Running a faster time than last year, defending champion Sara Alonso of Spain finished third at her third Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon. In the following interview, Sara talks about how her race played out with second-place finisher and Basque runner Malen Osa, the existence of a second race within the race amongst Basque runners, and how she ran her fastest downhill split at the end of the race this year, despite the mud.
For more on how the race played out, read our in-depth 2026 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon results article.
[Editor’s Note: If you are unable to see the video above, click here to access it.]
Sara Alonso Post-2026 Zegama Marathon Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Sara Alonso. It’s the day of the 2026 Zegama Marathon, and you’re the women’s third-place finisher. Congratulations.
Sara Alonso: Thank you.
iRunFar: Today was a wild day in Basque Country. Do you agree?
Alonso: Yes. It becoming wild how many people come. I think every year, there’s even more and more people. Some years ago, maybe it was just in Sancti Spiritu, but now, it was like all the way, crowds of people. And also, I think there was a thousand of mud, thousand of fall to the floor, so it have been like a wild day, yes.
iRunFar: This is a race that’s quite special to you. You lived in, or you grew up in San Sebastián, so it’s like your local race. What does it feel like to finish on the podium today with all these crowds?
Alonso: I think for a Basque, here it’s like the most important race of the year. And I have been racing here three years, and three of them in the podium, so it’s so special for me to be here and to feel this crowd that they are cheering for you each kilometer. In the first part of the race I was with Judith [Wyder], and I almost feel kind of bad because they were like, “Sara!” I was like, “I’m sorry, but I’m from here.”
iRunFar: Yeah. Did it eventually lift you up, though, because everywhere you go it’s, “Sara, Sara, Sara,” and just so many people yelling. Does it eventually get inside you and lift you?
Alonso: Yeah. I think it’s like something of advantage, that it give extra motivation to push hard.
iRunFar: You came to today’s race as the defending champion. You said in our pre-race interview that you felt the pressure, but more than that, you just felt that it was a privilege to have that.
Alonso: Yeah. I think this year, the pressure was more for Tove [Alexandersson]. My goal of today was to be second after Tove. For me, it was impossible to win her. And finally, come in third, that is not bad, of course. I did also my fastest time here, that I think the condition weren’t, I think in a dry day, like I am stronger than the years before. And, of course, Malen [Osa] did an amazing race. I think also I am not the best technical runner, but in the technical part, she passed me. I tried to follow her, but I didn’t achieve that.
I’m super happy I arrived in the town in my fastest time, also without any hurt. So the season is long, that is positive. I feel super happy about the race.
iRunFar: Malen, the women’s second-place finisher, is also Basque. So you said off-camera that there’s a little bit of a race within the race to be the first Basque to the finish.
Alonso: Yeah. She also told me that the last two years, I win her in all the races. So one of the goal of her, it was to win me. And also, it’s my friend, of course, and between us, we have some friends. One month ago, it was my birthday, and she was there, so we are friends. But also when it’s like, just from here, it’s like between us, like another competition. So this time she win me, last year I win her. So that’s it.
iRunFar: We see next year.
Alonso: Exactly.
iRunFar: So in this race, Tove was off the front from the straightaway, and you and Malen were kind of a little bit back-and-forth until. was it one-third of the way, you settled into second, or she settled in the second, you settled in the third, and it sort of stayed?
Alonso: My plan was to be second in the climb because I’m best climber than her and less technical, so is that what I did. In the last, I think I have four-minutes gap, then in the downhill and the Sancti Spiritu have two-minutes gap, and then this two minutes maintains two until Aizkorri. And then in this technical crest on downhill, she passed me, and I tried to pass her in the last climb, but I couldn’t achieve that. So I know, like in the last 12k that it was downhill, it going to be like almost impossible to catch her. I tried and tried to until the finish line and, finally, I push as much as I can. I did my fastest time from Aizkorri to the finish, like three minutes faster than last year that I win, but I finished third.
iRunFar: You were chasing Malen, chasing Malen, and chasing Malen to your own best time. Like she lifted you up in that process. She made you be a better runner chasing her.
Alonso: Exactly, exactly. If she wasn’t there, I probably didn’t do my fastest time. I have been second, and then she passed me, and I maintained my podium there. I really, in one moment, was thinking like, “Sara, please maintain the podium because this was my goal.”
iRunFar: Yeah. The party that goes along with Zegama Marathon is maybe just as popular as the race itself. You said you’ve already had a little bit of cider, and tonight you’re going to celebrate.
Alonso: Yeah, I think maybe party twice at the year: here and in the Golden Trail World Series final. So today it’s an important day in the calendar, too.
iRunFar: Important part of your race schedule.
Alonso: Exactly.
iRunFar: Okay, Sara, congratulations on your second podium here at Zegama, and I hope the recovery from the party goes as well as the recovery from the race.
Alonso: Oh, tomorrow, I will be destroyed after the party, after the marathon.
iRunFar: Totally destroyed.
Alonso: Exactly. This is the goal.
iRunFar: Okay. Good luck.
Alonso: Thank you.
