I biked 100 miles from Cleveland to Sandusky 8/3/13 raising money for MS.

Kathleen Zielinski (runner), Mark Pophal (swimmer), and Mike Shaughnessy (biker) did well taking second place in the Olympic Relay division at the Cleveland Triathlon 8/4/13

If the prospect of riding 125 miles in a weekend on a bike and performing well at it had been suggested to me a year and half ago, I would have said you’re crazy.  But fast forward to August 2013 and here I am enjoying a new found energy and life force that I have never known.  Kathy and the kids have been a blessing of support as I have been training a lot in the last few months for these last two days.  My heart handled all the pressure and exertion with flying colors.  December of 2011 was my lowest physical point in life and now I may be at my highest.  My successes continue to astonish me and I have to thank all the inspirations around me.  My family is my biggest fan as the kids have been amazed how far I have come.  Kathy provides me with much needed prodding when it seems I can’t go another foot.  My co-workers Kathleen Zielinski and Mark Pophal were definitely the fire to get me going for the Cleveland Triathlon this weekend.  As they trained for their running and swimming respectively, I pushed myself harder.  My neighbor, Larry Mueller, was the one who started all this “biking” stuff from the beginning; so I thank him.  My brothers and sisters are also keeping my spirits going in the right direction.  My brother, Dan, in particular, who has done all this running and biking for a long time, continually adds the helpful hints to ease me along the path.

I hope I don’t get too sappy a year and a half later, but I am ever grateful to walk and talk this big beautiful earth today.  I hope to do my first half marathon in October and keep the future bright and full of possibility.