In June he pulled off a rare 800m/1500m double at the NCAA championships, becoming only the third man to win both events after Ron Delany (1958) and Ross Hume (1945).

(In the 800, run only 35 minutes after the 1500m final, he ran a rare negative split race of 54.3/51.9, while in the 1500 he closed his last lap in a swift 53.7, the last 200 being covered in 26.2 seconds.)

Two weeks later Paige ran a personal best for the 1500 of 3:37.4, good for 10th place on the all-time U.S. list at that time, in finishing second to Steve Scott at the AAU championships.

[7] After graduating from Vilanova, Paige ran for Marty Liquori's Athletic Attic track team.

[8] Since retiring from athletics, Paige has worked on the design of track and field facilities, as owner of his own consultancy company.

[5] Looking back at the Olympic boycott, Paige has no lingering ill-feeling, in fact he is reported as saying he understood and supported President Carter's decision, even writing an article explaining his reasons for his school newspaper.