Putting in the Work

Today marked 479 training miles so far this year!

Although the Pan-Mass Challenge is being "re-imagined" as a virtual ride this year, that hasn't stopped me and my fellow riders from putting in the work. Working from home full-time has its challenges, but one of the huge benefits is having no commute. That means that I have 8-10 more hours a week to play with. Lately, I feel like most of that time is being taken up by more work, unfortunately. However, I have been carving out Thursday mornings and a weekend day for training rides.

This morning, I left home at 7 AM and headed for the bicycle-friendly roads in the Dover/Medfield area. The forecast was for wind and humidity - normally two weather attributes that are NOT fun on a bike. Luckily, the wind was in a favorable direction, so for the last half of the ride I had a tailwind. The roads were surprisingly quiet which was a welcome surprise! On a similar ride last week, I encountered numerous detours, but I was armed with that knowledge this time and avoided most of them.

Putting in the work isn't just about riding, though. Today, I am launching my fundraising campaign in earnest. Sadly, cancer isn't practicing social distancing during the pandemic. In fact, fear of infection is keeping many people away from medical appointments, where many cancer diagnoses begin. Additionally, those currently fighting cancer are especially vulnerable to the symptoms of COVID-19, and their compromised immune systems struggle to fight the disease.

Thankfully, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is doing everything it can do to support patients and advance research during this time. They have adapted their practices to ensure the health and safety of patients, their families, doctors, nurses, technicians, and staff. Dana-Farber continues to be one of the leading cancer research hospitals in the world. Now more than ever, your donations are critical to ensuring the fight against cancer continues to advance.

100% of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber's fundraising arm, to fund the innovative research and compassionate care that Dana-Farber conducts every day, pandemic or no pandemic. Over the next few months, I will update you on the recent innovations that Dana-Farber has made happen directly because of the funds that YOU donate.

Please help me reach my goal of raising $10,000 in this, my 17th year of riding the PMC, by making your donation today. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

2020 PMC...Reimagined

The masked riders (me and Ian)

Despite this morning's snow (yes, snow on May 9!), we are fully into spring, the beginning of my Pan-Mass Challenge training season. 2020 marks my 17th PMC, the annual two-day, 190-mile ride across Massachusetts. I'm thrilled once again to be a part of Team Kinetic Karma as we strive to kick cancer to the curb!

However, due to the pandemic, this year's PMC is going to be quite different than previous rides. The 2020 PMC is being "reimagined" in order to protect the health and safety of the riders, volunteers, and staff. Therefore, there will be no official PMC ride on the first weekend of August, as has happened every year since 1980. I was disappointed to hear this decision, but it is unequivocally the right one. While my favorite weekend is not going to happen like usual this year, the fight against cancer will continue.

Taking a break at Scituate Lighthouse

I'm still figuring out what my PMC will look like this year. One thing I have committed to, though, is riding a LOT! While practicing social distancing, of course! So far this season, I've ridden 207 miles, more miles by this date since 2013! I will soon announce my reimagined PMC plans, and will keep you updated on my progress!

Riders are being urged to continue to fundraise, and I am ready to take on that charge. While COVID-19 has taken away attention from other worthy causes (rightfully, in many ways), cancer doesn't follow social distancing guidelines. People continue to be diagnosed with and treated for cancer. And the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute continues to deliver world-class treatment and care to cancer patients. The need for your support of the fight against cancer has never been greater. In these difficult times, I know many are struggling to meet their financial obligations, but I plan to continue to fundraise to the best of my ability so that Dana-Farber's front-line, essential workers can continue to save lives.

I appreciate your support as my fellow riders and I embark on the reimagined PMC in these strange times. As always, 100% of your donation will go directly to Dana-Farber in support of innovative cancer research and compassionate cancer care. Together, we will STILL make cancer HISTORY! Please donate today! Thank you.

Another Fantastic PMC Weekend!

Team Kinetic Karma readies for the ride with beer!

My 16th Pan-Mass Challenge ride is in the books, and I'm excited to tell you about it! You may think that after 16 years, the PMC has become routine for me and the others who ride every year. But every year's ride is different, as was this year's ride. Here are some of the highlights!

