The Magnificent Murph Marathon
It was on November 26th, 2024, when we first heard from Franky via email. A mutual friend of Jack’s had connected us, mentioning that he wanted to take on a fundraising fitness challenge.
We jumped on a call the following week where we learned about Franky’s own experience with a rare sarcoma in his arm in the summer of 2022. Fortunately, it was detected relatively early. Although it had spread aggressively in the local area, multiple surgeries were able to remove the lumps, and since then, there have been no signs of it spreading elsewhere in his body. Franky talked about the amazing care he received from The Royal Marsden and is acutely aware of how different his story could’ve been.
In his own words “I am going to attempt a Murph workout every 2 hours for 24 hours and use it as an opportunity to get as many people as possible to join me for a workout or two.“ Like most people, the word ‘Murph’ didn’t mean much to us at first. But a quick Google search was all it took to realise the sheer scale of the challenge Franky had set for himself.
A Murph is:
• 1-mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 squats
• Another 1-mile run
(Wearing a weighted 10kg vest)
From that very first introductory call, we could never have imagined what the event would become when it kicked off at 6pm on March 21st at NewWave CrossFit. What unfolded far exceeded anything we had pictured.
There was a BBQ on the Friday evening, Pizzas on Saturday evening and various raffles/ challenges/ fundraising throughout. There was a palpable buzz from start to finish, as people came and went throughout the event—some jumping in for a workout, others simply showing up to offer their support.
Joining Franky in taking on all 12 Murphs were Nico Cary, Adam Reckless and Matt Addis—and to put this incredible feat into perspective, over the course of 24 hours, each of these four remarkable men completed 26.2 miles of running, 1,200 pull-ups, 2,400 press-ups, and 3,600 squats - all while wearing a 10kg weighted vest. An extraordinary display of endurance, grit, and dedication.
Adam was taking on the challenge in honour of his friend Amy Welch and her fiancé Louis Wilkinson. In October 2023 Amy was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of 32. We had the privilege of meeting Amy for the first time earlier that week when she came down to show her support at the Colours gig - straight from a chemotherapy session - which just speaks volumes of her strength and character.
The entire event truly embodied what Transcend is all about—bringing people and communities together. A huge thanks goes out to Frazer Brent at NewWave CrossFit for hosting such a memorable event and for making us all feel so welcome and a part of the amazing commuity you’ve built!
And finally, to Franky - there truly aren’t words to fully express our gratitude for being the driving force behind this event. What you’ve achieved, and the incredible amount you’ve raised for vital translocation sarcoma research, is nothing short of extraordinary. Watching you wear Jack’s weighted vest for the final Murph is a moment that will stay with us forever. Thank you - for your strength, your heart, and the meaning you brought to it all.