Murph is one of those workouts that gets in your head before it even hits your body. It’s long, it’s heavy (especially if you wear the vest), and it demands a rare combination of endurance, grit, and mental pacing.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be elite to do Murph well. You just need a smart plan, and that starts with pacing based on your fitness level, not someone else’s whiteboard time.
Start With a Baseline Test Before Murph
If you’re not sure how to pace your Murph, the answer isn’t guesswork. It’s data. Doing a few simple benchmarks in the weeks leading up to the workout can give you a crystal-clear picture of where you’re currently at and how hard to push.
A Mile Time Trial tells you how fast (or not) you should run those miles in Murph. If your best mile is 6:30, your first Murph mile shouldn’t be faster than 7:00–7:15. If your PR is closer to 10:00, try staying around 10:30–11:00 for the first mile and save your legs for the reps.
Cindy is a perfect bodyweight tester for Murph. It’s 20 minutes of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats, sound familiar? If you can get 10+ rounds in Cindy and feel okay after, you’re in solid shape for a partitioned Murph.
For a pace test under fatigue, try Chelsea, a 30-minute EMOM with the same rep scheme. Can you keep up? That’s pacing in action.
Conservative First Mile = Strong Middle Section
This can’t be overstated: how you run that first mile determines your Murph experience.
Too fast, and you’ll limp through the reps. Too slow, and you leave time on the table.
The trick? Finish that first mile feeling like you could run it again. If you're gasping for air or already feeling your quads light up, you went too hard.
A good rule of thumb: as soon as your feet stop moving, your hands should start. The transition from run to pull-up shouldn’t take longer than a breath or two. If you’re standing around, it’s a pacing red flag.
For most athletes, this means opening 15–20 seconds slower than your 1-mile PR pace. Focus on breathing, rhythm, and relaxation. The goal is to arrive at the pull-up bar ready, not wrecked.
Partition Your Way to Success
Once you get into the bulk of Murph, the 100/200/300, you need a plan. And that plan better involve partitioning, unless you're a seasoned Murph veteran going full unbroken (which is as rare as a unicorn doing butterfly pull-ups).
The classic Cindy partition (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats x 20 rounds) is a tried-and-true approach for a reason. It spreads the fatigue, keeps things balanced, and gives you consistent checkpoints to manage your effort.
But if push-ups are your bottleneck (they are for a lot of us), consider splitting them with this smarter approach:
5 pull-ups → 5 push-ups → 15 air squats → 5 push-ups
This 5/5/15/5 layout means you’re not hitting 10 push-ups in a row when your chest is already cooked from pull-ups. That second set of 5 after squats gives your arms a little reset, helping you avoid burnout and no-reps later in the workout.
For those who hate counting to 20 (or just like chunkier sets), 10 rounds of 10/20/30 can work, but only if you’re conditioned enough to handle larger volume blocks.
Choose a rep scheme that helps you keep moving. That's the key to Murph success.
Hydration Matters More Than You Think
Murph is long. Depending on your pace, you could be working hard for 35–60 minutes, maybe more. And especially if you're outside in the sun or wearing a weight vest, staying hydrated is non-negotiable.
Set up a bottle nearby with cold water and electrolytes. A few sips between rounds won’t hurt your time. In fact, it could save you from cramping or crashing.
BCAAs or sports drinks with sodium and potassium are solid mid-WOD choices. Don’t rely on just water, especially if you’ve been sweating through a warm-up and a weight vest.
WODprep tip: pre-hydrate the day before. Eat salty foods, drink fluids, and show up feeling ready, not dry and dizzy.
Scale If You’re Not Rx’ing Most Workouts in Class
This is a big one. If you don’t regularly do workouts “as prescribed” in your gym, Murph is not the time to force it.
There is zero shame in scaling Murph. In fact, it’s a sign you’re thinking like an athlete.
- Half Murph: Run 800m, then 50 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 150 air squats, and run 800m to finish. Still brutal. Still legit.
- Partner Murph: Split all reps between you and a friend, and run the miles together. It’s fun, team-oriented, and safer for newer athletes.
- Movement Scaling: Banded pull-ups, ring rows, or jumping pull-ups can help you keep the intensity while matching your current ability. Push-ups can be done to an incline box or barbell in a rack to maintain good form.
