Amy, Chris and family – Bear, Bailee, Skylar and Jarek.
CIRCLEVILLE, W.Va. – When the running became difficult during the grueling 31-mile first day of the mountainous West Virginia Trilogy, Amy Compston knew where to turn.
It’s the same place she turns for all her problems these days. “I started singing that song, ‘My God is a Mountain Mover,’’’ said Compston, who is the face of the Amy For Africa mission. “God got us through it.”
Day one is in the books and both Amy and her husband, Chris, are still standing. The mountains, colored with God’s paint brushes, were spectacular. Amy finished the 31 miles in 6 hours and 13 minutes, good enough for second place among females and 20th overall. Chris came in a little over an hour later, in 7:09, but felt good about the run on a cool fall day that included about a 45-minute shower.
On Saturday, it gets really tough, as the two long distance runners try to tackle a 50-mile run on the heels of the 31. The 31-mile ultra marathon was the first for Chris, who ran six marathons last year but had never covered more than that distance. Wife Amy ran a 50-mile ultra marathon in Nashville nearly two years ago.
Both runners said training on the roads of Moyo four months ago made a difference because the trail roads were rock-covered as well.
“I fell down three times in Moyo running but only once today,” Chris said.
Thirty-two support members from Amy For Africa were also there for the runners – especially the AFA ones but the others who passed by as well. Many of them expressed gratitude to Amy and Chris for the effort.
“The organizers said they were the best fans the race has ever had,” Amy said.