Running Coach John Henwood

Olympian John Henwood is a running coach and strength trainer in New York City. He has coached previous World junior champion Mary Cain and Jane Vongvorachoti on her road to represent Thailand in the Olympic Games. But most of the time, John is coaching beginner to sub-elite runners to run a best time, first race or a qualifying time for a particular race. In addition, he conditions his runners with plenty of strength training with one on one strength training sessions to create an individual strength training program for their own particular needs, which they can follow.

” I love everything about running and my amazing team. (The Henwood’s Hounds) Not just that personal best times , but the friendships formed and the lives who are transformed. New York City’s Central Park has a fun a vibrant running community and there’s no place better in the world to be coaching. Drop me a line and we’ll take your running to the next level and you’ll have a lot of fun along the way.”

Major Sporting Achievements

New Zealand Representations

1994-1998: (5x) Chiba International Relay in Japan
1994: Oceania Games in NZ 1,500m (Won gold medal)
1995: Hong Kong street mile (1st place)
1996: Malaysian Half marathon (7th place)
1999-2000: 10km road race in Boulder, Colorado (13th place)
2001: World Athletic Championships, Edmonton, Canada (25th in the 10,000m)
2002: Commonwealth Games, Manchester, England (10th in the 10,000m)
2004: Stanford, California. Ran 27mins 45secs to qualify for 10,000m race in the Athens Olympics.
2004: OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATHENS, 10,000M FINALS
2005: New York City Marathon 13th place 2.15.05.
2008: New York City Marathon 21st Place 2.21.55
8 times New York Road Runner of the year in age group.

NZ Championship Titles

1994: NZ Half Marathon Champion
1997: NZ 3000m Track Champion
1998: NZ Road Running Champion
2001: NZ 10,000m track Champion (Ran the 4th fastest time in NZ history and the fastest time in NZ for the past 30 years.)
2002: NZ 10,000m Track Champion again
2004: NZ 5,000m Track Champion

Work History

1994-2002: Worked for Sportswide Ltd. (Sportswide operates 5-6 fitness centers in the Wellington region.)
1994: Worked in Sportswide Quality Inn Fitness Centre as a fitness consultant.
1995: Manager of the AMP Fitness Centre for Sportswide in New Zealand.
1997: Manager of The BNZ Fitness Centre for Sportswide in New Zealand.
1999-2002: Personal Trainer/Running Coach at the Sportswide-owned Majestic Club, one of the most expensive and exclusive fitness centres in New Zealand.
2002: Worked on a cruise ship (Sea Princess and Star Princess) for a nine-month contract as a Fitness Instructor. We cruised The Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, and Alaska. I taught Spinning which I loved 5 days per week. This kept me fit for my forthcoming Olympic preparation. I also taught Pilates (mat) and provided personal training services to clients. I gave seminars on the Zone Diet, Fitness for the Elderly, and Detox for weight loss.
2003: Worked in Washington DC as a Personal Trainer/Coach at a Personal Training Studio for 3 months before training full-time for the Athens Olympics.
2005: Running for NYAC New York Athletic Club
2008: Assistant Track Coach at Trevor Day Private School in New York.
2010-Present: Runner for Henwoods Hounds Racing Team
2005-Present : Running Coach and Strength training coach
2016-2018 : Mile High Run Club indoor Coach
2016-2022 : Mile High Run Club Outdoor Coach

Andrew Lyle

I have been working with John Henwood since last July 2022. Even though it has only been 8 months of his coaching, I feel like I’ve learned years-worth of knowledge from him. I’m not new to running. I have been running marathons since 2017, but until working with John, I had no idea how much I could improve with the right training and strategy. He put together my entire training cycle for my last marathon (Philadelphia Marathon 2022), where I PR’d by 25 minutes. He took me from a 3:26 to a 3:01. Most recently, he helped me achieve a huge PR in the half marathon (NYC HALF 2023), where I ran a 1:20:51. I had never even broken 1:30, until training with him. His Philosophy of strength training in the gym for marathon running is a proven success for me. He also brings the other runners he coaches together twice a week (Friday Speed Session and Sunday Long Run), which has allowed me to meet some incredible athletes, who have become good friends. We all sharpen each other during our weekly workouts and, with John’s world-class coaching, continue to achieve new heights in our running careers.

