TOWSON, Md — The Block Blazers Run Club celebrated its second anniversary by hosting its second Murph Challenge, this time indoors at Grind Fitness in Towson.
Block Blazers host indoor Murph Challenge for second anniversary
The Murph Challenge honors the life of Lieutenant Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan. The challenge includes a 2-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats.
Last year, the Block Blazers hosted the Murph Challenge for the first time at Lake Montebello to mark one year as a run club. This year, the club moved the event indoors, a decision that paid off after a week of rainy weather.
Gregory Jones, co-founder of the Block Blazers Run Club, said the change of venue made a significant difference.
"It was a whole lot better this year because of all the crazy weather that we had coming; like, the whole last week it was raining, so being able to have a facility to have our challenge and not hold us back, I think that was a great thing for us to do."
Allen Cork II, owner of Grind Fitness, said partnering with the group was an easy decision.
"It was much different from last year; they were at the park with a lot of uncontrolled environments and difficulty, but it was fantastic, love partnering with a group like this that brings so much positivity and energy, love, community; it was easy, it was an easy yes."
Jones said the event is about more than just the physical challenge.
"Of course you know the Murph Challenge is for Michael P. Murphy, but the thing is just kind of encouraging people to come together, you know, really wanting to push ourselves and be our biggest competition to finish this memorial type of event or type of training."
Cork reflected on the deeper meaning behind pushing through a difficult workout on Memorial Day.
"We have a lot of liberties day to day because someone else paid a much more difficult price for it, and to be able to celebrate, granted, the Murph is a very difficult challenge, obstacle, for most of us; we were literally miserable through it, but it's like we have the opportunity to be miserable because of what those before us gave."
Jones said it means a lot to see more people participating this year, both in the Murph Challenge and in the run club itself.
"People understand that we are committed to their growth just as much as our growth. I think that is very important, so that's why we're kind of coming through with steam through year two, and we're just going to keep pushing through the more years as we kind of grow bigger, but I am very excited and very hopeful."
The Block Blazers will continue their two-year anniversary celebration throughout the week, including a run Thursday at Towson Commons starting at 6 p.m. and a community cleanup Sunday.
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