A woman from B.C.'s Okanagan is getting ready to make history at a punishing triathlon comprised of a 19-kilometre swim, 900-kilometre bike ride and a 210-kilometre foot race.
Vernon resident Shanda Hill already has a few Ironman distance triathlons under her belt, but she’s currently preparing for something five times longer: the upcoming Quintuple Anvil in Virginia.
"It may take years off my life, I don't know," the 34-year-old told CTV News. "But I can tell you that the reward is fantastic."
She will be the first Canadian woman ever to compete in the race.
Hill has been running for six years, completing more than a dozen ultra-distance races, but only attempted her first triathlon two years ago. She said she’s become hooked on pushing the boundaries of endurance.
"When you go out there and set your mind to something and you go out there and do it… that's a very satisfying feeling," she said.
Hill’s already completed a Double Anvil in Oregon, which is twice the length of an Ironman triathlon. She admits there was a moment mid-race, in the middle of the night, when she was struck with a moment of doubt.
"It was super dark and that was the only time where I thought, why do I do this again?" she said.
But Hill pushed those thoughts aside quickly, and now she's gearing up for the Quintuple Anvil event taking place in less than two weeks, on Oct. 10.
The five-day race is 1,129 kilometres, nearly the driving distance from Vancouver to Edmonton, with just a few nap breaks along the way.
"I wait until I'm really tired and have my dad set me a timer and wake me up," Hill said.
Her family is supportive of Hill’s lofty ambitions, though her mom said she does worry for her safety.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Kent Molgat
