Asking to leave a school bus, Cliff, a young teenager, collapses and dies in the snow near the roadside. His math teacher is asked to notify the parents and then write a short obituary. Although he barely knew him, his teacher is intent on unraveling the mystery of the untimely death.

John Baker emerges as a fine runner while in High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then continues setting records at the University of New Mexico. His ability is world-class, and after receiving his university degree he accepts a position as a coach and physical education teacher at Aspen Elementary School while continuing to train (with the 1972 Olympics in sight). He becomes very popular with parents and students alike, for seeking ways to involve all his students, even those with an apparent lack of ability. Learning that he has terminal cancer he contemplates suicide, but instead chooses to dedicate himself even more to the kids, helping even the handicapped to participate, and co-founding and coaching the Duke City Dashers, an all-girl AAU track team. He hopes his "last race"...already beating the odds by a year, will not end before seeing this team win the national title.

Emmett Smith, a competitive runner and high school track coach at Cortez High School in Phoenix, Arizona, is left without a sense of balance after a brain tumor is removed. He is told that he will never run again, but undaunted, he sets and meets a goal of not only regaining the ability to run, but to run 20 consecutive miles before a year has elapsed. Wheelchair-bound Cindy Duncan's determination gets her admitted to Apollo High School in Glendale, Arizona after she demonstrates that she will not need special attention. Coach Smith (now at Apollo) challenges her to meet the goal of recovering from her injuries (from being hit by a car) to the extent of being able to walk to the podium at graduation to receive her diploma. He bets that she can do it, and will have to wheel himself in her wheelchair the entire three miles to Cortez H.S. if she succeeds.