Why We Murph
Why We Murph: Honoring Sacrifice with Sweat and Grit
As May comes to a close, so does Military and Law Enforcement Appreciation Month—a time when we pause to honor the men and women who serve and protect our country, often at great personal cost. And for us, one of the ways we pay tribute is by doing something hard. Something that reminds us that freedom isn’t free.
We Murph.
Every Memorial Day, we join thousands across the country to complete the “Murph Challenge,” a grueling workout named after Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2005 while protecting his team. The workout was one of his favorites, and it has become a Memorial Day tradition and a powerful act of remembrance.
The workout is simple, but far from easy:
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 air squats
1 mile run
(All while wearing a weighted vest if you're following it fully.)
We Murph not because we’re elite athletes (we’re not). We Murph because it’s hard—and doing something hard feels right when you’re honoring someone who made the ultimate sacrifice.
We first got involved in 2020. The world had just shut down. Gyms were closed. Life felt upside down. That spring, Bonnie’s ex-husband—a Naval veteran—gifted us our first Murph registration. We knew Lt. Murphy’s story, but we had no idea what we were stepping into.
It wrecked us. And it rooted something in us.
Since then, the Murph has become a yearly tradition. For Gordon, it's about finishing strong and pushing for time. Every year, he completes the full challenge. This year was his best yet—solo in 42:13. Bonnie typically scales it, but she shows up just the same, choosing to do something hard to honor those who gave everything.
Over the years, we've also partnered with the Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) Center at the University of Arizona to host the Murph on campus—bringing together students, veterans, and community members to remember, reflect, and sweat with purpose.
We Murph to remember.
We Murph to reflect.
We Murph to push our bodies, quiet our minds, and connect to something greater than ourselves.
For us, it’s not about the time on the clock. It’s about showing up. It’s about honoring every fallen hero and supporting every family who has lived through loss. It’s a tradition.
At Grit and Grace, this challenge fits who we are: people who keep going even when it hurts. People who believe that strength and tenderness can exist side by side. People who honor the past and push forward with purpose.
To those who serve and to those who have lost someone who did—we see you. We thank you. And we Murph for you.
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“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13