An Awesome 18th PMC!

 A few days have passed since I completed my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge, but the memories still run through my head of the amazing weekend I had! On Saturday morning, I woke at 4:15 AM to ready myself for the two-day ride. I joined up with my teammate/neighbor Mike to ride over to Medfield, where some of my teammates and I would begin our official Day 1 of the PMC. Our long shadows stretched out in front of us as the sun rose behind us. At 7:30 AM, we were officially on our way to Falmouth!

It wasn't long before the team experienced its first two flat tires - on the same bike, simultaneously! Luckily it was an easy fix, and we were back on the road in no time. We entered Cherry Street, which every year has an organized and very energetic response to the PMC passing through each year (bands, clowns, banners, and bagpipes!). We missed it last year during the 2020 "reimagined" ride, but it was back in full force this year! At the end of Cherry Street, my team always stops to toast our fallen teammate, Danno, near where he lived.

We went back on the road and went to our first rest stop, the traditional "lunch" stop in Dighton/Rehoboth. I use the "s because we typically roll in around 10 AM, and this year was no different. Since we started from our homes instead of at an official PMC starting line, it was our first glimpse of the amazing support that the PMC provides every year. I was delighted to see that not much had changed. The food was excellent (and all pre-packaged, but much of it fresh!) and there was plenty of space for us to all spread out and relax. It helped that it was dry and sunny (albeit warm, even in the mid-morning!). 

The rest of the ride was also great - lots of camaraderie with my teammates and fellow riders on the route, people cheering at the ends of their driveways, and more great support from the volunteers at each rest stop. As we pulled into Bourne, the standard finish for Day 1 of the PMC, we continued on and headed for the Bourne Bridge. Similar to last year, we crossed the bridge and continued a few more miles south to go to my Team Captain Dave's house in West Falmouth for the night. There waiting for us were our teammates Dave and Leslie who had coordinated a celebratory feast for us all! Also there were two massage therapists! They typically volunteer their services in Bourne but since massages were not part of the Day 1 finish this year, they volunteered their services to our team. And we were grateful!

After an evening of laughter, storytelling, and lots of stretching, we went to bed (sofa for me!) early to rest up for Day 2 of the PMC. We woke early again, before the sun, to prepare for our 86-mile Day 2 ride. It was cloudy and muggy, and there was rain on the radar, but the ride goes on, rain or shine! We were on the road at 5:40 AM, heading north to pick up the PMC route at the Cape Cod Canal bike path. Many of the Day 2 riders were already ahead of us, so we took advantage of the relatively empty path and roads and motored along at a quick pace! We seemed to be successfully dodging any significant rain! But after the first rest stop in Barnstable, the skies opened and it rained for the next 16 miles to the Brewster rest stop. It was a steady but light rain, not bad but enough to make the tire in front of you spray warm road water in your face. Delightful! We kept our speed up (safely!) and finished that segment in record time.

In Brewster (the popsicle and ice cream bar stop!) the rain stopped and allowed us to dry out a bit. We got back on the road to Wellfleet, where my teammate Lance's family passes out Twizzlers to riders at the top of the hill. We stopped for a break and watched them hand out the Twizzlers to delighted riders! After that, the toughest stretch of Day 2 was ahead of us. First, the Truro hills, which are three successive hills on a quiet side rode. Then, Route 6, a four-lane road with long gradual hills that are fully exposed to the wind. And finally, the Provincelands dunes, more hills in varied terrain right before the finish line. It was my 18th year in a row riding this stretch of the ride, and it is always different given the weather and who I am riding with. But we crushed it this year! It was a lot of fun to go fast and push myself hard.

Typically, the end of the PMC is a party - beer, food, music, and more beer. Due to the pandemic, what is normally two finish lines and consolidated into one. They had food and music, but most of the party atmosphere (and the showers) were gone. Still, we stayed together as a team after crossing the finish line to reminisce about the wonderful weekend and enjoy more of the great food. 

PMC 2021 was a giant leap toward a "normal" PMC for me as compared to last year. I was thrilled to see thousands of fellow riders, volunteers, and cheerers along the route. The greater sense of community was back, and it warmed my heart. 

Another thing that has warmed my heart is the generosity of my friends and family who have helped me raise over $12,000 so far this year. Thank you! I am less than $1,000 from my $13,000 fundraising goal. If you haven't given yet, it is not too late! 100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund in support of the innovative research and life-saving care that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides every day, pandemic or no pandemic. Giving to the PMC is one of the best ways we can make a difference in the fight against cancer. Thank you for your past, current, and future support!

This weekend, we ride.

"Time is not a thing anymore" has been a mantra of mine since the pandemic begin. Tuesdays feel like Mondays, my inner clock wakes me up at ungodly hours (even on weekends), and somehow it is already August. Luckily for me, though, that means the Pan-Mass Challenge is almost here. Pandemic or not, it is always my favorite weekend of the year.

