#pmc2026

[pmcmarty]

A Reunion, a Reflection, and a Reason to Ride...

This upcoming weekend, I will attend my 40th high school reunion.

Like many reunions, it will be a chance to reconnect with old friends, share stories, and reflect on the paths our lives have taken over the past four decades.

As I think about the reunion, I am also reminded of two classmates whose lives were cut short by cancer.

During our senior year, one of our classmates, Xavier Yepez, was battling cancer. While the rest of us were focused on graduation, college, and the future, he was fighting for his life. Within a year of graduation, he lost that battle. Years ago, in 2009, I wrote about his impact on me and my decision to ride the Pan-Mass Challenge.

Our last reunion was held in 2016 and was organized by our classmate, Dawn (Dolling) Puente. Dawn worked tirelessly to bring our class back together. Within a year of that reunuion, she passed away from a brain tumor.

These are just two examples of how cancer has touched our small graduating class of only 81 students.

The reality is that nearly all of us have a story like this. A classmate. A friend. A family member. A neighbor. Someone whose life was forever changed by cancer.

That is why I continue to ride.

This August, I will participate in my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge, raising money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The research funded by the PMC has helped transform countless cancer diagnoses from hopeless to treatable. There is still much work to be done, but every breakthrough begins with support from people like you.

As I gather with old friends this weekend, I will be grateful for those who can attend, mindful of those who cannot, and reminded once again why this cause matters so much.

If you would like to support my ride, you can make a donation here:

https://pmc.org/mm0373

Thank you for helping fund the research that gives more people the opportunity to celebrate milestones, make memories, and enjoy reunions of their own.

Sincerely,

Martin Middelmann

[pmcmarty]

PMC Worcester to Mendon Segment, A Preview...

I had the opportunity to ride the new First segment of the PMC route with a small “test group”. 

It was a crisp sunny morning, so we had the weather in our favor.

Here is the video I put together of that test ride:

Here are my initial thoughts...

The First 3 Miles

The start isn't as scary as I had thought it would be. That being said, it will be crucial that riders exercise patience and control their speed on that initial descent. It is very important for riders to be smart about that first hairpin turn immediately after the starting line.

The transition to the road at the bottom should be fine as it is a shallow turn. 

The Start:

PMC Holy Cross Start

Shared using GoPro

Riding through the next section of Worcester, it quickly transitions from city to suburban feel. 

At about mile 3, there is a large, sweeping rotary that immediately exits onto a steep, 1.2 mile climb up to the “Old Common” on a two lane road with no shoulder. The first section of the climb (.3 miles) starts off with a very steep grade.  This is comparable to the climb into Charlton, only much much earlier in the ride. It will get very crowded and bunched up. 

Mile 3 Rotary:

Mile 3 Rotary

Shared using GoPro

Mile 3 Climb (Strava Segment: "Greenwood Climb")

Mile 3 Climb

Shared using GoPro

After that climb, the ride becomes a very rural ride with rolling hills. Once you start the long descent towards Route 146, you will pass by a number of old mill buildings.

The Double Rotaries at 146

The first rotary is simple as one can essentially ride a straight line through to the other side 

First Millbury Rotary:

First Millbury Rotary

Shared using GoPro

Second Millbury Rotary:

The second rotary is an area of concern. It is small and very tight. The line through that rotary is sharp and narrow and probably could only handle 2 bikes abreast at the most.  There is also an exit immediately before the route that goes straight. I anticipate a number of riders taking that exit as a possible bail out or simply by mistake. 

PMC - Second Millbury Rotary

Shared using GoPro

Downtown Millbury 

This will be the first time the PMC has ridden through a downtown of this nature in my experience. If you hit the town center on the top of the hour, expect a loud foghorn to blow from the Fire Department.

Millbury to West Upton 

This is the best section of the new segment. The flat, rolling road is a joy to ride on. That is, until one makes that left turn on to Milford Road for the second big climb of the day. 

