Shaun & Kim Donegan

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)

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

By Jen Ferriss

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 objects that he could bring back to life, decorate his garden, or use to make some innovative riding machine. Shaun claims to know every old car and tractor within a ten-mile radius of his home. He has been known to leave notes with his phone number to see if homeowners are interested in selling their “junk.” Free stuff on the side of the road has been part of a workout, if he can run it home. Otherwise, he stashes stuff in the woods to pick up later. He sees a lot of cool stuff at street level that have resulted in some fun experimental and experiential bike and tractor rides.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work – In May of 2017, Kim and Shaun found out they were getting a 2-for-1 special. They could not have been more excited, because they wanted two kids. Shaun increased his racing schedule in 2017 knowing the twins would be arriving the following year. “I had a stint where I raced some event every weekend from May-October!” Unfortunately, he developed plantar fasciitis, ran through it to finish the year, and messed up his running plan for the following year. An unwanted gift in disguise, he was able to help Kim and the girls in the early stages of their new life together.

They had two perfectly healthy girls at 6lbs 6oz and 6lbs 5oz at 37 weeks, but in the days and weeks that followed, Kim would experience the hardest, most painful years of her young life. The stress of having twins, coupled with preeclampsia left her with extreme joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. She could barely walk, and some days could not even pick up the babies. Shaun helped out carrying the girls to Kim at regular intervals and he got the lion’s share of diaper changes. After a full year of figuring out how to cope with RA, in 2019 Kim was able to start jogging again with only some lingering pain. 

Shaun didn’t really run from February to June of 2018, while he struggled to remedy the fasciitis and take care of the girls. By the time the twins hit the six-month mark, Shaun eased into running slowly and was eager to get Austin and Tanner into the double chariot jogging stroller. “They loved riding, I liked the exercise and momma got a break.” The chariot has also been towed by a bike, and has skis for winter fun. Racing resumed late 2018 and the girls would come cheer in fair weather. In a typical running week, 50-70 miles, about half of it was pushing the double stroller.

“Before kids, I would consider myself an above average runner, but my body really wasn’t meant for distance,” states Kim. She loved the race atmosphere, one that she was able to immerse herself in as a six-year employee with ARE Event Productions. The people, the sounds and the places she got to visit were memorable, and will be missed as she starts a new job this February with Albany Valve & Fitting Company.

The Long Run – Kim hopes that after they survive the “terrible threes” and the pandemic has shifted to allow safe interactions with others, she will be able to once again make time to work on her own self-care, and see if she can find some of her old speed to be competitive as a Masters runner!

2020 was a tough year for Shaun with little motivation to run and train other than the desire within. Virtual series, the ARE’s Capital District Challenge and Strava segment competitions helped. The lack of a road racing schedule lead Shaun back to the trails, logging miles at Luther Forest, Saratoga Mountain Bike Association trails on Daniels Road, and on occasion some trips to Moreau Lake State Park, where he later competed and won the inaugural Moreau Half 14.5-mile trail race in November. Shaun no longer worries about being first in the 5ks. “The young kids can have that, but I’ll eat their lunch if they ever show up to a trail or snowshoe race!”

Some may think that Shaun shifted from crazy fast runner to “the guy pushing the stroller with the two kids in it.” Do not underestimate his speed, pent up demand to compete, and his homegrown workouts with the twins. “I’m incredibly proud of Shaun and his accomplishments, but whenever someone says, “Oh, you’re Shaun Donegan’s wife!” I’m like, “Sure am, you can call me Kim!”

Jennifer Ferriss (ferrissj@gmail.com) of Saratoga Springs leads an active outdoor lifestyle and is always in search of a new adventure. When the weather warms up, she commutes to her librarian gig on her 1980s Japanese Bianchi, with a backpack that carries more than meets the eye.