The Origins of Drive America

Its roots can be traced back to a Memorial Day workout at Drive’s original Coke Plant location. There, members gathered for a special community class and proudly wore red, white, and blue. What started as a simple patriotic workout quickly gained momentum as attendance grew year after year. Soon, the event became so popular that it spilled out of the gym and into the parking lot. As a result, a routine holiday workout transformed into something much bigger than anyone anticipated.

After the pandemic paused the tradition in 2020, Drive opened its new Salem location in the spring of 2021. Shortly afterward, the team decided to reimagine the event as a celebration leading into Independence Day. That summer, Drive America was born.

More than just a workout, Drive America became a way to bring people together through fitness while celebrating community, freedom, and patriotism. At its core, the event was built on a simple idea: celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, strengthen our community, and use fitness to connect people from all walks of life.

Since then, Drive America has grown into one of Drive Custom Fit’s signature annual events. Today, hundreds of members, guests, local businesses, and community partners take part each year.

Drive America 2026: Bigger Than Ever

This year, Drive America returns to Drive Custom Fit in Salem, NH, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, with a new day, a new start time, and our biggest celebration yet.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Drive America brings together fitness, wellness, local businesses, and community in one unforgettable evening. Throughout the event, members and guests will move, connect, and celebrate the values that make both our country and our community strong.

Best of all, this free fitness event in Salem, NH, is open to both members and non-members.

What has remained unchanged since those early parking lot workouts is the reason behind the event. Today, Drive America continues to bring people together, celebrate community, support local businesses, and create an experience that reflects the values that make both Drive and America special.

Experience the First-Ever Drive America Sweat Crawl

The centerpiece of this year’s event is the inaugural Drive America Sweat Crawl, a unique fitness experience found only at Drive Custom Fit. Participants will rotate through multiple Drive training environments, experiencing a variety of workouts and coaching styles that showcase what makes Drive unique. From strength and conditioning to endurance and performance-based training, the Sweat Crawl is designed to be high-energy, engaging, and welcoming to all fitness levels.

Whether you’re a longtime Drive member, an experienced athlete, or someone simply looking for a fun and unique fitness experience, the Sweat Crawl offers an opportunity to challenge yourself, meet new people, and experience the incredible energy of the Drive community.

Expect:

Multiple fitness experiences
Expert coaching and instruction
Beginner-friendly participation
High-energy group training
A one-of-a-kind community atmosphere

The Drive Fitness Social

When the workout ends, the celebration begins.

Following the Sweat Crawl, participants and guests are invited to continue the evening at the Drive Fitness Social, hosted at the Samuel Adams Pavilion at Tuscan Village.

The Fitness Social is an opportunity to relax, connect, and celebrate with fellow members, guests, coaches, and community partners. Enjoy music, giveaways, vendor activations, and an incredible community atmosphere as we kick off Independence Day weekend together.

It’s the perfect way to celebrate everything that makes Drive special: fitness, friendships, community, and connection.

Community Partners & Featured Experiences

Drive America wouldn’t be possible without the incredible community partners helping bring this event to life.

Featured partners include:

Throughout the evening, attendees will have opportunities to interact with local businesses and wellness brands while enjoying samples, giveaways, wellness activations, recovery experiences, educational opportunities, and exclusive promotional offers.

These partnerships help transform Drive America from a fitness event into a true community celebration.

Register for Drive America 2026

Drive America is free and open to the public, but registration is required and space is limited.

Whether you’re a Drive member, a local resident, or visiting the Salem, NH area for Independence Day celebrations, Drive America offers a unique opportunity to experience fitness, community, and local businesses all in one place.

From its humble beginnings in the parking lot of Drive’s original Coke Plant location to one of the region’s most unique fitness celebrations, Drive America has become a tradition that our community looks forward to every summer.

Sweat. Celebrate. Connect.

Murph Challenge at Drive Custom Fit

Take On the Murph Challenge at Drive

On May 23, Drive Custom Fit will host its first-ever Murph Challenge, bringing together members, non-members, athletes, and first-timers for one of the most recognized fitness challenges in the world.

This FREE community event is designed to challenge participants physically and mentally while creating an unforgettable team-driven experience inside Drive.

Whether you are an experienced athlete, training for HYROX, or simply looking to push yourself in a supportive environment, the Murph Challenge is an opportunity to test your grit, challenge yourself, and train alongside an incredible community.

What Is the Murph Challenge?

The Murph Challenge is a well-known fitness workout traditionally completed around Memorial Day. The workout includes:

1 Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 Mile Run

Many athletes complete the workout while wearing a weighted vest, though scaled and modified versions are commonly offered to make the challenge accessible for all fitness levels.

At Drive, participants will have the option to complete the workout:

RX
Scaled
Modified for beginners

Our coaching staff will help participants choose the right version based on experience and fitness level. Weighted vests are welcome for participants looking to take on the full Murph experience, though they are not required to participate.

The Meaning Behind the Murph Challenge

The Murph Challenge is more than just a demanding workout. It was created to honor Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, a U.S. Navy SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005 during Operation Red Wings. Lt. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage and sacrifice.

The workout was one of Murphy’s favorite training sessions, which he originally called “Body Armor.” Over time, it became known worldwide as “Murph” and is now completed every year by fitness communities, military personnel, and athletes as a way to honor service, sacrifice, resilience, and mental toughness.

While the workout is physically challenging, the meaning behind it is what makes the Murph Challenge such a powerful experience for many participants.

To learn more about the history and meaning behind the Murph Challenge, visit the official Murph Challenge website.

MORE THAN JUST A WORKOUT

The Murph Challenge is known for testing endurance, resilience, teamwork, and mental toughness. While the workout itself is demanding, the experience is ultimately about showing up, pushing your limits, and finishing together as a community.

At Drive, community has always been at the center of what we do. From IGNITION and HYROX training to our group classes and coaching environment, we believe training is more powerful when people support each other through the process.

Drive’s first-ever Murph Challenge will be led by our very own veteran, Maria, bringing an added level of meaning and purpose to the event. As participants take on this challenge together, Maria will help guide the experience and continue the team-driven energy that defines Drive.

This event reflects that same energy:

One challenge
One community
Train together. Finish together.

FREE for Members and Non-Members

The Drive Murph Challenge is completely FREE and open to both members and non-members.

This is a great opportunity to:

Experience the energy inside Drive
Train alongside the community
Challenge yourself in a motivating environment
Learn more about our coaching and training programs
Push yourself outside your comfort zone

HYROX Athletes and Performance Training

The Murph Challenge also aligns closely with the endurance, pacing, and mental resilience required in HYROX training.

As an Official HYROX Training Club, Drive incorporates performance-based training methods designed to improve:

endurance
strength
work capacity
pacing
recovery
mental toughness

Many of the same principles used in HYROX training apply directly to preparing for Murph-style workouts.

Learn more about:

Join the Drive Murph Challenge

Drive’s first-ever Murph Challenge is more than just a workout. It is an opportunity to challenge yourself, train with purpose, and be part of something bigger than fitness.

We are excited to build this into a new tradition at Drive and bring the community together for an unforgettable event.

FREE for members and non-members.

Challenge yourself. Push your limits. Finish strong. 🔥

For updates and event information, follow Drive Custom Fit on Instagram.