EPISODE · Jan 16, 2026 · 43 MIN
Nick Thompson on How to Measure Running Progress
from For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running · host Jonathan Levitt
What if I told you that the most brutally honest performance metric you'll ever face isn't on your smartphone, can't be faked by AI, and strips away every excuse you've ever made about what you're truly capable of? It’s called running.Nicholas Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, which earned the top honor for magazines, General Excellence, at the National Magazine Awards in both 2022 and 2023. In his time as CEO, the company has seen record subscriber growth. Before joining The Atlantic, he was the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. He is also a former contributor for CBS News and has previously served as editor. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.Jon chats with Nick about:running's purity reveals personal truth and growthmultitasking training with commuting and daily life breaking psychological barriers through gradual exposurehow AI threatens media authenticitysetting challenging goals creates transferable resilienceStay connected:Follow Nick:http://linkedin.com/in/nicholasxthompson/https://x.com/nxthompsonhttps://www.instagram.com/nxthompson/?hl=enNick’s book, “The Running Ground” on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Running-Ground-Father-Simplest-Sports/dp/0593244125This episode is supported by:Rocket Money Take control of your spending. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and reduce the rest with Rocket Money: RocketMoney.com/GORUNAmazFit Check out the T-Rex 3 and a selection of GPS watches at http://bit.ly/4ojbflT and use code “FTLR” for 10% off.
What this episode covers
What if I told you that the most brutally honest performance metric you'll ever face isn't on your smartphone, can't be faked by AI, and strips away every excuse you've ever made about what you're truly capable of? It’s called running.Nicholas Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, which earned the top honor for magazines, General Excellence, at the National Magazine Awards in both 2022 and 2023. In his time as CEO, the company has seen record subscriber growth. Before joining The Atlantic, he was the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. He is also a former contributor for CBS News and has previously served as editor. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race.Jon chats with Nick about:running's purity reveals personal truth and growthmultitasking training with commuting and daily life breaking psychological barriers through gradual exposurehow AI threatens media authenticitysetting challenging goals creates transferable resilienceStay connected:Follow Nick:http://linkedin.com/in/nicholasxthompson/https://x.com/nxthompsonhttps://www.instagram.com/nxthompson/?hl=enNick’s book, “The Running Ground” on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Running-Ground-Father-Simplest-Sports/dp/0593244125This episode is supported by:Rocket Money Take control of your spending. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and reduce the rest with Rocket Money: RocketMoney.com/GORUNAmazFit Check out the T-Rex 3 and a selection of GPS watches at http://bit.ly/4ojbflT and use code “FTLR” for 10% off.
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Nick Thompson on How to Measure Running Progress
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