Update on Captain Dave

Many of you read my previous post about my team captain, Dave, who in October was diagnosed with Stage 3 oropharyngeal (throat) cancer. In that post, I told you about his history riding the Pan-Mass Challenge, his diagnosis, his robotic and manual surgeries, and his radiation treatments. I also told you how inspired I was when he joined the team on a 30-mile training ride back in April.

Earlier this month, Dave returned to Dana-Farber to undergo a scan to detect any remaining cancer cells in his body. The scan came back clean - no cancer! This isn't the end of the road for Dave - he will have to return to Dana-Farber for similar scans every six weeks for the foreseeable future to be confident that he has beat his cancer once and for all. But it was the news that he, and all of us who know him, were hoping for.

Despite the great news, Dave is still recovering from the intense radiation treatments. He has been on his bike, though, and has impressed me with his strength. There was never really a doubt in my mind that Dave would be joining us in six weeks (yes, only six weeks!) for the PMC, but now I am confident that our team captain will be leading us all the way to Provincetown!

I have never been as sure as I am today that the funds that we raise through the Pan-Mass Challenge are advancing the field of cancer research and are saving lives. Dave's experimental robotic surgery may not have occurred if Dana-Farber relied only on federal and foundation grants, which often come with strings attached. 10 years ago when I started riding the PMC, Dave's robotic surgery was not available. I can't help but think that the nearly $50,000 that you have helped me raise over that time has contributed to the advances we see today. 100% of your donation goes directly to Dana-Farber for them to spend where the need is greatest. Please make a generous donation to support my ride, in honor of Captain Dave. Thank you!

Training Update

It's early June - how did that happen?? I think I know why. I haven't stopped traveling! Since the advent of nice weather in Boston, I've been to Washington State, Kentucky, Iowa, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Texas. And next week I go to Montana (hello Yellowstone!). You may be asking, Jared, how are you fitting your Pan-Mass Challenge training into your busy schedule?

Poorly. Since early April, I've only gotten four real training rides in, totaling 118 miles. This is just not going to cut it! I do ride Hubway around a lot (including my 5 mile commute home today), but my time on a heavy, 3-speed bike does not replace saddle time on my road bike.

Which brings me to two weeks ago. I met several of my teammates in Falmouth for a 62-mile ride around the Upper Cape. It was a beautiful day for a great ride, but about 23 miles in, I felt some rubbing on my tire. My bike mechanic teammate diagnosed the problem: cracked frame. AKA, totaled.

You can see the damage in the photo to the left (white vertical line by the cassette). After a cab ride back to Falmouth, I brought my bike to the shop and they took my bike to have the frame replaced. Luckily, the manufacturer (Specialized) warranties its carbon frame for life, so I just have to pay for disassembly and reassembly. So about a week from now, I should get back what looks like a brand new bike (though it will still have my same components).

I do have a second bike that is suitable for training, so I used that two weekends ago on my team's annual South Shore Coastal Loop ride - 50 miles of beautiful scenery! I'll ride it again this weekend on a 62-mile loop on the North Shore. I should have my other bike back in time for my big cycling adventure in June - a one-day, 125-mile ride from Boston to Provincetown! I should get several rides in between now and then, so hopefully they get me up to speed (figuratively and literally).

Training is the easy part. I ride to raise money to end cancer. Join the fight by making a donation today. Thank you!

Heavy Hitter

Besides Pan-Mass Challenge weekend itself, my other favorite PMC event is the Heavy Hitter Evening, which occurs every spring. A “Heavy Hitter” is a rider who reaches a certain fundraising threshold above the minimum amount. Last year, the minimum to raise was $4,300, but to be a Heavy Hitter, you had to raise $6,700. Collectively, Heavy Hitters represent one third of riders, but we raise two thirds of the funds. I am honored to be included in this group of elite fundraisers.

There are two aspects of the Heavy Hitter Dinner that keep me coming back every year. The first is the speaking program. Billy Starr, the founder of the PMC, always welcomes the crowd and goes over last year’s fundraising stats. He showed an infographic that was published in The Atlantic showing the top athletic fundraisers in the country. The PMC is high atop this list in terms of total funds raised for a single event. The fact that 100 percent of rider-raised funds go to the Jimmy Fund makes this statistic even sweeter.

Every year, the speaking program includes an inspirational story from someone in the PMC community. This year, it was Loie Williams, a nine-year rider who experienced her own battle with cancer a few years ago. She shared her cancer story and her PMC story – the two were interwoven wonderfully. Her story has a happy ending – she kept her promise to her son that she would not let cancer kill her. She is still riding, now as a Living Proof rider, of which there are hundreds. They are the most inspirational riders out on the road – they are living proof that our efforts are saving lives.

The other aspect of the event that I look forward to is spending time with my Team Kinetic Karma teammates – not in spandex. Who knew we cleaned up nicely?! It’s always great to spend time with this fun, crazy, supportive group of nut jobs. The camaraderie that we have on the road is still there when we have cocktails in hand.

