Memorial Day is coming up, and if you’ve been around the functional fitness/CrossFit world for more than a minute, you know what that means: it’s almost Murph season.
Whether you’re a seasoned CrossFit athlete with a well-worn weight vest or you’ve never done a hero WOD before in your life, Murph is a powerful experience. It’s more than just a workout—it’s a tradition, a test, and a tribute. And, if you’re not careful, it can chew you up and spit you out in round 6 of 20, wondering where your soul went.
I’ve been there.
The Year I Did Everything Wrong
Let’s rewind to the mid-2010s. I was coaching full-time at CrossFit South Brooklyn, surrounded by a crew of smart, strong, passionate folks. We knew our way around a barbell. We also knew our way around a dimly lit bar.
The night before Murph, we decided to “celebrate.” Not Murph. Just…life? I don’t know. It was one of those “oh to be young and stupid” kind of nights. Drinks flowed. Decisions were made. Hydration was not one of them.
The next morning, we were met with what I then considered an unseasonably hot and humid New York summer day. (Now that I live in Texas, I’d call it “mildly sweaty.” But back then? Brutal.)
From round 3 onward, the wheels fell off. My grip started going, my push-ups crumbled, and I jumped between different partitioning strategies like a man trying to solve a puzzle while underwater. I lost count more than once. I had to repeat reps just to be safe. At one point, I sat down and stared into the void for a full minute. No thoughts. Just vibes.
It was—by far—my slowest Murph ever.
And honestly? Still awesome. Still meaningful. Still a shared experience I’ll never forget.
But also? Not something I’d wish on anybody.
That’s Why I Made This Free Murph Guide
I want you to do Murph this year. I want you to feel strong and capable and connected to the meaning of the day. And I don’t want you to suffer unnecessarily just because no one told you how to train for it.
So I made something: a FREE Murph Prep Guide, designed for everyday athletes like you.
This isn’t some hardo, go-until-you-puke nonsense. It’s thoughtful, realistic, and battle-tested.
Inside the guide, you’ll find:
- What Murph really is—its origins, its place in the CrossFit Games, and why it’s about more than just reps
- How Murph is done in most CrossFit gyms today, with plenty of smart scaling and inclusive options
- Ways to partition the workout that will keep your arms and lungs intact
- Tips for pacing and avoiding the wall, especially if you’ve never done a 40+ minute workout before
- A complete training plan, broken into two parts: daily movement (5x/week) and a twice-weekly Murph-specific running workout
Whether you’re doing Rx Murph in a weight vest, a half-Murph with a buddy, or scaling everything to make it your own—it all counts.
Just Hit Me Up
If you want the guide, just send me a quick message or email ([email protected]) or comment below with “Murph Guide” in the subject. That’s it. No form, no funnel, no catch.
I’ll send it straight to you.
And here’s the best part: I’m going to check in with you after Memorial Day to see how it went. Because part of the reason we train together is to reflect together. To celebrate what we did, learn from how it went, and get ready for what’s next.
So go ahead—train smart. Stay hydrated. And maybe save the Jameson for after the second mile.
—Noah
