Peoria hosts Murph Challenge Memorial Day

The Resilience Project held its fourth annual Murph Challenge at The House Barbell Club in Peoria on Saturday, drawing dozens of participants for a Memorial Day weekend workout tied to remembrance and veterans’ support. WMBD-TV reported the event was designed to honor fallen service members while raising support for local veterans. Organizers framed the challenge as both a physical test and a shared act of tribute. The workout itself follows a format that has become common across Memorial Day Murph events around the country. ### What exactly did Peoria participants do? The standard Murph workout is a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and another 1-mile run. CrossFit Mt. Juliet posted that sequence for its May 23 Memorial Day Murph programming and said participants who had a 20-pound vest or body armor could wear it. That version matches the format cited in local coverage tied to the Peoria event. (centralillinoisproud.com) Some gyms and organizers scale the workout for different ability levels, but the core sequence remains the same across many Memorial Day events. In Peoria, the emphasis in local reporting was on finishing together rather than posting elite times. WMBD said organizers described the challenge as a way for veterans and civilians to “suffer together” in remembrance. (centralillinoisproud.com) ### Who is the workout named for? Navy Lt. Michael Murphy is the service member honored by the Murph workout. CrossFit New Hampshire and CrossFit Mt. Juliet both identified Murphy as 29 years old, from Patchogue, New York, and said he was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. CrossFit New Hampshire said the workout was one of Murphy’s favorites and that he had called it “Body Armor.” (centralillinoisproud.com) Murphy was later awarded the Medal of Honor, and his name has become attached to one of the most widely recognized Memorial Day fitness events in the United States. The workout’s spread across local gyms, military bases and nonprofit events has made it a recurring holiday tradition. ### Why was Peoria’s event tied to veterans’ support? Peoria’s event was organized by The Resilience Project, which WMBD said used the Murph Challenge to support local veterans as well as honor the fallen. (crossfitnewhampshire.com) The station reported that the event took place at The House Barbell Club and marked the nonprofit’s fourth annual staging of the challenge. The local framing was consistent with earlier Peoria Murph coverage. (crossfitnewhampshire.com) WMBD reported in 2025 that The Resilience Project used the annual challenge over Memorial Day weekend to honor Murphy’s legacy and support veterans dealing with the transition to civilian life. ### Was Peoria part of a broader Memorial Day pattern? Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona invited the public to its Fitness Center for a Murph Challenge at 8 a.m. (centralillinoisproud.com) Saturday, and KYMA reported that event was held in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy and other fallen veterans. That same day, other local outlets reported Murph events tied to gyms and community groups in other states, showing how broadly the workout is used over Memorial Day weekend. (centralillinoisproud.com) The consistency is visible in the details. The same rep scheme appeared in gym programming posts, while local news reports in places such as Peoria and Yuma emphasized remembrance, community participation and support for veterans rather than competition. ### What comes next after the weekend event? Memorial Day observances continue on Monday, May 25, across Peoria and elsewhere, while Murph events typically conclude over the holiday weekend. (kyma.com) In Peoria, WMBD’s reporting places The Resilience Project and The House Barbell Club at the center of this year’s local challenge, with the workout serving as the group’s latest Memorial Day weekend fundraiser and tribute. (centralillinoisproud.com)