During my ride this morning I reached the milestone of 1000 miles of riding on my PMC wheels! It was another glorious morning, cool, sunny and quiet. While out there I learned something new today, that it was not the best idea to set myself off on another long ride which would be my third day in a row. I cut short my ride at 20 miles (I’d hoped to do 50 today), and met my wife at the Mendon Diner for a big breakfast!
Another 500 miles of training and the PMC ride will be here! I’ll be ready!
While on my 80 mile training ride today I stopped at a Dunkin’ Donuts around mile 70 for some fresh cold water and a short rest before completing my ride. I was sitting at one of the picnic tables along with my bike when a young girl maybe 12-14 years old got out of one of the parked cars and came over to me to thank me for doing the Pan-Mass Challenge, and stated that her father rides, but seeing me she just wanted to thank me.
Her doing that reminded me of thanking our veterans for their service, yet this ride is so different — but then on reflection though perhaps it isn’t. There are so many stories that people share about loved ones who have battled cancers, some who have won the battle, and some that have lost. Isn’t that also the way for our military? There are many sacrifices and battles fought, some are won, and some are lost.
It was at least 30 years after my Vietnam era service that I was thanked for the sacrifices made during that 7 1/2 years I spent in the Navy. I was shocked by the thanks that came my way, just as I was shocked by the thanks I received today from that young girl who went out of her way to give me simple thanks – and I haven’t even ridden my first PMC!
Ten years ago today I was treated at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston for Prostate Cancer — yesterday I rode my bicycle 76 miles in training for the Pan-Mass Challenge cancer fund-raising event! Last Saturday I was at Fenway Park, on the field during the singing of our National Anthem! Today our local paper had my picture and a short story. I seem to be living a charmed life, and I’m celebrating!
Not so for others, however. Recent family news brought word of an incurable colon cancer which has spread to the liver, in a man MUCH too young to be faced with such a grim diagnosis. In addition to that, yesterday I was with a friend whose sister seems to be losing her battle with lung cancer. Today I heard of the diagnosis of another cancer case involving one of the men I know from my morning gym workouts. Cancer seems to touch everyone, and its effect can be brutal!
On my ride yesterday I found myself even more intense than usual — I found myself thinking about my “Why I ride!” statement, and it’s time to update it. There has been much progress made in the field of cancer diagnosis, treatment and detection — but we still have work to be done. That work requires funds, and one way I can support the effort is by intensifying my fund-raising efforts.
If you can possibly do so, please support my PMC ride .
Yesterday was an experience I’ll never forget! I was one of 30 PMC riders out on the field during the singing of the National Anthem before the start of the Red Sox game. The weather was beautiful, the stands were filled, the excitement electric! One just had to be in my shoes to experience the impact — my words just don’t do it justice :-). A suitable description of my experience would certainly start with “AWESOME!”, but I really don’t know where to go from there.
On the field