The other morning I was out on the trails with my good friend Adam Merry. It was early, first light kind of early. The kind of morning where the fog lingers low over the foothills, and every breath feels a little sacred. We weren’t pushing the pace. We were just moving, side by side, letting the trail unfold beneath us without any pressure. Somewhere between quiet conversation and the rhythm of our strides, I had this thought: the way we approach training, the way we hold space for effort without ego, it feels like meekness.
That word, meek, keeps showing up in my life lately…in books and conversations. I used to think it meant soft or passive. But then I learned that in ancient times, meek was a term used for war horses. Animals with incredible power, trained to remain calm under pressure. They could charge into battle, but only when asked. Meekness didn’t mean weakness. It meant controlled strength. Strength with purpose.
Meekness is not surrender in the defeatist sense. It is strength that does not need to roar. It is self-control. It is rootedness. It is choosing not to fight the mountain, but to move with it. Not every run has to be a statement. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is show up with calm persistence and listen.
Running can be loud. Paced runs, race goals, GPS data, online comparison. But the heart of it, at least for me, lives in the quiet. The private miles. The runs where nothing is proven but everything is remembered. Where you touch something older than progress and ambition.
To meek a run is to honor it without needing to dominate it. To listen instead of force. To give your best, but without demand. There is courage in that. Maybe even clarity.
I think the world needs more of that kind of running. More runners who are grounded. Who move through the world with intention, not aggression. Who are humble enough to let the trail teach them something new.
The meek may not chase the crown. But they inherit something better. They inherit the earth underfoot. The sky overhead. The full breath of the present moment.
And sometimes, that is more than enough. Maybe even enough to wear the crown at the end of the day.
What a wonderful reflective piece of writing! Matt.
Thankyou
"Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth "... I guess that's what was meant in the Bible.. if one can subjugate the ego, one can hear what the Earth has to teach us (while we are out running) . I'm not a Christian but I do remember hearing this quote in Sunday school. It's always stood out to me.
Strength in silence. Power in actions.