The ninth annual Walk Across Maryland this morning was a bang up success.
More than 150 people walked the entire length of the state of Maryland.
That would be about 1.9 miles from the Pennsylvania line through Hancock, Maryland to the Potomac River.
Many of the walkers dipped their toes into the Potomac to celebrate finishing the grueling downhill march.
Walk Across Maryland is the brainchild of Matthew Hahn, a family family medical doctor in Hancock.
Hahn spends much of his time in the community promoting public health, including nutritious food, exercise, love and caring.
Hahn said that the event keeps growing and that this year was the biggest turnout ever.
The event drew walkers from Hancock, Maryland, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and from as far away as Hagerstown, Maryland.
Mike Kligerman provided musical entertainment on his accordion.
Hancock High School cheerleaders cheered on the walkers with walking specific chants, including this one:
“Who walks the road? The walkers walk the road. And when the walkers walk the road they walk it all the way down.”
Not all of the participants walked the 1.9 miles.
Some jogged.
Infants got free rides in strollers.
Sinclair Hamilton, who runs River Run Bed and Breakfast, said that he had a packed house this weekend and had to serve his customers breakfast, so he was late.
But after breakfast, he did ride his recumbent bike over to join the walkers.
Hahn & Nelson Family Medicine, the sponsors of the event, posted inspirational sayings along the way, including this one from Soren Kierkegaard:
“I have walked myself into my best thoughts.”
And this one:
“The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk.”