Milford Road Climb, Strava Segment "Suck it up until Buttercup"

The descent on the other side is straight and fast, and there are railroad tracks towards the bottom. 

West Upton to Miscoe Hill Middle School (Strava Segment)

Another long, gradual climb into the first PMC water stop of the day at Miscoe Hill Middle School. This feels like a never ending slog and one is happy to see that “School Zone” sign right before the rest stop.

Riding into Miscoe Hill Middle School

Miscoe Hill Middle School

Shared using GoPro

I hope this preview is helpful.

Marty Middelmann PMC Rider Since 2009 PMC Profile Page: https://pmc.org/mm0373

[pmcmarty]

A Memorial Day Reminder of Why I Ride

This past Memorial Day weekend, we invited some neighbors over for a cookout. I spent the afternoon grilling BBQ ribs while my wife made a raspberry rhubarb biscuit cobbler using rhubarb from our garden. It was one of those simple evenings that remind you how important community and friendship really are.

Our Rhubarb!

What made the gathering especially meaningful was having one neighbor there who recently battled cancer and is still recovering from the fight. During the evening, he shared stories about a support group he joined with others who are currently fighting cancer or who have survived it themselves. Listening to him talk about the encouragement, understanding, and connection that group provides was incredibly moving.

It was also a powerful reminder of why I continue to ride the Pan-Mass Challenge and raise money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where my neighbor received his treatment.

Cancer research is not abstract. It impacts people we know, families we care about, and neighbors sitting beside us at backyard cookouts. The work being done at Dana-Farber gives people hope, more time, and better outcomes.

https://pmc.org/mm0373

This August, I’ll be riding in my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge. Thanks to generous support, I’m already making progress toward my $14,000 fundraising goal for 2026, but there is still a long road ahead.

If you would like to support my ride and help fund lifesaving research and patient care at Dana-Farber, you can donate here:

Thank you for continuing to support this mission and for helping make moments like these possible for more families.

Sincerely,

Martin Middelmann

[pmcmarty]

A Memorial Day Weekend Reminder: Now More Than Ever

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to reach out to those who have supported my Pan-Mass Challenge rides in past years but may not yet have had a chance to donate for 2026.

I’ve officially begun fundraising for my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge, and thanks to early support, I’m already at 25% of my $14,000 goal. There’s still a long road ahead, but the early momentum has been encouraging.

This year, the PMC announced a record-breaking fundraising goal of $79 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It’s an ambitious number, but the need has never been greater.

With cuts to federal cancer research funding continuing to impact institutions across the country, organizations like Dana-Farber rely more heavily on philanthropy to continue lifesaving work. Research that changes lives depends on sustained investment.

Recently, Dana-Farber researcher Dr. Stuart Orkin received the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for work that helped pave the way for transformative treatments for blood disorders. It’s a powerful reminder that today’s research funding becomes tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

Stuart Orkin, MD, and fellow award winner Investigator SweeLay Thein, Investigator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

That is why this year’s PMC theme resonates so strongly:

“Now More Than Ever.”

If you’ve been considering supporting my ride this year, Memorial Day weekend feels like a fitting time to recommit to causes that matter deeply. Every donation goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to fund cancer research and patient care.

You can support my ride here:

https://pmc.org/mm0373

Thank you for your past generosity, encouragement, and continued support of this mission.

Sincerely,

Martin Middelmann 18-Year PMC Rider

My 2026 Fundraising Goal: $14,000

Raised for 2026: $3,655

Number of Donors: 27

Corporate Matches/Pledges: $200

My Progress Towards that Goal: 26%

[pmcmarty]

Meet Finn, Our 2026 PMC Pedal Partner

This past Saturday, several of my PHAT Tuesday teammates and I attended the PMC Pedal Partner event at Fenway Park, where we had the opportunity to meet our team’s 2026 Pedal Partner, Finn, and his family.

