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CNNSI.com GROUP
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Gave it all up to pursue speedskating
Updated: Monday June 04, 2001 1:34 PM
Patrick Quinn is a former college hockey player and inline skate racer who took up speedskating in 1994 at the age of 27. At last year's U.S. National Championships he placed fifth in his strongest event, the 10,000 meters. He's hoping to climb the last few rungs of the U.S. Speedskating ladder in time for an Olympic debut in Salt Lake City next February. Check out Quinn's diary as he prepares for the Games. May 31, 2001When I was first spoke to CNNSI about writing this Olympic Diary I was both excited and flattered to be invited to share some of my thoughts and experiences leading up next year's Olympic Winter Games. When that initial charge subsided and it came time to put fingers-to-keyboard, I experienced a bit of a reality check along the lines of "what have I gotten myself into?" After all, I'm not a former Olympian returning for another shot at the gold. In fact, I know that a lot of people aren't expecting me to even make the team next year. To those people I say, "It doesn't matter what you expect, what matters is what I expect from myself, and I expect to be there". Self-motivation aside however, I was still left with the question, "What might I actually write about that someone other than my mother may care to read?
Like most of the "Olympic Hopefuls" you may hear or read about over the next few months, I too have had an Olympic dream for a long, long time. But unlike most of them I feel like I've lived an entirely different life somewhere between the birth of that dream and today. You see I grew up as a hockey player and thought someday I'd realize my Olympic dream with a stick and puck. I'll never forget the 1980 USA hockey gold medal. Hockey was in my blood before then, but witnessing that gold medal performance burned an Olympic dream deep inside of me. But, after I graduated from college my dream kind of slipped away, or more specifically got lost in the shuffle of "get a job, make money". So for about five years thereafter I was part of the New York City corporate rat race. I was pretty good at it too (even if I do say so myself). By the time I gave it all up to pursue speedskating, I had a six figure income, a nice apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan, a couple of fancy suits and spent my yuppie summers at a beach house by the ocean and winters weekends at a ski condo. I don't tell you these things to try to impress you, but rather to try to impress upon you that I have known a life very different from the one I'm leading right now. I gave all of that up to take a shot an Olympic dream. A dream that, although pushed into the shadows for a period of my life, stayed with me throughout my time in corporate America and eventually became so consuming that I traded all of those creature comforts for the opportunity to pursue it. Last year I made $79.60 through speedskating (yes, that decimal point is in the right place). So suffice to say that I'm on a very different rung of the socio-economic ladder than I used to be. Ever since I traded in my briefcase for a skate-bag I've been asked many times how did I come to make this life altering decision. What made me think I could do it? What's my life like now compared to what is was back then? And most of all, do I ever regret my decision? Over the next few months I'll try and share with you the answer to these and any other question you may want to throw at me. I'll also try and share with you what it's like to be preparing for the biggest test of my life; physically, emotionally, psychologically, financially and any other "ly" word you might be interested in. Perhaps you too may find something I say worth reading. If not I know I can count on my Mom. Until next time... -- PQ
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