West Virginia runner posts viral mile while carrying chickens

Amos Kimble, 18, a high school senior and state champion runner from Tyler County, W.Va., has been posting mile-long stunts on social media; his so-called "chicken mile," in which he cradled a hen and ran a mile in 4 minutes, 57 seconds, was posted to his Instagram account @amosruns and has been viewed about 700,000 times.

Kimble has completed more than a dozen challenges to boost his online presence and liven winter training, including running a mile while pounding Sprite, milk and energy gels, running with his hands handcuffed behind his back, and running blindfolded on a treadmill while his girlfriend pelted him with household objects.

His father, J.C. Kimble, recalled Amos telling him, "He told me he was taking a chicken to the track," and said, "It's funny, because you think he's just a small-town kid who put a video out there... But now he's got some people talking about him." The post drew reactions from figures such as Matt James and several professional runners.

For the chicken mile, Amos selected a Buff Orpington for its docile disposition and later sought to "go bigger." His sister Abbi transferred two Buff Orpingtons into a pet carrier, and at the high school track he tucked one chicken under each arm, wearing compression shorts, a Nike Dri-Fit top and a beanie with an American-flag emblem.

Key Topics

Sports, Amos Kimble, Chicken Mile, Tyler County, Buff Orpington, Marshall University