Community Corner

Swampscott 8th Grader Training For Pan-Mass Challenge

Will Cronin is one of more than 20 cyclists from Swampscott who will pedal the 50-mile route from Wellesley to Gillette Stadium and back in the Aug. 4 and 5 fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

 

Will Cronin plays football, swims and, come Aug. 4 and 5, will be bicycling on behalf of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

The student will be pedaling in the 50-mile Pan-Mass Challenge with the North Shore Cyclopaths team.

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He is continuing a family tradition. His mom, Tamarise Cronin, has riden 10 years in the bike-a-thon with the Cyclopaths.

Up until the end of June, his mom was helping him train for the annual cycling event — this is the 33rd — but was in a crash, landing her in the emergency room with a concussion and broken hand.

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"The crash kept me off the bike for a month, so Will found alternative ways to keep his training going on his own," Tamarise said. "He got in touch with other friends and cyclists of the North Shore Cyclopaths to ride with during the week, including Ethan Forman, who is training for the MS Global 2012 Lake Tahoe in September."

Ethan has helped Will develop his riding skills.

Plus, to get into shape, Will attended football camp in early July, with three-a-day workouts and practices under New England Patriots player Patrick Chung.

Just this past week Tamarise got back on a bike and will be riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge.

The mother and son will be among 5,500 cyclists. The fundraiser's overall goal is $36 million for adult and pediatric cancer research and treatment.

The Challenge donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund, according to event organizers. 

Riders range in age from 13 to 88.

Some are seasoned tri-athletes. Others, including Will Cronin, have been training solely for this event.


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