RACHEL ENTREKIN WINS 2026 COCODONA 250 OUTRIGHT IN COURSE-RECORD TIME

Rachel Entrekin crossed the finish line in Flagstaff, Arizona on Wednesday afternoon in 56:09:48, becoming the first woman to win the 253-mile race outright in its five-year history. Her time lowered Dan Green's overall course record by more than two hours.

It was Entrekin's third consecutive Cocodona 250 Mile victory. The 34-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, finished 11th overall in 2024, fourth in 2025, and ran past every man on the start line this year.

Kilian Korth crossed the line second overall and won the men's race in 57:28:36, also under Green's previous record. The 30-year-old came in as the 2025 200-mile Triple Crown winner, having taken the Bigfoot 200, Tahoe 200, and Moab 240 in a single year. He had dropped out of Cocodona twice before, in 2022 and 2024.

Cody Poskin finished third overall in 58:13:44, a third runner under Green's old mark. He closed nearly 75 minutes on Korth between mile 212 and mile 227 before fading slightly in the final stretch. His time was almost 13 hours faster than his seventh-place result a year ago.

DJ Fox rounded out the men's podium in 59:29:03, with Joe McConaughy, the 2022 champion, fourth in 61:35:21 and Jakob Åberg of Sweden fifth in 62:11:56.

The women's race delivered its own course record. Courtney Dauwalter rebounded from her DNF at mile 108 last year to finish second woman in 61:58:35, also under Entrekin's previous women's mark of 63:50:55. Megan Eckert, the women's six-day world record holder, took third in 63:09:07 after passing both Dauwalter and Heather Jackson in the final 30 miles.

Conditions favored fast running on day one, with cloud cover and temperatures in the 50s through the Sonoran Desert. A cold rain moved in on the second night as runners climbed toward Sedona. A sunny third day gave way to snow on the 9,000-foot Mount Elden summit before the descent into Flagstaff.

Entrekin moved to the front by mile 50 and held the overall lead the rest of the race. She was 22 minutes up on Korth at Whiskey Row at mile 76, and more than five hours clear at Munds Park at mile 194. Korth fought glute and hip-flexor pain over the final 50 miles and slept for an hour at Fort Tuthill at mile 211.7 to hold off Poskin, who was running on caffeine pills and Red Bull.

The race weekend was marked by tragedy. A participant died from a medical emergency during the event, race founder Jamil Coury announced on the race livestream late Tuesday night. The race continued in the runner's honor at the family's request.

Entrekin's 56:09:48 stands as the new overall course record. Korth's 57:28:36 stands as the new men's mark.