May 14, 2026 | Last Update: May 14, 2026

11 Days Until Murph: What You Should Be Doing Right Now

Memorial Day is almost here, which means Murph is coming fast.

At this point, you’re not rebuilding your fitness from scratch — and you definitely shouldn’t be trying to cram in heroic last-minute workouts. The final days before Murph should focus on smart preparation, pacing strategy, recovery, and avoiding the mistakes that leave people wrecked halfway through the workout.

Whether this is your first Murph or an annual tradition, here’s how to use the next 11 days wisely.

Don’t Panic-Train

One of the biggest mistakes people make before Murph is trying to “make up” fitness in the final two weeks.

Extra volume, marathon training sessions, and back-to-back burnout workouts usually do more harm than good this close to Memorial Day. Instead of arriving prepared, many people show up fatigued, sore, or nursing overworked shoulders and hands.

The goal now is sharpening — not exhausting yourself.

Focus on:

Consistent movement
Moderate volume
Recovery
Mobility
Practicing pacing

You want to arrive at Murph feeling fresh, not cooked.

Dial In Your Pull-Up Strategy

Murph has a way of exposing poor pull-up planning.

Even people who are in great shape can blow through their grip early if they attack big sets without a strategy. With only 11 days left, now’s the time to practice manageable sets under fatigue.

One F3 member, Ben Attinger, from Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania, shared this advice after building Murph into his weekly training:

“Last summer, I did Murph Mondays for about 12 of the 16 weeks. The best way to prepare for a Murph is to keep doing pull-ups as you go through your training to prepare. At least for me, those are the first exercises that you lose when you ‘take a break.’

“...The Murph is also like eating an elephant. You take one bite at a time. I like to break the exercises into sets of 10 (pull-ups), 20 (merkins), and 30 (squats) and rinse and repeat ten times. That way, you can grab a piece of chalk and just make a tally mark after each set. When you get to ten total sets, you know you're ready to run the last mile.”

Breaking the workout into manageable chunks helps control fatigue and keeps your heart rate from spiraling too early.

And if this is your first Murph, remember:

There’s no shame in scaling.

Banded pull-ups, ring rows, or reduced volume options still allow people to participate while respecting the purpose of the workout.

Make Sure Your Gear Works for You — Not Against You

Murph is hard enough already. Your gear shouldn’t make it harder.

As temperatures rise and sweat builds, small comfort issues become major distractions somewhere around rep 150.

Brett says he learned that lesson the hard way:

“Another tip is to find a vest that fits snugly. My first Murph, I borrowed a vest from a buddy who had a much larger frame than me. It was 20 lbs of sandbags knocking into my diaphragm for the running portion, and it took the wind from me a bit.”

The final stretch before Murph is a good time to dial in:

Socks
Shoes
Shirts
Hydration setup
Weighted vest fit

Don’t wait until Memorial Day morning to figure out what rubs, bounces, or holds sweat.

Practice the Opening Mile

Most Murph mistakes happen in the first 10 minutes.

People come out too aggressive on the opening mile, spike their heart rate, and spend the rest of the workout trying to recover.

The best Murph performances usually start slower than expected.

If you’re training this week, practice:

Relaxed opening pace
Controlled breathing
Settling into movement early

Murph rewards consistency far more than early speed.

Don’t Ignore Recovery, Hydration & Music

The closer you get to Murph, the more recovery matters.

That means:

Prioritizing sleep
Hydrating consistently
Stretching tight shoulders and hips
Managing soreness before it becomes fatigue

And according to seasoned Murph veterans, your playlist matters too.

“Finally, I can't imagine not setting a speaker up to blast patriotic music. There's something about a good song that makes it suck less.”

Honestly, he’s probably right.

Remember What Murph Represents

For many people, Murph is more than a workout.

Every Memorial Day, communities gather to push themselves physically while honoring the sacrifice and service behind the tradition.

The workout is challenging by design — but the meaning behind it is what matters most.

If you want to read more about the deeper tradition behind Murph and why people continue showing up for it every Memorial Day, check out our previous article:

“Murph: Why We Grind on Memorial Day.”