A Thanksgiving Tradition I Couldn’t Let Die

For the last five years, I’ve done CrossFit Hero Workout Murph, in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, on or near Thanksgiving. This year, I seriously considered not doing it. No CrossFit gyms that I knew of was doing it because of COVID. And I’m trying to take it easy on CrossFit so I can heal and come back better.

However, I had to. My first CrossFit workout ever was a half-Murph, and I still remember how it beat me up. It has special meaning to me.

So I suited up. I put on my vest, warmed up my garage, and got ready to go. Admittedly, I didn’t PR (I wasn’t really trying to). My run sucked, which it has ever since that heavy 10k I inadvertently did. The pull ups were a lot harder than I thought they’d be (it took me three days for my arms to recover). But I felt really good afterwards.

I couldn’t let this Thanksgiving tradition die when it seems like so many other traditions are dying around me. God bless Lieutenant Murphy, his family, and all of the service men and women who fight for our freedoms that we cannot let erode away.