• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Uncategorized

Grayson Murphy is Exceling on Her Own Terms

Caitlin Chockby Caitlin Chock
January 26, 2022
0
0 0
0
SHARES
210
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Caitlin Chock came to RunBlogRun with a proposal for features on three of her favorite women runners. We encouraged her to develop those stories, and this is the first in the series. Cait has written for us many times over the last decade. We love her enthusiasm, and her ability to let us learn about athletes. Cait does not write merely about how people train, but how people live and thrive with running careers.

In her first of three pieces, Caitlin Chock writes about Grayson Murphy.



Murphy-Giordano-5SRTM21w.jpgGrayson Murphy, Sound Running 5,000m, Heat 2, where she finished 10th in 15:25.85, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto

Grayson Murphy is Exceling on Her Own Terms

By: Cait Chock

If there’s one asset that will keep Grayson Murphy at the top, it’s the ability to shut out the noise of the rest of the world and listen to herself. Possessing the self-awareness well beyond her mere 26 years of life, this trait is something even more rare to find in a newish runner.

Not even having gotten into the sport until her sophomore year of college, Murphy was a walk-on to the University of Utah’s cross-country team. Luckily, Kyle Kepler was the coach entrusted to usher her into the sport and he preached patience above all else. “[He said] ‘Let’s just use your talent, we don’t need to overwork you…we don’t need to beat you into a pulp’,” Murphy recalls. “He was very cognizant of my young training age.”

RelatedPosts

Coffee with Larry, Episode 760, Nike Pre Classic, July 1, 2025 

Speed, Surprises, and Unforgettable Finishes at New Balance Nationals Outdoor

SPRINTING TO SUCCESS FOR GB&NI TEAM ON DAY 2 OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPS

Rather than comparing her workouts and mileage to that of her peers, they devised a training schedule based off of her ‘runner age’. Murphy was training like she was two years old.

Even then, she thrived. “I was 8th in the NCAA Cross-Country Championships off of 50 miles a week, that’s cool!” Murphy thought to herself. When she continued to maintain her low mileage into her professional career, she took to social media to dispel the myth that you HAVE to run more, more, more in order to be good.

Murphy started the conversation in an Instagram post about the importance of listening to your body and tailoring your training to you, “I know what I can do and what I’m capable of, I don’t need to do what other people do, I need to do what I need to do.” That post took off and was shared by elite runners as well as runners of all levels.

In a culture where everyone is uploading their runs, paces, hours of cross training, extra core, and barre ballet classes to any social media platform they can download on their phone, it’s easy to fall victim to the pressure of doing more to keep up. Yet, Murphy attests to her modest 59 miles per week average and even having an extra day off in her back pocket, which she will use if her body tells her it needs it, is the recipe for her success. The results speak for themselves.

Listening to her body, and her heart, is what caused Murphy to step out on her first professional running contract. While outsiders balked, and even thought her crazy for giving up ‘a dream job,’ Murphy wasn’t willing to sacrifice her mental health.

Unhappy in Flagstaff, at first, she looked around and thought, “That’s just how you felt as a pro runner, that’s what it meant to be a pro runner, to be sad all the time, and tired, and under-fueled, and not feeling good, and not happy, that’s just the sacrifice you make when you want to be good.” But finally, the sadness grew too large, too consuming, and she listened to a little voice inside of herself, “I think I can do it in a way that makes me happy too, I don’t have to be miserable.”

The day she officially ended her contract coincided with her birthday. The newfound freedom to do, and run, whatever she wanted spurred her to jump into a last minute trail race. She got second, beating some big names pro’s.

“Oh my gosh, I might be kinda good at this!” she laughed, thinking back to her reaction crossing the finish line. The immediate positive reinforcement that listening to that little voice inside of her not only reaffirmed her decision to leave, but also instilled in her to always listen to her heart about all else.

And each time Murphy has done just that, she’s been rewarded. She went on to win the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships and was the US Mountain Champion in 2019 and 2021.

“To have success pretty instantly with something that I did for fun, because I enjoyed it and it made me happy, that was very validating to see, like, ‘Wow I can be successful and happy, see I did that!'” Murphy recounts. “So following that thread was cool and it’s seemed that has continued to follow me as long as I prioritize my mental health and being happy and doing the things that I think are worthwhile and not making me miserable. And it seems like every decision I make with that as the priority has turned out well, which includes where I am today and it continues to validate itself.”

Murphy followed her heart back to Utah and back under the tutelage of Kepler once again.

One may call Murphy the chameleon of runners, she possesses the speed and coordination for track, (originally making her mark as a steeplechaser) the durability of a road runner, and the wild fearlessness of a top trail runner. The diversity feeds not only her ambition to challenge herself in new ways, but it’s what keeps her passion for running burning brightest.

As runners it’s incredibly easy (namely, impossible at times) to not get too hung up on the numbers, the metrics, the milliseconds. Ironically, the more we fret over the digits the worse we tend to perform due to stress. Murphy has fallen into that trap before and has learned to catch herself BEFORE that weight of over-thinking ever becomes all-consuming again.