On Friday, the day before the ride, thousands of riders and volunteers descended upon Sturbridge to prepare for the weekend's ride. I took a PMC-chartered bus from Boston, which was easy-breezy! My seatmate was a first-year rider with a lot of questions. I was happy to fill him in on some of the details while holding back so as not to ruin any surprises. My #1 advice: go straight to the massage tent to get an appointment on Saturday!

Once I got to Sturbridge, I registered, checked into my hotel, and said hello to my teammates, some of whom had biked in from Sudbury and the Massachusetts/New York border. Next, of course, is beer, followed by the carbo-load dinner. It was nice to have perfectly pleasant weather, which made relaxing before the busy weekend that much easier. After watching the opening ceremonies, I retired to my hotel room and prepped myself and my bike for the early-morning departure.

It was so great to see Maya in Franklin!

4:15 AM - wake up! In case you've never been up at that hour, it's dark. You can imagine then how surreal it must be to see thousands and thousands of spandex-clad people shuffling around under flood lights - getting breakfast, putting their luggage on trucks, pumping their tires, and saying hello to friends. As departure time approaches, the sun comes up. Luckily, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we headed east on our journey.

The first few miles are on a wide stretch of Route 20. Its gradual and rolling hills are perfect for warming up your legs for the 110-mile day ahead. However, my legs weren't firing like I had expected them to. Could it have been the limited training I did? Maybe! Luckily they warmed up after the first rest stop and I was able to conquer the hills with confidence!

Goodnight, bikes!

Team Kinetic Karma had lots of visitors on Day 1! I saw my friend Sheila at the first turn of the day in Charlton, and we saw our former Pedal Partner, Maya, and her family at the Franklin rest stop, along with my teammates Doug's and Stephen's families. At the lunch stop, we saw former teammate Jo (wife to teammate Tyler!) and their family. And, of course, I saw my friend Kim who volunteers every year in Bourne!

After having the last 40 miles of Day 1 (plus all afternoon and evening in Bourne) be a torrential downpour, it was such a delight to finish Day 1 this year with sunny skies! It made recovering from the long day (and the requisite Harpoon beer) that much better! After dinner, a team photo, and a much-needed massage, I headed to bed early.

Early to bed? Why it's because it's another 4:15 AM wake-up call on Day 2! My teammates and I assembled and were off around 5:15 AM on our way to the Cape. After a slow but uneventful slog over the Bourne Bridge, we met up with some of our teammates who spent the night in Falmouth and continued along the familiar route to Provincetown. My body felt surprisingly stronger on Day 2, possibly due to Day 1 "warming up" my muscles, and partially due to my massage!

Our traditional "champagne" toast photo in Provincetown!

We saw more friends and family along the Day 2 route as well! Doug's parents and brother in Barnstable, Chris's family in Brewster, and Lance's family in Wellfleet, at their unofficial Twizzlers and Red Bull stop! As always, enthusiastic and thankful supporters lined the route, which gave us the fuel to continue our ride. Ok, the Red Bull helped a little bit, too.

After our traditional Team Photo in the dunes by Herring Cove Beach, we crossed the finish line in Provincetown, "champagne" toast in-hand! It's always a wonderful feeling, partially because I know I won't have to sit on my saddle for much longer, and partially because it is an emotional moment that is the culmination of the PMC. It's a wonderful moment to share with my teammates,

My 16th PMC is complete!

While the ride is over, the fight isn't. I am still seeking donations to meet my new, higher fundraising goal. I am $1,000 of raising $13,000 this year, and I hope that, if you have not yet made a donation, that you will consider making one today. The PMC is the largest fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and with its 100% pass-through rate, it is one of the BEST ways that you can join the fight against cancer. Make your donation today!

Thank you to all of you who contributed this year! I am grateful for your support, and am inspired by your commitment to the fight against cancer. Together, we are making cancer HISTORY!

Tomorrow, we ride.

As the sun rises on the day before my 16th Pan-Mass Challenge, I am grateful.

