WV governor walking a mile a day to champion better health in state that
leads nation in obesity
[October 10, 2025]
By HENRY CULVYHOUSE/Mountain State Spotlight
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.
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 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.”
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This story was originally published by Mountain State Spotlight and
distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
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