Spencer Sprague is ready to step up his running game on the college circuit.
At Mount Si High, he ran 5K cross-country races, and this upcoming season at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, he’ll have 8K courses laid out in front of him.
In order to get on board with the more robust races, Sprague has increased his summer training to 50-55 miles per week and he’s also added biking to his regimen.
“Lots and lots of time on my feet right now,” he said. “I love going down to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, just right down by Mount Si Golf Course. I like to start right around at that parking lot, I just like the flat.”
Sprague signed his letter of intent to George Fox University because he was looking for a Christian-based school, and he heard praises about the college from his best friend Austin Gappa’s sister, Lauren, who attends the school.
“When I visited there, it just seemed really appealing and I got to meet some of the guys on the team and they felt like family the first time I met them,” said Sprague, who will run cross country and track and major in business administration.
The former Wildcat qualified for the 4A state cross country meet his freshman and senior years and made state in the 4×400 relay two months ago with teammates Ryan Hurley, Murphy McDowell and Blakely Woodford.
Sprague — who also ran the 800 — missed the beginning of track season with Achilles tendinitis to his left leg. Since he couldn’t run during that time, he focused on weightlifting and biking to maintain his strength for when he returned to the track.
The Record asked Sprague a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his life:
What’s your personal motto?
There’s no cost to kindness. There’s always stuff going on in the world and there’s always things that people are dealing with that we’re not always gonna see. It doesn’t cost you anything to be kind to them. And when you’re kind, it can help bring people up.
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
“Unbroken.” It was about refugees from World War II and just all the trials that they have to go through. I think it’s cool how they persevere in that movie, kind of a testament to running, too, to just push through what you think you can’t.
Who’s your idol growing up?
My parents. I’m definitely the guy I am today because of them and the way they raised me. Shout out to mom and dad.
What have they taught you over the years to make you who you are?
One thing that I really love is just they’ve introduced me to sports (swimming, basketball, soccer, running, wrestling and skiing). They’ve given me a lot of opportunities to kind of try and find myself. (With running), they’ve tried to help me with whatever I try to do in terms of advancing my training or trying to find another way to push myself. There’s so much that I’m capable of through sports because of the mentality I have, so it just makes me realize that there’s a lot I can conquer.
That’s something that you can pass on to others as well, to friends and teammates. That’s a good wealth of knowledge to have in your back pocket to kind of spread around.
You’ve spoken about all the things you have done, what’s a special skill you would like to learn?
Definitely whistling (laughs). Just because so many of my friends do it, and I’ve tried so much in my life to learn how to whistle, and I haven’t quite gotten it yet.
