July Athlete Spotlight - Todd Johnson
- Mark Saroni
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Todd is proof that it’s never too late to become dangerously addicted to endurance sports. After a strong running chapter in his 20s, a spin-class era in his 30s, and a full cycling obsession in his 40s, Todd eventually made the logical next questionable life choice: triathlon. Coached by Coach Amy, he has quickly become a confident adult-onset swimmer, a fierce competitor, and a valued part of the Paragon crew. Whether he’s chasing marginal gains, lining up for IRONMAN®, almost holding off Mark in a time trial, or refueling with rice and eggs, Todd brings discipline, humor, and a genuine love for the process to everything he does.
Age: 49
Who is your coach? Coach Amy
Occupation: Small business owners
How long have you been swimming, cycling, running, and/or doing triathlons?
Big into running in my 20s with marathons and road races (NYC Marathon right after 9/11), kind of took my 30s off other than spin class, then got big into cycling in my 40s. Started swimming for real two years ago with my first round of triathlons in 2024, been loving it ever since!
What aspects of training and/or racing do you enjoy most?
I love the camaraderie of being part of a team like Paragon, but also the drive to improve my performance and the thrill to compete individually in world-class events like Ironman. Not a lot of ways to actually compete against other athletes as you get older!
What has been your favorite training or racing event and why?
Ironman Texas 2026 - so much came together that day and was very rewarding to see the payoff.
What is your favorite post-workout or race meal?
Rice and eggs!
What is one recent accomplishment you are proud of?
ALMOST keeping Mark behind me during a full time trial event....otherwise it's been the overall accomplishment of becoming a somewhat decent adult onset swimmer who is comfy in the water and looks forward to swimming days.
What do you want to be when you grow up? (We're all still kids at heart ❤️)
Rock star or F1 driver....but I'm pretty sure the ship has sailed on those.
What is something no one knows about you?
Avid guitar player and lifelong singer, was the frontman in many bands over the years!
Why do you race/train?
A little philosophical, but some people race for family, others to redefine themselves or chase down old demons, others because of lovers or friends or spirituality -- what's your reason?
I love the training for the structure, the discipline, the marginal gains and incremental personal improvement along with the benefit of not worrying about having two desserts at dinner. I love the racing for the competition against other crazy people like me and the ultimate realization of all the training goals.