My Fundraising Page

Racing to Save Lives

Hello! Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

As many of you know, I'm training to participate in the Nautica New York City Triathlon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. On July 26, I'll swim about one mile in the Hudson River, bike 25 miles around Manhattan, and run 6 miles through Central Park. Having turned 30 this year, I've decided to tackle this challenge as commitment to my health and fitness.

But more important than my own personal goal is a greater cause: To participate in the race, I'm planning on raising $2,600 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go towards finding a cure for blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma, as well as supporting families affected by these devastating diseases. Over the past 20 years, Team in Training programs have raised more than $800 million for this important cause.

I hope you'll consider consider making a tax-deductible donation to help support the fight against cancer and my own personal journey. If you prefer to mail me a check, please e-mail sbliao@gmail.com and I'll send you my home address. (Checks are made payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.)

Thanks so very much for your support!

Love,

Sharon

Where to watch me

Triathlon day is a week away, and I'm full of mixed emotions...nervousness, excitement, and even a little sadness (about this whole awesome experience ending). I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and donations--I definitely could not have done this without you!!

If you're in the NYC area and want to cheer me and my pals on, I will be wearing a purple Team in Training top with navy blue shorts. My bike helmet is a purpley-blue color. Let me know where you'll be standing and I'll be sure to look for you!

Here is a description of the course map: http://www.nyctri.com/Assets/Nautica+NYC+Triathlon+Course+Map.pdf?method=1

1. I will be starting the swim at 6:26 or 6:29 a.m. at Riverside Park and 100th Street on the Hudson River.

2. About 6:45 to 6:55: Swim exit is at 81st St and Hudson River.

3. 6:50 to 7: Bike start from Henry Hudson Parkway

4. 8:45 to 9:15: Run course from Henry Hudson Central Park West

5. 9:45 to 10:15: Race finish Dead Road in Central Park near bandhshell off the 72nd street transverse.

July 2: 24 days and counting

Just call me Sharon-tron. This week, I did a long brick on Saturday (1 mile run, 20-25 mile bike, 4 mile run), biked on Sunday, swam 1 mile on Monday, ran 5 miles on Wednesday...and got up at 4:45 a.m. today to appear on a morning news show for work. Phew! So, suffice to say, I am ready to head to Hawaii next week for some well-deserved R&R. But knocking back umbrella drinks isn't the only thing on my itinerary: I've got surfing, hiking, and snorkeling trips planned, which I'm counting as cross-training. After all, race day is three weeks away. (Eeeeeeeeee.) Also, on an unrelated but incredible note: My group, the summer 09 NYC Tri Team in Training crew, has already raised more than $800,000 for cancer research and support programs! That amount isn't coming from a corporate grants--it's from the hundreds and thousands of $10, $50, and $100 donations from people like YOU, our friends and family. How amazing and awe-inspiring is that?!

June 22: Out in the open water

For me, the swim training of this triathlon has been a cakewalk. Chalk it up to those 13 years of swim team as a Springdale Aqua Bear, Capital YMCA Sea Cow, to Leesville High Pride. (My mascots were never very intimidating, were they?) But, as I learned at practice at Coney Island this Saturday, swimming in the open water with a suction-cup-like wet suit on in a pack of people is a whole different ball game. My fight-or-flight instinct kicked in as I navigated around flying arms and legs, seaweed, and cold ocean waves. After the swim, we immediately hit the boardwalk for a 4-mile run past the Cyclone, Wonder Wheel, and a string of kooky people and their pets. Then my friends (and teammates!) Amanda, Mara, Jenna, and I headed to the famous Nathan's stand, where we chowed on hot dogs and fries at 10 a.m. What a way to spend a Saturday morning...

June 7: Making progress!

This morning, I reached a huge milestone: I ran 1 mile, biked 25 miles, and then ran another 4 miles, which is nearly the equivalent of the last two legs of the race. And I didn't feel like I was going to throw up! As exhausting as it was, I couldn't quit, especially after hearing one of our teammates talk about how much this race meant to her. Cutting-edge drugs are helping her mother beat cancer, and it's our fundraising dollars that are, in part, supporting the research needed to develop new treatments. I hope that my small contribution goes towards finding a cure, so that people like my Aunt Claudia, who is bravely fighting breast cancer, never have to spend another day in the hospital.

June 3: T minus eight weeks

Confession: I have a dubious past when it comes to endurance events. Take, for instance, that time I signed up for the New York City 100-mile Century Ride without (a) any training (b) bike shorts and (c) a bike tune-up in more than two years. To make a long story short, the tire on my squeaky bike popped 90 miles and eight hours into the ride...at sundown on a random, sketchy Bronx street corner. So, I'm feeling pretty good with where I'm at now in my training with two months left to go. (My freak-outs are farther and fewer between.) On most weeks, I've been swimming an hour; running three times; and biking once or twice. This Saturday I'll be doing a two-hour bike-and-run "brick" session, and in two weeks, I'll swim the Atlantic off of, um, Coney Island. Wish me luck!

