There’s no stage in triathlon quite like Kona. The Ironman World Championship on the Big Island is where the best of the best show up. This isn’t just another race, it’s the race. And this year is the last time the men’s and women’s events will be held separately.
Spanish Pro Triathlete, Marta Sanchez, is beyond proud to be lining up with the women in what feels like a truly historic moment. It may be her first time on the Big Island, but it's her second Ironman World Championship, where she placed 6th in her debut.
The energy, the pressure, the lava fields - every moment of Kona demands your best. Marta breaks down her preparation, the key changes in her training, and her strategy for taking on one of the most demanding races on the planet.
Qualification to Kona Ironman World Championship
This season has been a full-on. Balancing both the Ironman Pro Series and the T100 Triathlon World Tour has pushed me in all the best ways.
I qualified for Kona back in March, by finishing 2nd at Ironman South Africa. That race was a turning point. I went in with big goals, dug deep, and came away with a podium finish and my slot for the World Championship.
Since then, I’ve been juggling two elite calendars, managing travel, training, recovery and still chasing performance every time I toe the line. Right now, I’m sitting 6th in the Ironman Pro Series, even with one less race than most of the field, and 17th in the T100 standings, with more racing still to come.
It’s been a risky schedule – to score points, you need a minimum of five races per series, and three full-distance Ironmans. The season runs from 30 March to 13 December – just maintaining that level over so many months is an achievement in itself.
But my short-term plan is clear: Kona is my next priority, Marbella 70.3 Worlds after that.
A Different Year Leading Up to World Champs
2025 has felt different for a lot of reasons. On a personal level, there’s been a noticeable shift this year. More eyes on me. More attention. I’ve had a lot more media commitments - interviews, pre-race briefings, photoshoots. It’s a privilege, of course, but it’s also something I’ve had to learn to manage.
Staying focused when your schedule gets pulled in all directions takes energy and discipline. It’s all part of being a professional athlete, but I’ve realised how important it is to carve out quiet moments for myself too. Time to switch off, reset, and stay grounded in the why behind it all.
From a logistical side, we planned this trip to Kona down to the detail. Long-haul travel can drain you, so I flew to San Francisco first to break up the journey and get a proper night’s sleep before the final leg to Hawaii. We landed on the Big Island 10 days out from race day - that was a team decision, based on experience and advice.
The heat, the humidity, the time zone shift—it’s no joke here. I’ve been using this time to adapt gradually, get into a rhythm, and settle into the feel of the island before things ramp up.
Strategy and Expectations
Swim (3.8 km)
This will be a non-wetsuit swim, unlike in Nice last year, where I had the option to wear one.
That changes the dynamic completely. I know I can hold my own in the water, but in Kona, it’s not just about individual strength, it’s about finding the right feet to follow.
If one of the top-level swimmers sets a strong pace, I'm confident I can lock into that strong group. I’ve been working hard on open water skills all season for exactly this moment.
Bike (180 km)
Kona’s bike course is deceptively simple on paper. It’s less technical than Nice, but don’t let that fool you. The 'Queen K' is famous for a reason - the relentless rolling terrain and crosswinds can break even the strongest athletes if you get your pacing wrong. My goal is to stay calm, stay patient. It’s about riding smart, not chasing surges too early. Nutrition, hydration, and keeping aero under pressure are going to be everything. It’s a long, hot 180km and there’s no hiding out there.
Run (42.2 km)
By the time you hit the run, the race starts to strip everything back. It becomes a test of what’s left in the tank - physically, emotionally, mentally. The key for me is energy management.
I want to race smart – give it my all, but without going all-in to the point of blowing up. The aim is to lose as little time as possible to my direct Pro Series rivals. I want to finish proud, with purpose, and leave enough in me to finish the season the way I started it: focused.
I don’t race with a calculator, but I do race with caution. The priority is to stay in real contention for the Pro Series podium.
Heat Training Ready For Kona
To prepare myself for Kona, we recreated the conditions I’ll face on the Big Island as closely as possible. My training in Sierra Nevada included not just altitude, but measured “heat training” sessions too - just enough to adapt without overdoing it. The risk of burnout is real, and in Kona, people lose their heads trying things they’ve never tested before.
I’d set up my turbo trainer in the bathroom, crank the heating, run the hot taps, close the door, and ride. All to increase the room temperature. No fancy tech, just controlled discomfort.
We started with 35 minutes and worked up to 50, always at very low intensity, around 120 watts, and always at the end of the day when fatigue was already in the mix.
Every session was followed by hydration checks - weighing before and after to track sweat loss and adjust fluid strategy. On the lighter days, it was the sauna. We debated using CORE temperature sensors but decided to keep it simple this time. The goal wasn’t data overload, it was adaptation.
Heading into Race Day
Arriving in Kona 10 days before race day was a deliberate move. I wanted enough time to adapt, not just physically to the heat and humidity, but mentally too.
Kona has a unique intensity. The pressure, the chatter, the buzz… it’s everywhere. So, I’ve made a conscious effort to step outside the race bubble when I need to. A walk along the beach, quiet time with my family, even just a coffee in town without my athlete badge on display, it helps me stay grounded, calm, and connected to the bigger picture.
My coach, Javi Sola, is here with me, which makes a huge difference. He’s been dialling in the taper and guiding the last bits of prep - lactate testing, training tweaks, and making sure I’m recovering well. We use performance tests this week more as check-ins than pass/fail indicators. I’ve learned over the years that I don’t always need to crush a training session to know I’m ready. I tend to race better than I test anyway, and that’s something I trust now.
Having my parents here means the world. They’ve seen the ups and downs of this journey from the start, and their calm presence is a quiet anchor for me. Arnau, my partner, is also here, and he’s been out scouting the course to map out where he’ll be cheering. He’s picked two key spots: the early climb on the bike and the Energy Lab on the run. Knowing I’ll see familiar faces at those moments… it’s a boost I’ll definitely need. This final week is all about tuning in and getting ready to give it everything on race day.
