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In Nicholas Thompson’s book, “ The Running Ground ,” which came out this week, he writes that “Over the years, the sport has shifted my imagination and my sense of self.” For Thompson —a former New Yorker editor who is now the C.E.O. of The Atlantic —running has been not just a tool for building discipline but also a way to relate to his father, to pare away the demands of everyday life, and to achieve calm and clarity. Not long ago, he joined us to recommend a few books about devotion to demanding physical pursuits. His remarks have been edited and condensed.

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