iStockphoto / lzf / Joe Amoroso
As we speak, the 2026 running of the Cocodona 250 is nearing a close. Rachel Entrekin has just passed 230 miles of the 253 mile course with Mount Elden as her only real climbing obstacle until the finish.
Rachel leading the race with Kilian Korth hot on her heels since the onset has been the talk of the ultra running community since start of the Cocodona 250 but this morning the community is waking up to tragic news that a runner has died during Day 2 of the race. Following the incident, the race released a statement.
Ultra Running Community Mourns Runner’s Death During Cocodona 250
In a statement shared in the early hours of Wednesday morning on Day 3 of the 2026 Cocodona 250, they race directors announced a runner had died on the course following a “serious medical emergency.” They said no personal information about the runner will be shared at this time “out of respect for the runner’s family and loved ones.”
The statement went on to say the rest of the race will be ran in honor of the deceased, and asked for all participants to keep this person in their thoughts.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Cocodona 250, it is a 253-mile race that begins in Black Canyon City, Arizona and finishes in Flagstaff. It has quickly become one of the most popular 250-mile ultramarathon races on earth, attracting the best of the best from across the globe.
Runners experience every type of weather. There was a solid amount of snow overnight last night that fell on Mount Elden near Flagstaff, the last mountain the runners climb before the finish. They have dealt with extreme rain, wind, heat, and cold. It is a physical and mental test unlike anything else.
The Community Reacts
As news of the Cocodona 250 runner’s death began to spread via social media and on the race’s livestream, thousands of comments poured out with people expressing condolences.
Many in the ultra running community seemed to express that if they were in that position they would at least take solace in having died doing what they loved. That sums up virtually all of the comments on Reddit and on the race’s Instagram post.
Is that a nice sentiment? Sure. Is that also a bit tone deaf given that a family and community somewhere just lost a loved one? Absolutely. Thoughts like that are best reserved for a few weeks from now after the shock of loss is so fresh.
Elsewhere in the race, popular hunter/podcaster/influencer Cam Hanes had to pull out with a ‘DNF’ after his forehead got split WIDE OPEN during Day 1 of the race. He looked like he got hit with a shovel.
To keep up with the live stream as Rachel Entrekin finishes the 253-mile race and beats the entire field, you can head over to YouTube: