10: Nick Thompson On Writing His Book The Running Ground, Pushing His Personal Limits, and Curiosity

A live conversation with Nick Thompson on curiosity, endurance, and a complicated relationship with both a father and the simplest of sports: running.

This conversation between Nick Thompson and David Alm, a Brooklyn-based journalist, professor, and runner, offers a window to Nick’s process in writing The Running Ground, and to the people, stories, and moments that made it into the final draft and what didn't. Recorded live at Bakline’s HQ, the episode captures Nick in dialogue rather than interview, reflecting with David on the journalistic process, the discipline of editing, and the characters in his life, most notably his father, who shaped the person he has become.

There is much to be gained from reading or listening to The Running Ground, the audio version of which Nick himself narrates. Its opening chapter alone should be required reading for anyone preparing to step onto the New York City Marathon starting line. What emerges in this rare and candid conversation, though, is something broader: a meditation on perspective and curiosity, and on how our understanding of our own abilities shifts over time.

Along the way, Nick reflects on his relationship with his father and the role running has played in his ability to build and maintain a truly exceptional life, offering insight on how the sport can not only facilitate escape and drive, but also help us make sense of the world.
At its core, this conversation speaks to the importance of paying attention: to our bodies, to the relationships we build, and to the quiet ways we can learn to embrace all that makes us who we are–rather than trying to outrun it.

Special thanks to the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and The Atlantic for their support of this event.

Chapter List:
00:00 Introduction and Background
04:43 The Journey of Writing The Running Ground
10:14 Exploring Personal Connections and Themes
21:16 The Editorial Process: Structure and Format
24:14 The Editorial Process: The People Who Have Entered Nick's Life and Imparted Key Lessons
30:18 Writing About Yourself Journalistically
36:50 The Pain of Running and Broader Life Lessons 
42:19 The Endurance Of Running and Its Impact on Nick
45:20 Approaching Running with Undying Curiosity
50:23 Pushing Limits: Personal Records and Race Experiences
53:54 Cultural Influences on Running and Personal Growth
55:13 Q&A: Current State of Running Culture
58:51 Q&A: Fatherhood, Relationships, and Emotional Connections
01:02:09 Q&A: Media Industry Insights and the Role of Running
01:02:44 Q&A: Nick's Personal Pursuits and Current State of Media
01:07:55 Q&A: Exploring Personal Archives and Memoir Writing
01:11:18 Q&A: Recommended Running Literature
01:12:44 Q&A: Evolving Running Goals With Age
01:18:25 Q&A: Favorite Greenway Runs and Community Engagement
01:20:58 Promoting the Book and Final Thoughts

Key Takeaways
Perspective shapes ability:
One of the central insights of the conversation is that limits are often internal before they are physical. Nick’s experience shows how a shift in perspective can unlock capacities we didn’t realize were still available.

Endurance is less about toughness and more about attention:
Running emerges not as an exercise in brute force, but as a practice in listening to your body, and to your pain. The same attentiveness applies beyond sport, shaping how we can move through work and stress.

Understanding a parent often requires time, distance, and reconstruction:
Nick’s reflections on his father are not about resolution, but context. Through diaries, archives, interviews, and memory, he comes to see how running helped his father hold together a complicated life.

Curiosity sustains long arcs better than optimization:
Whether in running, writing, or navigating change at a major organization, curiosity proves more enduring than a fixation on outcomes.