Murph workout returns at DuBois May 23
- DuBois organizers scheduled the Murph Challenge for Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m. near the amphitheater in DuBois City Park. - The workout’s standard format is a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and a final mile. - Blacksburg Fit Body Boot Camp also listed a May 23 Murph event, with proceeds tied to local fundraising.
The Murph Challenge was scheduled to return to DuBois, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, May 23, with a 10 a.m. start near the amphitheater in DuBois City Park, according to Connect FM’s event listing. The event is part of the broader Memorial Day weekend tradition built around “Murph,” a military tribute workout named for Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy. Across the country, gyms and community groups also marked the date with their own versions, including an event in Blacksburg, Virginia, on the same day. ### What exactly was happening in DuBois on May 23? Connect FM listed “The Murph Challenge” in DuBois City Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2026. The listing said participants would gather in the park for the annual event and described it as both a fitness challenge and a cause-driven community gathering. (connectradio.fm) Third-party event listings matched the same timing, showing “The MURPH 2026” at DuBois City Park beginning at 10 a.m. on May 23. Those listings described the exercise portion as free to join and framed the event around participation and military remembrance. ### What is the Murph workout people were expected to do? (connectradio.fm) Men’s Journal described the Murph as a Memorial Day workout that begins with a 1-mile run, followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 air squats, and ends with another 1-mile run. CrossFit’s own workout page gives the same standard sequence and says athletes can partition the pull-ups, push-ups and squats as needed. (stayhappening.com) CrossFit said some experienced participants complete the workout wearing body armor or a weighted vest, reflecting the original prescription associated with the event. Men’s Journal said beginners are often encouraged to modify the workout rather than attempt the full version unscaled. ### Who is the workout meant to honor? (mensjournal.com) Men’s Journal said the workout honors Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. The official Murph Challenge site says the event is the annual fundraiser of the LT. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. (crossfit.com) The LT. Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum said the challenge, which began as a memorial to Murphy, now draws participants worldwide. The museum said the campaign has raised more than $2.25 million for the scholarship foundation since 2014. ### Was DuBois the only local event tied to Murph on May 23? (mensjournal.com) WDBJ7 reported that Fit Body Boot Camp in Blacksburg, Virginia, was also hosting the Murph Challenge on May 23. The station said the gym donated $250 to the Murph Foundation and was collecting $5 donations from participants, with proceeds going to the WWII Museum of the New River Valley. (murphsealmuseum.org) Those parallel listings show how Murph has moved beyond a single gym workout into a recurring Memorial Day weekend event format. Official organizers say participants can register through the Murph Challenge website, while local groups continue to run their own community versions on May 23 and through Memorial Day weekend. (themurphchallenge.com) (wdbj7.com)
