Life at These Speeds

Kevin Schuler is popular, has a wonderful girlfriend, and is the fastest runner on his tiny school's track team. At a track meet, on a cool March night, he anchors a winning relay, trades insults with a rival, and lets another boy run in his stead in his best event: the 800-meter run. Everything works out for Kevin - perhaps it always has. But after the meet, as Kevin rides home with his parents, the van carrying his team crashes, and everyone on board is killed.In an instant, Kevin's world collapses. The classmates he grew up with are gone, and the grief lodges deep within, numbing him. Even his memories of his friends are lost. He barely recognizes their names.Something else changes, too. After the accident, Kevin emerges as a phenomenal runner. At his new school, he begins breaking records in track and cross-country. His speed is seemingly effortless. He can't be beaten. He's perfect. On the inside, though, he's still struggling.New friends help Kevin. The beautiful and brilliant editor of the school newspaper takes a shine to him. His best friend is a popular and talented running back. And Kevin grows fond of an intuitive and sensitive girl name Henny. Slowly, Kevin begins to remember his lost teammates, but his mind remains unsettled. During his senior year, still tortured by nightmares, Kevin begins wrestling with unanswerable questions: Will running help him heal? Or is his fame too great a distraction? Does physical grace inform the heart? Or is the solitude of running another way to disconnect from the world? Just as he is beginning to feel like himself again, another terrible tragedy enters his life.