Through her support team, Shanda Hill has dictated a poignant social media post about what the sport of ultra triathlon means to her.
Hill, from Vernon, stepped away from the sport late in 2025, mid-competition at an event in Taiwan, as her body told her it was time.
In 2025, she became the first woman in history to lead the overall International Ultra Triathlon Association’s (IUTA) points standings. While men and women are officially scored in separate categories and awarded separate titles, no woman has ever accumulated more points than every male athlete in the field until now, and Hill was the No. 1-ranked female in the world.
“It was a milestone that had never been reached before, and one that mattered deeply to her,” said her team.
She completed four Deca triathlons a year ago (a Deca is the equivalent of 10 consecutive Ironman triathlons), finishing in first place for women in all of them, and became the first woman to complete four Decas in one year. Hill is also the only woman to complete 40 Iron distance triathlons in a year, and she has done it twice.
Hill became the only human in IUTA history to complete three continuous Double Deca triathlons. She became the first woman ever to complete a Triple Deca continuous triathlon. She holds the world record for the fastest Deca triathlon by a woman, and across her journey she completed well more than 175 Iron distance triathlons.
What defined Hill, she said through her team, was not just how far she went, but how powerfully she showed up.
In a relatively short time in ultra triathlon, she arrived like a force of nature, reshaping the sport and redefining what was thought possible. She pushed boundaries few had even considered, and in doing so, changed not only the face of ultra triathlon, but the lives of the athletes and future athletes who raced beside her and followed her example.
Her career ended because a prior lung injury, combined with years of swimming 20-plus hours at a time in heavily chlorinated pools, caused further damage to her lungs.
“She reached a point where she could no longer breathe deeply enough to safely continue racing,” said the post. “Her heart was still fully in it. Her body asked her to stop.”
Like most retired athletes, Hill is discovering how much she misses racing, but especially how much she misses the people involved. Athletes, crews, volunteers, the communities. All are what made Hill’s experiences unforgettable.
“The connections will always mean as much to her as the races themselves,” said her crew.
Hill changed ultra triathlon forever. She changed what people believed women could do. She changed what endurance looks like. She proved that strength does not need permission to exist.
This is not the end of her story, said her team. It is the closing of a chapter written with courage, sacrifice, and love. “And while the start lines will miss her deeply, her legacy will never fade.”
From the bottom of her heart, Hill sends out a thank you to everyone who supported her along the way, including sponsors, volunteers, crews, fellow athletes, donors, and fans. Every message, every cheer, and every belief mattered more than you know.
The post on social media garnered 1,400 reactions, more than 230 comments, and was shared nearly 70 times.