Team Kinetic Karma

When there are 5,500 bicyclists on the road, it can be pretty hard to distinguish one person from another, particularly since on the first day of the PMC, all riders wear the same jersey. On the second day, riders are encouraged to wear PMC jerseys from years past or jerseys that represent the PMC team that they are on. I've always been in the first category of jersey-wearers, but 2010 will be different.
This year, I've decided to join Team Kinetic Karma. This group of 20-or-so riders has come together with a common goal: the eradication of cancer. Since 2003, the team has raised over $642,000 for the Jimmy Fund! I'm proud to have joined such a dedicated team of riders.
I've been on two training rides with a few team members so far. It's clear that some of these guys are going to give me a run for my money. I'm not slow, but I struggle to keep up on the uphills this early in the season. I'm happy to have that extra push to ride hard.
One of the great benefits of being part of a team is the ability to join the PMC's pedal partner program. The PMC pairs teams of riders with a child that is currently undergoing treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This year, Team Kinetic Karma will ride in honor of Charlotte Casgar, a young girl battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The team and I will be meeting her on May 15th at the PMC pedal partner party. I'll write about this brave girl in a future post.
Gooooooo Team!

Training for '10

After emerging from a New England winter that was truncated by epic rainfall in March, it's finally starting to look like spring in Boston. Daffodils are peaking from the earth, robins are returning from their tropical vacations, and Pan-Mass Challenge riders are emerging from their long slumber - I mean hardcore indoor workout regimens.
I have signed up to ride in my 7th Pan-Mass Challenge, the 190-mile ride across Massachusetts on the first weekend of August. Since the ride is a mere four months away, I'll be spending a lot of my time training and fundraising. Come back to this blog often for updates!
This year, I've decided to join Team Kinetic Karma. It is a group of 15-20 riders of all abilities who train and ride together in the event. I'm very excited to be joining the team, and I'll write more about it in a future blog post.
Stay tuned for future updates on my training and fundraising. In the meantime, visit my fundraising page to make a donation toward my ride. My goal is to raise $6,300 this year for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. 100% of your donation will go directly to the cause. Make your donation today!

$270,000,000!

Thanks to generous donors, the Pan-Mass Challenge has once again exceeded its annual fundraising goal. In 2009, the PMC ride raised $30,384,200, exceeding the $30 million goal! This year's total adds to the 30-year fundraising total of $270 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. What an accomplishment!
I am humbled by the outpouring of support I received for my sixth ride. Even in these tough economic times, my donors allowed me to raise more than ever before. You are making such a profound impact in the lives of others, and for that I thank you.
In a few weeks, I'll be registering for my seventh PMC ride. I am grateful for the opportunity that you all give me to experience the best humanity has to offer, packaged into a 190-mile weekend. Happy new year!
Click here to read the full press release about the 2009 donation.

