Vernon ultra athlete Shanda Hill remains hopeful of kicking France in the BUT.
Hill is competing in the Bretzel Ultra Tri (BUT) in Colmar, France, six hours east of Paris. She is in a field of 11 women and 34 men taking part in the Ultra Tri World Championship Quintuple Continuous race, which began Sunday, June 23. The race consists of a 19 kilometre swim (about the distance of Kal Lake), a 900 km demanding bike ride, and finishing with a 211 km run.
"This quintuple distance is a challenge Shanda hasn't faced in eight years, making her eager to tackle the shorter yet intense course," said her Facebook support page (Shanda Hill Ultra Athlete). "The competition is fierce. Despite her excitement, Shanda shared this morning (Sunday) that she is terrified, finding this race more challenging than anything she's done recently due to her adaptability to longer distances."
Hill conquered the fear early but, like other competitors, is now having problems with the French heat.
Her support team wrote Tuesday morning, June 25, that Hill was into hour 35 of the race in a "scorching 29 degrees in Colmar, and the relentless heat is taking its toll on the athletes. Many of whom, including Shanda, are battling heatstroke."
"Imagine riding your bicycle for 16 hours under the blazing sun with minimal rest. These elite athletes deserve immense admiration for their warrior spirit and incredible endurance."
As of 9 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday, Hill has swam 19 km and biked 460 km. She is more than halfway with only 440 km to bike before she starts her 211 km run.
"Despite stopping for a few hours last night to rest, she found little respite, tossing and turning in the oppressive heat," said her team. "Yet, with sheer determination, she pushes forward, taking brief dips in the river to cool her sun-scorched skin."
Hill had an incredible start, finishing the 19 km swim in just under eight hours. In a region of the world known for its famous gourmet dishes, she primarily ate potatoes every half hour for the first few hours, then switched to candy and pop for a sugar boost before returning to the spuds.
As of this writing, Hill was sitting in 25th spot overall, and sixth among the 11 women.
Hill's competitive efforts are made possible by local sponsors Rancho Vignola and Mattress King Liquidation Outlet - Vernon.
