You Make It What You Want

“I didn’t come in thinking I’d win a national championship. Honestly, I didn’t even really know what I wanted to do. But I knew the people at Simpson were different.” Spencer said.

Spencer Moon didn’t come to Simpson chasing a national championship.

“I chose Simpson mostly because of the people. Ryan Courtney was on the team, and I talked to him quite a bit before committing. I liked him a lot, and the cross country team in general just felt right. I think I had the best connection with everyone at Simpson.”

That connection extended beyond teammates. Spencer built a close relationship with Coach Heath from the start.

“Heath, I liked him as a person from the beginning. He treated everyone with respect. My training plan didn’t look like anyone else’s. I’d go into his office and we’d talk about how the past week went, how I was feeling, and plan the next week from there. It was really nice to have that one-on-one training. And we didn’t just talk about running. We talked about what was going on in each other’s lives, too. It was like having a coach and a friend.” Spencer commented.

Spencer's time at Simpson wasn’t just about athletics. During his junior and senior years, he balanced training with having three different internships.

“My junior spring, I got my first internship, but it was during track practice, so I had to miss like four practices a week. But Heath was really flexible. He pushes school. He understands we’re not going to run professionally after.”

“He gave me that flexibility, and we’d still call and talk about what to do and how the week was going to look. That helped me a lot.”

“One workout I remember, I got back from work and it was dark out. I was running a tempo on the gravel road and Coach Heath was behind me in his car with the headlights on because it was pitch black. It was probably 7:00 or 7:30 at night. That’s when most people are home with their families, but he was out there helping me finish my workout safely. That meant a lot. I don’t think I would’ve had the same level of success if he wasn’t willing to take that step.”

Spencer describes his time on the team as a turning point for his personal growth.

“College is a bit of you make it what you want. On the cross country team, we were kind of a bunch of nerds and being around people who worked so hard made me want to work hard, too. Running and academically.”

“The people I surrounded myself with helped me grow a lot as an athlete and as a person. Dedication on and off the track. I wasn’t as disciplined as I should’ve been coming into college, but I think that’s true for a lot of people. One reason I had all the success I did in cross country and track was because of the people around me.”

“I only missed one or two runs in five years. That applies to work and studying too. If you can lock in and devote time over and over again, you’re going to get better.”

That discipline extended into the classroom. Spencer majored in accounting and often leaned on teammates taking similar courses.

“I was really fortunate. There was a senior on the team who was an accounting major when I was a freshman. He was a great resource. Later, I had a class with Mark and we’d talk about what we were working on. And when I was a fifth year, there was a freshman who was an accounting major. There was always someone you could lean on.”

“I always had at least one class with someone from track or cross country. That made things easier.”

Even with the progress he was making, Spencer had doubts. He remembers one conversation clearly.

“One random cross country practice, it was me, Ryan, and Heath. They said, ‘You can win one before you graduate. That should be the goal.’ And I didn’t believe it at all. I was in the same grade as the best D3 distance runner to ever go through college. There was just no way. And I wasn’t even number two at the time. On a good day, maybe I was number fifteen. I just laughed. I thought they were wrong.”

But what they saw was potential. And they were not constantly reminding him, just quietly believing.

“That was one of the few times they ever said that. It wasn’t like every day they told me I could win. It was just that constant belief. From my coach and from my teammates.”

What most people don’t remember is that Spencer didn’t start out winning.

“The year before I won the 10K, I got lapped in the 10K at nationals. The year before that, I got lapped again. I had a lot of failure. But having the right people in your corner, being able to lean on that belief—that made all the difference.”

He began to close the gap.

“I had a really special indoor season. I got sixth in the 5K. I was with the top guys until about 400 meters to go, and then they dropped me. I got caught by the chase pack. I was there, but I wasn’t there.”

“Every step through indoor and outdoor season, I was getting a little closer. Taking a step forward every time.”

And when the moment came?

“All of it came together. I wasn’t focused on winning. I wasn’t paying attention to who was around me. With 400 meters to go, I thought, ‘I guess I’m going to try, and if it works, great.’ And I guess that’s what happened.”

“I remember crossing the line. I was just so worried about Tyler passing me at the end. I was like, holy crap. It still doesn’t feel real sometimes.”

After four years, Spencer had the chance to leave Simpson and go to Iowa State for his master’s. But something kept him here.

“I thought about just graduating and going. It probably would’ve been better academically. But all my friends were at Simpson. Heath was there. I felt loyal. I got good here. I didn’t want to leave that.”

“I would’ve made friends somewhere else, but it wouldn’t have been the same. Simpson is just a really special place. When you spend a couple hours with the same people every day, it’s hard to just leave them.”

Now that he’s out of college and traveling for work, Spencer says the growth is even clearer.

“It’s kind of fun to look back now and make those links. I was growing a lot as an athlete, but I was growing a lot as a student and a person too. At the time, you don’t always notice it. But now I see it clearly.”

“A year later, when I think about that national championship, I think about the people. The late-night workouts. The flexibility. The belief.”

“That win wasn’t just mine. It belonged to the team, the coaches and everyone who helped me get to that line.”