Triathletes describe the start of a big race in several ways, but they all paint the same picture: freakish, aquatic chaos.
"Turbulent."
"It's like being thrown into a blender."
"The start is like swimming in a washing machine."
Put simply, the start, marked by a mass of bodies splashing into the water and frantically stroking toward the first buoy, can be nightmarish. Even strong athletes can grow anxious as the starting horn is about to sound. After all, taking a spill on the bike or twisting an ankle on the run is not insurmountable. Lose it in the water and you wind up with a lung full of lake — or seawater.
But when you're a gifted swimmer like PowerBar
® Team Elite™ member Hillary Biscay, all of the splashing and kicking becomes irrelevant. Biscay might as well be pool-bound with her own lane as she was as a collegiate athlete at USC. Unlike other nerve-wracked triathletes of lesser skill, Biscay is awash with calm at the outset of a race because she knows that all of these flailing hopefuls will soon be in her rearview anyway.
But her experience as a swimmer hasn't just made her a fast starter. It has inspired her with the confidence to go longer and faster than her competition — for as long as she can. With 15 Ironman
®-distance podium finishes to her credit, and a championship in her pocket (2008 Ironman Wisconsin), Biscay is now looking ahead to this fall's Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii.
Hillary Biscay
Birthdate: June 13, 1978
Birthplace: Torrance, California
Hometown: Palos Verdes Estates, California
Residence: Tucson, Arizona
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 145 lbs
Competition:
2008 Ironman Wisconsin champion; 15 Ironman-distance podium finishes
Q: Where did you grow up? What was the athletic atmosphere like in your household?
Hillary: Palos Verdes Estates, California. The atmosphere was not really athletic. I went to Chadwick School, a small private school in Palos Verdes. There were 60 kids in my graduating class. I did compete occasionally for my high school swim team, but sports weren't a big thing there. My parents were primarily concerned that I earned top marks in school in order to get into an Ivy League college.
Q: You were a national-level swimmer, even competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000. Has your strong swim background given you an advantage in triathlon?
Hillary: Yes. I swam the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 400 individual medley [at USC]. I built a huge aerobic base and, most importantly, developed discipline and a good work ethic.
Q: When did you make your first leap into the full Ironman distance? What made you decide to do that?
Hillary: I did my first Ironman in my first year of racing — 2001 — because I was impatient. I did Ironman Florida in 12:29. I did my first Half Ironman a couple months prior.
Q: In 2008, you ran about a half dozen Ironman-distance races. How and why?
Hillary: Actually I did 9. Because I can.
Q: What is the best advice you might give to someone looking to venture into 70.3 or full Ironman distances?
Hillary: There is no secret to this sport. Consistent hard work, day in and day out, for months and years equals improvement.
Q: What other athletic pursuits do you have outside of swimming, biking, and running?
Hillary: Outside of triathlon, I love running ultramarathons.
PB NOTE:
Ultramarathon: Any running race longer than marathon distance (26.2 miles). The most common distances for ultramarathons are 50 and 100 kilometers.
Q: What do you love most about triathlon?
Hillary: Continually testing my boundaries.
Q: There are so many things that you have to train for as a triathlete. How do you make the time?
Hillary: Training is my priority. The training schedule gets done regardless of whatever else is happening in my life. It's a choice and it's about discipline.
Q: Do you have another job, or do your sponsors help you enough to pay your bills and train full time?
Hillary: I do coach a few age-group triathletes, so I suppose we could call that a part-time job. I love helping them develop the skills and habits that they need to reach their goals, and watching their improvement.
Q: What can you tell me about your nutrition?
Hillary: I am always eating — small meals all day. I try to consume as little of dairy and animal products as possible, but I don’t count calories.
Q: Where do PowerBar® products fit into your training?
Hillary: I love
PowerBar® Energy Blasts gel filled chews — all flavors — during training. However, I don't do well with chewing when I race, so in the race I swear by
PowerBar® Energy Gel double latte flavor. Before my morning workouts, I enjoy a
PowerBar ProteinPlus® protein bar, vanilla or chocolate toffee flavor, with my coffee, or the same for an afternoon snack.
Q: How important is hydration?
Hillary: Very important. I am never without a water bottle. I can't tell you how much I drink because I don't measure it on a daily basis or over the course of the race. I just try to drink constantly.
Q: What other types of therapy or exercise do you do to aid in recovery and longevity?
Hillary: Yoga, massage, and chiropractic treatment.
Q: How long do you plan to continue competing?
Hillary: As long as I continue to be able to pay the bills and have fun. But I think that my best times are still ahead of me.
Q: What athletic accomplishments are you proudest of?
Hillary: Winning the 2008 Ironman Wisconsin after five second-place Ironman finishes in the two years prior.
Q: Is your fiancé an athlete?
Hillary: Yes. Maik [Twelsiek] is a two-time Ironman Champion. He was also 12th overall at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships last year.
Q: When did you get engaged? How long had you been dating?
Hillary: July 29, 2010. It was the last night of our training camp in Kona. We'd been dating for about a year and a half.
Q: How did he propose?
Hillary: With an empty ring box in the parking lot of Lava Java.
Q: Will competition end up affecting your wedding date?
Hillary: Definitely. We will do it in the off-season next year.
Q: What are your plans for the Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii this November? Will you be participating? What does this event mean to you as a competitor?
Hillary: Yes. I am really excited to be taking on a new challenge this year. I have long been intrigued by this race. While doing our summer training camp in Hawaii, I fell in love with the island and decided I couldn't wait any longer to attempt to circumnavigate it by sea, cycle, and foot.
Ultraman World Championships
Date: November 24–29, 2010
Location: Hawaii (the Big Island)
Summary: A three-day, 320-mile (515-kilometer) individual ultraendurance event that takes place on the Big Island of Hawaii. Entry is limited to 35 participants and is by invitation only.
If you're interested in learning about PowerBar
® Team Elite™ athletes or how you can join the ranks, click on the
Team Elite link at PowerBar.com.
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