Karen Watson Riding PMC for the First Time

By Christopher Tremblay

Bellingham’s Karen Watson will be climbing aboard a bike during the first weekend of August to help a friend in need. More specifically, Watson will be riding the Pan Mass Challenge’s Wellesley Century, a 101.4-mile ride from Wellesley to Dighton and then loop back to Wellesley on Sunday August 6th in support of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Recently Watson received a call from one of her Assumption University classmates, Angela Corby, asking her if she wanted to take part in the 101-mile ride. Immediately, the Bellingham resident told her friend yes, as it was to help another Assumption schoolmate, Amy Ennis who has been battling stage 4 colon cancer for the past seven years.

“For me, it was not a difficult decision to say yes as it’s the least that I can do,” Watson said. “I’m riding because I can; I said yes first and then had to figure it out as it was going to be a physical challenge. Beingaware that I have the physical ability to do this is important, it’s an opportunity to remind me that I can.”

The Pan Mass Challenge raises more money for charity than any other athletic fundraising event in the country with 100% of the funds going to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, a world leader in adult and pediatric cancer treatment and research, and the Jimmy Fund. Since Billy Starr began the event in 1980, the PMC has donated over $900 million to Dana Farber.

Watson knew that things were going to have to start from scratch and build upon that to get to the point of the actual 101-mile ride. She has not really been on a long-distance bike ride in some time, and the only time that she has gotten on a bike has been to pedal around the neighborhood with her son.

“This is not the first time that Amy has suggested something like this, (giving her only a few months to train). She is the Queen of Ideas; 20 years ago, she got me to do a three-day 380-mile bike ride with her,” Watson said. “This time, it’s for a close friend and Angela’s best friend. It’s going to be a process and not being a cyclist, after this is over I probably won’t get on a bike for a very long time.”

During the few months that she had to get ready for her endeavor, Watson had two goals that she set for herself. First was the financial fundraising part of it, where she wanted to raise $3000, and at the time of this writing, she had recently surpassed that figure and should be well above it by the time the ride begins. Secondly was the physical part where she needed to get herself prepared and ready to sit on a bike over the 100-plus mile ride. Not only that, but she also had to find someone who had a bike that she could borrow (which she did).

“I’ve been generally blown away with all the support that I have received in such a short period of time for my ride,” Watson said. “Facebook is a wonderful thing – you can connect with friends near and far.”

As if her initial reason to ride wasn’t enough motivation, Watson received news in June that her friend and co-worker is now relying on Dana Farber for care. Although it was not her initial plan to support her co-worker’ she will definitely be thinking about her throughout the entire ride.

Since day one, her husband has been very supportive of her decision to take on the 101-mile trek and has been out on the roads riding with her. 

“It’s been a battle, but a lot of fun, and I’m doing it because I can,” she said. “My husband has been very supportive of me and so many others rely on Dana Farber for care and being able to help makes me happy.”

Having run the Boston Marathon for Dana Farber in 2008, Watson knows how supportive the people were along that route and expects that it will be much the same when she’s atop the bike riding.

Together with Angela, the women will be riding alongside a third rider in Paul Piselli come that first weekend in August.