Heading to Sturbridge

PMC weekend has arrived. In a few short hours, thousands of people will descend upon quiet Sturbridge, MA for the start of the most successful athletic charity event in the nation. I'm so excited!
Tonight at 7 PM, NECN will be broadcasting the PMC opening ceremonies live. Please check it out - it is always a powerful and uplifting show, and I'm sure this year won't disappoint. Look for me in the audience! The network also has weekend-long coverage of the ride, so tune in for updates all the way to P-town!
Hmm... It's raining as I type this. The forecast looks decent for Saturday and Sunday. Let's hope it stays that way!

A Common Goal

The first weekend in August is the highlight of my summer – I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. Riding 190 miles through the quaint villages and rural towns of Massachusetts with the support of 5,000 other cyclists, nearly 3,000 volunteers, and countless supporters lining the route, well, it can’t be beat. The PMC brings out the best in everyone, all in the name of making cancer HISTORY.

In less than 48 hours, I’ll board a plane to Boston, pack my weekend bag, and head to Sturbridge for the start of the ride. On Friday evening, the PMC holds registration, a bike expo, and a massive carbo-load dinner, complete with Harpoon beer (a major – and much-appreciated – sponsor). Opening ceremonies for the ride are also held that night from Sturbridge (if you’d like to watch, it’ll be broadcast live on NECN on Friday at 7 PM). The scene is electric – PMC spirit fills the air.

Saturday and Sunday are emotion-filled days. There’s the agony of climbing a long hill, the thrill of coasting down a long descent at 40 mph, and the sense of accomplishment upon reaching each rest stop. And those are just the physical emotional triggers. There are many more times where I am moved beyond words by supporters lining the route, saying things like “I’m alive because of you” or “keep riding for my wife” or “27 years cancer-free!”

But most of all, I’m moved by the generosity I see each and every year from my friends and family, who support me in everything I do for this event. I am humbled by the support I receive, and I’ll push myself to my limit this weekend to honor you, the real heroes of the Pan-Mass Challenge. $30 million for cancer research – you’re an amazing part of that!

Check out this article from today’s Boston Globe. It provides a bit of background on the PMC and some history from its founder, Billy Starr.

Click here to make your donation.

Personal Battles with Cancer

Cancer doesn’t care if you’re young or old, fat or thin, or rich or poor. The odds are high that cancer will affect you directly – half of all American men and a third of all American women will get some form of the disease in their lifetime. The odds are even higher – almost 100% – that you are close to someone who has battled the disease. I’m no exception.

My maternal grandmother was diagnosed in the winter of 1998 with cancer. She began treatment shortly thereafter to fight the disease. She became very weak, and in April 1998 she passed away while battling cancer. My grandfather was also diagnosed with cancer a few years later, but doctors caught it early and he was treated and cured without invasive (and risky) surgery or chemotherapy.

During my training for the Pan-Mass Challenge, I often think of my grandmother and others I know that have succumbed to cancer. The fight they exhibited helps me push myself to my limit. Any pain I might feel while on a long ride is nothing compared to coping with cancer. I ride in memory of my grandmother and in honor of all those that have won their fight against the disease.

I’m not the only one who rides the PMC in memory of a loved one. Team Luca is a group of PMCers riding in memory of three-year-old Luca, who died of a brain tumor in 2005. Team Luca collectively keeps Luca’s spirit alive while raising tens of thousands of dollars so that someday childhood cancers are eliminated. Check out this heart-wrenching video.

Nearly 300 riders in this year’s PMC will have battled cancer (or are currently battling the disease). These “Living Proof” riders show that you can thrive after a cancer diagnosis, and they are all an inspiration. One rider in particular inspires me each year – Jothy Rosenberg rides the two-day, 190-mile ride each year with only one leg. His right leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma in 1973. Every year he passes me going up a hill on the ride. Read more about him here.

Think of how cancer has affected you and your loved ones. I hope it inspires you to make a donation to support my ride. Think of it as an investment in a cancer-free future. Please make your donation today.

High Gear

The Pan-Mass Challenge kicks off in 11 days. Over the last three days, I've put 200 miles - 105 of which that were part of a century ride - on my bike. I'm planning on riding at least 100 more miles before the first weekend in August. I'm putting all I've got into my training in order to have a fast and relatively painless PMC weekend.
My fundraising is also in high gear. You'll be hearing again from me soon about making a donation to join the fight against cancer. I am 45% of the way to my $4200 goal, but I still need your help. I know the economy has hit many of us hard, but please give whatever you are able. Click here to make a donation.
Thank you for your support. Together, we will make cancer HISTORY.

