PMC 2025 Recap: Best Weather EVER!

Reentry into the real world after the Pan-Mass Challenge is always jarring. Where are the volunteers at every turn offering me water? Why aren't there throngs of people on the subway platforms telling me "you can do it!"? WHERE ARE THE FLUFFERNUTTERS?!?! I say it every year, but every year it is the truth - the PMC is the best of humanity on display for an entire weekend.

Our "Last Ride from Sturbridge Tees

The 2025 PMC was special in many ways, but especially due to the weather. Often, we have hot, steamy weather for the PMC, as it is always the first weekend in August. We've also had rain - pouring, sheets of rain, most notably in 2014 and 2018. This year, it was cool in the mornings and sunny and warm (but not hot or humid) during the days - perfection! It made for an extremely pleasant ride!

Ok, now let's get to the recap. On the day before the ride, my fellow riders and I headed to Sturbridge to register, eat the carbo-load dinner, and prepare our bikes and bodies for the two-day ride. We woke dark and early on Saturday, threw our luggage on trucks, and readied to depart. We rode into the beautiful sunrise east toward Bourne. I savored every moment of this first leg of the ride, as it would be our last. In 2026, the Sturbridge starting location, which has been the classic starting location for the ride since its second year in 1981, will shift to Worcester. This is a bittersweet change - it will allow for more growth of the ride (which will mean more money for cancer research!), but it also means we will miss some of the most fun miles of the route. The PMC did a great job of making Sturbridge feel extra special this final year. During the first few minutes of the ride, I heard a spectator say calmly and quietly, "thanks for the memories." I still get emotional thinking about it. The PMC is more than a ride, more than an experience for the riders and others directly involved. It's impacted individuals and communities far and wide.

Feeling Great After Day 1!

The rest of the day's ride was filled with familiar experiences - a toast to Danno, our fallen teammate near his house, the point where the routes from Sturbridge and Wellesley (the other Day 1 starting location) merge (where you first take in the huge scale of this event!), and the first view of the Bourne Bridge, which we will ascend the next morning. Given the gorgeous weather, it was a pleasant ride, and it made for an even nicer post-ride experience. Energy levels were high and everyone had a great time celebrating the day at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. So much great food, music, massages, and comfortable places to relax! 

The next morning (is it morning if there isn't even a hint that the sun exists?!), we all readied for the second and final leg of the ride. Day 2 flies by given the shorter distance than Day 1, but also because it has so many different types of terrain to experience - ascending the massive hill that is the Bourne Bridge, riding along the Cape Cod Canal at sunrise, the roller coaster that is Service Road, riding through quaint villages in Barnstable and Yarmouth, riding through the woods on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, and riding the dunes of the Outer Cape. It is a FUN ride, and this year was no different.

Team Kinetic Karma at the Finish Line!

On both days, thousands of people line the streets to cheer us on. Some display PMC rider jerseys and volunteer tee shirts from years past, others quietly sip coffee in their robes with a smile. Some offer water and snacks, and kids stick out their hands for high fives. The creative and heartfelt signs are extra meaningful for me. "Dana-Farber saved my life because of you." "I'm 12 because of you." "Cheer if you're not wearing underwear." (Ok, they're not all heartfelt!)

I definitely feel the love on PMC weekend. But thanks to my generous donors, I feel the love with every donation. As I'm sure you know, 100% of rider-raised donations go directly to support the innovative research and compassionate care that Dana-Farber delivers every single day, making a huge difference in the global fight against cancer, as well as reducing the impact that cancer has on individuals and families. I feel strongly that donating to the PMC is the best way to join the fight against cancer. Please consider making your cancer-fighting donation today. Thank you!