Connecticut Challenge

In 2002 I rode my first Pan Mass Challenge, an event which I rode faithfully for 6 straight years. During those 6 years I raised over $15000 for the Dana Farber Cancer hospital - the very hospital where my mother received treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma a few years ago. I gave up the PMC in 2008 when I no longer felt comfortable trying to raise the $4000 fund raising minimum. Although, I still have my kids involved in the local PMC for kids events.
Fast forward to this past February when my 16 year old nephew asked if I would like to ride in the Connecticut Challenge with him. He has been at the first day finish line in Bourne each year I rode the PMC and always wanted to ride. So, given that the CT Challenge only involved a $750 fund raising minimum, I signed up to ride.
The CT Challenge was this past July 25th and while it is a smaller scale than the PMC, it is no less effective, heart warming, fun and certainly no less challenging! My nephew had never done a century so our plan was to sign up for the century and bail to the 75 mile route if necessary. Well... at the 35 mile split, it was clear we were only riding 75 that day. The 100 mile route involves nearly 10,000 feet of climbing. We had a blast and my nephew Patrick was a trooper. The course was challenging, it was hot and humid, but we still had a blast. Like the PMC, the riders, volunteers and organizers were all great. Everyone coming together for a cause while having a great time in the process. All aspects of the day from parking, registration, route marking, rest stops, they were all well run. Especially when you consider that this event is only 5 years old. There were 29 cancer survivors that took part in the event, and the morning started with all of them being led by 11 year old boy.
Together, my nephew and I raised about $2000 which supports cancer survivorship programs.
I'm already thinking I will do it again next year, it was a great day and the massage at the end of the ride didn't hurt either!
Click here for more information on the CT Challenge