The novel opens with a physically fit young man standing on a track, watching as "the night joggers" toil around him.

He is under the coaching of fictional gold medalist Olympian Bruce Denton, based on Jack Bacheler.

Because he is barred from competing at the meet, Denton comes up with a plan to disguise him as a Finnish runner attending a nonexistent university in Ohio.

After completing an agonizing interval workout of 60 quarter miles, Cassidy finally believes he is ready to face Walton.

The next day, Cassidy arrives disguised at the meet but spends more than an hour warming up on the cross-country course near the track.