Whenever she can feel the pressure cooker of stress boiling to an unhealthy point, she backs off, throws off the watch, steps back, and only returns when she is refreshed. When many elites have fallen victim to the boiled lobster equivalent of that, Murphy has the self-restraint to get out of the pot before she’s cooked.

This isn’t to say her road has been easy, or that she’s always been so inclined to truly listen to her body. Another way Murphy has found herself a following of fans is in her openness about her history with depression and disordered eating. “I wished I had someone when I was going through that and if I can be that person for someone else, that’s all I really hope to accomplish with it.”

Admirable and brave, Murphy credits her current mental and physical health to those that have mentored her. Buoyed by her current support network, she has proven to her younger self that running at the highest level does not mean you must sacrifice your personal happiness.

Rather, to run your best, you must first take care of your mental health first. As part of her own coping mechanisms for her anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, Murphy started making her own training journals. She found so much joy in creating her custom journals, they become a sacred space to write down not only her workouts, but things she was excited about. Lists always helped her manage her anxieties and seeing everything down on paper helped tremendously. Eventually, people started asking her where she got this journal.

“People kept asking me where I bought it, and I was like, “No, I drew this,” Murphy’s smile present in her voice. Thus the Grayson Murphy Training Journal was born four years ago. And people can’t get enough of them. “It’s been a super fun way to connect with the running community, which started as a passion project and now is a full-blown business.”

While Murphy is a fierce competitor as soon as the gun goes off, that steely-eyed focus is in stark contrast to the person she is after crossing the finish line. Quick with a smile and a laugh, you can’t help but want to be best friends with her. Her positivity radiates through her voice and it’s no wonder why 70 thousand Instagram followers @racin_grayson look forward to see what she has to say.

Whether she is busting out a road 5k off of a scant three weeks of training (like her most recent USATF 5k Championships race in New York) or digging deep and powering up the mountains, Murphy looks fearlessly, excitedly, and with happiness, towards the future.

—

Cait Chock (www.caitchock.com) set the then National High School record for 5k (15:52.88) in 2004, ran professionally for Nike, and is just as addicted to running today as it keeps her sane(r). She is a freelance writer and mental health advocate. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @caitchock.

Author

  • Jonas Hedman

    Jonas Hedman is a Swedish journalist, editor, statistician, graphic producer and publisher specialized in track and field. He has published several books about our sport and one of them is "World's Greatest in Athletics" together with Peter Matthews and Richard Hymans. Jonas is also the editor of the Swedish annual book FRIIDROTT and the website friidrottaren.com.

    View all posts
Previous Post

Mondo opens in Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe on 28 January 2022

Next Post

Brooks presents: 2022 RunBlogRun Spring Middle Distance Daily Track Training (800m-5000m), Week 3, Day 4

Jonas Hedman

Jonas Hedman

Jonas Hedman is a Swedish journalist, editor, statistician, graphic producer and publisher specialized in track and field. He has published several books about our sport and one of them is "World's Greatest in Athletics" together with Peter Matthews and Richard Hymans. Jonas is also the editor of the Swedish annual book FRIIDROTT and the website friidrottaren.com.

Similar Post

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams
Reviews

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic
Diamond League

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service
2024 Diamond League

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!
Diamond League

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025
Dos Santos Reclaims Momentum With a Season-Best Win Over Benjamin in Eugene
Diamond League

Dos Santos Reclaims Momentum With a Season-Best Win Over Benjamin in Eugene

July 10, 2025
2023 USATF NYC Grand Prix: Zarnel Hughes 9.83 WL/NR, Sydney McLaughlin 49.51, Athing Mu goes 1:58.73!
Diamond League

Athing Mu-Nikoleyev’s Flat Return Raises Hard Questions Before U.S. Championships

July 10, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

April 5, 2023
2023 Nike Pre Classic: Two Amazing Days of Track & Field!

Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

March 7, 2024
Grand Slam Track’s Kingston Slam Comes to a Close with 12 Slam Champions

2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

April 12, 2025
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

February 6, 2025
Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

8
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025

Popular Stories

  • Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025  Book # 1  “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human”  By Steve Williams
Reviews

Jeff Benjamin’s Book Review 2025 Book # 1 “Always Speeding – Memoirs Of The World’s Fastest Human” By Steve Williams

July 10, 2025
Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic
Diamond League

Two World records at NIKE Pre Classic

July 10, 2025
This Day in Track & Field History, April 28, 2024, Charlie Paddock (1928), Glenn Cunningham (1934), Roger Bannister wins Penn Relays mile (1951), CK Yang (1963) sets WR in Decathlon at Mt.SAC, by Walt Murphy News and Results Service
2024 Diamond League

This Day in Track & Field History, July 9, Rafer Johnson regains Decathlon WR (1960), by Walt Murphy

July 10, 2025
The women’s long jump is on fire!
Diamond League

The women’s long jump is on fire!

July 10, 2025

Recent Tweets

Next Post

Brooks presents: 2022 RunBlogRun Spring Middle Distance Daily Track Training (800m-5000m), Week 3, Day 4

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved