The Murph Challenge is Coming! What it is and why you should join us

Mark your calendars! Saturday, May 28th, 2022,  will be our 7th year as an official host location for The Murph Challenge. This is always our biggest event of the year, and it is sure to be an amazing day!

WHAT IS MURPH?

It is a tradition among CrossFit boxes all around the world to perform this workout over Memorial Day weekend. The workout is an official CrossFit hero WOD, named after Lt. Michael Murphy, a US Navy Seal and American hero, who sacrificed his life to save his fellow SEALS in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. This workout was one of his favorites, and he named it “Bodyarmor.” After his passing, CrossFit renamed it in his honor.  The movie, “Lone Survivor” depicts the story of Lt. Murphy’s heroic actions, along with the rest of his team, including the sole survivor, Marcus Luttrell. Watching this movie before the workout will really help you appreciate the deeper meaning of the day and Lt. Murphy’s sacrifice for his team. (you may want to put the kids to bed if you are going to watch it.)You can also watch Marcus Luttrell talk about Lt. Murphy and that fateful day in this clip from an interview with Katie Couric.(Click for link)

WHY SHOULD I SIGN UP?

Most often, our members tell us this event gives them a sense of purpose on Memorial Day.  The workout is a way to honor Lt. Murphy and all of our American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us.  It is also an opportunity to challenge yourself.  This workout is designed to be hard enough to make you question whether you will finish.   But a lot of growth comes from pushing yourself farther than you thought you could go.

WHAT IS THE ACTUAL WORKOUT?

For time:

1 mile run – 100 pullups – 200 pushups – 300 squats – 1 mile run

You may partition the exercises between the runs however you would like. We will also help you to scale the workout as needed (just like we always do)

Here are some common ways to break up the reps:

25 rounds of: 4 pullups, 8 pushups, 12 squats

20 rounds of: 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats (or split the pushups in half and do 5 before and after the squats)

50 rounds of: 2 pullups, 4 pushups, 6 squats

For most people, we recommend that you choose smaller sets with more rounds. The pushups are typically the toughest part and small sets will keep you from having to take long rests.

WHAT ARE SOME SCALING OPTIONS FOR MURPH?

If you feel like that workout is impossible, don’t worry. Like all of our workouts, this one can be scaled. The important part of the workout is to challenge yourself, honor Lt. Murphy and all of our American heroes, and support your boxmates. This workout is designed to be hard enough to make you question whether you will finish. Think of Lt. Murphy and his team’s struggles. Think of Marcus Luttrel's epic crawl to safety. He drew a line in the sand just ahead of his reach, and crawled there. Again and again for miles.

Here are some of the most common options:

1. Go for the full runs, but do 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 of the volume on the pullups, pushups and squats. These are typically the hardest part, and doing this will cut down the volume.
2. Scale individual movements as needed. You can do ring rows, banded pullups, box pushups etc.
3. Do it with a partner! Run together and alternate with each other to split the work.

SHOULD I WEAR A WEIGHT VEST?

Typically you will see some of our athletes opt for the vest. If you have done this workout in its entirety in the past without one, this year might be your year to go for it! If you feel comfortable wearing it, talk to one of our coaches so we can make sure you are going to be safe.

Still nervous?

Don’t worry, we are helping you prepare!  Every Wednesday leading up to Murph, our regular workout of the day will help get you ready.  We will be working on pushup, pullup and squat volume, as well as getting more comfortable with running with a vest (if you are going to wear one for Murph).

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POST MURPH

Our post Murph hang out is a tradition at SRCF, filled with food and friends. Around lunch time we will fire up the grill. Please consider bringing some food for our pot luck.  SRCF will provide the meat for the grill   All are welcome to come back to grab some food (or just stay and hang out all morning :-) and enjoy some time with your boxmates. Tuckermans has also welcomed us to use their outdoor seating that morning, and they are going to open the beer garden early just for us!

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How to sign up:

You will find heats for Murph under EVENTS in your member portal.  If friends or family would like to join you, please message Aimee at info@swiftrivercrossfit.com for a link for them.  Heats may fill up quickly, so please make sure you register at the same time if you are bringing guests who want to participate.  Guests will be asked to pay a $15 drop in fee.  If they are officially registered through The Murph Challenge web site, the fee will be waived.

You can officially register for The Murph Challenge by clicking the link below. Official registration is not required to attend our event, but it is HIGHLY encouraged.The Murph Challenge. 

Whether you officially register or not, you will still need to reserve your spot under one of the heats in the member portal.  Look under EVENTS.

We can't wait to see you all on the 28th for an amazing day!