James Calvin Spivey (born March 7, 1960, in Schiller Park, Illinois) is a former American middle-distance runner and Olympian.

Spivey began running competitively in 1975 as a sophomore in cross country and on the track at Fenton High School in Bensenville, Illinois.

During his college career, Spivey's training fluctuated seasonally to adjust to cross country in the fall and track in the winter and spring; his weekly mileage ranged from under 40 to over 80 miles depending on his race schedule.

The following year, however, Spivey failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics (finishing fourth at the US trials in Indianapolis) in the same season in which he set his personal best over 1500 m (3:31.01, Koblenz).

He was a member of the 1983 Helsinki, Finland; 1987 Rome; 1991 Tokyo; 1993 Stuttgart, Germany and 1995 Gothenburg, Sweden USA World Championship teams.

Spivey was the head coach of men and women cross-country and track and field at the University of Chicago from 1997 to 2001, and had 13 all-Americans of the athletic department's 24 during that time.

The phrases "Reach out and slap a hand," "People in the Sears Tower would pay to run with you guys" and "It's great to be alive" were all used to motivate athletes during hard workouts.

He helped coach Wheaton Academy high school in West Chicago for 4 years, the boys' and girls' cross country teams and assistant role in track.