Why I PMC guest blog by Claire Conroy, 16-year Team Jake rider
It sounds cliche, but I ride because I can.
Seventeen years ago in August, I was sitting on the corner of the road that leads to Mass Maritime Academy. It was HOT, but we were sitting in lawn chairs, covered with shade, snacking on the lunch w had brought. We were there to cheer on our friends who had been riding the PMC for years. We knew about it, in theory. It was a bike ride that raised money for cancer research. Donating was always a no-brainer.
On this particular year, I joined my friends family to wait and cheer him on.
As we sat there on the corner, in the shade, I noticed something. Riders, dripping with sweat, some only wearing a sports bra by this point, were heading in to the first day finish. They were all smiling, all excited. What stood out the most as we clapped and cheered was the RIDERS thanking US! It seemed very backwards and always stuck with me.
The following year, 2011, I decided to take the leap and register. Many of you know the rest of THAT story! The bike from Dicks sporting goods, fancy new Nike sneakers, and absolutely NO idea just what I had gotten myself into.The first year felt like a failure in many ways, but it also awakened something in me. Being part of this event, experiencing the joy and pain, the ups and downs, and the absolute energy of the whole weekend was hard to describe. I knew then that I would be back. I would be better prepared now
that I had an understanding of what it took to ride this event (besides a decent bike and special shoes!) I now understand completely why riders say thank you. I do it all weekend. The ride isn't easy, and is often heavy with emotion. Having someone clapping, offering encouragement, holding a sign saying they are a survivor, powers you. It helps you go when there is no fuel
in the tank. It's a constant reminder that this ride is so much more important than a couple uncomfortable days on a bike. It matters to people. It matters to the riders too. I try to say thank you to as many people as I can throughout the weekend.
that I had an understanding of what it took to ride this event (besides a decent bike and special shoes!) I now understand completely why riders say thank you. I do it all weekend. The ride isn't easy, and is often heavy with emotion. Having someone clapping, offering encouragement, holding a sign saying they are a survivor, powers you. It helps you go when there is no fuel
in the tank. It's a constant reminder that this ride is so much more important than a couple uncomfortable days on a bike. It matters to people. It matters to the riders too. I try to say thank you to as many people as I can throughout the weekend.I have never looked back. PMC, and the people and experiences within it, have been life changing. This ride is in place to help people survive and heal. It does that on so many levels. So many riders, donors, and volunteers have experience the pain and loss cancer causes. Being part of PMC helps us all survive and heal. It gives us a place to put the anger, the
sadness, the fear, and the joy. It provides an outlet for so many emotions, all while helping to change the future of cancer.
sadness, the fear, and the joy. It provides an outlet for so many emotions, all while helping to change the future of cancer.
I feel so lucky, honored and grateful to still be able to participate in this ride. It's a gift. It helps heal me, and hopefully others too. More importantly, the strides that are being made in cancer care wouldn't exist.
The fight isn't over, so the ride can't be either. I truly believe we will see a world where all cancers can be treatable as and survivable. I pray for a day when the disease no longer exists.
