A Memorial Day Challenge: Remembering Fallen Heroes And Getting My Ass Back In Shape
On Memorial Day, a buddy and I were exchanging texts and being general curmudgeons about how the solemnity of the day often seems to be downplayed or forgotten. Sadness and mourning and appreciation can all be very healthy if not taken too far. Setting aside time to reflect on the people who lost their lives so that we can enjoy the comfortable lives that we live today should not be treated like some kind of inconvenient buzz kill.
The original name for Memorial Day was Decoration Day. It is a federal holiday that was observed on May 30 between 1868 and 1970, but since 1970 the observance has been made on the last Monday of May (presumably to ensure a long weekend at the start of summer for federal employees).
Anyhow, between our rants, he caught me off guard when he threw the gauntlet down out of nowhere. A friendly challenge? I’m not yellow, so of course I accepted. What was the nature of the challenge? He was telling me about how he just finished watching Lone Survivor and asked me if I knew what a “Murph” was. I had a vague recollection of the term but couldn’t pinpoint it. I proceeded with caution hoping that I wasn’t about to be told about some bizarre sex act described in excruciating detail on the urban dictionary website. When two veterans are bullshitting, you never know when a routine conversation might radically change direction.
As it turns out, a “Murph” is a crossfit workout reportedly patterned after a favorite workout of Lieutentant Michael Murphy, a Navy Seal who was killed in action in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings. He was 29 years old. In 2013, both a film (Lone Survivor) and a documentary (The Protector) were made in honor of his life. He’s an American hero and deserves to be remembered. The challenge was to perform a “Murph” next year on Memorial day. No time limit. Just finish it. So, what exactly is a “Murph”?
“Murph” (“Body Armor” as Lt Mike Murphy reportedly called it)
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 air squats
1 mile run
All of this in either a 20 pound weight vest or body armor
I have a confession to make. When I accepted the challenge, I didn’t exactly read the details of the workout carefully. The words that I thought that I saw were 100 push ups and 200 sit ups. I’m not saying that I could do that now, even if I were to spread it out over a month, but I am pretty confident that by next year I could build back up to it with diligence and persistence. 100 pull ups? Dammit. That is going to be a tall order to fill. Step one: lose about 50 pounds…
When I was a younger buck, I could not work out seriously for weeks or even months and basically just pick up where I left off. No big deal. Not so much these days. It’s more like work out one day, feel like I was on the receiving end of a Revenant-style grizzly bear rape the next day, and then try to recover for the next week or so. This is going to be fun.
A Memorial Day Tribute
Pvt Stewart Wendell was born August 6, 1926. He enlisted in the Army out of Schuylerville, NY on November 5, 1944. He drowned on June 19, 1945 near Dachau, Germany. My father’s was given Stewart as a middle name in his honor. Stewart was my grandmother’s brother. The name was passed on to me as well. Thank you Uncle Stewart. Your death has been mourned and you have been greatly missed. Those who knew you best have joined you in your slumber, but we will not let your sacrifice be forgotten.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
- Matthew 5:4
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
- Proverbs 27:17
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.”
- John McCrae
