Tribute to a Teammate

I know it's PMC week when the butterflies settle into my stomach. There is so much anticipation around PMC weekend, my favorite weekend of the year. Part of that anticipation stems from being able to hang out with my teammates, some of whom I only get a chance to see once a year. This year will be a little different, as one of our Team Kinetic Karma teammates won't be there.

Jim loved the clever signs that cheerers would make. From PMC 2022.

Jim Adelson was a member of Team Kinetic Karma before I joined in 2010, and his first PMC was in 2006. Jim always participated in every team training ride that I ever attended, a testament to his commitment to training and our team. He would provide helpful route advice and would modify the routes as needed for slower riders. He seemed to always be smiling when talking about the PMC, his face covered in his signature white zinc oxide (he was allergic to common sunblock). He was a training machine! As of June this year, he had recorded 64 training rides in Strava for a total of 1,441 miles, just this calendar year. 

On June 18, Jim completed a 36-mile training ride on Father's Day. On that ride, he visited a playground that was dedicated to his father for his service to the community of Sudbury as a pediatrician. Jim's father died of colorectal cancer in 1991, and was one of Jim's inspirations to begin riding the PMC.

Team Kinetic Karma's photo on Day 1 of the 2022 PMC. Jim is furthest to the right in the front row.

Two days later, on June 20, Jim passed away unexpectedly at age 70. Our team was devastated by the news. We miss our teammate, our friend, who would have ridden his 18th PMC this weekend with us. I will miss our chats over dinner and beers at the end of each riding day, rehashing the hills, the headwinds, and the clever signs that we saw along the way. Jim's spirit of kindness and determination will always be with us. This weekend, I will think of Jim often, and I will aim to carry his legacy forward.

We miss you, Jim.