West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey walking 1 mile a day to champion better health

Gov. Patrick Morrisey gripped the microphone and hyped up a crowd of parents and children in front of a concession stand at the West Virginia State Fair in August.

“Who’s ready to walk a Mountaineer Mile?”

The crowd cheered. In the shadow of the tall Ferris wheel and a flailing inflatable man, Morrisey asked the children if they were ready to hop on some rides. He asked the adults if anyone was going to the .38 Special and Kansas concert.

But for a moment, he got serious.

“We’ve been doing this Mountaineer Mile. It’s really kind of cool, to be able to walk at least a mile a day, to get into shape and to maybe even stick around a little longer,” Morrisey said.

The Mountaineer Mile is part of a health initiative the governor announced in March, during an event in Martinsburg with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“The first time I met him, I said, ‘Governor Morrisey, you look like you ate Governor Morrisey,’” Kennedy said to a crowd of supporters.

Later that day, Morrisey posted to social media a photograph of the sunset in the Shenandoah Valley from his home in Jefferson County. The governor said his first Mountaineer Mile was already in the books.

“In my life, I haven’t always made the right decisions in terms of food and exercise, but I am going to do my best now to improve and shed some pounds,” Morrisey wrote in the post.

The idea is simple. The governor challenged all West Virginians, including himself, to walk one mile a day. That’s 5,280 feet, or 2,000 steps, depending on one’s stride.

And it’s happening in a state that leads the nation in obesity, which contributes to the state’s high mortality rates resulting from diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer. The state has one of the lowest life expectancy rates in the country.

To be sure, diet, economics, lack of recreational facilities and other factors play into why the state struggles with weight. The governor has never said walking a mile a day would fix all that.

During a television interview the week after the Martinsburg event, Morrisey did something few politicians do: He opened up a bit about his struggles with weight. Morrisey said he was athletic in his youth, taking up tennis, running and wrestling. But long hours in the office over the years caused him to pack on the pounds.

“I’m far from perfect, but I think a lot of people can see, if I can do it in the position I’m in, a lot of people can do it,” Morrisey said.

And do it they have.

Over the last six months, universities, colleges, hospitals, state agencies and private businesses have all announced their own initiatives, holding events for employees and the public alike to walk a mile.

All the state parks with hiking trails have at least one designated as a “Mountaineer Mile Trail.” Morrisey even led a walk at West Virginia University before the Mountaineers faced Pitt at their annual Backyard Brawl.

And around the capital city, Morrisey can be spotted walking along the Kanawha River with his wife, Denise, and a couple of state troopers in tow.

Morrisey said he’s encouraged to see the support.

“Folks are proud to show off their daily walks and share their progress online, and that’s exactly what we hoped for — to see people moving, connecting and building healthier habits together,” he said.

Dr. Clay Marsh, chancellor and executive dean for Health Sciences at WVU, pointed out that getting healthy is easier as a community.

“And ultimately, I think that part of the solution for the social network is to make sure that we’re not criticizing people for how they look,” he said.

But it hasn’t all been a walk in the park.

Last month, Morrisey shared on social media that he shed 7 pounds walking the Mountaineer Mile. The announcement was met with a mixture of cheers and jeers, ranging from soft advice about the importance of dieting to outright attacks upon his weight.

Most prominent was state Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, the minority whip. Fluharty, known for his bombastic speeches on the House floor, wrote, “Congrats to our Governor for dropping 7 lbs in 6 months. What a streak. At this rate he may not have to wear a T-shirt on the Jersey Shore.”

Fluharty could not be reached for comment.

Morrisey said he isn’t paying the critics much mind.

“There will always be naysayers and folks who want to tear you down instead of build you up,” he said. “It’s best not to pay those people any attention and stay focused on the goal. This initiative isn’t about politics — it’s about encouraging West Virginians to get healthy in a positive way.”