and spent seven years as a corporate litigator at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Attorney Search - Captcha|url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorney/AttorneyDetails?attorneyId=VbN4LmNDSzfT67R39jySXw==|website=iapps.courts.state.ny.us|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref> She was inspired and encouraged by her father, also an attorney, to pursue a career in law.<ref name=":0" />

=== Beginning of fitness journey === In the summer of 2002, while an undergrad, Arzón was taken hostage with 40 others in a wine bar in Manhattan's East Village.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Al |title=Man Shoots 3 In Rampage In East Village |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/17/nyregion/man-shoots-3-in-rampage-in-east-village.html |website=The New York Times |date=17 June 2002 |access-date=26 September 2023}}</ref> "A man, armed with three pistols and a samurai sword, shot three people, doused the group with kerosene and threatened them with a barbecue lighter. He grabbed Arzón by the hair and held the gun and lighter to her head while using her as a human shield to communicate with police. Two patrons eventually tackled the man, giving police the opportunity to enter the bar and subdue him."<ref name=":0" />

This trauma inspired Arzón to begin running for the first time in her life. A year later, in 2003, she saw a flyer for a 10K race at a bank on a Friday afternoon and spontaneously decided to join the run the following morning.<ref name=":0" /> This 10K would be Arzón's very first race and first athletic endeavor of her life.<ref name=":0" /> She said of the whim, "I had no idea how far the 10km distance was in miles." After the race, she began running 2–3 miles at a time in between her law school classes.<ref name=":1" />

She has since run over 50 races, including 25 marathons, three 50-mile ultramarathons, and one 100-mile race.<ref name=":0" /> She ran her first marathon, the New York City Marathon, in 2010.<ref name="Lindberg">{{Cite web|title=Surviving a Near-Death Experience Motivated This Woman to Start Running|url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a24851187/robin-arzon-running-transformation/|last=Lindberg|first=Sara|date=2018-11-12|website=Runner's World|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-19}}</ref> She once ran five marathons in five days for MS Run the US in honor of her mother, documented in the documentary ''Run It Out''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Film|url=http://www.runitout.co.uk/about/|website=Run It Out|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref> She completed her first 100-mile race at the Keys100 - a race that begins in Key Largo and ends in Key West, Florida - in less than 30 hours in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|last=LoRé|first=Michael|title=Robin Arzon's Journey from Lawyer to Marathon Runner & Fitness Guru|work=Culture Trip|url=https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/articles/from-lawyer-to-marathon-runner-fitness-guru/|access-date=2018-03-19|archive-date=2018-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315003707/https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/articles/from-lawyer-to-marathon-runner-fitness-guru/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Transition to health and fitness career === In 2012, Arzón began a career in health and fitness after leaving her job at the law firm. She began this time as a freelance sports reporter, writing for publications like ''Newsweek'' and ''New York Magazine''. She did sports reporting from the London Olympics in 2012.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title="Shut Up and Run" - Robin Arzon (The VH Interview)|url=https://vulturehound.co.uk/2016/06/shut-up-and-run-robin-arzon-the-vh-interview/|date=2016-06-07|website=VultureHound Magazine|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-19|archive-date=2022-05-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524032633/https://vulturehound.co.uk/2016/06/shut-up-and-run-robin-arzon-the-vh-interview/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Arzón wanted to be closer to the athletics and wanted to show others that there is an alternative way to be an athlete.<ref name=":2" /> She reached out to John Foley, CEO of Peloton, and in 2014 she joined Peloton in New York City as an instructor.<ref name="Lindberg"/>

In 2013, Arzón co-founded the fitness movement Undo Ordinary and ''Undo'' magazine<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://esymai.com/UNDO-Ordinary-Magazine|title=UNDO-Ordinary Magazine - Sophia Chang Design & Illustration|website=esymai.com|access-date=2018-03-19|archive-date=2018-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823065933/http://esymai.com/UNDO-Ordinary-Magazine|url-status=dead}}</ref> in 2013.

