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Shaun Ziegler balances family, ambition to push boundaries
For most people, exercise is a luxury that usually gets put on the back burner and any excuse to get out of it will generally suffice.
However, Shaun Ziegler proves that there is not an excuse in the world to keep him away from cycling. Rain or shine, it’s bicycle time.
Ziegler does it all--husband, father of two, MBA student, assistant director of Auxiliary Services and cyclist. Although cycling was not always a passion of Zieglers, he now finds he cannot get enough.
Ziegler grew up in Wyoming and came to college to obtain his bachelors degree. Like most students, he purchased a bike for transportation to, around and from campus. Ziegler said he really did not enjoy riding his bike at that time. When he was a senior though, he started cycling with a few friends and began to enjoy it a little more.
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| Shaun Ziegler speaks with a fellow competitor after race four of the Laramie Mountain Series at Tie City near Laramie Tuesday evening. Prior to the race, Ziegler was ranked second in the advanced men's division of the series. Results for the fourth race were not available at press time. (Photo: Seneca Riggins) |
After graduation, Ziegler moved away and traveled around the U.S. After a few years, Ziegler found he missed the wide-open spaces of Wyoming and returned.
He started cycling on a competitive level approximately eight years ago when he entered the Enduro for the first time. Ziegler said he has never missed participating in the Enduro since the first time he entered.
According to their website, the Enduro is a 70-plus-mile trek with climbs reaching over 8600 feet between Laramie and Cheyenne. The 2011 edition of the Enduro is scheduled for Saturday, July 30.
The Enduro was just the start of a series of cycling events for Ziegler. He has branched out and started participating in more events. Ziegler said he started riding on leisure rides sponsored by the local bike shops and starting networking with other riders. Eventually, someone suggested that he ride in a race in Moab, Utah.
After a little encouragement, Ziegler decided to ride in Moab with an acquaintance, Nathan Potter. Ziegler said he was unsure of taking a long trip like that with just an acquaintance, but he found a really great friend by taking that chance.
The Laramie Mountain Bike Series has also served as an event for Ziegler to participate in. He said the Laramie Mountain Bike Series has been great because it gives him goals to work toward and opportunities to push himself.
He rides at least three times a week with a couple of guys. Although riding with the guys provides an opportunity for competition, the level of competition in the bike series really drives him harder.
Ziegler is competitive by nature.
He attributes this to participating in sports as a child and wanting to be a role model to his kids. In addition, Ziegler said it is good way to push yourself beyond the boundaries you have set for yourself.
But cycling to win is not what it is all about for Ziegler.
He said he uses cycling as way for spending time with his family. He rides with his wife and kids on a normal basis. But, Ziegler added, he does not work as hard as other cyclists in training because he likes to have some time for his family. He explains he would have to spend at least an additional two hours a day of hard core training to balance the odds. And, he said, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish all that he can without the support of his family.
Ziegler said cycling is also a way of getting rid of stress and pushing himself beyond what he thought was possible. He suggests for anyone wanting to get started in cycling or exercising, "to get out there." The hardest part about starting an exercise regime is having the confidence to start. Ziegler said newbies should remember "you don't have to be Lance Armstrong on day one.”
Ziegler said he looks up to the beginner riders participating in the Tuesday night Laramie Mountain Bike Series races because those are the riders pushing themselves beyond what they believed they could do. For Ziegler, that is the greatest accomplishment.
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