Steven "Flash" Gordon is running in Kendall, Md.'s marathon, hoping to gain his record-setting third victory in the race. When he accomplishes this goal—despite having arrived just as the race started—he finds himself reunited with Dale Arden, his high-school sweetheart.

It's a difficult reunion for Flash. Dale went to Yale and has become a local TV reporter. Flash still lives at home with his mother and works as a mechanic. His father died years ago, and his mother has been ill, though she's doing better lately.

Oh, and Dale's engaged to be married to a detective on the local police force.

Interestingly, a strange man is following him. This turns out to be Dr. Hans Zarkov, who used to be Flash's father's lab assistant on the Portage Initiative. Flash had never met Zarkov and never heard of the Portage Initiative that Zarkov mentions.

Zarkov comes off as a nut, especially when he talks as if Flash's father is still alive.