Dylan Hill: Tasmania's Rising Pro Tri Star

From a dizzy Aquathlon start to a pro license, Dylan Hill’s relentless drive sets him on a thrilling path in elite triathlon.

Dylan Hill: Tasmania's Rising Pro Tri Star

Each day as the sun rises, a man wakes and sits on the side of his bed, looking out at the world beyond him. As if he has a sixth sense, he searches the horizon for challenges he can sink his teeth into for the day ahead. That man is Dylan Hill, and he pulls no punches when he describes what he wants from life. The hard-working personal trainer from Tasmania has just become the latest entry into Triathlon Australia’s stockpile of professional athletes, and if his rapid rise to elite racing is anything to go by, there will be many engaging challenges ahead for him to dive right into.

What is your story Dylan.

I grew up playing basketball and little athletics from U/10’s. I ended up making a few state teams in both sports but then started to get more competitive with middle distance running towards U/16’s and U/18’s. I won a national gold medal in U/18’s in the 2000m steeplechase, came fourth at National Cross Country Championships, an Australian squad member for the World Cross Country championships. Then I had a shocking run of injuries, which pulled me up for a while (stress fractures in feet, bone spurs and Reiter’s Syndrome). I believe you always come out of injuries/setbacks like this a stronger person mentally. I started to get back into some sport once the body decided to play nice after a lot of rehab. Now I love this Triathlon business, great sport!

Describe to us how you became involved in triathlon?

A really good friend of mine – Casey Mainsbridge, dragged me along to an Aquathlon one day. I decided to give it a crack considering I had been doing a little bit of swimming and started to get back into a little bit of running. I stumbled out of the water dizzy, barely being able to stand. Actually, I remember the surf lifesavers coming up to me during the swim checking to see if I was ok. It took me a while to get my old surf wetsuit off, but once I got my runners on I was fine and absolutely loved the experience. I can’t actually remember my first Triathlon, but that Aquathlon was certainly the start of it all.

Living in Tasmania, it would involve a lot of travel as the majority of the events would be on the mainland. Did this take its toll on your scheduling?

We are very lucky down in Tasmania. People don’t realise the fantastic training grounds we have. In regards to the travel, yes, it can sometimes be a little more financially painful, but I guess that’s all part of it. I want to continue competing in national level events, so you just have to plan things out in advance. Perhaps a little more than people living on the mainland. We have three Triathlon clubs down in Tasmania, so there are quite a few local events throughout the summer that we can still have a crack in.

You’ve been working with Grant Giles at Team Aeromax for a little while now. How has that changed you as an athlete?

This was probably one the best decisions I made career wise. Grant has been fantastic. Gilesy gives me confidence in my ability, he backs me as an athlete, and the programs he prescribes just make sense. One of the best things about Grant is that he is just a normal bloke who you can speak with openly and honestly. I am constantly learning from him, and I am really looking forward to seeing what’s possible with his guidance.

What has been your racing highlight in recent years?

It’s hard to go past 70.3 World Championships in Mont Tremblant. That was an awesome experience!! Beautiful location, the bike leg was crazy, and the run leg with all the people lining the course was just unreal! It was definitely on another level. What made it even more special was that my partner Emma was there with me the whole way, plus I had a decent result. Great memories.

What do you do for work? How do you fit your training around this?

I work as a Personal Trainer out of a Physiotherapy centre (Physiofit) doing lots of rehab based work, a locally owned gym (My Gym), plus I also do a bit of work from home setting out programs for clients. I love my job, and it fits in really well with my current triathlon goals. I love living a healthy lifestyle, so it is great to be able to pass on knowledge and guidance to people from all walks of life.

You’ve just been approved for a professional licence from Triathlon Australia. Was this always the goal?

Initially no. It was just for fun, fitness and personal achievement. But as things progressed and I started to get some decent results, I guess it started to become a possibility. Applying for my professional license was a big decision because there are so many factors that come into play. I guess the most important thing is that I am absolutely loving where this sport is taking me, and as long as it continues to be enjoyable, then I can’t see why I won’t be able to continue to move forward. I love the challenge of seeing what I am able to do athletically. I’ll only live once, so I may as well give it a crack whilst I have the opportunity.

Describe the journey and the sacrifices you’ve had to make in order to get to that level?

I don’t necessarily think there have been any major sacrifices. I think if I was to start making huge lifestyle sacrifices than I wouldn’t be where I am now. As I said, I love it, it’s fun, and it enables me to experience different parts of Australia and the world. So it’s just naturally turned into a massive part of my life. In terms of a personal journey, I guess I am proud of myself for overcoming the amount of injuries I sustained throughout my sporting career. People that know me well realise what I have been through in that regard.

What do you think will be the biggest change from racing age group fields to professional fields?

This is a difficult question to answer. I am sure there will be many challenges ahead! But, off the top of my head, instead of only racing myself within an age group race, I will be constantly challenged and pushed by the other competitors in the field. The professional athletes are on another level athletically. They know how to race hard for four hours. They know their bodies ridiculously well, and it is generally speaking what they do for a living. I’m looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead, but certainly realise I have a lot of work to do if I want to be competitive on a professional level. I guess all these challenges are what make me want to give this a go. To see what’s possible.

What is your racing schedule looking like for the next six months?

I am looking to knuckle down training wise and head over to Busselton 70.3 for my first professional race. I loved that race last year so I’m really looking forward to heading back. It’s a great spot. I will then head up to Lennox Heads to train with Grant Giles and the Aeromaxteam crew for the lead up to Cairns 70.3. Following that, I’ll look to race Sunshine Coast 70.3, possibly Challenge Forster, Noosa, and Western Sydney 70.3.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given by a coach/friend/family member?

Probably the piece of advice that has stuck with me to this day comes from my father. “You can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it.”

Are you superstitious? Any quirky traits?

No I don’t think so. Nothing comes to mind. You would probably have to ask some of my training mates, I’m sure I do some funny things without even realising. No superstitions though.

Is there anybody you’d like to thank who has helped you get to this level?

Mum and Dad definitely. That may be a given, but if people outside of my family truly realised what my mother and father do for me they would be shocked. So I can’t thank them enough! My Grandma and Pop also. My partner Emma, she lives and breathes this with me. So her support means everything. I couldn’t do it without her! Casey Mainsbridge, for being a great mate, a mentor, a training partner. This bloke does more for other people than anyone I know. All of my training partners who continually keep me honest every single day. They should all know who they are!! They are a huge part of it! My amazing team of supporters; every little bit of support I receive goes a long way to which I am very thankful!