I am grateful that, despite only getting three long training rides in this summer (plus lots of shorter rides), my legs feel strong, and my body feels ready to climb every hill and bomb down every descent.

I am grateful for the volunteers who will nourish us for the long ride ahead. Fluffernutter sandwiches always taste better when made by a volunteer! I guarantee the first tears of the weekend will come when a child volunteer pours water into my bottle and thanks me for riding. No, thank YOU, kid!

I am grateful for my fellow riders. As we descent on Sturbridge this afternoon, the crowds of riders remind us all that we are a part of something much larger than ourselves. We all have our reasons for riding and fundraising, and together, we are making a difference in the trajectory of cancer. It is an awe-inspiring sight to see as we all depart from Sturbridge in the same jersey - the same team.

I am grateful for my Kinetic Karma teammates. My team Captain, Dave, pulled together a rag-tag group of misfits into one of the biggest fundraising teams in the entire PMC. I am looking forward to the rolling party that we create as we roll through town after town. My teammates helped me understand that cycling is a team sport.

I am grateful for the doctors, researchers, nurses, and staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for taking the infusion of cash raised by the PMC and innovating solutions to cancer treatment that no one has thought of before, or that no agency was willing to fund because it wasn't a likely success. Dana-Farber is changing the way cancer is treated, and in doing so, is saving and extending lives - the lives of our friends and family, including several of my teammates. 

Finally, and this is a big one, I am grateful for my donors. Over the last 16 years, you have helped me raise $105,000 to support Dana-Farber (yes, we crushed that goal!). You are the reason I get to enjoy my favorite weekend of the year. You are the reason that all of this happens - the cancer research, the pacelines, the 6,700 rider event, and the fluffernutters. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

I've increased my fundraising goal because I know I can do more, so why stop now? My new goal is $13,000, of which I have about $2,000 left to raise. If you haven't donated yet, now is the time! Make a donation today in honor of or in memory of a loved one who battled cancer. Together, we will make cancer HISTORY!

$2,500 in 7 Days Challenge!

Supporting the PMC means more healthy kids, like Maya!

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, which will push me over the top for a total of having raised $100,000 in my 16 years of riding the Pan-Mass Challenge. I'd wouldn't have gotten here without generous support from people like you, so thank you!

In the next seven days, I hope to raise $2,500 in support of this lofty 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 one-night stay at the W Boston hotel, including breakfast for two;
• A one-night stay at the 8 Dyer Hotel in Provincetown;
• A four-pack of Anna's Homemade Garlic-Infused Sea Salts; and
• Brunch for two at Yolqueria in Provincetown.

Raffle tickets are $25 each, or five for $100. The raffle runs from now through the end of the day on Monday, July 15. 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!).

Making an Impact

The Pan-Mass Challenge's goal is to get us closer by the mile to an end to cancer. To make cancer HISTORY. That may seem like a lofty goal, and it is - cancer isn't a single disease but a family of diseases that can be very different from one another. A world without cancer isn't going to be easy to achieve. But while it may seem far off, doctors and researchers are making huge strides in the fight against cancer, thanks in part to the funds that the Pan-Mass Challenge raises.

The Pan-Mass Challenge and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the beneficiary of the PMC, recently teamed up to develop a series of "PMC Impact" videos that showcase some of the innovative research that is now happening because of PMC funds. One of the key benefits of PMC dollars are that they are unrestricted - we trust the doctors and researchers to put the money to use where it is needed most, and their successes are showing that they are the best at what they do.

Here is just a brief summary of the advances made possible by YOUR donations:

• Dana-Farber now uses tumor profiling to develop targeted treatment approaches based on a child's DNA and the cancer that they have. Relapse rates decline and tumors shrink with minimal side effects. This is happening NOW because of YOUR donations.
• Dana-Farber's Center for Neuro-Oncology uses PMC funds to jump start research that grants aren't willing to fund because the cancers are so rare. By showcasing the successes made with PMC funds, Dana-Farber researchers are able to leverage that work to pull in more grant funding to further develop cancer cures. This is happening NOW because of YOUR donations.
• With unrestricted PMC funding, Dana-Farber researchers are able to try innovative, unproven approaches to treating more common cancers like testicular cancer, improving survival rates and the quality of life for patients. This is happening NOW because of YOUR donations.
• Dana-Farber is using PMC funding to combine traditional prostate cancer surgery with the "next generation of hormone therapy" to CURE rather than treat cancer, and eliminate the need for radiation therapy after surgery. This is happening NOW because of YOUR donations.