PMC 2009 Wrap-up

I awoke at 3:45 AM Friday morning to finish packing and fly to Boston for the start of PMC weekend. I wasn’t able to sleep on the plane, partially due to anticipation and partially due to my upright and locked position. It didn’t matter – if anything, my fatigue would help me sleep later that night.
My friend Ben drove me to the Sturbridge Host Hotel, the location of PMC registration and the starting line for the ride. I met up with Lisa and Nicole, two friends with whom I rode and would share a hotel room that night. At registration, we received our PMC jerseys and other garb, ate at the huge carbo-load dinner, and attended the PMC Opening Ceremonies, which were broadcast live on New England Cable News. The hotel was filled with excitement. I retired to my hotel at 8 PM to prepare for the next day.
The starting line was abuzz when I arrived at 5 AM (before sunrise). Volunteers loaded thousands of pieces of luggage onto trucks. Riders filled water bottles and made use of the running water in the hotel’s bathrooms (this being the last time they’d see a real toilet in many hours). I waited anxiously in the sea of red jerseys with friends for the ride to begin. With the obligatory singing of The Star Spangled Banner, we were off shortly after 5:30 AM.
The first twenty miles are the some of the hilliest of the whole ride. The swell of supporters near the start line encourages us to tackle the ascents. I was greeted by my friend and former boss, Kim, who was volunteering at the first water stop, in Whitinsville. The rest of the morning went well. Having done the ride several times before, I knew to anticipate certain milestones, such as seeing the inflatable people at the Franklin water stop, the party atmosphere of Cherry Street in Wrentham, and the bagpiper at the top of the last hill before lunch. Each one of these put a huge smile on my face.
The supporters that line the route from Sturbridge to Provincetown are amazing. All give us encouraging words or clangs of a cowbell. Some offer bottles of water, fruit, pastries, and even chiropractic care! I rode through at least five sprays of the garden hose, which must be the most refreshing thing ever. Their signs and “thank yous” remind me of why I ride. My favorite sign from this year read, “To the world, you may be just one person, but to one person, you may just be the world.”
After lunch, my riding buddy Rich and I headed off toward the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), the endpoint for the day. With 40 miles remaining, we felt fresh. We took our time at the next water stop, since we decided we’d pass by the last water stop. Taking it easy in the morning paid off – we both felt great! We arrive at the finish line of day one at 2:25 PM, a personal record.
Some of my recurring supporters may remember that, in my five previous years of riding, I have never arrived at the MMA in time to receive an appointment for a massage (160 massage therapists volunteer their time each year to soothe riders’ aching muscles). This was the year to break the cycle. I got my “golden ticket” for a massage at 5:45 PM. First stop: shower!
Throughout PMC weekend, the riders are treated like kings and queens. The amazing volunteers, 3,000 strong, tend to our every need and want. From piling huge bags of ice into the shape of a couch at most water stops, to slathering peanut butter on bananas (best snack EVER), to working all night to prepare a breakfast feast, the volunteers make the event possible. Their unwavering commitment to keeping us happy, hydrated, and fed is overwhelming.
4:15 AM on Sunday: reveille (it is a naval college, after all). Feeling remarkably energetic, I packed my bag, donned my 25th anniversary PMC jersey (from my first ride in 2004), and headed to breakfast. After having more than my share of cheese danish (my Achilles heel), I grabbed my bike and was on my way at 5:15 AM.
Day two is shorter and less hilly than day one, but it has its challenges, in addition to having to ride it with already sore legs. The climb up to Service Road in Sandwich is a wake-up call, Corn Hill in Truro is a beast (made better by the “Over the Hill Cheerleaders”), and the dunes in the Provincelands are a last-minute challenge several miles before the finish line. As a veteran rider, I knew to expect them and was able to motor on to Provincetown record time. Rich and I arrived at the finish line at 10:10 AM, another personal record. I was happy to see Billy Starr, the founder of the PMC, roll in as I did (his bike cost several times more than mine, and he is much more athletic than me). My sixth PMC is in the books!
There were a couple of things that made this year’s ride extra special. First, I was able to ride with my buddy Rich for almost the entire ride. We usually do most of our training together, but since I’m in Chicago this summer, we only got out for two rides together in May. It was great to catch up during our hours in the saddle. Second, my friends Lisa and Nicole, both first-time riders, had lots of questions that I was happy to answer. They made me see the event through the eyes of a newbie all over again. Finally, leaving earlier on day two and riding at a relatively fast pace let me experience a new side of the ride. I watched the sun rise as I ascended the Bourne Bridge and saw the largest crowd of kids I had ever seen at “Da Hedge” at Cape Cod Sea Camps in Brewster. It was a fantastic weekend, and replaying in my head brings a smile to my face.
Thank you to all of you who made a donation and shared your personal connection with cancer. As we work toward this year’s goal of $30 million for cancer research, please know that your support is making a difference in the fight against cancer. Together, we will make cancer HISTORY.
There is still time to make a donation if you haven’t already. Click here to make your contribution.
Jared

Heading to Sturbridge

PMC weekend has arrived. In a few short hours, thousands of people will descend upon quiet Sturbridge, MA for the start of the most successful athletic charity event in the nation. I'm so excited!
Tonight at 7 PM, NECN will be broadcasting the PMC opening ceremonies live. Please check it out - it is always a powerful and uplifting show, and I'm sure this year won't disappoint. Look for me in the audience! The network also has weekend-long coverage of the ride, so tune in for updates all the way to P-town!
Hmm... It's raining as I type this. The forecast looks decent for Saturday and Sunday. Let's hope it stays that way!

