The name is uttered through boxes quietly. The 5 letters bring fear into CrossFitter’s eyes. Men’s Fitness named it the third most brutal CrossFit workout.

Named after fallen Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, who was killed in Afghanistan, Murph is one of a handful of Hero workouts that are done in memory of someone who gave their life in service. CrossFit lore says that this workout was one of Lt. Murphy’s favorites, and to honor his original workout and it’s name, “Body Armor,” it is meant to be done with a weight vest.

WOD

1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run

*For the record, the prescribed weight vest was nearly more than 1/5 of my body weight and I decided to instead stick with my super heavy tank top.*

Most CrossFitters despise running. Nearly every person in the class before me complained about the running, and my friends who have done it before said it was the most difficult part, especially the last mile. I don’t know if it was optimism, but the run was the only part I was looking forward to.

Throughout the workout I was careful to pace myself. I ran my first mile steady and started to slowly chip away at the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats. I broke the workout up into “20 rounds” and did 5 push-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats each round to help make the workout feel like it was moving faster and keep my muscles functioning. By doing this I was able to make it through the first 125 push-ups full body with my elbows in tight, but after that I couldn’t do the unassisted kipping pull-ups and the push-ups anymore and I dropped to my knees on the last 2-3 push-ups of each round.

I felt alright while doing it. My muscles weren’t burning horribly, but I could tell I was fatigued. I ran the second mile faster than the first, but it was by no means a speed record. I was just thankful to stumble across the finish.

After 45 minutes and 45 seconds I had defeated the beast for the first time. Not horrible as far as times go, but I would like to try it again to see what I can do.

At least I thought I wanted another crack at it until I got up, excuse me, tried to get up, the next morning. As the day progressed my body got incredibly tight and sore, to the point where in the middle of an email where the muscles in my hands and forearms were screaming with every letter, I realized that the only muscle group that wasn’t sore were the muscles in my face.