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Description of  Fast Girl: A Life Spent Running from Madness

Constantly in motion, Suzy was a natural athlete with a runner's body and the drive to go ever faster. That drive, and an insatiable need to win, propelled her into the spotlight and swiftly transformed her into the ultimate track-and-field sweetheart. Wholesome and victorious, she seemed to be the quintessential all-American athlete. She had everything—natural beauty, talent, major endorsements, a seemingly supportive family, three trips to the Olympics representing her country, and a young husband who loved her. But underneath a facade of triumph lay a mind caught in a web of doubt, self-sabotage, and constant anxiety. It wasn't enough to win one race. Suzy had to win them all. And during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Suzy decided that she would rather force herself to collapse than be defeated on the world's stage. Her racing career ended in that moment. An attempt at normal life in Madison, Wisconsin, was at turns mind-numbingly dull and frightening, as Suzy navigated the responsibilities of holding down a nine-to-five job, caring for her young daughter, and trying to be the wife her husband thought he married. When she struggled on all those fronts, the escape she craved presented itself during a trip to Las Vegas. Vegas represented all the excitement, the rush, and the glamour that Suzy found herself needing more and more. There, in the city of sin, Suzy re-created herself as an in-demand escort, ready to wow her customers with her personality, her amazing body, and her skills. Living a double life, Suzy became more and more reckless in her constant search for a high that always eluded her. Until one day she discovered that all along she had been running from herself—and the secret pain of an undiagnosed mental illness. Fast Girl is the shocking and inspiring story of a woman's struggle to outrun her demons and finally find peace.