Despite his objections and his reluctance to spend his summer in Mexico, Paul Cooper concedes to his father's wishes to stay for the entire season, knowing that his father has made tremendous sacrifices for Paul in order to make the trip possible. The decision to go comes as a shock to his girlfriend, Caroline, who had been planning to spend the entire summer with him at a summer camp where they were both to serve as counselors. After a painful parting with her, Paul heads to Mexico, and once he arrives, he its determined to make the best of the situation by recruiting the head track coach at the University of Mexico to help him in his long-distance running.

However, his efforts to improve lead him on an unexpected trip to the top of Popocatepetl, an ancient volcano, and from there on the road to Copper Canyon and the land of the Raramuri. His experiences with them lead to an unexpected and miraculous transformation in both his body and soul, and with that change begins a journey of romance, deception, and final victory where he finds himself running in the race of his life.