Local resident runs 50 miles for Navy SEAL who died in combat
Freddy Rodriguez likes a challenge. He’s done obstacle course races and endurance events, and celebrated his 25th birthday with a 14-mile 25-pound weighted march from his home in Carle Place to Long Beach.
In 2012, when he found out about a four-mile run to honor Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient who died in combat in Afghanistan, Rodriguez knew he wanted to get involved. But Rodriguez said the four-mile run in Ronkonkoma seemed more like an end point.
After a little research, Rodriguez found out that Murphy spent a lot of time at FDNY Ladder 53 Ladder 43. Rodriguez decided to run from the firehouse in Spanish Harlem to the end of the four-mile run in Ronkonkoma, a 50-mile journey spanning New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties.
For even the most skilled runners, 50 miles in one shot is an audacious goal. But Rodriguez said it was nothing compared to what Murphy went through.
“Compared to what he and his men went through with training and defending our way of life, this pales in comparison,” said Rodriguez.
Murphy, a Patchogue-native, was the leader of a four-man SEAL reconnaissance unit that secretly infiltrated the Hindu-Kush mountains in June 2005. Ambushed by Taliban forces, Murphy climbed into the open onto high ground to make an electronic call for rescue. Though wounded, he continued to fight, allowing one member of his squad to escape, before he himself was killed.
While Rodriguez had enthusiasm and drive, the physically demanding race would be quite the test. The farthest distance he had run was 13 miles at the time of the first race in 2012.
“I had no idea what was going to be in store,” Rodriguez said, who did the first race with a friend, whose farthest running distance was a 10-mile workout run. “It was a lot of guesswork the first year.”
With support from the FDNY and Mineola Fire Department, who escorted them from the city to the Jericho/Westbury line, and a friend who followed and escorted them the rest of the way, Rodriguez—who fractured his foot around mile 35—and his friend were able to get to the start of the four-mile race, 20 minutes before their deadline of 9 a.m.
For the last four years, Rodriguez has run that same 50-mile race. The journey takes between 11 ½ and 12 ½ hours, and Rodriguez starts out Friday at 7:30 p.m. to make sure he’s in Ronkonkoma for the start of the four-mile run.
Running that distance has gotten somewhat easier over the years, as Rodriguez has learned better how to pace himself and has police escorting him the whole way through. He’s been joined by other runners in the past few years, either for a portion or the whole race, and this year he was joined by three runners—Eva Casale, Ron Hurtado and Billy Richards. While he’s getting used to the route and distance, every year presents its own challenges. This year, Rodriguez was in a car accident a month and a half before the race.
“I couldn’t train as much,” said Rodriguez. “I had my moments when I was wondering if I would be able to, but I was all for it.”
Over the years, he’s raised more than $1,600, with all proceeds going to the Lt. Michael Murphy Scholarship Foundation, Special Ops Warrior Fund and the Lone Survivor Foundation. Rodriguez said he has friends in the armed forces, and while he never served himself, has the utmost respect for the men and women who lay down their lives to protect the country’s freedoms. It’s that truth that propels him to run the race every year, and persevere every step of the 50-mile journey.
“Every year there’s some point during the run that my knees start hurting, or it’s too humid or you get those voices in your head saying you should take a break. But you have to keep saying to yourself, ‘you have to keep going,’” Rodriguez said. “You’re doing this for a very specific reason. For Michael Murphy, Danny Dietz, Jr., all those other guys [from Operation Red Wings]. I keep reciting those names. You’re not crawling on the ground yet so you can keep moving.”
Rodriguez said while he’d love to see the 50-mile run become an official race, there are a lot of logistics involved since the route crosses over three jurisdictions. He said he’d love to see it grow into a relay and have more people become involved.
“I’d love to see this grow, especially to get the word out more about Michael Murphy and his men,” Rodriguez said. “I hope to spread the word of who he was more. That’s the main goal, to keep his name going.”
Find out more about Michael Murphy at www.murphfoundation.org.
