Content Advisory: This episode includes adult subject matter, including sexual content. Listener discretion is advised.

In this episode, Michael Doyle speaks with Nick Thompson — CEO of The Atlantic and author of the new book The Running Ground: A Father, A Son, and the Simplest of Sports — about how he became faster in his 40s and why that journey uncovered a deeper story about grief, trauma, psychology, and the complexities of the father–son bond. Nick explains the book’s origins (02:04 ), how cancer shaped his mindset (04:09 ), and why writing candidly about his father was both terrifying and necessary (06:06 ). He recounts his father’s extraordinary life (07:15 ), how running kept them connected (11:59 ), and why midlife can break or remake us (47:12 ).

The conversation digs into training nerdery, including mileage and threshold work (23:05 ), diet and supplements (26:54 ), gear choices and heart-rate breakthroughs (28:59 ), and the central governor theory (31:10 ). Nick also shares insights on AI and future training tech (32:45 ), the powerful story of Michael Westphal (38:35 ), how he knew the book was finished (45:05 ), and what running means to him now as he chases new goals (53:21 ).

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