Shanda Hill has done it.
The Vernon ultra athlete crossed the finish line Thursday night after 26 days of the Double Deca in Mexico, the world’s longest triathlon.
Hill is the first Canadian to finish the event that features a 76 km swim, a 3,600 km bike ride and an 844 km run.
Hill told Vernon Matters, she is feeling “really good” the day after her finish.
“I woke up and had ice packs twice last night and that always alleviates any aching in my joints or swelling, but I actually feel really great,” said Hill on the phone from her hotel in Leon, Mexico.
Hill finished fifth overall, second among the women, and became just the third female to finish the race.
Her official time was 646 hours, 12 minutes and 20 seconds.
Hill says her goal has always been to raise awareness of ultra triathlon, a sport she loves.
“Any positive recognition it can bring to the sport, no matter what the actual accolade is, it’s really beautiful for me to see, and I’m just so happy so many people are becoming aware of the sport.”
Hill says her feet took a bit of a pounding, but other than that she feels good.
“It just makes me question what are our limitations? And I really do believe, in general, we are meant to be moving as a species. We are meant to keep active.”
The 37-year-old Hill says getting food poisoning left her not wanting to get out of bed a few days, but she never considered quitting.
“It would have taken a broken leg for me to stop,” she laughed.
Hill says she only used one pair of running shoes for 800 km of the run, only changing at the end to reduce the pressure on her toes.
Hill’s family was elated at her performance.
“She was just so glad it was done, so happy it was finished and she wanted to get up off her feet,” said Shanda’s mother Arleigh Hill. “I slept well last night knowing that she wasn’t out there in the night.”
Arleigh says Shanda’s food poisoning flared up again on Thursday.
“She was not feeling good yesterday morning, so I told them to get a hold of some charcoal. Charcoal is an old time remedy, and it works. They were able to get a hold of charcoal and get it in her. It seemed to help because she was able to get up and go again,” Mrs. Hill told Vernon Matters.
Participants have 28 days to finish the race. The final day would have been Saturday.
“Shanda and I spoke on the phone last night while she was at the hotel in a relaxing ice bath. She said after such an intense 26 days it feels like a dream now that it’s over,” a posting on Shanda’s Facebook page said.
“She was not feeling good yesterday morning, so I told them to get a hold of some charcoal. Charcoal is an old time remedy, and it works. They were able to get a hold of charcoal and get it in her. It seemed to help because she was able to get up and go again.” Arleigh Hill.
The 37-year-old Hill, who is a landscaper and works for the dried fruit and nut company Rancho Vignola, will be returning to Vernon on Monday.
