USA's & The Guy On The Porch

Hello, friends and family!

Here are a few updates from the Meyers!

Racing

As I continued my racing season, I traveled to Portland to race a 1500m, aiming for a fast time—and, honestly, to take a little break from the fast-paced life. With just one lap to go in the race, I suffered a grade two hamstring tear. I had been running well—despite being bumped around early, I pressed through the middle laps and was on pace for a 3:35. But right before the bell lap… bang. I felt something pull in my hammy.

I debated dropping out, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. I pushed through for a bit, then gradually began decelerating the last 200 meters. Crazy enough—I still ran a 3:40. Not running a fast time when it felt like my day was disappointing. This sport isn’t everything in my life, but it still stings when I feel like I’ve let down the people who constantly cheer for me and believe in me.

This year has really tested me physically and mentally. It started with injuries this past fall, causing me to miss the entire indoor season. I had a delayed start to spring training due to lingering hip and knee issues. Training alone made everything feel even harder. Just when things started to turn around, I got hurt again.

These setbacks have been tough—no sugarcoating it. But I know these are the moments that will pay off down the road. They teach resilience, even when you’d rather not learn it the hard way.

Right now, I’m in a better place physically and mentally. I’ve rehabbed well, sought out the right help, built my mileage back up, and strung together some solid workouts. Despite all of the challenges, I will be racing at my 5th US Championships this upcoming Thursday at 4:33 CT! I truly have everything to gain and nothing to lose. My family and I are going to soak in the experience, have some fun, and go for it (please pray for us with this toddler on a plane)! Watch on NBC or USATF.TV.

Hold Fast Camp – Hebrews 10:23

Kelly and I have been loving this summer—spending time outside with Judah “The Jet”, hitting the pool, visiting family, and just being more present before the school year kicks off again.

We recently hosted our Hold Fast Running Camp here in Hays, and it was such a joy. It's a blessing to work with kids who love running and genuinely want to get better. But our favorite part is sharing what this sport has taught us about life and faith.

Running a race is hard. Preparing for it is time-consuming and uncomfortable. But man… that finish line? It’s going to be the best gift ever someday.

My Grandpa Les

I’ve always been drawn to blue collar stories—people who work full-time jobs and still grind on the side to chase their ultimate goal. One of those stories is about my grandpa. 

Back in the 1970s, he was the Kansas heavyweight boxing champion. He trained himself—waking up early to run, working all day, then sparring with friends in the evening while his sons, my dad and uncle, boxed nearby, mimicking their dad. How cool is that?

Most people are exhausted after a day of work. But my grandpa? He’d wake up before 5:30 AM, throw on his sweats and army boots, and go run for 45 minutes to an hour. Then he’d shower, head to the office, work until 4:30 or 5:00 PM, come home physically and mentally spent, crush a few Kansas hamburgers, and go right back to training for another 2–3 hours—plus a sauna session to recover.

Everyone wants to be a champion, but few are willing to do what it takes.

Yes, it’s cool when athletes get paid and sponsored. But the truly inspiring stories to me are the ones like my grandpa’s—the people who chip away at their craft every spare second they have, all while working and raising a family. That kind of pursuit shapes a person. I’ve seen firsthand how it shaped my grandpa.

Recently, he and Grandma Trish came to Hays and gave us the coolest gift—revamping the outside of our house with gardening, woodwork, new doors, and moving rock... all during the hottest time of the year. They worked tirelessly and didn’t stop until the job was done. And even when it was done, Grandpa kept finding more things to fix up.

When I see that, I think back to his boxing days. Should we give that experience some credit for the kind of man he is today? Absolutely. But I believe it’s even more divine than that. God gives us gifts—it’s our job to discover them and use them to serve others. 

 1 Peter 4:10 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

That lifestyle he lived was definitely hard. But chasing something with unwavering grit teaches you life lessons that last forever.

We’re proud of you, Gramps. Thanks for being the man in the arena.

Last Story

Summer heat in Kansas hits hard, so most of my runs happen late in the evening — between 8:00 and 9:00 PM — when the sun starts to set and things begin to cool off. That time of day has its own kind of magic. People are out walking the trails, watering their yards, or relaxing on their porches.

My go-to running spot is the grass dike here in Hays. It takes me exactly 0.91 miles to get to the grass from my house, and from there I’ll either stay on it or head out to the country roads to give my legs a break from the pavement. I always take the same route, and nearly every evening I pass the same older man sitting on his porch with his cat nearby.

At first, he just started cheering me on — saying things like, “They went that way!” or “You’re getting close!” and “There he is!” while raising his tea glass in the air like a toast. Once, I even caught him with binoculars, looking at a tree. I called out, “Hey, what are you looking at?” and he jumped a little, laughed, and said, “You caught me, son!”

These little interactions have honestly made my runs so much more enjoyable. Now, anytime I’m deciding which direction to head, I always choose the route that passes his porch. Soon, I’m planning to take the little guy (JJ) down there to finally introduce ourselves and chat with him. I’m really grateful for his encouragement — it goes a long way. Man, running is cool!

Keep pressing on, everyone.
Run the race with endurance.
Keep your head up.

We hope all is well with you and yours!

With love,
Brett, Kelly, and Judah the Jet