Welcome to a brand new newsletter column!
Every week going forward, I will be sharing a short and informal interview with a runner. The idea is to shine the spotlight on people who participate in the broader online running community.
Do you have anyone you want me to reach out to for an interview? Reply to this email, or send me a message on Twitter.
Who are you, where are you, and what do you do?
I'm Henry Howard, a runner/running coach and professional writer/editor who has combined his passions into RunSpirited.com. On my website, I write about inspiring runners, offer coaching advice, do product reviews and share my own running journey. I live in Indiana in the United States but, thanks to my real job, I get to travel fairly regularly and explore roads and trails throughout the U.S.
How did you first get into running?
I had literally written a bucket list, with "run a marathon" as one of the items. In my early 40s, my kids had become independent enough so I had some spare time on my hands and figured that I ought to start running if I was ever going to cross that one off. About 18 months after I started running, I finished my first marathon. I knew I could improve my first marathon time of 4:08 and I did. I eventually qualified for the Boston Marathon (twice), finished on the overall podium at a decent number of small races (including an overall win at age 52) and have completed more than 70 races of a marathon distance or longer. But more importantly to me is the success of the athletes I coach. Their successes have included a first-time marathoner qualifying for Boston, several who ran their first ultras and a woman who completed a six-day stage race in the Rocky Mountains without having run longer than a marathon previously.
What does running mean to you today, and has that changed over the years?
While I started running to chase a personal goal, my "why" has shifted to serving the community as a writer, coach and supporter. I love the running community and try to give back as much as I get out of it. Coaching has brought me sheer joy in seeing my runners succeed and I hope to continue to support them for many years and epic quests to come.
Do you have any goals you’re training towards?
My big goal is to get into Western States. I'll have four tickets in the December drawing. If I get in the 2023 race, that will be the big goal for next year. If not, then I'll plot out my race calendar with another qualifier in mind.
What’s your favourite workout?
I often have a midweek workout that incorporates hill climbs. An example would be a 2-3 mile warmup, then 5 x 3-minute hills with an easy jog back down between climbs, and concluding with an easy to moderate 3 miles.
And, lastly, where can the runners who are reading this follow you, and perhaps even reach out to you to talk about running?
I have pretty much all of my links assembled on my LinkTree page.
