Every August, thousands of riders, volunteers, and supporters gather for the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a fully supported bike-a-thon across Massachusetts. But this eagerly anticipated event is more than just a bike ride—it’s a hugely important fundraiser in which every single raised dollar goes directly to support groundbreaking cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since it was first launched in 1980, the PMC has donated a whopping $831 million to Dana-Farber, raising more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the US.
In 2022 the PMC will take place on August 6 and 7, and cyclists and supporters from across and beyond Massachusetts are gearing up for the ride. If you’re thinking about participating in the PMC, here are five things you need to do to get ready:
1. Register for the ride.
Rider registration for the PMC opens in tiers each January. Heavy Hitters are invited to register first (these are riders who meet or exceed an annually determined fundraising level), followed by previous PMC riders, then registration opens up to the general public. In 2022 interested participants once again have the option to join the event as a PMC weekend rider or participate as a “reimagined rider” or a “virtual rider.”
Reimagined riders do not ride any of the PMC routes on the PMC weekend. Instead, they create their own fundraising ride of any length that takes place wherever and whenever they choose. Virtual riders do not ride at all but use their fundraising efforts to support the PMC’s mission. Both the reimagined rider and the virtual rider options offer greater flexibility to riders and non-riders alike who want to support the PMC but are not able or prefer not to take part in the weekend ride.
2. Choose your route.
If you do want to participate in the PMC as a weekend rider, you’ll need to choose a route when you register. The PMC offers 16 fully supported routes, ranging from 25 to 211 miles, that cater to cyclists of different experience levels and abilities. Some of the 2022 routes to choose from include Sturbridge to Provincetown Monument, a two-day, 186-mile ride from the hills of Central Massachusetts to the tip of Cape Cod; the Wellesley Century, a one-day, 100-mile scenic loop starting and finishing in Wellesley; and the Wellesley to Patriot Place ride, a one-day, 25-mile ride beginning just outside Boston that allows riders to enjoy a champion’s finish in Foxboro.
Note that registration for the most popular routes fills up quickly, so be sure to register as early as you can.
3. Plan your fundraising.
If you’re interested in the PMC, the most important thing you need to know is that it’s a fundraising mission first and a bike ride second. When you register as a PMC rider, you commit to a fundraising minimum, which is determined by your choice of route (for example, there is a $6,000 fundraising minimum for the Sturbridge to Provincetown Monument ride and a $3,000 fundraising minimum for the Wellesley Century).
To help you in your fundraising efforts, the PMC provides riders with plenty of support, including a powerful, personalized PMC Dashboard, e-mail templates, fundraising guides, donation tracking, and support from PMC office staff. Riders have until October 1 to meet (or exceed) fundraising goals.
4. Start or join a team.
While you can certainly participate in the PMC as an individual rider, nearly three-quarters of PMC riders join the event as part of a PMC team. Made up of family members, friends, and colleagues, teams come together for many different reasons: in support or memory of a loved one with cancer, to contribute to a specific type of cancer treatment or research, or to bring colleagues together around a meaningful mission.
Teams can be as small as two riders or as large as you want, but each team member must register individually and be responsible for their own fundraising minimum. However, team members don’t have to ride the same route to be on the same team; teams can consist of participants riding different PMC routes, as well as virtual riders and reimagined riders.
5. Train.
Spring is a great time to begin training for the PMC, especially if you’ve chosen one of the longer routes or are planning your own reimagined route. The PMC website offers plenty of training tools and resources that can help you get ready for your ride. For example, if you use the Strava fitness tracking service, you can integrate it into your PMC profile to track your miles and connect with other PMC riders, and you can follow the PMC routes that are available on the Strava app. You can also join inclusive, 60-minute PMC rides that take place weekly on the indoor cycling app Zwift.