A failing mark in English lands 12-year-old Tyler in summer school. He's not allowed to watch TV or play computer games. His separated parents are blaming each other for his poor grades. Tyler's only distraction from his troubles is training for a triathlon race, which includes swimming, biking, and running. At first, he deals with his swimming the way he deals with his schoolwork -- by avoiding it. But Tyler learns that in sports, school, and life, the way to get ahead is to tackle your weaknesses head on.