Nick Thompson on Running, Fatherhood, and Staying Fast at 50

Nick Thompson has spent his life chasing big stories and finish lines. The CEO of The Atlantic and author of The Running Ground joins Zoë and Brendan to talk about running through life's hardest moments, from a cancer diagnosis at 30 to balancing elite training with parenthood and a high-powered media career. 

Together, they explore why running became Nick's anchor through chaos and change, the strange parallels between journalism and endurance sports, and the lessons he learned from his father, and why he runs to not become him. They talk about what aging athletes get wrong about decline, the emotional threshold of a "real" ultra (and the world's shortest one), and how Nick manages to fit sub-three-hour marathons into a 60-hour work week. Along the way, Zoë and Brendan share their own thoughts on parenting as endurance training, finish-line family moments, and why run commuting deserves a comeback. 

The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports is out now from Penguin Random House.

Sponsored by: LMNT, stay hydrated year-round with a free sample pack at drinklmnt.com/ultrasignup. 

Featured Race: Peacock Gap Trail Run — a love letter to Bay Area trails at China Camp State Park.