Testimonials - John Henwood

athletes posing with medal after running race

Anne Wechsler

Without a coach, my fastest marathon was 3:45. I wondered if I could hit a BQ but was injured. I began working with Coach John so I could safely make …

Testimonials

Joseph Scheier-Dolberg

Before I joined Henwood’s team, I was running about 20 miles per week and I kept getting derailed by injuries. In the nearly two years since, working under Henwood’s system …

Testimonials

McCall Sheetz

I love training with the Hounds. John is the best coach. I started running 2 years ago and in my first year of running I ran my first marathon with …

athletes running race with Big Ben clock in background

Testimonials

Sharrie Huang

Three years ago I decided that I wanted to run all 6 Marathon Majors. I ran my first marathon back in 2016 for fun with a time of 4:37:59. Back …

Testimonials

K-Ming Lee

After seeing my wife realize her life-long dream of a BQ in 2021 with the help of John’s coaching, I wanted to see if this was achievable for myself. So, …

smiling athlete running race wearing henwood hounds shirt

Testimonials

Caroline Plank

I started working with John in June 2017 in preparation for my first ever Marathon. My goal was to qualify for Boston, but the only caveats were that I was …

athlete running race wearing henwood hounds shirt

Testimonials

Patrick Fogarty

Prior to starting with John, my Marathon PR was 3:17. I found my multiple attempts at a BQ were starting to plateau without any improvement. Typically a solo runner, I …

Testimonials

Melissa Reichman

John helped me run my first Marathon in 3:21, which I thought I could accomplish. He’s always there for guidance, motivation and support. His monthly training plans made me stronger …

Testimonials

Zareh Baghdassarian

Since joining the team in 2018, I reduced my 5k PR by 3mins to 17:36 in the first two months. My PR for the Half Marathon was 1:25, but John …

Testimonials

Greg Nugent

Prior to training with John, my fastest 10k time was 42:19 at the Queens 10km. My new PR, which I set a few weeks ago in a track time trial …

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.

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.

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.

Category: Testimonials