29 March 09: Mini's first Australian adventure

Posted on 29. Mar, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 3 Comments

I’ve been away from my blog because I had a very special visitor here with me for the past week: my little sis, Cameron (promptly re-named “Mini” –as in Mini-Biscuit–by my friends here). She’s a third-year law student at Harvard, which means that she just used her very last spring break ever to come all the way to Australia. Cam had to do enough waiting around while I was training, so I tried not to take up any more of our time together with internet….Instead, between training sessions (Luckily for me, Cameron enjoys doing double workouts just for fun.) we played tourists; and after they’d heard so much about each other, Cameron got to meet the crew here and vice versa.

I’ve now made many trips to Australia, but they… Read More

18 March 09: Inspiration

Posted on 18. Mar, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 8 Comments

photo credit: Andy O’Halek

I had to post this picture that one of my friends just sent to me from Madison. This is the site of my special race, Ironman Wisconsin: Lake Monona with the Monona Terrace (ironman transition area), and the capitol building, which is the backdrop for the ironman finish line. I love this town!

THIS is my inspiration. Ironman Wisconsin isn’t until September, but I am already dreaming of returning to what feels like my “home race” in Madison on one of my very favorite courses. The thought of it gets me through my toughest workouts and long lonely days. On Saturday, my training plan didn’t call for the usual group ride; instead it involved a long combo session all by myself. I left home at 7PM… Read More

12 March 09: Cyclone Hamish

Posted on 12. Mar, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 5 Comments

My alarm goes off at 4:30AM on Tuesday mornings–and on Monday mornings, and Saturday mornings….The 4:30 AM alarm is a “hardship” in the life of a professional triathlete because we have the luxury of being able to train all day. Hence the pre-5AM alarm is usually something we aim to avoid. However, the timing of the group training sessions available to me here in Noosa has me up “early” on these days in order to get a higher quality session: Monday morning it’s the 5:30 AM swim squad, and Saturday and Tuesday mornings it’s the 6AM smashfest roadie group rides. On these days, however, I must be on the bike at 5:15 AM–to warm up for the group ride. That’s right–like a race. I have discovered that if I… Read More

9 March 09: Marc Punches His Ticket!

Posted on 09. Mar, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 4 Comments

Most of you probably know by now that one of my favorite hobbies is working with age group athletes to help them achieve their goals in triathlon. My main job–training and racing–doesn’t allow much time for many hobbies, but helping a few very hardcore athletes is something I make time for because I love it.

My athletes have had a big couple of weeks; two of them had huge half-marathon PRs, and this past week one of those followed her half marathon race with a very running-intensive 40th birthday celebration from coachie just three days later! She asked for it, of course….When I describe my athletes as “hardcore,” I mean it: those with whom I choose to work are all athletes of the sort that make requests for challenges like this…

This… Read More

3 March 09: Dear Mr. Woodling . . .

Posted on 03. Mar, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 8 Comments

I know I have not been a very good blogger since I have been in Australia. I have a whole list of excuses for you, but I will just say that I have serious technical difficulties in my current accommodation. However, I have just received an email from a very special person in my life that motivated me to at least write something up, which I hope to be able to paste into my blog when I next discover an internet connection.

This email came from a man I call Mr. Woodling, who was the first really hardcore, no-nonsense swim coach I ever had. He was the coach of the senior group at Golden West Swim Club in Huntington Beach, California… Read More