Traveling from Florida to Spain for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Marbella was one of the most unforgettable, chaotic, and meaningful experiences of my triathlon career. I qualified at Haines City 70.3 Florida and knew this race would challenge me — but what no one warns you about is how wild international triathlon travel can be, especially when it’s your first time racing abroad and you’re traveling with eleven family members.

This blog is your complete Marbella 70.3 race recap, course review, and international triathlon travel guide — covering the Mediterranean swim, the notorious 5,800-ft elevation bike course, the electric run along the promenade, and everything that went sideways before race day. If you’re planning to race a 70.3 overseas, or you’re wondering what to expect at the World Championship in Marbella, this will help you prepare, feel confident, and avoid the mistakes I learned the hard way.

Let’s dive in — starting with travel chaos, time-zone lessons, and what almost ruined my race before it even started.

Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Marbella

Travel Chaos, Course Review & My Full Race Experience Abroad

Preparing for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella

International Travel, Time Zones & Everything That Started to Go Wrong

Qualifying for the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella was one of the proudest moments of my triathlon life. I earned my slot at Haines City 70.3 Florida, and even though this recap isn’t about the months of training leading up to Worlds, I have to say: working with Coach Kurt Madden in the final stretch changed everything. He didn’t just sharpen my race execution plan — he prepared me mentally for the part of racing that most athletes forget about.

Travel.

International travel.

First-time-in-Europe travel.

With eleven family members.

His guidance: Consider, “If this, then that.” Meaning: assume something will go wrong, and plan accordingly. We talked through a few different scenarios – and we both had to deal with our fair share of things going sideways. Lost luggage, missing bikes, improper fueling, missed workouts, to name a few.

Time Zone Strategy

One tip Coach K offered: For every hour of time difference, arrive one day early.

Marbella was six hours ahead.

Did I arrive six days early?

Absolutely not. I had booked my flight and hotel well before we had this converstaion.

But I did start shifting my sleep: bed by 7 p.m., up by 3:30–4 a.m. for two days before travel.

The universe laughed at my effort.

The Travel Saga: Delays, Detours & Missing Luggage

We had a straightforward itinerary: a 5:30 p.m. flight, quick layover in Lisbon, then on to Málaga.

Weather and fueling said “LOL… no.”

Our plane diverted due to rain and fuel issues — all the way to Marbella (yes, the city we were trying to reach after Lisbon).

With a missed connection looming and a bike somewhere in the cargo hold, we made the best decision we could make in this situation:

We got off the plane without any luggage.

Including my bike.

And prayed they’d show up.

Spoiler: They did not.

The Great Airport Chase

By Thursday afternoon — with bike check-in the next day — I still had nothing.

So we drove to the airport at 2:30 p.m. We stayed until 9:30 p.m.

I won’t go into all of the airport stress and how we ultimately recovered our bikes; but just know that there were many athletes pacing the airport, looking at our AirTags knowing our bikes were just beyond the gates. Shoot me an email if you want to know the secret that secured our bikes!

Recovered: 15 pieces of luggage + my bike.

Missing forever: my nephew’s suitcase, which was flown back to Newark instead of Malaga.

We didn’t get back to the hotel until 11:30 p.m.

Meaning:

Carb loading = croissants + donuts + random airport juice
Nutrition plan = gone
Stay-off-your-feet plan = gone
Get-two-good-nights-of-sleep plan = also gone

The next morning, I built my bike, which was super easy (thank you, Scicon Aerocomfort triathlon bike bag), got a tune-up from the phenomenal Quintana Roo crew, checked in, and prayed my one open-water swim earlier that week with my coach would carry my sanity.

Lessons From Pre-Race Chaos

Have backups for everything:
Clothes, chargers, goggles, contacts, nutrition — anything you’d panic without.
Carry ALL race-day gear in your carry-on.
Expect delays. Expect missing bags. Expect chaos. And stay emotionally flexible.
Adaptability is a performance skill.

