Live NOW: Nick Thompson Q&A on his new book, life, and why he finally ran over 3 hours in marathon in first time in 20 years

Wejo and Nick:

Both of you have written extensively about how training is really simple but it took you a long time to figure that out. Why do so many runners make the "simplest of sports" so complex? Is it only possible to figure out the simplicity after you have spent many years screwing up? Is there something in the basic temperament of runners that makes them try (too) hard? Is it that younger runners do not value the meditative, therapeutic aspects of running (and therefore run 6 milers at 6:15 pace on concrete rather than 12 milers at an easy pace on trails)? Something else? . . . Really enjoyed the book.

Already heard him speaking extensively on other podcasts, including Rich Roll. He's had remarkable success in work and in running despite not being a college star, you should ask him about that. Glad he'll get to promote his book to your listeners.

I am curious about the basic temperament of distance runners. The runners on LetsRun are generally very smart and analytical and the tendency then can be to try and overanalyze things or try and optimize everything but you start missing big picture items.

An Olympic writer told me they liked interviewing runners way more than swimmers as runners were more interesting to talk to or more analytical. But that could be because distance races are tactical and swimming races aren't. But I would like to know more if more analytical people are drawn to running for some reason but don't have proof of it.

Hi Nick, great stuff.

Name a couple of your running hacks. Like owning 20 pairs of the same socks so you don't have to find matching socks, making it easier to get out the door.

You have to think a lot for your work...do you listen to things when you run or use the time to think about things? Or do you use the time running NOT to think?

You are a tech guy....any thoughts about supershoes doing damage to running as a sport comparable over time? Does running fast at 50 mean less now because of the shoes giving us back a few years?

I enjoyed the book and talked at length with Nick about it on the podcast shown here:

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/10/nick-thompson-on-his-new-book-the-running-ground-running-229-at-44-and-why-he-checks-letsrun-every-day/

I have two questions. One running related and one not.

Running related.

1) Nick has recently run ultras. In the book, he talks about how when his wife showed up at one of his ultra races, she remarked how the runners "look much more normal". They look more like soccer players than starving people.

The question I have is at the super elite level, do you think the very best marathoners would also dominate the ultra scene if they tried it? Would Eliud Kipchoge be the World 100k WR holder if he did in his prime? Would he also kill Jim Walmsley at Western States? I'm not convinced he would (but don't know anything about it) particularly since he's unproven on hilly courses but have always wondered this. I mean the best 1500 guy isn't always the best marathoner so why would the best marathoner be the best ultra guy.

Not running related.

2) What does Nick's mother think of his father and the book? I enjoyed the read but felt a bit bad so much of it was devoted to his father who seemed like a real ahole and whose actions destroyed the family unit. I mean Nick just casually mentioned his dad would file custody lawsuits on his mother's birthday or on mother's day. That he called in fake kidnapping hoaxes to the cops, etc. Had romantic partners who would kill their animals, etc. Were any of the kids ever mad at dad or were all of his actions just forgiven since he came out as gay?

Nick:

Do you ever run with music and if so, what are some of your favorite bands to listen to while running? What do you listen to when you aren't running? Do you drink beer? If so, what is your favorite beer.

Buying the book this weekend at our local bookshop.

Do you still support giving free beer to people who get a Covid vaccine, as stated in your Facebook post of May 3, 2021 ?

Congratulations on your achievements as a runner.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1794246060735649&set=nj-has-launched-a-shot-and-a-beer-campaign-you-get-vaccinated-you-get-a-free-drink

I’d like to see just see a general schedule of your week, time wise as much as the actual training.

if I could commute to work via running it would solve a few problems for me. That’s the ingredient I’m missing.

Separate topic, when you first started training for an ultra what do you do?

I’ve run a lot of marathons so 50k no problem. But is it as simple as signing up for a 50 miler and realizing I’m going to run/walk it? Or do you start doing 35 milers in training which is a ton of time .

I would not mind spending 6-8 hour one weeke day running/ walking in the mountains. But what sort of distance is that? And what do you do to prepare for that?

I’d like to know more about The Atlantic.

What are its goals? Why does it even try and turn a profit? (Steve Jobs’ wife owns it) How does it work with Nick being the CEO but in NY but the magazine based in Washington?

She could easily endow its operation for perpetuity.

Speaking of such if you are Phil Knight what do you do with all your money if you have to use some of it to help the sport of running .

Nick, I really enjoyed the book. For those of us who struggle to find or make time for everything we want to accomplish, do you have any advice for cultivating the "absolute inexhaustibility" that you and your father possess?

Thanks for doing this Nick! I'm curious how much time you spend on the LetsRun messageboards? Do you read them much? Do you ever post (anonymously or not)? What sort of threads are we likely to find you in?

I don't see how Nick has time for it:)

But I don't see how Elon Musk can be on X all the time and running all these companies.

Now I also learn from this that you are an AI expert.

1) How should the average joe be using AI in their lives.

2) What should my kids be learning at school? Is school going to be pointless. Are we going to stop knowing how to think?

3) Who does you trust more Sam Altman or Elon Musk?

I loved when Nick and Malcolm Gladwell used to write a blog during the World Championships and Olympics. Any chance of reviving this in the future? Or perhaps inviting them to join some of the live editions of the Track Talk pod during the champs?

Do you foresee any possibly effects of AI on running? Maybe scientific breakthroughs on understanding physiology / adaptation?

This thread is pretty good so I'm going to make it the live thread.

Nick thanks for doing this. Actually, I've never asked if I can call you Nick? Is that what most people call you?

I'd say feel free to answer any of these that you want, but I'm most curious with the book tour, what your goals were for Sunday, how you determined, them and how quickly you realized they were to ambitious. Or do you think you just had a bad day.

Nick,

Given your presumably busy day job, plus running and parental duties, when and how did you make time to write this book? Can you provide some insight into your writing routine and how it fits into your day as a whole?

I think there is absolutely something to your notion that it takes runners a long time to figure out the meditative aspects of the sport. When I started running it was all about winning, self-confidence, and using the pain of workouts to burn off the paid of being an adolescent. It took me until much later in life to realize that the sport is actually an amazing way to relax and free the mind. (Also, I remember thinking Todd Williams was so cool back in those races with Bob Kennedy.)

I think that my failures in college helped me as a master's runner. If I had run, say, a 2:25 in my early 20s, I don't think it would have been nearly as fulfilling to chase a sub 2:30 in my 40s. I also think that being a college star can burn you out physically. You hammer 100-mile weeks at age 21 and it probably wears you down in a way that makes it harder to run 70 mile weeks in your 40s. When I was at Stanford, I obviously wished that I had been good enough to run with the team. Now, I'm grateful that I wasn't.

As an untalented runner for the same club long ago who used to best him by small margins at New York for years when he was running in the 2:40s, I wonder if Nick could talk about how he was able to realize his immense potential in his late 30s and 40s and rise far beyond where either of us was up to that point.