NASHUA – Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has gathered hundreds of bicyclists, who avidly put the rubber to the road in an effort to fight cancer.

On Aug. 4 and 5, 47 area residents will gather for the 33rd annual ride. They will be among 5,500 cyclists who will be aiming for the collective goal of raising $36 million to support adult and pediatric cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, through the Jimmy Fund. The event is presented by The Red Sox Foundation and the New Balance Foundation.

The first PMC event was a 220-mile trip, from Springfield to Provincetown, with 35 riders. As is the case with most nascent projects, this ride presented various logistical problems – some of the riders got lost, and they ran out of food. Nonetheless, they managed to raise a hefty $10,200 for cancer research.

All of the riders in the race have their own stories to tell.

Sarah Piper, of Nashua, who originally hails from Hollis, is going the route for the third time, in honor of her mother, who passed away in 2007.

“The first year after she died, I rode with my brother and father,” she said. “My brother doesn’t do it now, but my father is still there, riding right with me.”

Piper is taking on one of the longer routes, all the way from Sturbridge to Provincetown, Mass – a whopping 192 miles.

“That sounds like a lot, but it’s a two-day ride,” she said. “On the first day, we ride 110 miles, from Sturbridge to Bourne. We’re going to spend the night at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and then head out for another 82 miles on the second day, all the way to the tip of the Cape.

“Actually, we have our own team, called ‘Nashua Rides For Hope.’ We do a lot of training rides over the summer to prepare for it, and then, on the day, we all put on matching shirts and go for it.”

Rina Drake, of Nashua, is also riding for “Nashua Rides for Hope,” and is winding down a continuous 10-year stint in the race.

“Unfortunately, I’m doing this race for many people I know, who have contracted cancer over the years,” she said.

“We’re going to be taking a break for a few years after this one, because our oldest child is now starting college, and the fundraising aspect is really stressful.”

Drake’s husband, Mike, and her daughter, Hannah, will be riding along with her this year.

Mike has achieved the course five times, Drake said, while her daughter has done it for three years.

“When Mike doesn’t ride, he and my youngest daughter, Sarah, are right up there, acting as cheerleaders, egging us on,” she said.

Drake said, over the years, her family alone has managed to raise more than $25,000 for the charity – an accomplishment which she regards with pride.

“Sadly, many members of our family have had cancer,” she said.

“The four of us have been very lucky in that regard, and this is our way of giving back.”

Drake said, on the first year she rode, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer herself. Although she needed an operation, her eventual prognosis was positive.

“One of our very close friends, Andy Eliopoulos, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s,” she said.

“He had a very rough year, but he survived. He’s now the captain of our team. When I started on that first year, there were only about 10 or 12 of us. Now, there are about 30 riders.”

Other bikers who signed up for the Challenge are Mark Burke, Thomas Dufresne, Andy Eliopoulos, Katherine Jansen, Charles Musson, Steve Piper, Steve Roche and Richard Wholey, all of Hollis.

For more information, call 1-781-449-5300, email to panmass@pmc.org or visit www.pmc.org.

The emergency and PMC weekend number to call is 1-800-WE-
CYCLE.