Training Update

To train for the Pan-Mass Challenge, riders must put in countless hours in the saddle in order to prepare themselves for the grueling two-day trek in August. Unfortunately, I'm a bit behind in my training schedule. I rode just over 186 miles in May - nothing to sneeze at, but certainly not where I should be. Though I have a good excuse for my inactivity (I was busy finishing my thesis, which is DONE!), I need to get back out on the road.
I've set a goal of riding 500 miles in June. This mileage will put me at 750 miles for the season and will prepare me for some long and challenging training rides in July (Climb to the Clouds, anyone?). This is an ambitious goal, especially since I am either busy (graduation is on Friday!) or out-of-state (vacation!!) for a considerable portion of the month. I can do it, though (mostly because I don't have a job yet). I see bike rides to the beach in Gloucester in my future!

Riding for Charlotte

One of the best parts of PMC weekend happens as riders arrive at the Lakeville water stop (85 miles into the first day). Photos of children currently undergoing cancer treatment line the road for the last half mile before the stop. At the water stop, these children greet the riders with huge smiles and cheers and provide the inspiration to continue on the long trek. This year, my teammates and I are riding for one of these children. Meet Charlotte Casgar.
Charlotte is a radiant three-year-old with a passion for princesses and Dora the Explorer. In January of this year, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a common form of childhood leukemia. Charlotte has been undergoing an intense treatment plan that has involved long and short stays in the hospital, numerous visits to the Jimmy Fund Clinic, and at-home treatments. She is a champ at taking her medicine and getting twice-daily "leg pricks." Though cancer treatment is anything but fun, Charlotte has demonstrated amazing strength, and her sense of humor has not wavered.
Luckily for Charlotte, ALL is very treatable, thanks to advancements in the treatment of leukemia of the last few decades. The five-year survival rate for children under five years old that are diagnosed with ALL is 91%. Thanks to the research conducted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other world-class cancer centers, Charlotte is very likely to beat this disease and live a long and healthy life.
Charlotte is Team Kinetic Karma's 2010 Pedal Partner. We're riding in her honor and are inspired by her fight. We were lucky to meet this brave little girl last weekend at the PMC Pedal Partner Party at Fenway Park. Here's a photo of Charlotte and her dad (center) and some of the members of Team Kinetic Karma.

I ride the PMC so that children like Charlotte can get the world-class care that they deserve to help them fight their cancer. I hope to one day live in a world without cancer, and your donations are getting us Closer By The Mile. Please make a donation to support my ride in honor of Charlotte.
For more information about Charlotte and her fight against ALL, visit her family's blog.