Zareh Baghdassarian

For those looking for a running coach, I can’t recommend John enough. He comes with a lifetime of experience as an Olympian and coach, and his results in both speak volumes. I found John as a newbie to running, after having run my first half marathon earlier that year in 1:25 (no prior racing history in any distance), and told him I wanted to run the marathon in under 3 hours. In a few months, he guided me to a 2:48 marathon, and in five years, he guided me to my current personal best of 2:39. There are a few things that stand out about John: he's built an incredible community of runners of all speeds/abilities, tailors his training plans to your needs/schedule, and offers his advice from his own training and experience in coaching. He’s also a magician when it comes to massaging out small niggles before they become major, or offering strength routines to prevent injury. He’s a great person to have in your corner when aspiring to reach your running goals.

Melissa Reichman

John is an amazing coach who keeps me striving for new goals. He has built an awesome team of runners who I absolutely love running with and are motivating and supportive. His personally tailored running plans and strategies keep me strong, improve my pace, and have helped me to PR in marathons and half marathons. I have a full time job, a family and a ton of responsibility but with my plans, John helps me to do it all. If you want to improve as a runner, I highly recommend training with John and the Henwood Hounds.

Alexandre Edward

John has been my coach for four years, helping me shave 40 minutes off my previous marathon PR. Under his guidance, I have now run a sub-3 hour marathon, achieved multiple BQs, and competed as a Local Competitive athlete in the NYC Marathon. Perhaps even more important, John has taught me how to truly challenge myself and accomplish lifelong aspirations that I never thought possible (especially for an old man!). He is indisputably the best running coach in NYC!

Henry Chong

John Henwood works personally with you to get the most performance within your schedule constraints. You could be a beginning runner trying to get a big PR or an experienced runner trying to squeeze the last drops of your potential, I have seen many very positive results within the team, including my own (2:47 -> 2:36 marathon). I’ve worked with John for 3 years and the training blocks have enough variety to challenge me to be a stronger runner as I get deeper into the masters (40yr+) category. He’s a textbook-example of what you would want to have from a coach - he’d believe in your ability even when you have doubts. John works very hard to keep his runners healthy, and works even harder to get you back into racing shape if you’re dealing with niggle or injury. If you’re looking for a performance-oriented coach, I strongly recommend reaching out to John to see if he’s a good match for you.

Jeremy Kaminer

Training with Coach Henwood has been an invaluable and rewarding experience. John has helped me and countless other runners achieve their goals. John's training plans are customized to each of his athletes and he is a great resource to help manage through injuries/set backs. He also fosters camaraderie amongst his team through weekly group runs, strong representation at races, and educational text threads and video calls. I would recommend anyone committed to improving their running work with John.

Kelly de Csepel

I have been training with John since 2007. He is the extremely professional, knowledgeable, and passionate about his clients. He personally works with each and every runner, considering their strengths, weaknesses, lifestyle, and personalities. Each training plan is personally customized. Through my 15 years with John, I have been a spunky 20-something, had two pregnancies, and am now a 40+ master runner. John has tailored my training through all of these different stages. Thank you John!

Katarina Janosikova

I have been a runner and duathlete since young age but only after working with John Henwood as my coach did I improve significantly. John takes the “whole picture” into account, not just your personal running ability and goals but your overall strength, and weaknesses, your biomechanics, your work and family commitments. He is very quick to respond and comes up with solutions when your training takes an unexpected route such as sickness or injury. John is a former Olympian and understands firsthand not only the physiology but also the psychology of running, nerves prior to racing or feelings of frustration and disappointment when the race doesn’t go well or you get injured. His team “Henwood Hounds Racing team” has runners of all abilities and you can easily find a running partner to log in miles more easily while making new friends. The team members support each other during training as well as racing. I have been running with John for over 15 years and choosing him as a coach was the best decision in my running career!

Ryan Chan

John is a great coach for runners of all levels. After just 4 months under his coaching I ran 1:25 in the half marathon (8min PR) and 2:58 in the marathon (first marathon). I've developed a greater appreciation for running in my time with John, especially as one newer to the sport. His training has kept me healthy, motivated, and confident that I can keep hitting new PRs. Very grateful for the encouragement and camaraderie I feel from the other athletes on the team.

Peter Dranoff

John is an excellent coach. I have been working with John virtually for the past couple of years and my running times have improved significantly. He is always responsive and organized. Highly recommend John.