Take some time to watch the videos below. You'll hear directly from the researchers about how your PMC donations enable them to conduct this life-saving, cancer-fighting research. I hope it inspires you to make your own cancer-fighting donation today. Someday, you or a loved one may be a beneficiary of the incredible work that Dana-Farber conducts thanks in part to PMC funding. Thank you!

A Lofty Goal

As I embark on my 16th Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about the rides of years past, and how I got to where I am today. Writing this brought back faded memories of rides past, and reminded me that, while I do this ride every year, every ride is different, and has special meaning to me. Join me as I revisit my previous rides!

2004-2005: I was 22 and about to graduate from college. I signed up for my first PMC without much planning or thought (like a 22-year-old would). I rode a mountain bike, and I suffered for almost every mile of the ride. After finishing, I told myself that I would do the PMC again, just not next year, as the ride and fundraising had been difficult. When registration for the 2005 ride came around, I didn’t think or plan much before registering (like a 23-year-old would). Time had faded the memories of my sore, sore ass. I embarked on the ride, solo again, and haven’t looked back since.

2006-2007: My dad joined me for the 2006 and 2007 rides. I changed my starting location from Wellesley to the traditional start in Sturbridge (which is longer and harder than starting in Wellesley). In 2006, we both rode on mountain bikes, but when my dad told me he was buying a road bike, I bought one too for the 2007 ride. What a difference that made! Finally, the riding part of the ride was fun!

2008-2009: I rode the 2008 and 2009 PMCs with friends from college, Michelle and Rich. It was great to catch up with them as we rode across Massachusetts. The 2008 ride was memorable for an intense thunderstorm that rolled through our overnight location on the first day. The poles on the absolutely massive dining tent lifted off the ground! Thankfully it stayed up and everyone was safe.

2010-2013: In 2010, I joined Team Kinetic Karma, a group of random and lovely people who ride together for their own individual reasons. Through joining the team, I’ve participated in the Pedal Partner Program, which pairs PMC teams with children undergoing cancer treatment. I was delighted to ride in honor of Charlotte, Megan, and Anna with my crazy teammates.

2014-2015: The 2014 ride gets the dubious title of Wettest Ride Ever. Seriously, it did not stop raining for the entire first day. It was also memorable because it was my team captain Dave’s first ride after treatment for stage 3 throat cancer. He rode strong through the rain and made us all so proud.

2016: In 2016, my team rode in honor of two of our fallen teammates: Danno, who died in a cycling crash the previous November, and Jeff, who passed away from stage 4 lung cancer that January. In honor of my teammates, I and others on my team rode “Day 0,” starting from the NY/MA border the day before the official ride started. The added commitment and miles were hard, but it was a special way to honor our teammates.

2017-2018: These rides were special for who we rode for. In February 2017, my colleague’s 5-year-old daughter, Maya, was diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma. My team arranged for her to be our pedal partner. We saw her during the training rides we held to her house as well as at the pedal partner rest stop on the first day of the ride. I’m happy to report that she (and all of our past pedal partners) are happy, healthy, and cancer-free!

That brings us to today. For my 16th PMC, I have a lofty goal – to reach the $100,000 lifetime fundraising benchmark. I’ll be putting extra effort into my training rides and fundraising to achieve this goal, but with your help, I know we can achieve it.

Every penny of your donation goes directly to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund, which has made huge impacts in the 40-year history of the ride. Our pedal partners and my captain Dave are LIVING PROOF that your donations are saving lives.

Please make your donation today in support of my $100,000 lifetime fundraising goal. Together, we are making cancer HISTORY!