Rachel Entrekin crossed the finish line of one of the worldâs most grueling endurance races as the first woman ever to win the overall Cocodona 250 ultramarathon, not just her gender category. The 34-year-old American completed the 253-mile Arizona course in 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 48 seconds on Wednesday, obliterating the previous course record of 58 hours, 47 minutes, and 18 seconds.
Her own personal best from the year before was nearly seven hours slower. Entrekin had won the womenâs division twice previously, but this victory marks her first time beating the entire elite field.
The race across Arizonaâs harsh desert terrain demands runners climb 38,791 feet of elevation while navigating conditions that break most competitors. The course reaches a high point of 9,241 feet. Yet Entrekin managed to maintain her pace while taking strategic breaks. She slept in short bursts of five, seven, and seven minutes during the ordeal, and even found time to pet dogs along the trail.
A six-person support crew, including her parents, tracked her progress and provided aid at checkpoints. Despite the intensity of the effort, Entrekin emerged emotional at the finish. âI think I basically wept from the second I got off the single track until I crossed the finish line,â she said.
The path to ultramarathoning came relatively late for Entrekin. She didnât compete in organized sports during high school, believing she lacked the talent. Running became her focus in 2012 while she was in college studying exercise science. She later earned her doctorate in 2016. Her motivation, she has explained, centers on the exploration ultramarathons offer. âBecause itâs fun and you get to explore so much stuff while youâre in these races,â she told the Madison Record. âThe biggest hook for me is I see lots of the world in a short time frame.â
This yearâs Cocodona 250 was marked by tragedy when a runner suffered a medical emergency and died on Tuesday. Race organizers asked all remaining athletes and their support crews to carry the memory of the fallen runner throughout the event. The race continued, with Entrekinâs victory achieved in that solemn context.
Author James Rodriguez: "Entrekin just rewrote what's possible in ultrarunning, and doing it with genuine joy instead of grim determination makes the whole thing more impressive."
Comments