R and J in the USA

The mayor of Charleston, West Virginia, believes that West Virginia has the nicest people anywhere. That may sound like home team pride, but she made a pretty good case.

The mayor had given remarks prior to the awards ceremony for our 5K at the University of Charleston. In addition to learning that Bill Rodgers (Olympic marathoner, four-time Boston Marathon winner, four-time New York City Marathon winner) was a regular visitor to her childhood home, we were struck by how enthusiastic, sincere, and fun she seemed.

After her remarks, and while the awards ceremony was still going on, we approached her to say hello. We might not have done that with other mayors in similar situations, but it was clear from the way she gave her remarks that she was genuine, personable, and someone who would be easy to talk to. And, she stuck around. She didn’t simply give a speech and leave, as many in her position and with her level of responsibility and commitments might do. She stuck around and informally interacted with people, and seemed at ease doing so.

“We are visitors to your city and wanted to say hello,” we said by way of introduction. With that, we were in the fold. She made it easy. She was funny, welcoming, and enthusiastic. Confident and comfortable in her own skin, she had the outgoingness of a good politician combined with a disarming genuineness that made it feel as if we were hanging out with an old friend. She seemed more like an enthusiastic community member than a person who was there for her job. And, yes. She was nice.

She wanted to know everything about us. When she found out we were on a fifty states tour and ran a 5K in every state we visited, she said, “That’s newsworthy!” She looked around for the reporter who was there to tell him about us. Sensing we weren’t eager to be on television at that particular moment, she moved on.

We told her that, in addition to running a 5K and touring the capitol building in every state, Julie writes an ode to each state we visit.

“Oh. I’ll have to get out my pitch-pipe,” the mayor quipped.

Julie told her, “I’ve never had the opportunity when writing a song about a state to ask a local mayor – if I’m going to write a song about the heart and soul of West Virginia, what needs to be in it?”

The mayor paused, thinking about it seriously.

“This is going to sound cheesy, but it’s true,” she replied. “West Virginians are absolutely the nicest people you will ever meet. It’s over the top. For example, I want to invite you to my house for dinner right now.”

We laughed.

“You think I’m kidding,” she said.

We realized then and there that if we were going to be in Charleston through the end of the day, we would be having dinner with the mayor that evening.

We mentioned we were waiting for the race results, as Julie finished 3^rd in her age group.

“Focus, Julie. Focus,” said the mayor. “Don’t be distracted by our conversation. You’ve got to get your medal!”

A true champion of her state, she continued, “You don’t want to miss those medals. They’re made of West Virginia glass. They’re gorgeous.”

“Okay, Mayor,” Julie replied. “I won’t let you down.”

Julie then let her down. As the conversation went on, we realized we missed Julie’s age group results announcement.

“Julie!” the mayor chastised jokingly. “You were supposed to focus!”

“In my defense, it’s so hard to pull my attention away from you.” Julie pled.

“Okay. I’ll accept that,” the mayor said with a cheeky smile.

The mayor told a nearby race coordinator about Julie missing her age group award. The coordinator then walked over to the podium to check on it, stopping the awards ceremony as she conferred with the woman announcing the results.

“Oh, no!” Julie said. “You don’t have to do that!”

“This is what I’m saying,” the mayor replied. “This is how we are. We will stop the entire program for you.”

She said it with a joking smile, but it was true, because it was happening.

“We would stop traffic for you if we needed to.”

She said it with that same joking smile, but we were pretty sure we could jaywalk blindfolded in Charleston unharmed if she were nearby.

The race coordinator returned from the podium and gave Julie a letdown so soft that grandma’s feather bed would have felt lumpy by comparison.

“We are so glad you joined us for this race,” she said to Julie. “We are so glad that you came. Unfortunately, age group awards only go one deep for this race.”

“Do you see what I’m talking about!? Do you see how she did that?” the mayor said as she lovingly wrapped her arm around Julie’s shoulder. “We will start by saying we love you. But, Julie, you didn’t win a thing.”

“That is honestly the most love I could possibly feel,” Julie said amidst laughter. “Both parts. The warmth and the welcoming, and then giving it to me straight.”

The mayor laughed. We understood each other.

“If you don’t mind talking shop,” Ryan asked, “What are some of the biggest challenges you face as mayor?”

Her response was as candid as her personality.

“West Virginia’s biggest asset is also its biggest challenge,” she said.

She talked about how the same beauty and ruggedness that people enjoy about West Virginia can also make it challenging to spur economic growth. She talked about how she wants her children and other people’s children to have things in addition to their roots that make them choose to be in West Virgina. She wants them to be able to find careers and partners that they love.

Our encounter with the mayor was as fun as it was unexpected. While she occupies a visible public position, she exemplified what we found throughout the state. It was a West Virginia flavor of what we’ve found in each of the 48 states we’ve visited so far – welcoming people of many stripes and stations who appreciate their home and are glad to share it with others.

It was nice. No, it was more than nice. It was West Virginia nice.