There were record-breaking wins at the Cocodona 250 for American duo Dan Green and Rachel Entrekin.
The Cocodona 250 is actually 256 miles and takes runners from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, Arizona and features an incredible 40,000ft (12,200m) of ascent. It’s described as “the most diverse point-to-point 200+ mile footrace in America.”
Green took the outright lead shortly before the 100-mile point and was pushed for a long while by South Africa’s Ryan Sandes before pulling clear in the closing stages to stop the clock in 58 hours, 47 minutes and 18 seconds – more than an hour under the previous course record.
Meanwhile defending champion Entrekin was in command of the women’s race from the point at which ultrarunning GOAT Courtney Dauwalter dropped out at mile 108.
Entrekin was also vying for third overall for much of the way, eventually crossing the line in fourth and more than 24 hours clear of her nearest female rival as she smashed the previous best mark by more than seven hours with her time of 63:50:55.
Women’s race – Entrekin out on her own
Many of the early headlines were made by Dauwalter who had blazed a trail and led the race overall at the Whiskey Row aid station after 77.2 miles.
The runners were having to contend with pretty much all kinds of weather, including hail, snow and lots of rain.
But from the moment Dauwalter exited the race, it became the Entrekin show.
She had paced it superbly too, though she didn’t know she was leading until midway through when one of the live broadcast crew broke the news to her.
From that point she just went further and further clear, with Lindsey Dwyer a very distant second.
But Entrekin was kept on her toes by an absorbing battle for overall third with Mexico’s Edher Ramirez, which was only settled late on.
Men’s race – Green upsets the odds
Green belied his status as a relative novice with a commanding display.
He had been running in third and fourth early on with Britain’s Jack Scott, the record-breaking winner of last year’s Winter Spine Race, as first defending champ Harry Subertas and then Dauwalter set the early pace.
But a hamstring injury brought a premature end to Scott’s race and Green would move past Dauwalter and into the lead just before the 100-mile point.
The 2017 Western States winner Sandes kept him company for the next 60-plus miles before Green started to open up a gap.
And it soon became clear that if he was able to maintain the pace then not only was the win his, but also a new course record.
He was out on his own by the final big climb up Elden Mountain – and being paced by his brother Fred – and then able to enjoy the sunshine as he made his way to the finish line in Flagstaff for a famous triumph.
Cocodona 250 results – Monday 5th May 2025
WOMEN
- Rachel Entrekin (USA) – 63:50:55
- tbc
- tbc
MEN
- Dan Green (USA) – 58:47:18
- Ryan Sandes (RSA) – 61:21:04
- Edher Ramirez (MEX) – 63:10:13