Another Fantastic PMC Weekend!

Over a week has passed, and I am finally coming down from the high that the Pan-Mass Challenge gives me every year. It's a familiar feeling as I re-enter reality after a weekend of camaraderie, support, and fun. Last Friday, I took a PMC bus to Sturbridge, my starting location. After retrieving my bike from the truck, registering (for the 21st time), and checking into my hotel, I returned to the starting location to meet up with my teammates, have a carbo-load dinner (and a few beers), and to watch the PMC opening ceremonies. The speakers this year were particularly inspiring, reminding us of the benefits of the huge amount of unrestricted funding that we raise each year.

It was early to bed, as wake-up on Saturday morning was 4 AM. Thankfully, the weather forecast improved. While it rained overnight, it didn't rain on us in the morning (though it was in the 70s, as were the dew points, so it was still quite wet). We all wear our 2024 PMC jerseys on Day 1, and it feels so cool to be in a sea of thousands of red jerseys - thousands of people from all over the state and beyond, committed to the same goal. We roll at 5:30 AM, after the annual singing of the National Anthem. As is tradition, I stopped a few miles in to say hi to Sheila, one of my most consistent supporters. Thanks for coming out year after year, Sheila!

Day 1 is the hillier of the two days. In particular, the first 40 miles include lots of steep climbs, and yes, steep descents. My familiarity with the route and the strength of my teammates riding together makes each climb a little easier. Also, there are often folks at the top of the hills cheering us on, giving us the motivation to push ourselves a little harder.

While it didn't rain on Day 1, it was hot and humid. Very much so. I kept drinking water with electrolytes which helped, but I was sweating it all out faster than I could take it in. Luckily, I avoided leg cramps which are common in extreme heat. The folks along the route who sprayed their hoses at us were so nice! As we approached the water stop at mile 85, we passed a mile of large signs with photos of all of the pedal partners (kids undergoing cancer treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. A few teammates and I stopped to get a photo with the sign for Zinnia, our pedal partner (who we visited the weekend prior).

My teammates crossed the Day 1 finish line at the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne shortly after 2 PM. Then a familiar order of operations began: park bike, get massage appointment, take a MUCH needed shower, get massage, have so much food, and have a few celebratory beers. It turned out to be a beautiful, sunny, and breezy afternoon and evening! Being right on Buzzards Bay helped with the heat and humidity, but the wind was a bit of foreshadowing for Sunday!

Day 2, like Day 1, starts early, I departed from the Mass Maritime Academy at 5 AM (still dark!) and picked up my teammates Theresa and Andrea along the way, en route to the Bourne Bridge. Luckily there wasn't too much congestion (lots of bikes in a tight space make it slow going!) and we rode over the bridge to meet the rest of our teammates on the other side. From there, we enjoyed a tailwind as we rode north along the Cape Cod Canal bike path at sunrise - absolutely stunning! From there, we ride through the quiet streets of Sandwich (quiet because it's still before 6 AM!) before jumping on the roller coaster ride that is Service Road. Keep up your momentum and you'll bomb down the descents and fly up the hills! Before we know it, we are at the first rest stop in Barnstable.

The rest of Day 2 has similar fun milestones to hit. The volunteers at the Brewster water stop (the Day 2 halfway point) always have the BEST frozen treats and they play the best music! We get our first glimpse of Cape Cod Bay at a scenic point along the ride. We ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. We climb a steep hill and are rewarded with Twizzlers from my teammate Lance's family. And we climb, climb, climb the Truro Hills. The ride ends with two doozies - a long, exposed stretch of Route 6 (we had very strong crosswinds this year) and three steep climbs in the Provincelands. But Team Kinetic Karma always ends with a "champagne" toast! I finished feeling strong and accomplished - 21 PMCs in the books!

The ride is over, but the fundraising is not. I am still working hard to meet my personal $20,000 fundraising goal. 100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund in support of the innovative research and compassionate care that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is world-renowned for. Please make your cancer-fighting donation today. Thank you for your support!

The PMC is This Weekend!

The week leading up to the Pan-Mass Challenge is always when the butterflies start settling into my stomach (anticipation has always been a palpable feeling for me). Knowing that my favorite weekend of the year was approaching would always make my stomach churn, in the best way. As the years of me riding the PMC went on, uncertainty about what the ride would be like turned into certainty that it would be hard, but also so, so amazing. The butterflies in my stomach would change color, but would always appear as PMC weekend approached.

2024 is no different. The butterflies are back! This will be my 21st PMC, so the butterflies this year aren't about what to expect, where the hills will be hardest, and what it will feel like to cross the finish line. They're the anticipatory ones: excitement about seeing friends I see once a year, refreshing the weather forecast hourly (looks like we will be feeling raindrops all weekend!), and wondering what critical item I will forget this year. But also: have I trained enough? Will I have any mechanical issues? How hot is my dorm room going to be?

In 24 hours, I will enter PMC Land, a nirvana of sorts where riders are praised by strangers for the mere act of riding (well, ok, fundraising too). Where I exude gratitude for simple things like a high five from a kid along the route or a fluffernutter (YUM) made by a hard-working volunteer. Where 10,000+ riders and volunteers put aside any difference in pursuit of a common goal - a world without cancer. I think the world would be a better place if everyone could experience the spirit of the PMC.

A simple but impactful way that you can experience a taste of that feeling is to support my PMC ride by making a donation. 100% of your donation will go to the Jimmy Fund, which directly supports the innovative research and compassionate care being done by the world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. I set an ambitious fundraising goal this year - $20,000 - and I know I can get there with your help. I am 80% of the way toward reaching my goal. The ride begins on Saturday - NOW is the time to make your cancer-fighting donation.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!