Soccer, Field Hockey and Horses

It seems our kids our keeping us so busy with their sports and we love it. Isabelle is riding often and really enjoys it. We even help take care of the horses when our friends are traveling. Believe it or not, that can even be fun. Connor is playing Soccer and is at the end of the middle school season. His team was very successful and came in second in the end of year tournament. Annelise made the field hockey team after never having played the sport and has scored two goals this season. Heidi and I just run from one thing to the next when I am not traveling for work. Fall colors have us thinking about skiing and snowboarding which we be here before we know it. Yesterday was the 3 year anniversary of Heidi becoming a cancer survivor. It passed without much fanfare as it should be.

PMC Success

Watch our 2010 video by pasting this into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyXnxV7R4sU


We are so thankful that we had a successful 2010 Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) bike ride this past weekend. Our sponsors, made it possible for us to join 5,100 cyclists pedaling over 761,685 miles as well as 3,100 Volunteers: 150 massage; 120 medical; 100 bike mechanics; 300 logistics; 100 communications; 100 trucking; 150 parking & traffic; 200 trash & recycling; 300 registration & information; 300 luggage; 1,200 food & beverage prep and service. Together we have raised more than $9,000 towards the $31 million that will be raised this year at the PMC. 100% of that money raised goes directly towards cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. Specifically, the $9,000 will go along with the $300,000 raised by team Caring For Carcinoid Foundation and directly support research on neuroendocrine tumors which is what Heidi is fighting. Our weekend was spectacular and will forever live in our memory as well as inspire us to return to the PMC next year for the 4th time. While Heidi was unable to ride due to an extended bronchitis and sinus infection (thankfully unrelated to her cancer) this summer and then a nagging knee pain once training began, she is even more committed than ever to ride next year. Training started yesterday with a 10 mile ride with my Mom and kids in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Heidi has visions of two of our children riding with her on a 47 mile loop of Wellesley. I did the two day 163 mile ride from Wellesley to P-Town and then both Heidi and I took the Ferry with 1,200 other PMC’ers back to Boston harbor, celebrating the whole way on the top deck with the live band. On Sunday,I was able to ride with PMC founder, Billy Starr, and his pack of very fast riders which included Magnus Backstedt. Magnus is a melanoma survivor, has a sister fighting breast cancer and is a former winner of a stage of both the Tour de France and Giro d’italia along with winning the very prestigious Paris-Roubaix one day classic in 2004. Needless to say, our pace on Sunday was 21.4 mph for the 80 miles traveled. Heidi did find a great way to contribute by moving complete strangers cars from Wellesley to Bourne and then another from Bourne to P-Town so their logistics could work for the weekend. She even transported an injured rider, his bike and bags to P-Town when he could not continue after crashing on Saturday. Heidi is feeling well and this PMC weekend really is satisfying in our push for a cure for cancer. Thank you so much for the donations and encouragement you provide us. All our best, Heidi and Michael Coburn

PMC Count down

Well we are dealing with some challenges as we lead up to the Aug 7&8 Pan Massachusetts Challenge http://www.pmc.org/ . My mom is in the hospital and coming home today. She had some stomach pain and she is supposed to be our babysitter next weekend. We are ready to ride our borrowed tandem (pictured above) when the time comes. 5,000 riders will roll out with the tip of Cape Cod as their destination.

July 12, 2010

Heidi, Connor and I went out for a short training ride on the Schwinn Duo-Sport Tandem. We need to get a picture taken and posted. I will work on that. We gained our balance pretty quickly and I think Heidi will get comfortable in no time. Connor on the other hand really only sees a bike as utilitarian and a means to get to swim practice and back home.

Staycation July 5-10

Well, I am just taking a week off of work with no plans. OK I will watch the Tour de France for 2 hours everyday and try to ride everyother day. It is 92 degrees right now and I am heading out for Connor's baseball practice.

It looks like Heidi and I may be riding a tandem bike in the PMC event. She has a sinus infection and bronchitis which is causing her to lose valuable training time. I have a bike available to me from a friend in the bike club. I have promised not to go over 35 mph on the downhills if possible. We will be closer after this event or divorced.

Should be fun.