Party people in the house? Save June 25!

While Team NECN members are training, we’re also like the 5,000 other riders in this year’s PMC, raising money for this great cause. And about a month from now, we’re doing it in an exceptionally fun way. 150x120blueribbonbbqOn Thursday night, June 25th, Team NECN is sponsoring a fundraising party at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston. There will be live entertainment, both silent and live auctions, and barbecue from Blue Ribbon BBQ of Arlington and Newton. And since we’re at Harpoon Brewery, it wouldn’t be cool without a complimentary beverage to go along with your ticket purchase.

Tickets are available now for $40 – which goes to the team’s fundraising efforts, and each year, it is a load of fun and great prizes. (Last year, I bid on and won a Red Sox experience that included 3 innings *inside* the Green Monster at Fenway, which was about the coolest thing EVER.)
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If you want to buy tickets, just click on the big fundraising party icon in the blog sidebar to the right – and check back for more information on cool auction items and more.

It’s going to be a great time, for a great cause.

Lost weekend for training, but a little motivation

dfcikidsTraining for the PMC and I are just not getting along well. I was pumped for some quality training this weekend, ideally in Maine where my wife and I were planning to spend a long weekend. Instead, I spent some of the weekend enjoying the cool of the bathroom tile where – well, never mind, you can imagine the rest.

No trying out my new clipless pedals near a grassy field where I might not inflict damage on myself.

No stretching out my training ride to 30-35 miles – which I really needed to do.

Just sitting… thinking… and waiting for better days. But while I was sitting, knowing how lousy I was feeling, it made me think about a story that Greg Wayland did back in February about the construction workers who painted the names of young cancer patients at the Dana-Farber on girders they hoisted onto the facility’s new expansion.

If you haven’t seen it, here it is.

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My Kids Ride

kidsride211We’ve got 70 training days left before the PMC. I guess it’s time to get on the bike, huh? I’m hoping to start this week. Better late than never, you say, but I think I’ve got a good excuse for my procrastination. I’ve been busy putting together a mini-PMC in my home city of Leominster. And, what an event it was last Sunday.

It was quite a sight, as 80 kids rode their bikes through downtown. The camaraderie and spirit I felt during my first PMC ride last year was definitely present in Leominster this past Sunday.
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Heavy Hitters get some inspiration at dinner

Working at NECN does have its privileges. I was happy to be one of the Team NECN representatives at Friday night’s Heavy Hitters Dinner at the Intercontinental in Boston. It’s always a remarkable group of people, and this year was no exception – although as a first-time rider, I was listening for a different kind of inspiration this year (the kind that gets you through the last 20 miles of a 192-mile journey.)

NECN’s Scot Yount covered the Friday night event, the traditional kickoff to NECN’s extensive coverage of the Pan-Mass Challenge.

If it looks like fun and you’re riding this year – Billy has lowered the ‘Heavy Hitters’ fundraising level to $6,000. And keep an eye out for the new social media features coming to the PMC site. It could add a powerful new dimension to fundraising.

Kids do their part, too

Pan Mass Challenge kids rides are a way for children to raise money for cancer research without the need to pedal from Sturbridge to Provincetown.

Leominster held its first ride on Sunday, taking in over $8,000.

About 100 kids on their trusty bikes took over downtown Leominster, joining the big fight against cancer. For more on this, watch Kristen Caira’s story in the video player below, and be sure to click on to read more about those who participated in this event.

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Billy on the 30th anniversary ride – Riders wanted

We’re still months away from the Pan Mass Challenge, much to the relief of my core muscle groups, which need some major retraining.

But even now, there are still possibilities for people who want to give the PMC a shot, and still time to get ready for the ride. Billy Starr stopped by NECN to talk more about the available routes and possibilities for riders.

Bottom line – get on a bike! The only thing you have to fear is personal trainers who think that you really should be able to life that weight one more time. Or maybe that’s just me…

Pedal Partner Party!

OK, so I’m feeling a little lame, both because I had plans in Maine and thus skipped my weekend riding (Bad rider!), and because it also forced me to miss what would have been my first Pedal Partner Party on Saturday. (Team NECN is slightly comforted by the fact that we have the same pedal partner this year, so she knows us and already knows how much we think she rocks.) Looks like there was a great turnout – NECN’s Jennifer Eagan has this story from Saturday’s event.