The day after the Ironman World Championship, the island is still buzzing. The air feels lighter now, the tension replaced by awe. Among the stories that will echo longest from Kona is that of Kat Matthews, who finished second with a time of 8:29:02 after a 55:43 swim, a 4:40:08 bike, and a stunning 2:47:23 marathon that set a new run course record.
It is hard not to spot or hear the team behind Kat Matthews. Her husband Mark is often close by, a quiet constant. Before the race, I saw him locking his bike, preparing to ride sections of the course under the Hawaiian sun to follow her progress. His voice carried across the Queen K, calling out splits, encouragement, and words that only the two of them seem to understand. When asked earlier in the week what fans could say to motivate her on race day, others had plenty of ideas. Kat smiled and said little. Perhaps it is only her husband’s voice she wants to hear.
Together they are a force in triathlon – one pouring her heart and soul into every mile, the other providing the kind of unwavering support that allows brilliance to shine. Since her early days in the sport, Kat has raced with the heart of a lion: fierce, courageous, and deeply curious about what she can become within the sport she loves.
At every finish line, no matter the outcome, she radiates gratitude. On Saturday, before celebrating her own runner-up finish, she took the time to congratulate Solveig Lovseth, not with a quick handshake but with a long embrace and a beaming smile. It brought to mind another moment years ago in Miami, when Kat and Mark waited at the line to celebrate India Lee’s victory as if it were their own. Those moments show the depth of character behind the competitor.
With yesterday’s Big Island result, Matthews joins elite company. This marks her third second-place finish at the Ironman World Championship, placing her alongside Sylviane Puntous, Erin Baker, Lori Bowden, Mirinda Carfrae, and Lucy Charles-Barclay, all legends who eventually became world champions. What makes her record even more remarkable is that each podium came on a different course: 2021 in St. George, 2024 in Nice, and now 2025 in Kona.
Before the race, Kat spoke about what drives her. “I feel very comfortable in that idea that the outcome of one race is not the pure goal. It’s a bigger purpose, the life element of triathlon. We do this because we want to be the best versions of ourselves. No one race result will define who I am. I want to live as me, not as a race result.”
After the race, her words carried the same humility. “It was a fantastic experience to make T2 as I didn’t two years ago. I experienced the challenge of Ironman. Today I wasn’t able to play my part on the bike. Sorry.” When asked if she was proud of her record-breaking run, with tears in her eyes, she said, “Did it for my husband.”
That one line revealed everything: the trust, the bond, the quiet strength that defines them both. When Mark embraced Kat at the finish line, the image said more than words ever could. It was pride, relief, and love all at once, a reminder that behind every great athlete stands a team who believes completely.
At one point on the run, Mark’s lighthearted humor broke through the fatigue. “You are 90 seconds behind Solveig,” he called out. “But you could try a bit harder.” It was pure Mark – equal parts motivation and mischief – and it worked.
The race may not have played out exactly as Kat hoped, but what the world witnessed was her trademark resilience. She adapted, never gave up, and delivered the greatest marathon ever run on this course. That is what champions do.
Her third silver medal now feels less like unfinished business and more like a prelude. Because if history is any guide, the next chapter for Kat Matthews will be golden.
The post Kat Matthews: A Run Course Record to Take Silver in Kona appeared first on Triathlon Magazine Canada.