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WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — A feud that ripped two families apart for almost 28 years is now bringing hundreds of families together.

Over 800 people registered for this weekend’s Hatfield and McCoy Marathon. The race began in South Williamson, Kentucky, traveled through Matewan, West Virginia and finished in Williamson. 46 states were represented and the race saw runners from as far away as Canada, South Korea and New Zealand.

A staple during the marathon is the “Devil Anse” Hatfield and Randal McCoy impersonators. Jerry Akers and Doyle Vanmeter greet runners from start to finish over the weekend.

“We started the race this morning at 7 … we start the marathon. Then we come back here at 7:45 and start the 5k. Then we’ll hang out here at the finish line, the whole day, as the runners come in from all the races,” said Jerry Akers who impersonates “Devil Anse” Hatfield.

The two have been performing during the Hatfield and McCoy Marathon as well as bus tours for over a decade.

“A friend of ours wrote a skit, and he kind of recruited us to do it about 15 years ago, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” added Randall McCoy impersonator Doyle Vanmeter. 

The two are so dedicated, more than half of their costumes are real, including the hair.

“He just grows [his beard] for this marathon … [my beard] is not real, everything else is,” Akers joked.

Akers and Vanmeter encourage those who haven’t participated to do so and invite those who have participated to come back.