$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!

A Wonderful 15th Pan-Mass Challenge

Feeling hot at lunch. Tut tut, looks like rain!

I've been so busy since the Pan-Mass Challenge ended earlier this month that I'm only now sitting down to write my recap of that wonderful weekend! The memories are still strong, which is evidence of a fulfilling weekend of friends, physical exertion, and the best that the human spirit has to offer. PMC weekend recharges my soul.

Day 1 began before the sun peaked above the horizon. In fact, the sun didn't really show much that day. The forecast was for rain later in the morning, but since it was coming from the west, and we were heading east, the thought was, if we could pedal fast enough, we might beat it! So, my teammates and I set out from Sturbridge at a pretty good clip. We arrived at the first water stop (24 miles in) faster than ever! There we were greeted by our teammate Dawn (who is taking a hopefully-short break from riding) and her husband. We also met up with our fallen teammate Patrick's wife and baby girl - resulting in my first tears (of many!) for the weekend.

Andrew and Gina (Maya's parents), Maya, and me!

Still no raindrops, so we kept pedaling. The temperature was starting to climb, but we kept rolling on over the hills, down Cherry Street (the famous street of steel drums, bagpipers, and the infamous clown), all the way to lunch. We arrived at lunch around 10 AM, and just as we were sitting down to eat, we felt a few sprinkles. We knew what we had to do - eat quickly and get back out on the road! After all, the next stop was the Pedal Partner stop!

Those sprinkles turned into steady rain. Warm rain, but rain nonetheless. As we pulled into the Pedal Partner stop to refuel and visit Maya and her family, it felt like the rain was letting up - yay! Maya spotted us with our unicorn horns on our helmets and we visited for a bit. If you remember last year's photo of me and Maya, you can definitely see the difference a year cancer-free does to a kid!

Yeah, so about that rain letting up - nope! It started to fall even harder! In addition to the rain falling from the sky, we had to contend with the water from the road that was kicked up by everyone's tires - in our faces. It felt like my eyes were going to fall out, or at the very least, I thought I'd lose my contact lenses. Luckily, I was able to complete the day's ride with my eyeballs (and contact lenses) intact.

Crossing the Day 1 finish line! Don't I look happy wet?

My teammates and I were greeted by yet another teammate on sabbatical from the PMC, Christine! It was so nice to give her a huge, wet, sweaty hug at the end of the day's ride! After that, the routine is familiar - park the bike, visit my volunteer friend Kim, get a beer, take a shower, get another beer, eat, beer, massage, and beer! Then it's early to bed since it's another early morning on Sunday!

Day 2, another one that begins in darkness! I was happy to see that the rain that had continued all afternoon and evening was over. It was foggy, but that's no problem early in the morning. My teammates and I set off at 5:30 AM and rode the familiar route to Provincetown - over the Bourne Bridge, along the Cape Cod Canal, up and down the hills of Service Road, and past the villages along Route 6A.

At the second water stop of the day, the halfway point, the clouds parted and the humidity dropped. Mother Nature decided we should have friendly skies for the rest of the ride to Provincetown! Unfortunately, my legs and "saddle region" were feeling the effects of having ridden 150 miles by that point, but there's no quitting in the PMC! Onward we went.

Cheers to another PMC in the books!

Thanks to some favorable winds, the final stretch of the ride along Route 6 was fast - 21 mph fast! It was a welcome change over last year, when headwinds slowed us to a proverbial crawl on that same section. Just as the sun was starting to get a little hot, we were over the dunes and at the entrance to Herring Cove Beach for the annual Team Kinetic Karma champagne toast photo! It was so nice to celebrate the end of another successful PMC with my teammates.

While the ride is over, the fundraising continues! I am within striking distance of my $10,000 fundraising goal, thanks to over 100 of my generous friends and family. I just need a few more donations to put me over the five-figures mark! If you need a reason to give, here is one: Maya, our pedal partner, is living proof that supporting the lifesaving research and care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute saves lives. We all have been touched by cancer, and giving to the Pan-Mass Challenge (which gives every rider-raised dollar directly to the charity), is the best way to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Please donate today. Thank you!

Training Complete! PMC in T-5 Days!

On Saturday, my teammates and I completed our final training ride for this year's Pan-Mass Challenge - a 64-mile ride on the Cape! It's a Team Kinetic Karma tradition to do this final ride right before the PMC. The route backtracks along the PMC Day 2 route for about 13 miles, so it's nice to get a reminder of what is to come on the PMC.

The weather was dry, in that rain wasn't falling from the sky, but it was about 98 percent humidity, which meant we were drenched in sweat early in the ride. Luckily, the first 20 miles or so have many glimpses of the ocean, and the cool sea breezes that accompany those views. It didn't get that hot until midday. We would have ridden in any weather conditions, though. You never know what you're going to get weather-wise on the PMC!