May 22: My motivation

One of the reasons I love living in New York is that there's always something going on! Turn a corner, and there's a concert to go to or group of friends gathering. But lately, my schedule has been pretty haywire, with work deadlines, family stuff, and fundraising party planning. So I've been getting up early most mornings before work to train for this crazy triathlon...and I have to admit, it's making me pretty tired. But you know has really kept me going, besides that tall coffee from the deli? You guys. Your notes and messages about friends and family members who have battled cancer - or just how you just want to support me - has been the emotional fuel that's really gotten my butt out of bed at 6:45 a.m. to run or bike! This morning, I rode about 15 miles from my apartment into Manhattan and then back over the Brooklyn Bridge just as the city was starting to stir. It was beautiful and serene, and I couldn't have done it without you.

May 17: The other half of this journey

Believe it or not, the first concern that I had about tackling this challenge with Team in Training wasn't about swimming in the Hudson River or biking 30 miles into the Bronx and back==it was about fundraising. After all, I may have the only Girl Scout in history of those green vests who had a tough time unloading her Thin Mints. (Those things sell themselves, people!) But I've been bowled over by the amount of support I've received these past few months. On Friday, a group of fellow triathletes and myself threw a huge fundraiser that took a ton of work==and was a huge success! Yay! Although there have been times on this journey I've been seized with a "holy crap!" kind of panic, it's worth it. I'm learning that working towards a worthy goal==whether it's whipping my body in shape or raising money for a cancer cure==doesn't mean a one-time pay-out. Instead, it's a series of small successes leading up to a final reward. P.S. Thanks everyone for your thoughts about my mom. She's finally home and doing pretty well==she's on her feet with the help of a walker now!

May 10: Thanks are in order

I can't believe I'm almost halfway through training! I definitely feel stronger and healthier. In fact, yesterday I ran 8 miles on my own - this coming from someone who could barely run 15 minutes without stopping and panting just a few months ago. Wow. But enough about me; let's talk about you! I want to thank everyone who has donated their money, love, and encouragement these past few months. Your generosity amazes me. Thanks especially to all of my aunties and uncles from Taiwan - the Lees, Chous, and Hsias. I am so grateful that I was able to meet you at my dad's high school reunion. Your friendships, which span across more than 50 years and several continents, are truly an inspiration!

April 19: With my mom in mind...

This week was really rough for me: I learned that my mom suffered a massive stroke. Thankfully, she is in stable condition; although she lost mobility in her right side, she is very awake and aware. In fact, she was recently transferred to a rehabilitation center and is re-learning how to stand and walk. So it's with my mom in mind that I tackled my first "brick" this weekend - a run followed by a bike ride followed by another run. Even though my legs felt like they were made of lead by the end of the two-hour experience, I did what I know my mom is doing, too: simply putting one foot in front of the other.

March 23: Why we're all here

Today my training partners Sarah, Jenna, Mara and myself all trekked up to Manhattan's Upper West Side to get a feel of the triathlon course. In the light spring drizzle, we all laughed nervously when our coach pointed out where we'd be swimming in the Hudson River==a murky expanse of choppy water, littered with trash. That's when I started wondering to myself: "What am I getting myself into? I'm so busy - do I really have time for all of this training and fundraising?" But those thoughts quickly disappeared during the post-workout brunch. Our "honor teammates" (cancer survivors who also participate) took the podium. A few were young, female, and around my age. Like me, they had spent the last few years busily carving out their lives. But what set them apart was that they also had to battle for their lives and suffer through hours of chemo. I can only hope to pay tribute to them; if I can mirror just one ounce of their determination and bravery, I know I'll be a better person for it.

March 7: Here we go!

My version of a perfect Saturday morning is sleeping till noon and then lingering over brunch. So this morning when I dragged myself out of bed at 6:45 a.m. for my first "group training run," I was...less than pleased. (There *may* have been some cursing involved.) But after biking down to Propsect Park in Brooklyn, I found myself surrounded by 25 other beginner triathletes of all ages and backgrounds. Everyone chatted about their own personal reasons for signing up for the race - whether it was just for thrills or in memory of cancer victim - before we were off and running. As we settled into our jog, I couldn't help grin as the coaches cheered us on. As much as I'll miss my mimosa and eggs, this was a pretty awesome (and much healthier) way to kick off the weekend.