Finn is 9 years old and lives in Plymouth with his parents, Caity and Dan, and his younger brother Harry. In December of 2024, just 10 days before Christmas, Finn was diagnosed with T-Cell Leukemia. He is now about five months into a two-year treatment plan.

Despite everything he’s facing, Finn is still very much a kid. He loves Legos, Star Wars, arts and crafts, and proudly rocked a mullet before treatment began. In fact, one of his biggest worries after diagnosis was learning that treatment would cause him to lose his hair. Meeting him in person this weekend was a powerful reminder of exactly why we ride.

Doctors have told Finn’s family that he has a good prognosis, and that gives all of us hope. But hope alone is not enough. The treatments, research, and care that families like Finn’s rely on are only possible because people choose to support organizations like the Pan-Mass Challenge and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

This August, I’ll be riding my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge to help fund that lifesaving work. Every mile I ride will be for Finn, for families like his, and for everyone fighting cancer.

If you’d like to support my ride, you can donate here:

https://pmc.org/mm0373

Thank you for continuing to be part of this journey and for helping bring hope to families who need it most.

Sincerely,

Martin Middelmann

[pmcmarty]

Growing Old is a Privilege...

I came across this sign on a recent ski trip with some of my PMC PHAT Tuesday teammates:

“Don’t regret growing old. It’s a privilege denied to many.”

It stopped me in my tracks.

One of the reasons I ride the Pan-Mass Challenge each year is because cancer takes that privilege away far too often. It cuts lives short. It takes parents from children, friends from each other, and futures that should have been.

This year marks my 18th PMC ride, and I’m already off to a strong start with $1,250 raised toward my $14,000 goal.

Every dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to fund the research that gives people more time: more birthdays, more ski trips, more moments like this.

If this message resonates with you, I’d be grateful for your support.

https://pmc.org/mm0373

Now more than ever.

Marty Middelmann

[pmcmarty]

While the bike rests and the snow piles up outside, the mission doesn’t pause. January is when the work begins again. Soon I will be gearing up for my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge. Training will come, warmer days will return, and when they do, I’ll be ready to ride once more for Dana-Farber.

Now more than ever, the fight continues.

Please donate here: Marty's PMC Profile Page

[pmcmarty]

I’m Registered for My 18th Pan-Mass Challenge Ride

I’m excited to share that I have officially registered for my 18th Pan-Mass Challenge. Each year I wonder if the ride will feel any different, and each year I’m reminded why this community, and this cause, mean so much to me.

Because of your incredible generosity, last year we raised $13,500 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, surpassing my goal even with fewer donors than in years past. That support made a real impact, and I’m deeply grateful. For 2026, I’m setting my sights higher with a fundraising goal of $14,000.

As I look ahead to this ride, I’m carrying with me the stories and names of people affected by cancer. Over the past year, I learned that two friends were diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, both are currently battling successfully. During last PMC weekend, I also learned that a college friend passed away from cancer. His ribbon will join others on my headgear in 2026, a visible reminder of why we ride and who we ride for.

Now More Than Ever!

This year’s PMC theme, “Now More Than Ever,” could not be more fitting. As PMC Founder Billy Starr recently shared with the rider community, the stakes for cancer research are especially high right now. Significant cuts in federal funding have hit Massachusetts cancer research hard. Nearly half of recently terminated National Cancer Institute grants were supporting Massachusetts-based research. That represents hundreds of millions of dollars no longer funding basic science, supporting young investigators, or sustaining lifesaving clinical trials.

The Pan-Mass Challenge is Dana-Farber’s single largest donor. The funds raised by PMC riders do not sit on the sidelines. They go directly to work in labs, clinics, and trials that save lives. When federal support falters, the PMC community steps up. That’s why what we do together truly matters, now more than ever.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me year after year. I hope you’ll continue to follow along, cheer loudly, and, when the time is right, consider supporting my 18th ride as we work toward a $14,000 goal and continued progress against cancer.

Please donate here: Marty's PMC Profile Page

With gratitude, Martin Middelmann