I don’t fundraise above the minimum just to be able to attend this event (which we all purchase tickets for, by the way!). I do it to make that much more of a difference in the fight against cancer. If you’ve supported my ride in the last four years, you’ve been a part of that. Join me in going beyond the minimum to make cancer history. Please make yourtax-deductible, cancer-fighting, life-saving donation today. Thank you!

Riding for Captain Dave

2014 marks my 11^th Pan-Mass Challenge ride. As I have done for the last 11 years, I will ride across Massachusetts this August to raise money for the Jimmy Fund in support of life-saving cancer research and care at Boston’s renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As I have done for the last five years, I will wear my blue and yellow team jersey on the second day of the ride with my Team Kinetic Karma teammates. Each year, we ride for all of those affected by cancer, as well as our young pedal partners. But this year, we ride for Captain Dave.

Dave registered for his first Pan-Mass Challenge in 2002 upon learning of his mother’s fourth cancer diagnosis. She had beaten cancer three times before, and Dave was confident that she would beat it again. Dave and his family pursued numerous treatment options, some brand new and untested, in the hope that she would conquer cancer a fourth time. Despite Dave’s valiant efforts to find a treatment to save his mother, she passed away on the first Friday in August that year. Dave somberly began his first Pan-Mass Challenge the very next day.

In 2003, Dave formed Team Kinetic Karma, the team that I now am on. He has grown the group over the years to become an eclectic second family for its members. He celebrated with several teammates as the 2013 PMC check was presented to Dana-Farber last November. Days later, he received a terrifying diagnosis of his own. Stage 3 oropharyngeal (throat) cancer.

Dave’s doctors at Dana-Farber – the very hospital he had raised over $140,000 for by riding the PMC – prepared a course of treatment to destroy his cancer. The treatments consisted of robotic surgery to cut out his tonsils and parts of his throat, soft palate, and tongue to remove the cancer, followed by  traditional surgery to remove 18 lymph nodes in his neck. He then underwent six weeks of radiation therapy. Near the beginning of his daily radiation treatments, Dave came over for dinner and we caught up on things cancer-related and not. At the time, he had been jogging to and from his appointments in an effort to stay healthy – and to retain a sense of normalcy. By the end of his treatments, the cumulative effects of radiation had him relegated to his bed and unable to eat much on his own.

Over a month has passed since his last radiation treatment. Messages from Dave were mostly about his lethargy and his frustration about losing weight and energy, and waiting for that elusive light at the end of the tunnel, signaling a turning point in his recovery.

Meanwhile, Team Kinetic Karma started gearing up for the 2014 PMC – we held our first official training ride of the season a few weeks ago. I went fully expecting to take a group photo to send to Dave to cheer him up. As I pulled in, I noticed Dave’s car. I first thought of how nice it was that he came to see us off. Then I saw him dressed in his Team Kinetic Karma jersey. And bike shorts. And I thought, maybe he will ride the first five miles or so (we had planned a 28-mile loop).

Dave rode the entire 28-mile ride with us! And he looked strong! If Dave hadn’t seen that light yet, he definitely pedaled toward it, and I think he may have found it that day. I’m not a doctor (I don’t even play one on TV), but I can say that on that day, I saw a man who had conquered cancer. Dave’s journey has been inspirational throughout, from diagnosis in November to surgery in December to radiation in January and February to a 28-mile bike ride in April. I’ve never been more inspired to ride the PMC.

At 41 riders, Team Kinetic Karma will field its largest contingent ever for the 2014 PMC. I will be among them. So will Dave. I can’t wait to approach the finish line in Provincetown, “champagne” toast in hand, with my friend.

Please support my Pan-Mass Challenge ride in honor of Dave and all the other brave cancer fighters, and in memory of those that we have lost to cancer. 100% of your donation will go straight to the Jimmy Fund in support of the research and care that helped save Dave’s life and the lives of thousands of others. Dave is making his cancer history. Will you help make cancer, as we know it, history? Please make your donation today.

Back in the Saddle

It's been a long time since my last post in August. Since then, I completed the one-day, 125-mile Harbor to the Bay ride from Boston to Provincetown. It was a great day and a challenging ride, but I crossed the finish line strong and proud. Thanks to my generous donors, I raised over $1,400 for Fenway Health, one of the world's leading health centers for the LGBT community. I'm planning on signing up again for the ride this September, so stay tuned!

In November, the Pan-Mass Challenge announced that the 2013 ride raised a record $39 million for the Jimmy Fund, bringing the all-time total raised to $414 million! I am so proud to be a part of this efficient, large, and incredibly successful organization. The funds that we raise are saving lives, and there is nothing more important than that,

2014 marks my 11th Pan-Mass Challenge ride. For my fifth year, I am joining Team Kinetic Karma for the two-day, 190-mile ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown. In August, we will join 5,500 riders for the annual trek, raising over $40 million along the way. Please join me in my journey along the way. From now until August, I will be posting about my training and fundraising activities. I hope to inspire you to donate to this excellent cause. 100 percent of your donation will go to the Jimmy Fund in support of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's innovative research and compassionate, life-saving cancer care. Click here to make your secure, online donation today.

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!