With a Fundraising Goal of $60,000, Our Team Needs Your Help to Crush It!
One team, comprised of 7 riders (out of a field of more than 6,800 riders), 175 rigorous miles over 2 days with one epic goal of raising money to end cancer! The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is quickly approaching, and our family of companies (Bay State Physical Therapy, MCR Chiropractic, Cypress Physical Therapy, and MVPT Physical Therapy) are coming together to support our Bay State PT PMC Ride Team as they gear-up (both literally and figuratively) for a weekend of fitness, fun, and fundraising!
Support Our Fundraising Efforts
Even when the world was shaken by a global pandemic, our employees stepped up to do their part for this life-saving event. In 2020, while participating in PMC Reimagined (a virtual reinvention of the traditional PMC), our ride team raised $52,446 for Dana-Farber during our PMC initiatives! This year, with a fundraising goal of $60,000, riders Jenn McBride (Bay State PT-Foxboro), Cara Gaziano (Bay State PT-Weymouth), Lexi Windwer (Bay State PT-Weymouth), Erin Doherty (Bay State Corporate Resource Center), Sara Ryan (MVPT Marketing), and Holly & Adam Petersen will ride 175 miles in honor and memory of friends, family, coworkers, and patients.
MEET OUR TEAM!!
Jenn McBride
What inspired you to ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge?
I had really enjoyed volunteering for the PMC for the past 5 years with the Massage Therapy team at Mass Maritime, and then with Bay State Physical Therapy at the Wellfleet water stop. My professor at Northeastern University, Dr. Maureen Watkins, organizes student volunteers each year and she inspired me to get involved. Then I got my first road bike in 2019 and thought I’d try riding in 2020! This is my second-year riding!!
Any personal connections that make this event especially meaningful?
I’m riding in memory of my grandfather, Jack Shea, who lost his battle with Pancreatic cancer. I’m also riding in support of the countless family members, friends, and patients who I know whose lives have also been touched by cancer.
What do you enjoy about being part of the Bay State PT PMC Ride Team?
I love the camaraderie, the laughs- especially on longer rides! It’s been nice to see areas of the state I wouldn’t normally bike around along the coast- so when my teammates plan beautiful training rides, I take it all in. I enjoy the miles we log and the many sights on beautiful spring-summer mornings. It also feels like a great accomplishment to see all the miles logged. I always underestimate how long it will take- but it is so worthwhile!
What are you most looking forward to during PMC weekend?
It’s going to be an incredible experience to be surrounded by lots of other cyclists who are all there for the same cause – to help fund research to find a cure for cancer!
Cara Gaziano
What inspired you to ride in the PMC and or to join the team?
I have always dreamed of riding in the PMC after volunteering at the PMC Family Finish for about 10 years. Last year during my first year working at BSPT, I found out there was a PMC team. A few of my co-workers talked about joining so I decided to buy my first road bike and signed up for the PMC as well!
Any personal connection that makes the Pan-Mass Challenge especially meaningful for you?
My sister Andrea lost her battle to Leukemia in 2006. My dad rode the PMC for years with his two bothers to raise money and give back to the Jimmy Fund. My mom, my brother, and I volunteered for 10 years as well at the Family Finish in Provincetown. My uncle Chuck, who rode the PMC for years and has always been one of my biggest supporters, passed away suddenly this year from a rare disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This year I ride not only in memory of my sister Andrea, but also for my Uncle Chuck. Every dollar I raise goes to the Andrea Gaziano Memorial Fund. This is a fund my parents set up in memory of my sister and the money goes directly to childhood cancer research.
Thinking about someone who might want to join the team, but doesn’t think they can ride 100 miles…what would you tell them?
I didn’t think I could do it either! I bought my first bike after I signed up for the PMC last year. It is a big commitment for training, but you really feel great knowing you are training and riding for such an amazing cause. As I watch my teammates steadily improve on their rides, it really resonates what an accomplishment it is. Summer is hot, and riding can be tough, but looking forward to the energy of PMC weekend helps me to persevere.
What is the best part about your training this year?
We have a lot of laughs and I really enjoy the time together as a team- you never know what you will see. In fact, on one ride in June we found out (after the fact) that we nearly had an encounter with “Boo-Boo” the Bear. That would have definitely inspired a new level of adrenaline to pedal out of there quickly!
Lexi Windwer
What first inspired you to ride in the PMC event?
I’d never imagined being part of the PMC riding team. I always knew that I wanted to help and imagined I’d volunteer during that weekend. My colleague, Erin Doherty, who is the Marketing Manager at our Corporate Resource Center, convinced me to give it a shot!
How many PMC events have you participated in?
This will be my second PMC ride. Last year, when we did the PMC Reimagined (due to COVID-19) I missed out on the energy of the normal PMC weekend. That said, our event last year was spectacular! I’m excited to see what this year brings.
Have you always enjoyed cycling?
I’ve always enjoyed going to spin classes but had never ridden a road bike prior to last year. Now, after lots of time in the saddle, I really do enjoy it, especially because I get to hang out with great people and see new areas of the state. We change up our rides often so it’s always a new adventure.
What’s training been like?
Training for PMC consists of riding almost every weekend beginning in May. We gradually increase our milage each ride to build toward the endurance we’ll need for the PMC event.
Given this is your second ride, what are you most excited for? Nervous about?
While this is my second-year riding, I’m most excited to bike with other riders along a PMC-sponsored route! We’re doing our own re-imagined ride on Saturday, so I’m nervous about completing a two-day ride because it’s a lot of mileage!
What makes PMC so popular?
The PMC is popular across the country, drawing riders from nearly every state because of the cause behind it. 100% of every rider-raised dollar is donated to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It’s an incredibly important event for fighting cancer and funding research to find a cure!
