The Running Ground: The Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson On Life, Legacy, and the Simplest of Sports

“My view on running is that it’s the simplest sport — but the fact of that simplicity opens up the possibility that if you think about it deeply and use it deeply in your life, it can be a tool to help you understand the really important and complicated stuff.” By day, Nick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic shaping the future of journalism. By early morning and often late evening, he's pounding the pavement between his Brooklyn home and Manhattan office, logging miles that many of us would consider as workouts. But somehow at age 49, he's still getting faster. In 2021, Nick ran a 2:29 marathon. At 45, he broke the American age group record in the 50K. Now he's the author of “The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports.” It's a book that's part memoir, part meditation on how running shapes us, challenges us, and sometimes reveals more than we're ready to face. It's out this fall. In this conversation, Nick opens up about growing up in the shadow of a gifted but troubled father, about breaking free from a years-long plateau in his running, and how sport has helped him find meaning both on and off the track. For Nick, running has never just been about the finish line or breaking records. It's about understanding who we are and who we want to be, which sometimes we learn in the process. We recorded this in April, so there may be a few references to the Boston Marathon which Nick was slated to run as part of Puma's Project 3 but had to withdraw from the race due to a family matter. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠ ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠ Guest: Nick Thompson | ⁠@nxthompson on Instagram⁠ Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠ Mentioned in this episode… Pre-order: The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports Watch: The Running Ground: Nick Thompson On Life, Legacy and the Simplest of Sports SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS OLIPOP: Olipop is a prebiotic soda that tastes like a throwback to your favorite childhood drinks, but it's loaded with benefits that your body will thank you for. Each can has 2-5g of sugar, 6-9g of fiber, and a science-backed formula designed to help you support your digestive health. They've got plenty of flavor options like Classic Root Beer, Crisp Apple, Grape, Cream Soda and wild hits like Peaches and Cream. You can grab Olipop at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart or you can go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DrinkOlipop.com and use promo code CITIUS25 at checkout for 25% off all of your orders⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. ⁠Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.⁠ PILLAR PERFORMANCE: We all know that sleep is where the magic happens. That's when your body is rebuilding – but getting into those deeper stages of sleep is what makes the difference between just going to bed and actually recovering. Just mix in a scoop of water about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. It's simple, it's clean, it's vegan, and NSF certified. If you're someone who takes their training and recovery seriously, this is something worth trying. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pillarperformance.shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or if you're in North America, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thefeed.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS for 15% off your first purchase.