For members of the PMC head staff, Pan-Mass Challenge season kicks into high gear with the first retreat of the year, held annually on the first Saturday of March. The retreat is a four-hour meeting at the Boston Harbor Hotel during which each member of the team reports on his or her aspect of the event – everything from road planning to port-o-potties to pedal partners. The purpose is to get everyone on the staff on the same page about changes or issues that will affect PMC weekend.
THe PMC 2010 Logo
We learned that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the PMC's Family Finish in Provincetown. We also heard about improvements that will be made to the menu at the Friday night kick-off party for the Wellesley starting route at Babson College and about new digital message boards that will be erected at hub sites and updated throughout PMC weekend with info and photos. One key message we'll work to get out to the public this PMC season is that the PMC has 10 routes and there is a mileage and fundraising point that is comfortable for anyone. The PMC is no longer just the Sturbridge to Provincetown ride. The PMC is for anyone with a bike and a desire to raise money for cancer research. In addition to being extremely informative, the day serves as a family reunion of sorts. It is so nice to see everyone after a cold winter of limited contact. It feels great to congregate and talk about something about which we are all so passionate – the PMC! There are 21 members of the PMC's head staff. Seven work daily at PMC headquarters in Needham. The rest are either volunteer head staff members or paid consultants. Each head staff member works hard to make sure his or her aspect of the event is the best it can be. Everyone brings their A Game to their work, and it shows in the quality of the event. After the meeting, staffers get 90 minutes to chill out at the hotel and then reconvene for cocktails and dinner. The Boston Harbor Hotel has been hosting the PMC head staff retreat for years and they really make us feel welcome and special. The PMC is forever grateful for the hotel's hospitality and sponsorship. Here are some photos from the meeting and the dinner, skillfully taken by Justin O'Connor, the volunteer communications director for the PMC. The funniest part of the annual head staff retreat is that it always takes place on the first great biking day of the season. For years, the first day to break 50 degrees with beaming sun is also the first Saturday in March. Ironic, right? Still, what's better than a day with people you respect and with whom you are aligned in a common mission? We all feel very lucky to work together, with and for PMC Nation, to make the PMC what it is today – the most successful athletic fundraising event in the US!