What’s the “why” behind your riding in PMC? Any personal experience with cancer in your life/family/friends?
I ride for the individuals we’ve lost to cancer and those who are still fighting. What keeps me riding is thinking about how the money I’m raising could be what funds the research that finds the cure!
Erin Doherty
How many years have you been a PMC rider?
This is my second year as part of the team. I joined the BSPT Riding Team in 2020 but have been involved with our corporate partnership with PMC since 2017.
What inspired you to ride in the PMC and or to join the team?
The reason I joined our BSPT Riding Team and chose to participate in PMC is because I wanted to contribute in something bigger than myself. I not only wanted to ride to raise money to help fund cancer research, but I wanted to ride to show my support for all of those fighting the battle against cancer, as well as those who have lost their battles. I have many friends and family members who have been affected by cancer. I am inspired every day by their strength and courage.
What do you enjoy about being on the team?
I enjoy the comradery that comes along with being part of the BSPT Riding team. I get to enjoy long bike rides with some of my closest friends and colleagues and challenge each other each and every day. Our team training rides mean lots of time together taking in the beautiful scenery. The team is such a fun group to be around and always make rides enjoyable! Even if they are on freezing cold days in the spring.
Thinking about someone who might want to join the team, but doesn’t think they can ride 100 miles…what would you tell them?
I would say start small and join one of our shorter training rides! You can get a feel for if you like riding long distances with other people! There are also plenty of other options during PMC weekend that are shorter distances than 100+ miles and would be a great opportunity for riders of all experience levels.
What are you looking forward to the most on PMC day?
I am excited to experience a ride that is hosted by PMC and participate alongside other riders and really take in the full feeling of a true PMC weekend. Last year being my first year, PMC did not have the full event and instead our team carried out a reimagined ride, but I am excited to experience a PMC route in its full form! Baby steps to the full 192 next year!
Any funny tidbits or comical stories you want to include?
Probably for the first 4-5 training rides, I fell every.single.time!!! Only small falls while we were stopped because I was just getting used to having my feet clipped into the pedals. It was comical because I would just timber over and get back up like nothing happened and we’d just laugh it off. Now if we pass by those spots on training rides everyone says “HEY – this is where Erin fell!”
Sara Ryan
What inspired you ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC)?
The PMC is really such a great cause, with 100% of all rider-raised funds going towards cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber.
What influenced your decision to join the Bay State Physical Therapy PMC Ride Team?
The amazing Bay State Physical Therapy PMC ride team themselves! Although many of them have been participating for a few years now, they’ve welcomed me right in! I could have never imagined myself being on the team a year ago, but my teammates have been extremely supportive and encouraging. I didn’t even have a bike when I joined the team!
Have you ever cycled before? What was your experience level when you joined?
To be honest, I’ve never tried cycling before joining the team! I’d never really considered cycling and regret not trying it earlier.
As a novice, what has the training been like?
Training has been challenging, but so rewarding! Now that we’re starting to get closer to the big weekend, our trainings consist of two-day bike rides, usually on the weekend.
Since this is your first PMC event, what are you most nervous and most excited about?
As a first-time rider, I’m most excited about pushing myself and reminding myself what an amazing experience this event is. From the riders to the volunteers, everyone there has a part in helping find a cure for cancer. I don’t think I’m nervous, but I know I’ll have butterflies in my stomach just like I did before basketball games when I played.
What’s your ‘why’ behind riding in the PMC?
Like many others, I have family members and friends who have been impacted by cancer. Some unfortunately lost their battle, and other are survivors. I’m riding for all of them—those who have lost their battles, those who are survivors, and those who are currently in the fight for their lives!
Holly & Adam Petersen
What inspired you to ride in the PMC and or to join the team?
Both of my parents rode as a part of the PMC, combined for over 20 years!! When BSPT started a team it seemed like a great way to continue the family tradition as cancer impacts each and everyone of us in one way or another.
What do you enjoy about being on the team?
Being a part of the team as it has grown has really changed the training experience. The first year I rode as a part of the team but there weren’t many opportunities to train together. Over the past two years the team has grown and with that there are more opportunities to train together which is not only great for the comradery and accountability but also in order to gain familiarity with riding in a group.
What are you looking forward to the most on PMC day?
The community – my first PMC event, I rode the Sturbridge to Province Town route without knowing any riders at the starting line. The community of support, both from the other PMC riders and residents of the communities I rode through was truly goose-bump worthy! Last year, due to COVID, was a unique experience with our own reimagined century (100 mile) ride, where the BSPT/MVPT/MCR and Weymouth communities showed amazing support for both our team and for our Pedal Partner (child with cancer who is undergoing treatment through the Jimmy Fund). This year, I am looking forward to another new experience-having a hybrid (like many things in 2020-2021) PMC weekend of having our own community of support on Saturday and also experiencing the PMC community on Sunday.
Any funny tidbits or comical stories you want to include?
My first year PMC wipe out didn’t happen while on the course but while waiting to exit a water stop. On day two, a gentleman, with very long legs kicked me while getting onto his bike. Lesson learned- don’t clip-in until it’s your turn!
Thinking about someone who might want to ride in a PMC event, but doesn’t think they can ride 100 miles…what would you tell them?
Riding 100 miles seems like a lot but with the right training it is absolutely doable! The team uses the training materials that the PMC offers to ensure each team member knows the best way to train (mileage expectations and cross training) heading into the first weekend in August. Despite the time commitment and aches and pains of training, each PMC event leaves my hungry for the next!
Join Us!!
The PMC’s mission is to raise funds for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 100% of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber.
