The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports
4.7 | 190 ratings
Price: 15.75
Last update: 12-19-2025
Top reviews from the United States
- robertWONDERFUL book for everyone!This is a book for EVERYONE - not just runners! A beautifully written, unflinching reflection on the challenges & complexities of a father-son relationship, of learning to persevere through cancer and pain, and ultimately how to live with passion, purpose & joy. I highly recommend this wonderful book!
- Lisa CourtneyExcellent and engaging readI’m not a runner but I loved this book about perseverance, discipline, habits, the love and complex relationship between fathers and sons, how we can hold love, respect, compassion and frustration all at the same time. The writing is crisp and dynamic. The stories of other runners was inspiring too. Power of the mind, the breath, and excellent coaching too as key to personal and professional success. I bought several copies for runner friends. Recommend!
- CHA great read or listen for those looking for more…Some books are written to make you curious, eager to learn, create wonder, evoke your imagination, or elicit feelings. The Running Ground by Nicholas Thompson is a book that gives you a personal glimpse into his conscious and how the sport of running has shaped each aspect of his life from a boy growing up through adulthood and the complicated family relationships that followed. Everyone has run to or away from something during a part of their life and this book makes you empathize with some of those choices while undoubtedly considering a few of your own.
It was a great listen (always appreciate a book read by the author) and it's not often a story can have parallels that reach beyond the pages. If you have the opportunity, this one is worth your time and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something with perspective and introspection. It makes you think about some of your own personal journeys, big or small, and how you overcame that inner voice telling you to quit at the first sign of discomfort.
We all lace up our shoes every day, how you decide to hit the pavement each morning is up to you. - Caballo NachoRunner bookGood read for runners
- Williammotivational for someThe book is primarily telling the author's personal story. The writing is good and never tiring or overtly self promotional. It was not captivating for me but I'd always return because I could trust that something new and interesting would be coming. He does appropriately bring in the stories of several others. I would not recommend the book to non-runners, just because there's not enough here to separate it from many other first person accounts of more interest, perhaps.
There is a lot of introspection, which I value. It contains ideas and suggestions that will likely be helpful for those who like to run, and who want to run better. When I was younger and running a good bit this book would have certainly been of substantial value to me. But its primary focus is not to give training advice, rather it attempts to paint a more full picture of a healthy life in which running plays a big part.
Clearly the author is an intelligent and accomplished person. And he reaches to make the book more generally valuable to a reader's life. I didn't find it particularly meaningful in that sense but I bet others will. - Vashti ChandlerA powerful read about ambition, connection, and resilienceThis was one of my favorite reads of the year. As someone who values hard work and admires people who take on difficult things, this book struck a deep chord. The stories are vivid, funny, and honest, and the writing is sharp in all the right ways. What stayed with me most was how the author connected his competitive drive, his relationship with his dad, and the experiences that shaped who he is. It felt both deeply personal and universally relatable. Having gone to boarding school and shared a few of those same touchpoints, I found myself nodding along and smiling, thinking back to similar moments I’ve had in races and in life. I read this in one sitting, which isn’t unusual for me but not altogether typical either, because I simply couldn’t put it down. It reminded me why I love a challenge, why I’m drawn to people who do hard things, and how much beauty there can be in the process itself. I’m grateful to have had this one on my list and will be recommending it widely.
- BGAFinding Meaning in the Miles: Why The Running Ground Is a Must-ReadThe Running Ground is one of the best books I’ve read all year. As a lifelong runner, it naturally appealed to my taste, but this is so much more than a book about running. It is a courageous, deeply honest memoir that confronts life’s most meaningful relationships: those we have with our family and ourselves. I filled my copy with tabs to mark a number of poignant sections, knowing I’ll need to return to them later. Nick Thompson compellingly illustrates how the discipline, grit, patience, and confidence learned through years of running can help one navigate the most difficult times and then find meaning in the struggle.
- BABSA heartfelt ♥️Well written flashbackFabulous inspiring read for Serious Runners & for a model for getting the MOST out of Life