2026 PMC - What a Ride!

My leg muscles are no longer sore, people very infrequently are cheering me on from their driveways (though a neighbor told me yesterday that she liked my shirt!), and I haven't had a fluffernutter in over a week. The 2026 Pan-Mass Challenge is officially over, and I had yet another wonderful weekend with over 6,000 fellow riders. And now more than ever, I'm confident that riding the ride and raising the funds is making a huge difference in the fight against cancer.

Day 0 Crew at Quabbin Reservoir

DAY 0: You'll recall that I decided to tack on a few (60) extra miles for this year's PMC, and that took the form of a "Day 0" ride from Hadley, MA to the new PMC starting location at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. My teammates who rode from the NY/MA border met me in Hadley in the late morning and we rode east on familiar trails and roads (I grew up in Belchertown, which we rode through). After a brief stop at the Quabbin Reservoir (where I spent much of my childhood) we continued on through the rolling hills of Hampshire and Worcester Counties. And boy, do I mean hills! We did more climbing in 60 miles on Day 0 than we did over 100 miles on Day 1! And the last hill - the ascent to Holy Cross's hilltop campus, was a doozy. We finished strong, and it wasn't long until I was showered, registered for the ride, and beered.

I always try to attend the PMC Opening Ceremonies, as it is the emotional kickoff to the weekend. Riders, doctors, and patients tell their cancer stories and why the PMC is so important to them. More than ever before, we heard not only stories of survival, but of treatments that didn't exist 5, 10, 20 years ago. Hearing "if I had been diagnosed 5 years earlier, I would be dead" sent chills down my spine. The money that we raise - and that YOU donate - is enabling these massive advancements in cancer treatments, like immunotherapies that turn our own immune systems into cancer-fighting machines. To cap off the evening, The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, appeared on the screen to share his gratitude for the PMC and Dana-Farber while announcing that his wife Patti is in remission from her multiple myeloma diagnosis from eight years ago. Inspired, I went to bed ready for the real ride.

Day 1 Lunch Time!

Day 1: The first day of the PMC always starts early, before sunrise. But now with the new starting location and slightly shorter route, we roll out at 6:00 AM, not 5:30. Having spent the previous evening at Holy Cross, I was familiar with the layout of the campus, which calmed my nerves a bit. Rollout was smooth, and at mile 2, I was greeted by my friends Sheila and Ron, who always would come out to cheer us on as we rolled through Charlton. Thanks for making the trek to Worcester! 

The first 23 miles of the route were on new-to-us roads - still beautiful, and still hilly. After that, we joined the traditional Day 1 route, following the familiar route through suburban neighborhoods, farmlands, and golf courses. Though my legs were tired from Day 0, they stayed strong through all 100 miles of Day 1. The nice weather helped (though it was a little humid!). Upon crossing the Day 1 finish line in Bourne, I went through my usual checklist - park the bike, get a beer, get my massage ticket, say hi to my Volunteer friend Kim, get my much-needed 15-minute massage, eat, and relax! After sunset (and saying goodnight to the bikes!) I headed to bed, ready to rest for the final day of the ride.

Crossing the Day 2 Finish Line

Day 2: Unlike the two previous days, Day 2 was 100% familiar. I've done this ride every single year since 2004, and it flies by because of all of the milestones we hit. Crossing the Bourne Bridge, riding along the Cape Cod Canal at sunrise, and the roller coaster ride that is Service Road are all before the first rest stop! Before I knew it, we were ascending the hills of Truro, slogging along the exposed stretch of Route 6, and tackling the dunes in Provincetown. I finished with my teammates just before 11 AM and we toasted to yet another wonderful ride.

While the ride is over, the fundraising continues. I am $1,545 away from my $20,000 fundraising goal. Remember, every cent of what you donate goes directly to the Jimmy Fund in support of the innovative cancer research and treatments that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is implementing right now. Your donations are saving lives, as evidenced by all of the stories I heard during the opening ceremonies. Please make your cancer-fighting donation today, in honor of my commitment, in honor or memory of a loved one, or just because it's good for humanity. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.