Canada

To the world around them, this young couple would seem to have everything one could wish for in life. They have youth, they are both attractive and articulate, and they have all the material comforts. But the smooth veneer slowly begins to crack beneath the beautiful surface. Piqued by curiosity and the challenge of a friend, the young man begins to take up the sport of running. At first he is awkward and out of shape. But gradually, the early morning solitary running begins to capture him. He loses touch with his wife who cannot understand his growing passion for the sport. She tries to join him, but cannot sustain his interest. As he tests his physical and mental abilities to the fullest, training for a big race, the running becomes the most important thing in his life. As he learns the discipline, he learns about himself in a deeper more fulfilling sense. In the end, not only has he become the proficient runner, the amateur fully dedicated to his craft, his art, but he has also become the mature man. He has fulfilled his potential, even though is has caused his marriage to fail. However, his "new" self satisfies him.