Last Saturday, several of my Team Kinetic Karma teammates and I rode our annual Ride to Maya, where we visit our former Pedal Partner Maya along our route. This has been an annual training ride since 2017, shortly after Maya was diagnosed with Clear Cell Sarcoma. Today, Maya is a happy and healthy 9-year-old! I'm looking forward to the day when she can join us on a ride! We completed 52 miles in the northern suburbs of Boston. The weather was perfect and it was a great test for the Pan-Mass Challenge this weekend!

The next day, my training continued with a 50-mile ride from my house to the southwestern suburbs of Boston. When training for a two-day ride, it's important to ride on back-to-back days to prepare your body not just for the toll the PMC will take on your legs, but also on your back, shoulders, and...err...your saddle region. It was another great training ride - my body feels ready for the PMC!

The PMC starts in two days. The butterflies that I write about each year are getting into formation. They are anticipation nerves, not nervous nerves. I am excited for a fun, challenging, emotion-filled weekend with my teammates, thousands of other riders, volunteers, and people cheering at the ends of their driveways along the route. The emotional and physical (and sometimes edible) support we receive from these groups makes the miles figuratively fly by. After a great but quiet "reimagined" PMC in 2020, I'm excited for a PMC that is a few steps closer to a normal PMC.

That said, it will be very different than previous years to protect us all against Covid. No celebrations at the start and finish lines in Sturbridge, Wellesley, Bourne, and Provincetown. That means no team photos, no music, no massages, no showers, and most importantly, no beer! I applaud the PMC for taking these measures to keep us safe. The elements that will be missing this weekend are the icing on the cake - the true spirit of the PMC will be back in full force this weekend!

The reasons why we ride are another element of the PMC that hasn't gone away. I've lost count of the number of my friends and family members who have been directly impacted by cancer. Unfortunately, this is true even for my Team Kinetic Karma family, which has lost two teammates to cancer and has several members that are cancer survivors. One of my teammates had surgery on Monday to remove cancer tumors - her second bout with the disease. We ride in her honor this weekend, and in honor of everyone else battling cancer.

Thanks to my generous donors so far this year, we've been able to raise nearly $11,000 to go toward the fight against cancer. I have just over $2,000 to reach my $13,000 fundraising goal for the year. Please make your cancer-fighting donation today. As always, 100% of your donation will go to the Jimmy Fund, which directly supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's life-saving care and innovative research. 

This weekend, we ride. Thank you for your support!

LAST DAY of the $4,000 in 7 Days Challenge!

Today is the LAST DAY of my annual PMC fundraising challenge! In the first six days, we raised $1,950 - thanks to those of you who donated! As a reminder, here are the fabulous raffle prizes that you could win:

• A two-night stay at the 8 Dyer Hotel in Provincetown;
• A one-night stay (with breakfast) at the W Boston Hotel in Boston;
• A 60-minute massage at Boston Massage Associates in Boston;
• A $100 Amazon gift card; and
• A collection of home-baked goodness, made by yours truly!

As an added incentive to give TODAY, if we reach the $4,000 in 7 Days goal by raising $2,050 today, I will add FIVE new prizes to the pot: four $25 gift certificates to the restaurant of your choice! You can help your community and fight cancer at the same time! If we reach this goal, your chances of winning a prize will have DOUBLED!

Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five for $100. You can purchase raffle tickets through the end of the day today by making a donation online. I will pull four winning tickets; the first winner will have their choice of prize, then the second, and so on, until all prizes are awarded. If we have reached the $4,000 goal by the end of the day today, I will pull five more tickets for the restaurant gift certificates!

Have you already made a donation and feel left out of the raffle? Fear not! If you make an ADDITIONAL donation, I will DOUBLE the number of raffle tickets you get. For example, donate an additional $25, and get TWO raffle tickets; donate an additional $100, and get TEN raffle tickets!

As always, 100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund, which supports innovative and life-saving cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This is one of the BEST ways to make an impact in the fight against cancer. Together, we can make cancer HISTORY (and you can win some fabulous prizes, too!).

The $4,000 in 7 Days Challenge is Back!

It is time, once again, for my annual PMC fundraising challenge! As you know, this year my goal is to raise $10,000 for the fight against cancer. My 2021 PMC ride,  - 190 miles over two days on August 7-8 - is approaching quickly!

Thank you for your support!

In the next seven days, I hope to raise $4,000 in support of my goal. In order to help make that happen, I have some awesome and generous friends who have donated items for me to raffle off! The raffle prizes are:

• A two-night stay at the 8 Dyer Hotel in Provincetown;
• A one-night stay (with breakfast) at the W Boston Hotel in Boston;
• A $100 Amazon gift card; and
• A collection of home-baked goodness, made by yours truly!

Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five for $100. The raffle runs from now through the end of the day on Monday, July 26. You can purchase raffle tickets by making a donation online. I will pull four winning tickets; the first winner will have their choice of prize, then the second, and so on, until all prizes are awarded.

Have you already made a donation and feel left out of the raffle? Fear not! If you make an ADDITIONAL donation, I will DOUBLE the number of raffle tickets you get. For example, donate an additional $25, and get TWO raffle tickets; donate an additional $100, and get TEN raffle tickets!

