Hi, I’m Terrell Johnson. (That’s me on the left, with my little man and great aunt beside me.) I’m really glad you’re here — below is a little more about me and what you can expect when you sign up.
About me
I’m a longtime runner, having completed my first few marathons back in my mid-twenties (and loads of other distance races too). As I left my twenties and headed into my thirties, I discovered the half marathon, and began running them with friends.
Finding a half to run, however, wasn’t easy then. There weren’t any comprehensive guides I could find — so, I created my own, a website called Half Marathon Guide, which later became the world’s leading resource for runners looking to run the 13.1-mile distance.
Fast-forward a few years, and I realized I needed an email newsletter to keep in touch with readers. Writing a newsletter, I discovered, was something very different from building a website — it’s much more personal, as if you’re writing just to one person.
Over time, as I’ve written to my readers, what began as a newsletter with weekly running tips evolved into something more, where I explore the ways running can help us find meaning — shaping our mental and emotional health, our sense of possibility, and how it can spur us to strive for things we might not have dreamed possible.
Now, I write about lots of things: being a dad (and a stepdad), books and movies I love, odd little life experiences, my dogs and the menagerie of pets we have, and lots more.
What you get as a Paid Subscriber
My regular Wednesday newsletter, where I explore themes around making running a part of our lives (especially when you have a full-time job and a family), goal-setting, dealing with life changes, parenting, the things that really matter, and much more.
My weekly list of races I think you’ll love running, across the U.S.A. and around the world, plus the articles, podcasts, books and other things I’ve loved and think you’ll find useful and fascinating.
Access to everything I’ve written here, an archive that goes back several years
The ability to comment on posts and join our community, including occasional meet-ups and our Strava virtual running group, where we cheer each other on
What readers say
“I absolutely love your emails.”
— Subscriber in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
“I just wanted to reach out and say thank you first of all. I had never ran more than a few miles when I started reading the Half Marathoner. Then a couple months after subscribing, one of your posts and an exchange we had motivated me to sign up for Big Sur. I went pretty quickly from thinking I hated running to 26.2 miles at Big Sur as my first race of any distance! The running has since dipped a little, but still enjoying the newsletter!”
— Subscriber in Arizona
“Thank you for showing us that it's okay to not be the fastest, most fit runner out there. We all have things we can improve on, but we should always remember the amazing things we have already accomplished. Thank you for continuing to inspire me to be a better runner and to keep going, even when the going gets rough. Thank you for reminding me why running is awesome.”
— Subscriber in Philadelphia, Pa.
“Thank you for your AMAZING newsletter that undoubtedly has been a motivating force in my return to racing. I am a yoga teacher and not a week goes by where I cannot incorporate some of the wisdom you share with my classes. So, thank you so much for reminding us all about the powerful and life altering moments that running can induce if you are listening.”
— Subscriber in Vero Beach, Fla.
“I can't remember how I found your blog in the first place, but I love getting emails from you each week with interesting, and more importantly (to me) useful links. Whenever I read your notes in the beginning of the newsletters, I always feel like they are very personal. I mean this in that although we have obviously never met, I feel like you're talking to me like we're good friends. Your passion for running shows through your writing and it makes me more passionate and excited to run as well.”
— Subscriber in Mountain View, Calif.
