A Decade of Pan-Mass Challenges

This past weekend marked my tenth time riding the Pan-Mass Challenge. It was an incredible two days, filled with excellent cycling weather (except for a few passing showers), supportive, funny, and draftable teammates, and beer! Seriously though, it was my best PMC yet. Let me give you the run-down of the weekend.

On Friday, my dad drove Marcus and me to Sturbridge, the start of the weekend's ride. We checked into our hotel, registered, and immediately headed to the cycling expo for, you guessed it, beer. Then we headed outside to greet my teammates who rode in from the New York border - 95 extra miles of riding! Then time for another beer, then dinner time! Many of my teammates were there and we talked about how excited we were for the ride to begin.

It was early to bed for us, since I had a 3:45 am wake-up. We arrived at the starting line around 5:00 am (yes, it was pitch black out still) and readied for our 5:30 am departure. After a rousing rendition of the National Anthem (sung by a fellow rider), we were off! The first few miles have pretty rolling hills, perfect for warming up the legs. One of my most dedicated supporters, Sheila, always greets me at the first turn of the ride in Charlton. She spells out both my first and last names on a big sign, lest any other Jared think the sign is for him! Thanks, Sheila!

I could tell that this PMC was going to be a little different as I started to ascend the hills of central Massachusetts. Typically I approach hills with dread - ugh, another hill! Not this year. When I came upon a hill, something in my brain compelled me to motor up it. I still haven't figured out why, but I felt the need to conquer the challenges that I was faced with head-on. It paid off - while I was winded at the top of many climbs, I gave them everything I had.

The weather forecast called for the clouds to break later in the day, but that never materialized. The temperature stayed in the 60s and 70s all day, which was a welcome relief from last year's oppressive heat. My teammates and I rolled into the lunch stop, 70 miles into the route, around 10:15 am. I had told myself that I wouldn't overeat at this stop, which I typically do, and that was a wise decision. I still had 40 miles to go, and I didn't want to do it on a full stomach. I knew how much food (and beer! Did I mention they have beer?) would be at the end of the day's ride, and I knew I could refuel there.

The next 40 miles went surprisingly quickly, thanks to my strong teammates! We formed a paceline and motored through the South Coast before arriving in Bourne, 110 miles from Sturbridge. I got to cross the day's finish line with my friend Lisa, which was awesome! After that, I did the following, in this order: park bike, get massage appointment, see Kim (my favorite volunteer!), shower, beer, eat, beer, eat, and eat! It was another early night and I retired to my bunk on the (air conditioned) ship for the night.

I was up at 4:20 am on Sunday to prepare for the second and final leg of the ride - 80 miles through the Cape to Provincetown. I met my teammates at 5:15 am and we were off on the now very familiar route. Day 2 is filled with milestones: the gradual climb of the Bourne Bridge, watching the sunrise over the Cape Cod Canal on the bike path, the rolling hills of Service Road (think roller coaster), Da Hedge (you have to see it to really get it), the views from Ocean View Drive, the hills of Truro, and the Provincetown dunes. Just like the day before, my teammates were with me all day providing a wheel to draft off of, something to laugh at, and the sense of camaraderie that you only get with genuinely good people.

Just before the finish line, my team, Kinetic Karma, always assembles to take a "champagne" toast photo. The people in this photo made the weekend so memorable. It has to have been my favorite PMC ever. We were fast, we had fun, and we drank beer. Oh yeah, and we raised a hell of a lot of money to fight cancer (to the tune of over $200,000 as of today!). I'm proud to call them all my teammates, and even prouder to call them my friends. Thanks, guys, for an incredible weekend! If you're interested in seeing my cycling data for this year's ride, here it is: Day 1 and Day 2.

The first few days back in the "real world" are always a tough adjustment. And it's not just because my butt still hurts. It's because the PMC exemplifies everything that is good in this world. 5,500 riders, 3,000 volunteers, and countless supporters along the route all coming together for one thing - to end cancer. It's really something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime - I encourage you to check out what makes the PMC so wonderful.

In terms of my fundraising, I'm so happy to have the continued support of my family and friends. Thanks to them, I'm only $345 away from meeting my goal of raising $6,700 to fund the fight against cancer. If you haven't made your donation yet, there is still time! Click here to make your secure, online donation today.

Thank you all, and I'll be back for PMC 2014!

Two Days Before Two Days/190 Miles

Rolling out from Sturbridge.

This is around the time every year that the butterflies start forming in my stomach. I am two days out from riding my tenth Pan-Mass Challenge ride, and I couldn't be more excited! Here's a brief overview of what I'm going to be experiencing this weekend.

FRIDAY. I'll head to Sturbridge, my starting location, and get my first taste of PMC 2013 - the Sturbridge Host Hotel will be swarming with riders and volunteers. I'll get registered, meet my team for our final "carbo-loading" dinner, and watch the opening ceremonies (you can watch them live online at http://www.pmc.org/pmc-live). Then it's early to bed for an even earlier wake-up call.

SATURDAY. I'll wake up around 4 am and head back to the starting location in time to roll out at 5:30 am with thousands of other riders. We'll make our way from Sturbridge to Bourne, all 110 miles, on adrenaline, peanut butter bananas, and support from the volunteers and the cheerers that line the entire route. Upon the completion of Saturday's ride, I'll do the following in this order: park my bike, get a massage appointment, get a beer, say hi to Kim (my FAVORITE volunteer!), shower, have another beer, eat more than you can imagine, get my massage, have yet another beer, listen to live music, and go to bed. It's a long day, but it's all worth it!

SUNDAY. Another early wake-up call. Time to finish this ride! We roll out early and very quickly are faced with our first hill of the day - the Bourne Bridge. Then we ride along the Cape Cod Canal at sunrise and traverse the quaint towns of Cape Cod. The Brewster rest stop is a highlight of the day - it always has a party atmosphere and the food is particularly good there! Then another 40 miles to Provincetown. Here's a lesson I learned during my first PMC in 2004 - the Cape is not flat! Right before the finish line, my team will gather for our annual "champagne" toast photo, then we roll in together. More beer and food before heading back to Boston.

I cherish this weekend, and I'm happy that I get to share it with all of you. Your generous support over the last ten years is the sole reason I am able to experience this weekend. I truly appreciate it!

Because of the support of friends and family, I am only $475 away from reaching my goal of raising $6,700 this year! I'd really love to meet that goal before I roll out on Saturday. If you have yet to make a donation, now is the time! 100 percent of your money will go straight to the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber's fundraising arm. Be a part of history and support the PMC today! We will end cancer!

Please make your donation here: http://www2.pmc.org/profile/JF0128. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!