In 2016, she was promoted to Vice President of Fitness and Programming of Peloton.<ref>{{Citation|title=How Getting Held at Gunpoint Inspired Robin Arzón to Quit Her Law Job and Become a Trainer|work=Shape |url=https://www.shape.com/celebrities/star-trainers/peloton-trainer-robin-arzon-near-death-experience|accessdate=2018-03-19}}</ref>

She was one of 20 elite Americans to trek the Serengeti in National Geographic Channel's "MYGRATIONS" in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2016-06-07|title=Shut Up and Run|language=en-GB|work=Vulture Hound + SteelChair Magazine - Music, Film, TV + Wrestling|url=http://vulturehound.co.uk/2016/06/shut-up-and-run-robin-arzon-the-vh-interview/|access-date=2018-03-19|archive-date=2018-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324002622/http://vulturehound.co.uk/2016/06/shut-up-and-run-robin-arzon-the-vh-interview/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series, which aired in 2016, showed 20 people trekking the journey of the annual wildebeest migration that happens every spring from the Serengeti Plains to Maasai Mara in Kenya. The cast members, who were formed of survivalists and athletes, were given no maps or weapons and carried only food and water.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mygrations: Watch a human herd of 20 people try to outrun lions|url=https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2016/01/mygrations-national-geographic/|date=2016-01-06|website=reality blurred|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-19}}</ref>

Arzón is a global Adidas ambassador. She starred in their Here to Create campaign commercial in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2017-11-05|title=Adidas AF|language=en|work=Office Magazine|url=http://officemagazine.net/adidas-af|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref> She is also a Road Runners Club of America-certified running coach.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How I became Peloton's VP of Fitness Programming: Robin Arzon|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/02/18/how-robin-arzon-transformed-lawyer-peloton-instructor/4760395002/|last=Hutcheson|first=Susannah|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

== Personal life == Arzón was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2014 and is currently on the Leadership Council of Beyond Type One,<ref>{{Citation|last=Beyond Type 1|title=Robin Arzon's T1D Diagnosis Story|date=2017-08-28|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqAf9kXZrP4|accessdate=2018-03-19}}</ref> a nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness about Type 1 Diabetes founded by Nick Jonas.

In 2019, Arzón married investment manager Drew Butler in Tulum, Mexico. She and Butler met at a speakeasy bar in Manhattan's East Village in 2016. Their four-day, immersive wedding experience was inspired by their mutual love of Burning Man.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Exclusive: See Robin Arzon's Wedding Photos From Her Tulum Ceremony|url=https://www.theknotnews.com/exclusive-robin-arzon-marries-37483|last=Chen|first=Joyce|date=2019-04-09|website=The Knot News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref>

Arzón and Butler announced the birth of their first child, a daughter named Athena Amelia Arzón-Butler, on March 2, 2021, and their son Atlas was born on July 16, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Assuncao |first1=Muri |title=Peloton celebrity instructor Robin Arzon welcomes baby daughter |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-peloton-instructor-robin-arzon-athena-amelia-butler-20210302-hjz3uoi5afh5jgolj2wzpbkphe-story.html |website=nydailynews.com|date=2 March 2021 |accessdate=August 8, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |website=people.com |first=Slater |last=Georgia |date=1 August 2023 |title=Robin Arzón and Husband Drew Butler Welcome Baby No. 2, Son Atlas: 'Our Family Feels Complete' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/robin-arzon-welcomes-second-baby-exclusive-7552858 |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref>

Arzón is a vegan.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/business/robin-arzon-peloton-work-diary.html "Robin Arzon's Peloton Work Diary: 'It Feels Like I Ingested Fire'"], nytimes.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.</ref>

== Bibliography == * ''Shut Up and Run: How to Get Up, Lace Up, and Sweat with Swagger'' (June 2016); {{ISBN|9780062445681}} *''Strong Mama'' (January 2022);{{ISBN|0316299944}}

== References == <references />

== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.robinarzon.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arzon, Robin}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Peloton instructors Category:American exercise instructors Category:People from Philadelphia Category:Villanova University School of Law alumni Category:New York University alumni Category:American women non-fiction writers Category:American people of Cuban descent Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent