Cross Country Course

The Asbury Cross Country Course is home to the Asbury men's cross country and women's cross country teams. Featuring multiple terrain differences and slope adjustments, the course is regarded as one of the more demanding courses in the region.

For over 50 years, the Asbury Cross Country Course has served as host of the Asbury University Cross Country meet (known through the years as the Asbury College Invitational, the A-J Special, and the Chick-fil-A Invitational) is now titled The Justin Spoon Fiercely Faithful XC Meet, honoring our fallen Asbury Cross Country 20' graduate Justin Spoon who was a two-time champion in the meet.

On March 23, 2023, Justin passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. As the Spiritual Life Coordinator on campus, Justin was asked to share his advice for a fruitful life and his response was to be “fiercely faithful”. Towards the end of his fight, he demonstrated this when he wrote in his journal:

“There is no cure... I refuse to let that news break me, though. Life is only worth it if I make it worth it. Right now, I vow to live every single day I have left to the fullest. I vow to love with my whole heart, laugh with every ounce of air in my lungs, run ’til my legs give out, and squeeze every drop of goodness out of this load of lemons life has dropped on me. God has a plan, and even though I struggle to see where this will lead me, I trust Him. I refuse to let cancer take control and make me bitter. I laugh in cancer’s face, because I’ve got the God that created the world on my side, and He supplies my joy and supplies me with more grace and mercy and love than I could ever need. I am God’s instrument and will continue to be until the day I die.”

Asbury University and our cross country family were blessed that Justin was a part of our life. To celebrate Justin’s impact on our community we renamed the annual meet The Justin Spoon Fiercely Faithful Cross Country Meet sponsored by Chick-fil-A.