Langhorne resident Tyler Murphy was an emotional eater as a child. His mother routinely “cured” skinned knees with a serving of pudding. In 2016, however, he caught the running bug, a pastime that transformed him from severely overweight to downright svelte. Wayne Fish laced up the loose ends of Murphy’s tale for Flying Fish Hockey.
Murphy, like many who are overweight, hid his discomfort under a layer of humor, joking about his appearance himself before others could.
Characterizing his lack of physical stamina, he kidded: “The only thing I used to run after was the ice cream truck!”
From childhood into his eventual career as a Penn Ridge High School teacher, he remained heavy.
A beach trip, however, was a turning point.
“I was about 42 years old,’’ Murphy said. “And I saw my shadow. I kind of looked like Alfred Hitchcock.”
The Couch-to-5k program was the start of a new life. And his mentor for the journey came from an unexpected source: then-student Ryan Sterling, who had visions of a fitness career.
“I said if you’re really interested in training someone, I could probably be the worst test-case possible,’’ Murphy said.
He’s now a 50k ultramarathoner who has launched a line of running gear.
More on the reinvention of Tyler Murphy is at Flying Fish Hockey.