Adirondack Sports February 2021

10 Adirondack Sports
ATHLETE PROFILE
Shaun & Kim
Donegan
● KIM & SHAUN AT
THEIR VIRTUAL H2H.
Teamwork Makes the
Dream Work
By Jen Ferriss
RESIDENCE: Malta
AGES: Shaun, 35; Kim, 40
FAMILY: Daughters, Austin and Tanner, 3;
Cat, Jethro; and Chickens (currently
three due to a hungry hawk)
CAREER: Middle School Industrial Arts
Technology Teacher (Shaun) and
Project Management/Efficiency
Extraordinaire (Kim)
PRIMARY
SPORTS: Trail Running (Shaun); “Every Mother”
Diastasis Recti Workouts (Kim)
Running clubs sometimes act as a catalyst
for singles to enter ultra-long
courtships instead of sprints to the
alter… and so our story begins.
Shaun and Kim Donegan met in the
summer of 2009 at a Saratoga Stryders’
trail run series race at the Wilton Wildlife
Preserve & Park. Kim was intrigued by
Shaun’s speed, “He was fast. Like really, fast.”
Or perhaps it was a little bit of his signature
look – short running shorts, tall socks, and
cut off t-shirts or sleeveless button downs – if
worn. Shaun was drawn to Kim’s appearance
but thought she was already spoken for by
another Stryder. He enlisted his best friend
to get to know Kim and find out if she was
available. Shaun may be quick on his feet
posting personal record times and winning
races against his peers, but he was a gentleman
who resorted to a slow and steady pace
when it came to their relationship.
Little did they know that when they both
agreed to serve on the Saratoga Stryder
Board as Treasurer and Secretary that their
fate was seemingly sealed, or so some speculated
and hoped. Precedent was set by the
previous Treasurer and Secretary who found
their true love in each other and married. In
2013, Shaun proposed to Kim at the end of
the Adirondack Ragnar Relay, and they were
married in July 2014 with a runners themed
event surrounded by close friends and family.
Base Training – Shaun grew up racing
and riding BMX bicycles. He enjoyed building
ramps, doing tricks, dirt jumps, and of
course racing which involved all out sprints
for 30-40 seconds. At school in Saratoga
Springs, Shaun was always first pick for
capture the flag and flag football due to his
speed. When it came time to do the mile in
gym class Shaun was already clocking mid
sixes wearing JNCO jeans and Converse
Chuck Taylor All-Star shoes.
Running for sport and fitness started
during his freshman year at SUNY Oswego.
His first 5K on the campus clocked around a
17:40, resulting in a track team recruitment,
which Shaun declined because he does not
like commitments. He did enjoy the feeling
of speed, so he started training, getting
faster and racing more. When he graduated
college, he continued to enter running races
and took an interest in road biking.
Kim played soccer in multiple premier
youth leagues, as well as being one of three
girls on the boys’ middle school team; at
Ballston Spa High School, she played varsity
all four years. In high school, she won
the 1997 William F. Eddy Jr Memorial Track
& Field Meet for the triple jump, followed
closely by jumping 37’1-1/4” at the NYS
Championships where she placed 4th
in Class B, but more importantly hit the
mark that ultimately got her into Bucknell
University (Class of ‘02)
At Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa. she was a
triple jumper and sprinter. In 2015, Kim was
inducted into the Ballston Spa Athletics Hall
of Fame, in recognition of setting the school
record for triple and long jump, as well as
being named a Section II Class B All-Star in
soccer. After graduating from college, there
weren’t a whole lot of opportunities to triple
jump or sprint for fun, so Kim started cycling
and running for the thrill of the race.
Keeping Pace – Together the Donegans
were able to share their love of racing and
cycling as their relationship developed.
At completely different paces, Shaun and
Kim had to find unique ways to spend time
together as athletes. In 2010 and 2015, they
rode their bikes 500 miles in the RAGBRAI:
Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across
Iowa. They entered duathlons, running
relays, cardboard boat and sled races, as
well as their two-year stint as champions
of Tinney’s Tavern Outhouse Races on Lake
Desolation. Trail runs would involve training
sessions where they would start and finish
at the same time but run their own pace.
Most of the time, Shaun did go his own
way just to maintain his own running plan.
His passion for tinkering, building and
inventing tied into his workouts. Although
trails are his preferred run, the local country
roads provide a treasure trove of left behind