Gyms across the country host the annual fundraiser for scholarships for veterans
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – People are honoring this country’s war dead in a lot of different ways this Memorial Day. One of those is a fundraiser called the Murph Challenge. It’s put on at gyms across the country including CrossFit Maximus in Lexington.
“It’s a one-mile run, then it goes to 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and a one- mile run,” explained Mikk Carr, a former Marine.
The Murph Challenge is named after Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL and the first service member to receive the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan during a Memorial Day event in 2005. Shortly after Murphy’s death, the event began in his name and in honor of others like him who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Organizers say since 2014, the annual fundraiser has raised more than $1 million used to award 34 scholarships last year. That includes a scholarship for Veterans for undergraduate or graduate study.
Participants like Carr and his daughter say they’ve been training for this.
“It’s a long workout,” said Carr. “Like anything, you just start small and even just training once a week for this specific event for a few months, all you got to do is show up and survive.”
But participants like Bradley Henderson decided to add a challenge on top of a challenge by wearing a 20 pound weighted vest. It increases the physical but also mental challenge for those taking part, putting those participating in the headspace of soldiers.
“I think it’s a great way to be connected to the sacrifice that the military have made for us to have the freedoms that we do in general we have it great in America,” said Henderson.
“No matter how hard or how bad you feel in the workout, I kind of keep that in the back of my mind to keep going,” added Carr.
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