#26 Hatfield-McCoy 5k

Now we are entering the second half of this challenge.....#26 was the Hatfield-McCoy 5K held in Wiliamson, WV.  

The Hatfield-McCoy feud is legendary in American folklore. Families (filled with backwoods, country-f**ks) kill large numbers of another family filled with toothless, back-a**wards country bumpkins.  Sometimes they tie them to trees and kill them, other times they set the house on fire and shoot them as they try to escape.  And ownership of a pig is at the center of the feud. 

Whatever.  Good times in American History.

The McCoy clan in Kentucky killed a bunch of Hatfields in West Virginia.  The Hatfields retaliated and killed a bunch of McCoys.  With a nod to Romeo and Juliette, one of the McCoy daughters fell in love with Hatfield son.  (After he gets her pregnant, he dumps her and married her cousin....I cannot make this shit up.)

Backwoods.  Cousin-marrying.  Hillbilly.



So it is no surprise that the two gentlemen pictured above are at every event for the weekend.  They even start the race.  The announcer says, "This race starts with a gun.  If you don't like that, he's got another gun."

My intrepid walking partner, Jo, and I decided that we were going to "dress" for this event.  I mean where else can you wear a overall tutu ensemble?  The outfit seemed to be made for this event, don't you think?

Each participant is regulated to one of the teams.  I was a real McCoy.  Jo was a true Hatfield. The race begins in beautiful downtown Williamson.  All two blocks of it. We meandered around this little town, passing historical markers which highlighted events in the Hatfield-McCoy feud.  It would be correct to say that it is probably still going on today, even though they claim to be "No Feudin' - Just Runnin'"  

After the race, Jo and I went to search for Rocky who was running the Marathon.  This race is listed as one of the top 15 races in the country due to its difficulty.  Starting in Kentucky, crossing over into West Virginia, it is appealing to runners because you can count it for either state.  Or you can do the first half-marathon.  Or the second half-marathon.  Or you could do both halves.  You know, if you're into that kind of a thing.

We stayed for the after street party and had some of the best corn on the cob ever.  Music in the streets, good food, and then, there was this guy:

This marathon was his 100th.  He brought all his medals from previous races and was quite the celebrity.  You know, for downtown Williamson, WV.