A Common Goal

The first weekend in August is the highlight of my summer – I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. Riding 190 miles through the quaint villages and rural towns of Massachusetts with the support of 5,000 other cyclists, nearly 3,000 volunteers, and countless supporters lining the route, well, it can’t be beat. The PMC brings out the best in everyone, all in the name of making cancer HISTORY.

In less than 48 hours, I’ll board a plane to Boston, pack my weekend bag, and head to Sturbridge for the start of the ride. On Friday evening, the PMC holds registration, a bike expo, and a massive carbo-load dinner, complete with Harpoon beer (a major – and much-appreciated – sponsor). Opening ceremonies for the ride are also held that night from Sturbridge (if you’d like to watch, it’ll be broadcast live on NECN on Friday at 7 PM). The scene is electric – PMC spirit fills the air.

Saturday and Sunday are emotion-filled days. There’s the agony of climbing a long hill, the thrill of coasting down a long descent at 40 mph, and the sense of accomplishment upon reaching each rest stop. And those are just the physical emotional triggers. There are many more times where I am moved beyond words by supporters lining the route, saying things like “I’m alive because of you” or “keep riding for my wife” or “27 years cancer-free!”

But most of all, I’m moved by the generosity I see each and every year from my friends and family, who support me in everything I do for this event. I am humbled by the support I receive, and I’ll push myself to my limit this weekend to honor you, the real heroes of the Pan-Mass Challenge. $30 million for cancer research – you’re an amazing part of that!

Check out this article from today’s Boston Globe. It provides a bit of background on the PMC and some history from its founder, Billy Starr.

Click here to make your donation.

Personal Battles with Cancer

Cancer doesn’t care if you’re young or old, fat or thin, or rich or poor. The odds are high that cancer will affect you directly – half of all American men and a third of all American women will get some form of the disease in their lifetime. The odds are even higher – almost 100% – that you are close to someone who has battled the disease. I’m no exception.

My maternal grandmother was diagnosed in the winter of 1998 with cancer. She began treatment shortly thereafter to fight the disease. She became very weak, and in April 1998 she passed away while battling cancer. My grandfather was also diagnosed with cancer a few years later, but doctors caught it early and he was treated and cured without invasive (and risky) surgery or chemotherapy.

During my training for the Pan-Mass Challenge, I often think of my grandmother and others I know that have succumbed to cancer. The fight they exhibited helps me push myself to my limit. Any pain I might feel while on a long ride is nothing compared to coping with cancer. I ride in memory of my grandmother and in honor of all those that have won their fight against the disease.

I’m not the only one who rides the PMC in memory of a loved one. Team Luca is a group of PMCers riding in memory of three-year-old Luca, who died of a brain tumor in 2005. Team Luca collectively keeps Luca’s spirit alive while raising tens of thousands of dollars so that someday childhood cancers are eliminated. Check out this heart-wrenching video.

Nearly 300 riders in this year’s PMC will have battled cancer (or are currently battling the disease). These “Living Proof” riders show that you can thrive after a cancer diagnosis, and they are all an inspiration. One rider in particular inspires me each year – Jothy Rosenberg rides the two-day, 190-mile ride each year with only one leg. His right leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma in 1973. Every year he passes me going up a hill on the ride. Read more about him here.

Think of how cancer has affected you and your loved ones. I hope it inspires you to make a donation to support my ride. Think of it as an investment in a cancer-free future. Please make your donation today.