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Miles Dunlap desperately wanted his 400-meter hurdle career to continue and thrive.
The 2011 McDonald High School graduate wasn't running fast enough to run the 400 hurdles and make the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.
Dunlap, a former Kent State University and McDonald High School track standout, got word a bobsled combine was in Geneva at the SPIRE Institute and he should attend because of his speed and acceleration, key attributes to this Winter Olympic event.
That was the summer of 2016.
His score was high enough to receive an invite to a rookie camp in Lake Placid (N.Y.), home of the 1980 Winter Olympic games.
Now, Dunlap is a couple of steps away from realizing his athletic dream, being a United States Olympian.
He'll find out Oct. 18 if he's heading to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea as a bobsledder.
It's a feeling he's never experienced running on a track.
"It was a 60-second car wreck," Dunlap said of the bobsled. "That's what it felt like. I've never experienced anything like that before. Very, very violent.
"Once I got the first couple of runs out of the way and got myself in what position I'm supposed to be in, it is the coolest adrenaline experience ever. On the turns, you're pulling 4 to 5 G's. It's very cool. One of the coolest things I've got to experience."
He's in Canada for the push championships this month and camps in August and September.
Then, it's off to Lake Placid for team trials before the final selections are made.
Dunlap has put on some weight as well from his 175-pound frame at McDonald to 185 at Kent and currently around 204.
He's been working out at McDonald High School recently with former high school and college teammate Matthias Tayala.
"Got a little more to go. It's been pretty crazy," Dunlap said.
Tayala, who is recovering from surgery that has sidelined him from the hammer throw, said he couldn't be prouder of Dunlap. The two won the 2011 Division III boys state track and field championship for McDonald. Tayala was a couple spots away from qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
"I think it's kind of cool," Tayala said. "If things goes so-so, he's thinking of doing the 400 hurdles again. We'll see how this winter goes for him."
Dunlap has met Ryan Bailey, an Olympic medalist sprinter, who has tried to get the former McDonald standout training with him in Oregon. Bailey is already an established bobsledding brakeman.
Dunlap is a brakeman or pushman, falling in behind the driver after starting the sled down the course.
It's a road he never though he'd travel after winning state with Tayala in 2011.
"It's kind of funny, the path that I've taken and where it's taken me," Dunlap said.
"When I was trying to get the trials in the 400 hurdles, I had reached out to a ton of different coaches and agents about trying to get to the next level and get to a place to be able to train.
"I never heard back from anybody. They never really responded. That kind of pissed me off a little bit. I felt like I had the talent and the work ethic. All I needed was the environment. That kind of rejection led me to bobsled and led me to Bailey. He's been trying to get me out to live with him and train to try and run again, too. It's crazy where your journey takes you. I thought that was the end of track and field."