Pan-Mass '06

Yesterday was an amazing day, a true gift from God. Our alarms went off at 5:00 am, and we (when I say “we” I mean “I”) were full of excitement and nervousness. We sucked our bodies into our spandex padded bike shorts, our new PMC 06 jerseys, and made sure we had all the essentials: sunscreen, sunglasses, water bottles, … and got on the road to Wellesley, the start. We got there and loaded up with bananas and gatorade, and were so motivated by the spirit of the people around us. People had signs taped to their backs with lists of their loved ones who have died from cancer, and pictures of their children who are suffering from cancer, and ribbons in memory of their friends. I just wrote the word "Dad" on the back of my right leg.

Mile 0, 7:30am... waiting to get on our bikes. Here we are with our co-worker and friend Rachael and her hubby Pete. The first 20 miles to the first water stop were amazing. I was so encouraged by the people around me, and felt full of energy and motivation. The route weaved through shady neighborhoods, with what seemed like lots of downhill coasts, with a couple tough hills. We stopped for water, rode til the 41-mile mark, and stopped for lunch. There was music blaring, people with an unstoppable commitment to cancer all around us. It was so energizing.

Mile 55, about 1:30pm... we don't look that tired! God continued to give us great strength.

Mile 84, 4pm... We rolled into Bourne, the beginning of Cape Cod. People cheered us all the way in. Here we are after a cool shower and clean clothes. After the finish, we felt so good... with the help of all our friends and family, we have raised $5,500 for cancer research, a great feat. We are "closer by the mile..."