Humachine

There comes a point while riding the Pan-Mass Challenge that you and your bike become one. Shifting gears is no longer a conscious decision - your finger does the clicking without direction. You start to see hills as something to conquer as opposed to something to fear. Every pedal stroke brings you closer to your goal, motivating you past any pain you may feel. You and your bike are no longer human and machine. You are one. You are a humachine.
When your body is in full work-mode, your mind is able to begin to comprehend the sheer magnitude of this event. Over 5,000 riders, together as one, are working toward a common goal - the eradication of cancer. Thousands of volunteers offer nourishment, replenishment, and encouragement. Countless supporters line the 190-mile route from Sturbridge to Provincetown to motivate and thank the citizens of the PMC city-on-wheels. Every sign touches your heart. Every cowbell makes you smile. Every child's high five reminds you of why you're working your body to its limit.
I dream of a world without cancer. I ride so that my future children will never suffer, directly or indirectly, from its destructive power. I ride for life - yours, mine, and everyone else's.
Please consider supporting this amazing event. Click here to support my ride. Thank you.

What does your donation buy?

I thought I'd share a little bit of background info on where all the money raised in the Pan-Mass Challenge ($240 million since 1980) goes. The sole beneficiary of the PMC is the Jimmy Fund, the fundraising arm of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Opened in 1947, Dana-Farber provides compassionate care for children and adults living with cancer. It is also one of the premiere cancer research facilities in the world, where everyday scientists and doctors are working together to develop innovative treatments and cures for the family of diseases.
Your donations simultaneously support compassionate and world-class care for patients currently fighting cancer and cutting-edge research to help future cancer patients. And best of all, 100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund. Very few athletic fundraisers are able to do that, and certainly no other does it with a $35 million check.
I strongly believe that supporting the Pan-Mass Challenge with a financial gift is one of the best ways to advance the excellent care and research at Dana-Farber. Investing in Dana-Farber is an investment in a cancer-free future.

Illinois is flat. So are my tires.

My friend Sam and I have been exploring the Chicagoland region on our bikes. Last week, we checked out a few neighborhoods on the north side of Chicago and in the process found the beautiful (and smooth!) North Branch Trail. Today, we explored the suburbs west of Chicago, including the Illinois Prairie Path and the Grand Western Trail. It would have been a great ride if it weren’t for one thing – well, six things actually…

When I retrieved my bike from the bike room of my apartment building this morning, the rear tire was flat. No worries – I had a spare in my saddle bag. I replaced the tube and was off (if only I had seen this as an omen…). As we rolled through Oak Park, I felt that familiar bouncy feeling. Another flat. I patched it quickly and was on my way.

Five miles later – another rear flat. This time the hole was in a different location on the tube, so it wasn’t caused by a poor patch job or a sharp object embedded in my tire since the previous flat. This is getting frustrating! A few miles later, we entered the Illinois Prairie Path, the country’s first rail-to-trail conversion. While the crushed limestone surface was smoother than I had expected, tiny bits of the rock made their way into the cracks in my three-year-old tires. Boom, another flat!

About forty miles into the ride, Sam and I stopped at a deli for lunch. It was a good thing we saw it, because I got a flat (this time on the front wheel) right before we turned off the trail (that’s the fifth flat for those who haven’t been counting). Rather than deal with the flat immediately, I waited until after eating. By the time I was ready to take care of the flat, I noticed (but was not entirely surprised) that my rear tire was also flat! That’s six!

I used my last patch on my front wheel, so I had to use Sam’s one and only tube to make my bike mobile again. Nearly 20 miles from the end of our ride, we both knew that it was going to happen again if we didn’t address the cause of the flats. Sam called his dad and had him google the nearest bike shop from where we were. Once the bike shop and its location were identified (it is aptly named “The Bike Shop”), we were off. The mechanic replaced the worn out tires and tired tubes. From then on it was smooth sailing back to Chicago.

Our day of biking ended up being longer than we had planned. On the plus side, I can now change a flat tire in under four minutes! Here’s to no more flats!!