John Henwood is an Olympic athlete and running coach based in New York City with an impressive coaching background. He has guided notable athletes like Mary Cain, the former World junior champion, and Jane Vongvorachoti, who represented Thailand in the Olympics. While John has worked with high-caliber athletes, he primarily focuses on coaching beginners to sub-elite runners, aiming to help them achieve their best times, excel in their first races, or qualify for specific events. Additionally, John emphasizes the importance of strength training, offering one-on-one sessions to create personalized strength programs that cater to each individual’s unique needs.

“I love everything about running and my amazing team [The Henwood Hounds]. Not just that personal best times, but the friendships formed and the lives who have been transformed. New York City’s Central Park has a fun, 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.”

– Coach John Henwood

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