30 September 09: Attempting to Swim in Europe, Part 2: Barcelona Olympic Pool

Posted on 30. Sep, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 4 Comments

Yesterday I went on a mission. Since I thought I was coming to Barcelona, I wasn’t going to leave Spain without seeing the place . . . But my list of things “to see” in Barcelona was clearly not going to be accomplished in whatever short time I would have in the city: where to start? I realize that museums, churches, shopping, tapas–this sort of thing–would probably be where most people would head first.

Not me. My aim was to go for a swim in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Pool. You see, after spending fifteen of your life’s formative years engrossed in the single-minded pursuit of competitive swimming goals, you learn that all pools are certainly not created equal. And some are very, very special . . . I’ve swum in the… Read More

28 September 09: Cycling in Spain

Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 8 Comments

All is well here in Calella as I have just escaped from the prison-like accomodation and now might even be able to get some sleep! Jetlag jetlag go away . . .

The higlight of my weekend was a beautiful bike ride in the mountains very nearby. I had no idea there was such good riding so close to Calella.

But the Challenge Team here–Frances, Carlos, and Israel–have been lovely, going out of their way to take care of me, and even assigning my very own tour guide/ cycling escort!Hot Argentinian-Spanish whipping boy? Check.

Anyways, thanks to Israel, my tour guide, within minutes, we were riding on small, winding mountain roads that reminded me of the ones in Switzerland: beautiful scenery and very little traffic . . . And the cars that will wait behind you… Read More

25 September 09: First days in Calella . . .

Posted on 26. Sep, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 5 Comments

Turns out that I’m not in Barcelona. In fact I’m in a little town called Calella, about 50 kilometers down the coast. I suppose I should have figured this out before coming here, but the race is called “Challenge Barcelona,” so I just assumed . . . One of these days I am hoping to find a way to make it into the city between training sessions, as this is my first visit to mainland Spain and seeing some of Barcelona was definitely part of the attraction to come here. Perhaps I didn’t bother much with details, however, because the race is called CHALLENGE Barcelona, and “Challenge” = good event. Guaranteed. That was all I really needed to know.

I must admit, however, that I am counting the minutes until… Read More

24 September 09: HOT PINK Compression Socks…

Posted on 24. Sep, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 6 Comments

Oh and P.S. I am in Barcelona.

But first the socks. Can you imagine my excitement when a package of new compression socks arrived from my friends at CEP Germany–just in time for my trip–and they were all HOT PINK?!?! Although I have recently come to dread these long, across-the-ocean journeys in what my friend Rachel Ross best describes as the “metal death box,” I must say I was actually excited to get dressed for my trip yesterday because it meant putting on my new hot pink compression socks! They worked a treat as well, as my legs were probably half the size they would’ve been otherwise when I arrived here in Spain, and they actually did not feel like tree stumps when I went running just… Read More

Ironman Wisconsin Race Report

Posted on 20. Sep, 2009 by hillarybiscay in Blog | 10 Comments

photo credit: Paul Phillips/ competitiveimage.us

Last weekend I had the pleasure of racing Ironman Wisconsin for the fourth consecutive year. Although my “home” is in Arizona, and I have in fact never lived in Wisconsin, Madison has become my “hometown race.” I even have an adopted home, family, and dog thanks to Kari Myrland, a local ironwoman and dear friend, who has been my homestay since 2006.

2009 was to be a particularly special year for me in Madison because it provided my first opportunity to defend an ironman title, as I won my first ironman here last year—and the Biscay family was coming to see it! I’ve had some of the breakthrough events in my career here in Madison—not to mention some of my most enjoyable racing experiences—and… Read More