As always, 100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund, which supports innovative and life-saving cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This is one of the BEST ways to make an impact in the fight against cancer. Together, we can make cancer HISTORY (and you can win some fabulous prizes, too!).

This Foot Injury Won't Slow Me Down!

How is it already July?! It seems like yesterday that we were still wondering if it were going to snow again this spring. I, for one, am glad summer is here. It means warm weather, perfect for some of my favorite activities - sailing, and cycling!

Unfortunately, I experienced a fall about three weeks ago that injured my left foot. I was going out to the car to get our bikes off of the roof rack (after a great ride in the dunes while we were in Provincetown!). I was trying to get the bikes indoors before the rain hit. In my rush, I tripped over myself and fell forward on our front walkway. At first I thought it was just a bunch of scrapes and scratches. Two days later, though, I woke with severe pain in my foot, centered around my left big toe. I went to urgent care and they x-ray showed no fracture, but they gave me a fancy boot and sent me on my way with instructions to elevate, ice, and rest my foot.

I was worried about how the injury would impact my Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) training. Because, you know, feet are an essential part of bicycling! Once the swelling went down, I was able to fit my foot in my cycling shoe. Because it has a hard sole that prevents foot flexing, it was actually very comfortable to ride my bike - no pain! Still, I didn't want to overdo it and prolong my injury, so I've ridden my bike only twice in the last three weeks.

The PMC approaches, despite the injury (which still hurts, by the way!). I saw a podiatrist this Wednesday (who said I DID fracture it, slightly!) and he said I am okay to ride my bike, so long as it doesn't hurt, I ice my foot after a ride, and that I don't ride for too long at a time. No, I didn't tell him I am riding 190 miles over two days in four weeks! I am hoping the pain is long gone by then. I'll be taking training a little easier than I normally do, but I am determined to be prepared for my 18th PMC in August.

I'm also determined to meet my fundraising goal! I am committed to raising $13,000 this year to help in the fight against cancer. So far, generous donors like yourselves have contributed nearly $4,000 towards my goal - thank you! I hope that my commitment - especially my determination to heal my foot in time for a fantastic PMC weekend - inspire you to virtually jump on my handlebars and join me in the fight against cancer.

100 percent of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund, which funds the innovative cancer research and compassionate cancer care that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides every day. The funds that we raise through the Pan-Mass Challenge are making a real difference in the fight against cancer. New therapies are extending and saving lives. Adults are living to see their grandchildren, and children are living to see their first days of kindergarten. I am honored to be a small part of this fight, and I would love for you to join me.

Please make your cancer-fighting donation today. Together, we are making cancer HISTORY!

All In for my 18th PMC!

First Training Ride of 2021!

It's spring - FINALLY! - and as I have done for the last 18 springs, I am training for the Pan-Mass Challenge. Even just typing "18" makes me feel old! This August will mark my 18th time riding my bike across Massachusetts to raise money to fight cancer. Some years it was on my old hybrid (slow and exhausting!), other years included an extra day to start at the MA/NY border (long and exhausting), and for the last 11 rides, they were alongside my friends on our Team, Kinetic Karma (fun and fun!).

Last year's ride was different - very different - but a few teammates and I "reimagined" our ride to replicate the traditional PMC ride that we love as best we could. For the 2021 ride, the PMC won't be completely back to normal, but there WILL be a ride, and I WILL be riding in it! It will basically be a mix of the traditional PMC and our reimagined PMC (with lots of health and safety protocols to protect us):

• An organized ride with thousands of other riders;
• Volunteers filling our water bottles and bellies;
• People cheering us on along the entire route;
• Beer!;
• An overnight stay at our team captain Dave's house;
• Watching the sun rise over the Cape Cod Canal; and
• A "champagne" toast in the dunes of Provincetown.

The aspect of the PMC that NEVER changes is the commitment to the fight against cancer. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is hard a work putting last year's $50 million fundraising total in this fight - over $10 million for pediatric oncology, $3 million for adult oncology, $1.6 million for cancer biology research, and much more. Read the 2020 PMC Progress Report for more details on the impact that the funds raised through the PMC (and donated by people like you!) are having in the fight against cancer.

2020's $50 million donation increased the total amount of funds raised by PMC riders to an astonishing $767 million. I have no doubt that many of the cancer innovations and increases in survival rates that we have seen over the last 41 years, and even in the last 18 years of me riding, are due in part to the monumental charitable movement that is the Pan-Mass Challenge. I am humbled and honored to be a part of this event, and to be a part of making cancer HISTORY.

As I embark on the 2021 PMC, I am asking you to jump on my handlebars and join me in supporting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to continue and expand their life-saving work. We all have our personal connections to cancer - a family member, friend, neighbor, or colleague - I ride for them all, in honor of their fight or in memory of their spirit. Please make a cancer-fighting donation today, and help us make cancer HISTORY. Thank you!