Memorial Day Murph

On Memorial Day, CrossFitters around the country perform the hero WOD Murph to honor and remember the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.

This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor". From here on it will be referred to as "Murph" in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it. - CrossFit main site 

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

The start of the first mile run.

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

This was my third Murph and I am honored to complete it each year as a small token of appreciation for Lt. Murphy's sacrifice and for every American who has put their life on the line to keep me safe. This was the first year I got to do Murph at my home box - thank you CrossFit Central LI and CrossFit Stand for letting me join you in the past! This is also the first year I did the workout with bands. 100 pull-ups, no bands. Mentally it was so tough because 100 pull-ups with no bands just sounds impossible in my head.

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

The push-ups are the hardest part of the workout.

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

That's my friend Bre Evans who came in SEVENTH at the Atlantic Regional.

You get to partition the non-running however you'd like and many people go for 20 rounds of Cindy - 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats. I write out a board with 20 rounds on it and just get whatever I can done. Thank you to my lovely friend Jenna for writing my board this year because I took off for my run without making one and then ran back into the box confused, sweating, and unprepared. I tend to start with the 5-10-15 rounds and then switch to 10-20-30. This year I experimented with 10-10-30-10 and split the push-ups because they begin to feel really terrible. By the 15th round, I was struggling. I wanted a pull-up band so badly. More and more pull-up bands kept appearing on the rig as if they were taunting me. I switched to 15-10-5 with the air squats first. Then I did 45 air squats and alternated push-ups and pull-ups. Finally I had one pull-up left and I ran out for my final mile. I was shuffling and running on a diagonal. I was so thirsty and regretted that I didn't get some water before running out. I had missed the halfway turnaround during the first mile (definitely ran a mile out and a mile back), and I was not making that mistake again. Shuffling up the hill on the way back, I started saying America to myself. It's usually a way to motivate myself to lift something heavy but I just kept saying it to myself louder and louder. The rest of the run was all downhill and I ran as fast my new Nanos would take me.

photo courtesy of Elena Pesavento

It took me 1 hour 3 minutes and 58 seconds. Last year I completed 7 rounds Rx, 1 round half Rx, and 12 rounds with a band and it took me 55 minutes and 25 seconds. That, friends, is measurable progress. I didn't feel right for the rest of the day, which was probably for the best because it kept me from drinking at the grill-outs.