Murph isn’t about proving you can suffer. It’s about putting in the work with integrity and honoring the spirit of the workout. The best way to do that? Scale appropriately so you can go hard and recover well.
Check out more smart options in How to Scale Murph Workout With These Easy Steps.
The Last Mile Is a Mental Test
You’ve done 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats… and now there’s one more mile staring you down.
This is where the real challenge begins, not because it’s technically hard, but because mentally, you’re cooked. Your legs are heavy. Your arms are numb. You’re questioning life decisions.
This mile isn’t about speed. It’s about grit.
Set a goal: steady pace, no walking. One foot in front of the other. Pick someone ahead of you and reel them in slowly. Use your breath as a metronome. Remind yourself why you’re doing this.
Murph’s final mile is where respect is built. Don’t chase a fast time. Chase the finish line with heart.
So, How Should You Pace Murph Based on Your Fitness Level?
Beginner or New to CrossFit?
Skip the vest. Consider Half Murph or Partner Murph. Run at a conversational pace, use bands or modify pull-ups, and break push-ups early. The goal is completion, not collapse. Think long, steady effort and clean movement.
Intermediate Athlete (Rx Some Workouts)?
Stick with the classic Cindy partition, 5/10/15 for 20 rounds. Run your first mile about 15–20 seconds slower than your 1-mile PR. Push-ups will sneak up fast, so break early (5/5/15/5 works great). Hydrate mid-WOD and plan to grind that final mile with grit, not speed.
Advanced or Murph Veteran?
If you regularly Rx workouts and have done Murph before, you can consider adding the vest, but only if your training volume supports it. Run smooth and efficient (not fast), and be deliberate with rep transitions. Think of Murph like a long competition WOD, pace for the full distance, not just the first few rounds.
No matter your level, smart pacing means choosing a strategy that keeps you moving well from start to finish.
Know Your Fitness. Honor the Workout.
Murph is about effort. Not leaderboard placement. Not Rx pride. Not who finished first.
Your pacing strategy should reflect your current fitness, your mindset, and your goals. Test, prepare, hydrate, and scale if you need to. That’s not backing down, that’s being smart.
If you show up, pace well, and give it your all, you’ve honored the workout. That’s the WODprep way.
This article’s part of a series to help you get your best Murph score yet. Want the full breakdown? Check out the rest of the series below:
- The Ultimate Checklist: Murph Memorial Workout For Beginners
- How to Scale Murph Workout With These Easy Steps!
- How to Scale Pull-Ups for Murph Workout
- How to Use a Weighted Vest for Murph Workout
- Memorial Day Murph Workout: The Ultimate Strategy
- Murph Workout Training Plan
- What is the CrossFit Murph Challenge?
- What’s a Good Time for Murph? Let's break it down
- Crush 200 Push-Ups in Murph Without Burning Out
- Are You Doing Air Squats Correctly in Murph?
- Recover After Murph Workout Without Losing a Week
Your Questions Answered...
1. What’s a good Murph time for my fitness level?
It depends. If you're newer, 50–60 minutes (scaled) is solid. Intermediate Rx athletes often land around 45–55 mins. Elite? Sub-40. But the real goal is pacing well and finishing strong, not chasing someone else’s time.
2. Should I wear a vest if I’ve never done Murph before?
Nope. Master the volume first. Add the vest only once you’ve done several full Murphs Rx unweighted with good pacing and movement quality. Vest ≠ badge of honor, it’s an added challenge for those ready.
3. How should I break up the reps?
The Cindy partition (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats x 20) is gold. If push-ups are your limiter, try 5/5/15/5. If you’re more advanced and like big sets, 10/20/30 x 10 can work, just know it’s spicier.
4. What’s the best pacing strategy for the first mile?
Go slower than you think. Aim for about 15–20 seconds slower than your 1-mile PR. The goal is to start smooth so you can hit your first set of reps immediately, not gasp on the floor.
5. Is it okay to scale Murph?
Absolutely. Smart athletes scale to preserve intensity and form. Half Murph, partner Murph, and movement mods (like banded pull-ups or incline push-ups) are all legit. Scaling ≠ quitting, it’s training wisely.