After Missing a Year Due to COVID, CrossFit Gyms Looking to Make “Murph” Bigger Than Ever

Each year, Memorial Day brings the CrossFit community together with one of the most well-known Hero Workouts, Murph. But 2020 put a hold on that tradition as the pandemic put most countries in lockdown, and gyms couldn’t hold a community “Murph” the way most typically do.

Remind me: The Hero Workout “Murph” consists of a one mile run into 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, all partitioned however you’d like, and finished with another one mile run. For those looking to RX the workout, throw on a 20/14 pound weight vest.

Fast-forward a year later, CrossFit RSP in Southern Illinois is looking to bring “Murph” back with the help of the U.S. Army Warrior Fitness Team.

• “I think bringing the Army Fitness Team will bring awareness to local high schoolers that need some guidance in the next step to take,” owner of CrossFit RSP, Katelyn Weihl said. “I feel like a lot of kids are lost due to the pandemic.”

Why it matters: This is a staple Hero Workout that brings the CrossFit community together worldwide. Aside from The Open, this is one of the only other times that hundreds of thousands of people will be participating in the same workout on the same day.

And community is exactly what CrossFit Invictus Boston is looking for after a year of strict safety guidelines due to the pandemic.

• Massachusetts still has mask mandates in place for both indoor and outdoor activities. Meaning, athletes participating in “Murph” this year will be masked-up.
• Outdoor community gatherings are limited to 100 people. CrossFit Invictus Boston says they plan to have anywhere from 40 to 60 people participate.

For CrossFit RSP, this will be their 4^th year doing “Murph” publicly as a community. Each year, they also choose a local charity to donate to. This year they will raise money for “This Able Veteran,” a facility that trains and donates service dogs to veterans in need.

Like hundreds of other gyms, COVID prevented CrossFit RSP from having their community “Murph” last year which is why Weihl says, this Memorial Day will be even more special.

• “The best thing about doing Murph is it doesn’t matter if you RX the workout or complete all the reps,” Weihl said.
• “It’s coming together for the cause and just being with the people you love and building new relationships. That’s what the CrossFit community is missing and that’s what I want to bring back. No cliques and no judging. Just hard work, love and support.”

The big picture: Doing the Hero Workout “Murph” isn’t just for you or even your community. It’s for something much bigger. It’s paying tribute to Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan on June 28^th, 2005.