“I’ll never forget a meeting we had—I think it was Chas’s junior year,” Coach Saretsky recalled, “he told me he wants to be in a position where he can be our top guy in any given race. Now, we had some pretty good runners besides Chas at the time. But it just shows who he is as a competitor.”

Not content with his race performances last spring, Gillespie decided to attempt even longer distance events.

“Half-marathon was a natural progression,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie turned in a time of 64 minutes and 56 seconds, four seconds better than the 65 minute time needed to qualify for the Olympic trials.

“A lot had to go right,” Gillespie admitted, “but it was amazing.”

Hill and Gillespie are currently roommates living only a few steps from Hill’s old home in Quincy House.

“I see this current situation as the ideal one,” Hill concluded.

Olympic Trials for track and field will not be held until next June. By that time, Hill hopes to post an 800m time better than the soon to be announced qualifying time.

Meanwhile, Gillespie is training for the Marathon Olympic Trials, to be held Jan. 14, in Houston, Texas. It will be his first marathon.

“I wanted to attempt to approach the pinnacle of my capabilities,” Gillespie said, “I think that when you do something that you love, and you really give it everything you have, opportunities open up for you.”