The Kona Dream He Nearly Gave Up On
As an endurance athlete based on the Sunshine Coast who’s been chasing this sport for decades. My personal best Ironman in my forties was 10:15. I dreamed of qualifying for Kona and lined up at more than ten Ironmans trying to get there. I kept falling just short. After a while, I was close to walking away from the goal completely.
In 2024 I joined Koa Sports. The difference was immediate and practical. The coaching is scientific without being rigid. Every week the plan is adjusted around the reality of my life—fifty-plus-hour work weeks and two kids—so the training actually fits instead of fighting everything else. Accountability is higher than anything I’d experienced before, but it never feels heavy. It’s simply clear, consistent, and realistic.
That approach showed up at Ironman New Zealand 2026. I finished in 9:43, second in my age group, and qualified for the 2026 Ironman World Championship in Kona. The dream I’d almost given up on is now real.
Beyond the result, the team culture and the fun at events have made the whole process enjoyable again. If you’re a long-time athlete still chasing that breakthrough, juggling real work and family commitments, and wondering whether another season of the same approach will finally get you there—Koa Sports is worth serious consideration. It gave me a smarter way to train, the structure I needed, and the result I’d been after for years.