I felt great throughout the ride, despite getting fewer training rides in this year. The great thing about riding in a group is that we are more efficient together (in a pace line) than separate. This was most true as we rode along the Cape Cod Canal. A steady southwest wind was in our faces as we rode that scenic stretch of the ride. We got in a tight line and took turns leading the pack, and were able to average 18-21 mph! That's the power of teamwork!

Near the end of the route is a bridge that is a popular spot for teenagers to jump into the water below. Teenagers and cyclists, that is. I had never done it before (I'm NOT chicken! I just never loved the thought of wearing my wet cycling shorts the rest of the way to the finish.). Well, this year, the water was too enticing, and I jumped in. It was amazing! So refreshing. That was a nice way to end my training. :)

My 15th Pan-Mass Challenge is in five days! I can't believe it! A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to this wonderful cause so far this year. I am still fundraising to reach my goal, so I encourage all of you who haven't yet made your donation to do so today! The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the best cancer hospitals in the world, right here in our backyard in Boston. The research being conducted there is saving lives today and will save even more in the future. 100 percent of your donation will go directly to the Jimmy Fund in support of the innovative research and compassionate, life-saving care going on at Dana-Farber. Together, we will make cancer HISTORY! Please donate today. Thank you!

$2,500 in 7 Days Challenge!

It's that time of year again! Today I am launching my $2,500 in 7 Days Challenge! Over the next week, I will aim to raise $2,500 towards my $10,000 fundraising goal. To do it, I'll be posting stories on Facebook about why I ride, what the ride is like, who I ride for, and where the money goes.

Today, I'll tell you about my first Pan-Mass Challenge, in 2004. I was about to graduate from college, and really had no idea what I was going to do afterwards. I knew I'd be living in Boston, that was it. I wanted something firm to work towards, so I signed up for the PMC.

While I had read up on the PMC extensively, I really had no idea what I was getting into. While I had done a long charity bike ride before, this was on a whole other level. Thousands of people riding, almost all on fancy road bikes (I had a mountain bike with smooth tires), on unfamiliar roads. I rode alone for most of the ride, since I didn't know anyone and was slower than most.

I distinctly remember slowly riding into Provincetown on the (hot) afternoon of Day 2. I had been to Provincetown before, so I knew that when I saw the Pilgrim Monument, I was close! But, what I didn't know is that the PMC route takes a right off of Route 6 into the Provincelands, adding 5 very hilly miles. I nearly cried. But I soldiered through and crossed the finish line, somehow! I remember thinking "I will never do this again!" but when registration came around the following year, I signed up for my second PMC without hesitation.

It's amazing how things have changed over the last 14 years, both in my life and in my PMC world. Since 2010, I've been a part of the scrappiest and most fun team, Kinetic Karma. And I have a wider circle of friends and family who are generous enough to support my fundraising efforts. I've lost friends to cancer over this time, and have had many others, including several family members, beat cancer. I am honored to ride in their memory and honor.

Please help me kick off my fundraising challenge by donating today. Together, we will make cancer HISTORY. Thank you!

Getting the Miles In!

Maya, our pedal partner, is on the top left! Now that's a happy, healthy girl!

It was a very busy spring, and summer is starting off very busy too! But I've made time to get three long training rides in so far.

On Memorial Day weekend, some of my teammates and I continued with tradition and rode a loop on the South Shore of Boston. Despite it being late May, the weather was hot and humid, making for a difficult ride. But, those will likely be the conditions for the PMC, so it's good training!

In June, Ian and I trekked north to Vermont to ride the Long Trail Century Ride. A century is a 100-mile ride, but we opted for the more reasonable 60-mile route. Rain clouds threatened to drench us, but we stayed dry (from rain, anyway) for almost all of the ride. The ride features one massive hill, followed by roads that follow rivers and hug lakes - beautiful! Gratefully, the hill is in the first third of the ride and the rest is relatively flat, so once you conquer that hill, you can just enjoy the rest. We also enjoyed the free beer and barbecue at the end!

And just last weekend, my teammates and I did a training ride to visit Maya, our pedal partner. It was another hot one! At mile 10 or so we stopped at Maya's house, as we had done last year. The difference between seeing her this year versus last year was remarkable. She had so much more energy, and hair! Her smile says it all, and she made us all smile. She is the reminder of why we ride - to help put an end to cancer.

The PMC is in just under a month! There will be more training rides between now and then to get my legs ready for the long ride. But it's not all on me - there are many who will make the ride the best weekend of the year. My teammates will make it feel like a rolling party. The volunteers will make sure I'm fully hydrated and fed. The folks along the route cheering us on will give me the energy to keep going. Maya will remind me of why we ride and the impact of the money we raise. And you, my donors, will remind me that, if we all come together for a common cause worthy of our time and money, we can make a difference. Please make your cancer-fighting donation today!