A runner died after a medical emergency during the Cocodona 250 ultramarathon in Arizona, and organizers said Tuesday the 253-mile race would continue in that runner’s honor. They did not release additional personal details, saying they wanted to respect the family and loved ones of the participant who died.
The race started Monday and is scheduled to run through Saturday. Race tracking showed nearly 400 participants on the course, where Rachel Entrekin led the women’s race through 48 hours and was trying to become the first woman to finish first overall. Last year, Entrekin won the women’s division in 63:50:55, a course record, while Dan Green set the overall mark at 58 hours 47 minutes 18 seconds.
The Cocodona 250 has been held annually since 2021 and runs from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, beginning in the desert before climbing an estimated 38,791 feet to a high point of 9,241 feet outside Flagstaff. The race has built its reputation on endurance and isolation, with Aravaipa Running describing the route as covering “some of the most iconic trails and towns in Arizona.”
The death adds a grim note to a sport that asks athletes to push through sleep deprivation, heat and high-altitude climbing over five days. Organizers said their team was supporting those directly involved and asked people to keep the runner’s family, friends, fellow runners, volunteers and first responders in their thoughts.
For Entrekin, who entered the 2025 race with a chance to make history, the result now sits beside something larger than competition. The event will go on, but this year’s Cocodona 250 will be remembered first for the runner who did not make it to Flagstaff.