Photo: Shanda Hill Ultra Athlete

UPDATE: 11:50 a.m.

Vernon ultra athlete Shanda Hill has faced a challenging 24 hours in the Decaultratri Mexico Double Deca Continuous race.

In an update today, her support team says Hill contemplated withdrawing from the race after a gravel truck passed by, hurling a large rock that struck her bike, causing both her tires to blow out.

"She feared it might have damaged her bike frame due to the impact force. Fortunately, Shanda managed to avoid a crash and escaped without injury," her team says.

In a stroke of luck, the race mechanic was cycling nearby and offered his single-gear bike so Hill could continue riding while he took hers to the repair shop.

"Manuel promptly fixed her bike, replaced both tires and got her back on the road," Hill's team says.

As well, Hill disclosed that she had slipped and struck her chin during the swim, resulting in significant neck pain and inflammation.

"Despite the discomfort, she didn't mention it at the time and persevered to complete the swim. However, as she navigates certain bumpy sections of the biking route, her neck jolts, intensifying the pain to nearly unbearable levels."

Her team says Hill is persevering to finish the race, not just for herself, but for her followers back home in the Okanagan.

ORIGINAL: 11 a.m.

Vernon ultra athlete Shanda Hill finished the swim Tuesday at the Decaultratri Mexico Double Deca Continuous and has moved on to the cycle portion of the endurance race.

Hill completed the 76-kilometre swim in less than 60 hours and is now pedalling her way on a 3,600-km journey to be followed by an 844-km run.

That's the equivalent of 20 back-to-back Ironman triathlons, run continuously with only breaks for sleep and food.

The race will put Hill in a class of one as the only person ever to complete three of the gruelling double deca races.

Hill suffered some inflammation Tuesday, took a break to regroup, and is back in the saddle.

Hill is racing in Mexico less than two weeks after completing the Swiss Ultra Triathlon.

She previously conquered the Mexican deca in 2019, making her the first Canadian – male or female – to do so.

With a successful completion of this race, Hill will be the only human to have done three of the ultra-endurance races.

Photo: Shanda Hill Ultra Athlete