The Running Ground cover art

The Running Ground

A Father, A Son and the Simplest of Sports

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

How much does our speed and our decline depend on our minds, not our bodies?

In this thought-provoking and inspiring book, top 25 Master marathoner Nick Thompson invites readers to defy the inevitable decline that comes with age. After setting the American record in the 50km for the 45-49 age group, Thompson is on a mission to explore how pain, endurance and talent exist in the mind of a runner.

Inspired to run by his father as a young child, Nick Thompson began setting school records in high school and has never looked back since. The Running Ground is the story of Thompson's ambition to break down the physiology of running and reveals how we can power through psychological barriers and get faster with age.

Guaranteed to make you rethink what it means to get older, The Running Ground is an exploration of how and why we age and what putting one foot in front of another can teach us about ourselves.

© Nick Thompson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 Adulthood & Aging Developmental Psychology Personal Development Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Running & Jogging Sports
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This book combines a deep love of running, for almost every any reason you can imagine, and how running intertwines with family and generations. Part biographical and part simply the love of it. It is beautifully written, with vivid images of landscapes, the experience of the type of trail, the personal travails, the 20 mile wall, running short distances and long distances, the difficult love of a father seen with hindsight, and a love for his sons. It was simply a gorgeous read.

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