The best racers aren’t the ones with perfect prep — they’re the ones who adjust fastest.

This chaos set the stage for one of my most meaningful race days ever.

The Swim — Mediterranean Bliss & a Personal Breakthrough

Swim Course Review | Water Temp | Conditions

When I first started triathlon in 2019, open water terrified me. I was convinced I’d always be a “just survive it” swimmer.

Fast forward to Marbella…

I loved this swim.

Race Morning Conditions

Water temp: 64–64.5°F
Air temp: low 50s → mid-60s
Wetsuit: Legal
Swells: Rolling but fun
Sunrise glare: Manageable
Salty factor: super salty water

My age group (40–44) started first. I seeded myself back of the front pack. Calm. Ready.

The Mediterranean felt rhythmic and forgiving. Despite it being crowded — left, right, feet, arms everywhere — I wasn’t dunked, punched, or swum over once. A world championship miracle.

I held cadence, sighted well, stayed composed.

RaceX predicted ~37 min.

I came out only ~30 sec off.

Transition 1: Bagged System

Blue bag = bike gear. I used wetsuit strippers (for the first time ever!), grabbed my bag, put my helmet on, held onto my bike shoes, and tossed my wetsuit in. I ran to the bin, threw my bag in and moved fast to the bike. This was the first time I saw my family and I was all smiles.

The Bike — Beauty, Fear, and 5,800 Feet of Lessons

Bike Course Review | Elevation | Descending | Fueling Mistakes

Marbella’s bike course is one of the hardest 70.3 bike courses in the world.

5,800 feet of climbing will humble you — even if you’re ready.

The Climb to Ojén

Nine miles.

Grades up to 12%.

Slow. Steady. Brutal. But with stunning views that I hope stay burned in my memory forever.

I held strong on the climbs. I wasn’t fast, but my legs felt better than expected considering my mostly-flat training and too many rides spent indoors on the trainer. My biggest takeaway from this was to remember that what goes up, must come down. I was so focused on being able to climb and building strength in my legs. I gave hardly enough attention to my comfort level handling descents.

The Descents: My Achilles Heel

Then came the winds. The narrow roads. The exposure.

I watched riders fly by at 45–50 mph while I was gripping my brakes at 30.

I was safe — but I lost a lot of time.

Nutrition Unravels

My climbing? Solid enough to get me through.

My fueling and hydration? Not so much.

I only took in:

~35 oz water
~110 g carbs

…over almost 4 hours.

I was hungry — something I’ve never felt mid-race.

A Meaningful Moment

With 10 miles left, my friend caught me. We rode into T2 together — a grounding, emotional end to a very hard bike leg.

The Run — Where Everything Finally Clicked

Run Course Review | Nutrition | Energy | Family Support

The Run: Where Everything Came Together

T2 in Marbella is tucked inside an underground garage, and after the emotional rollercoaster of the bike, I was surprisingly steady running down that ramp. No shaky legs, no panic — just hunger and a very clear mission to get moving. I grabbed my red run bag, found a tiny spot of floor space since all the chairs were taken, dropped down, swapped shoes, threw every piece of bike gear into the bag, and hustled out to the run start.

My stomach was growling, so I was counting on the Vespa, my gels, and my run bottle to start doing their thing. As I headed out, I saw my friend just up ahead, and in true triathlon sisterhood fashion, she gave me the reminder I didn’t even know I needed:

“Go. This is where you shine.”

That tiny sentence snapped everything into place.

This was my leg.

This was where I felt the most like myself.

Through the Town and Onto the Promenade

The run course leaves the garage and weaves through the streets of Marbella. It’s mostly flat — especially compared to the bike — with just a quick dip, a short rise, and then it opens up into town. One small stretch had sand blown over the pavement, which wasn’t my favorite (my shoes and sand are not friends), but it was short-lived. From there, the course settled into a rhythm that felt fast, supported, and electric.

There was not a single lonely moment on this run.

