Aptos native Nikki Hiltz, 30, blazed in the women’s 3,000-meter run at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University on Friday.

Not enough to break the facility record Karissa Schweitzer set in 2020, but fast enough to finish first out of more than 180 runners who competed across nine heats.

Hilitz, who came out as transgender and nonbinary in 2021, finished the race in a personal-record 8 minutes, 32.52 seconds. Their time was also the seventh fastest on the U.S. All-Time Indoor list for the distance.

Hiltz, an Olympic Games Paris 2024 finalist in the 1,500 who competes for Lululemon, said they just wanted to race, and that they wanted to have the option to run the 1,500 or 3,000 at the U.S. Indoor U.S. Championships and needed a mark. Plus, their partner, Emma Gee, was already competing in the event.

“I was like, ‘This looks great,’ ” said Hiltz, in a post-race interview with FloTrack. “Race against some college kids, and there was a good amount of pros in there, too. So, just happy to get a race in. … Super stoked.”

There was more that played into Hiltz’s decision, too. The 3,000 isn’t their specialty event.

“I think, to be competitive on the global stage in the 1,500, you gotta be able to run a good 800 and a good 5,000,” Hiltz said. “You see Faith Kipyegon, the best in the world in the 5,000 and the 1,500. I’ve been working on my strength, I live in altitude, so I’m really happy with my time.”

Hiltz moved from fourth to first on the bell lap. Puma’s Linden Hall took second in 8:35.17, and Stanford University sophomore Amy Bunnage was third in 8:43.82.

Hiltz entered the event seeded 10th in 8:38.00. The former Aptos High and University of Arkansas star had never competed at the venue before. They posted their excitement on Instagram ahead of the race, “I’ve never raced on this track before — I hear it’s kinda fast.”

Schweitzer’s facility record is 8:25.70.

Abbe Goldstein served as the rabbit for the first lap of the race.

Hiltz plans to also compete at the 117th Millrose Games, held at the Nike Track and Field Center at The Armory in NYC, on Feb. 8, and 2025 USATF U.S. Indoor Championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y,. on Feb. 22-23.