FEATURE STORY Youth Served at The Army Ten-Miler EIGHT-YEAR-OLD IS YOUNGEST TO CROSS VIRTUAL ATM FINISH LINE Although only a third grader Sophia Compton – the youngest finisher at the 2020 Army Ten-Miler – is already demonstrating Army strong attitude in her everyday life. Participating in all sorts of physical activities while moving around the country, this pre-teen displays an impressive can-do-attitude. If she can do it all, so can you. Easily adapting to the Army kid lifestyle, she launched her adventures in Virginia, then headed west to Fort Hood in Texas before her family relocated in Hawaii. Aside from running, the eight-year old’s other activities range from golf and horseback riding to t-ball, swimming, and playing the violin.
Competing in the virtual Army Ten-Miler was a family affair. Team Compton consisted of her dad, Joseph Compton, a Senior RC Career Counselor attached to the United States Army Pacific, and mom Amy, a former Vice President of USA Discounters turned stay-at-home mom. Sophia and her parents completed their 10-mile run at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on October 11, posting a time of 2:20:39. Sophia still had enough energy to compete in the ATM Youth Run where she recorded a top-five finish at 1:54. Organizers of the 36th Annual Army Ten-Miler waived the standard 15-year age minimum this year, which allowed younger runners to compete. Below are excerpts from a pre-race conversation with Sophia: Q How many races have you participated in so far? A I try to run a race every month. Some of the races are the Healthy Kids Running Series in Texas, that has two to six races per series, the Pearl Harbor Commemorative 4K that included educational sites to learn, the National Guard Association of the United States NGAUS 5K, and the We Will Never Forget September 11th virtual 9.11K. Q How did your family decide to sign up for the Army Ten-Miler? A I saw a picture on my Dad’s phone and said, “Let’s sign up!” At first, my Mom and Dad chuckled but then I asked again. So, we all agreed to run as a family.
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