People lined the course everywhere — locals, tourists, families, athletes’ supporters, and so many fellow runners shoulder to shoulder. The energy was constant and unreal.

My Family: The Moment That Lifted Everything

I didn’t see my family during the bike — but I had seen them once earlier during the race, running through T1. That moment carried me through the bike more than they know.

But the run… the run was where it all came full circle.

As I got closer to the heart of the course — where the biggest crowds were gathered — I heard it before I saw it.

My name.

My scream team.

My people.

And then I saw them — all wearing matching pink shirts they had custom-made for the race, waving giant cut-outs of my face on sticks, and yelling like I was winning the whole thing.

It was impossible not to feel good in that moment. Impossible not to feel grateful. Impossible not to remember exactly how lucky I am. They will never fully understand what that does for an athlete — but it is everything. They are everything to me.

Settling Into the Race

The run was a two-loop course along the promenade, with a short stretch running beside the water that made everything feel magical. I nailed my hydration and nutrition — truly nailed it.

The race was sponsored by Precision Fuel & Hydration, and they did an incredible job. Every aid station had electrolytes, and I grabbed some each time. Water on my head, ice in my kit, gels at the start, around mile five, and again around nine and a half.

As someone who usually experiences the effects of improper hydration and low electrolytes, I had zero cramping — not during the race, not after the race. Not even the calf cramps that always hit right after finishing. Hydration and electrolytes can be game changers.

The Final Miles and the Finish Line I’ll Never Forget

I saw my family four or five more times throughout the loops — each sighting refueling me more than any gel could. And as I ran toward the finish chute, the noise got louder, the cheering sharper, and the emotion heavier.

Crossing that line… I can barely put it into words.

As I approached the arch, I picked up the cadence with whatever I had left inside me. The finish line feels hit strong at Worlds. You are running with so many other athletes as you all accomplish something amazing together. After I crossed the finish line, I looked to my right and saw Coach Kurt Madden standing there — the coach who believed in me, prepared me, taught me “If this, then that,” and walked with me through one of the most challenging prep weeks I’ve had. I felt pride. Gratitude. Relief. Joy. All at once.

I crossed the finish line, gave myself ten seconds to cry, then let the happiness take over.

After finishing, I found my friend and her sherpa (who became my sherpa, as well and again reminded me why I love this community), sat with them on the beach, and ate a slice of pizza before heading off to celebrate with my family.

This was my first 70.3 World Championship.

It was the hardest course I’ve ever raced.

And it was also the most gratifying, exhilarating, educational experience of my triathlon career.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

And yes — I would do it again a million times over.

Closing Reflections — Becoming the Athlete You Never Thought You Could Be

I started triathlon in my mid-30s, afraid of open water, unsure if I’d ever be “good” at endurance sports. I came from figure competitions and wanted to know what I was capable of here, too.

And now?

I stood on a world championship course with some of the best athletes in the world.

Not because it was easy.

Not because I was fearless.

But because I showed up scared — and kept showing up.

If you don’t believe in yourself yet, steal my belief in you. You’re capable of more than you think.

Travel Tips for International Triathlon Racing

1. Assume something will go wrong.

2. Carry ALL race-day gear in your carry-on.

3. Shift your sleep for the time zone.

4. Practice bagged transitions.

5. Pack a mini emergency kit.

6. Set a carb “floor.”

7. Expect to be on your feet.

8. Practice assembling your bike.

9. Share your full travel plan with your crew.

10. Breathe. It’s all part of the adventure.

Want to Train for a 70.3 (or Your First Triathlon)?

If this recap lit a spark — that whisper of “I wonder if I could do that…” — you absolutely can.

I coach women of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.

If you want to train smarter, build confidence, stay consistent, and discover how strong you really are…

I would love to guide you.

You don’t have to believe in yourself yet. You can borrow my belief in you.

Let’s find out what you’re capable of. Message me or begin your free trial to get started! Your pace, your journey.