Entrekin Smashes The Cocodona 250 Record

The Cocodona 250 is one of the hardest ultramarathons to complete in the world. The BBC reports that the race is “a total climb of around 38,800 feet,” and across 250 miles of continuous running. Rachel Entrekin, the winner of this year’s Cocodona 250, broke the record by over two hours in early May, and she beat the first man by over one hour. This race was held in Arizona across deserts, forests, and even mountains. News For Kids reports, “She only slept for 19 minutes.” However, the short rest would prove to be dangerous later on. Entrekin, after her second sleep, experienced a hallucination that a bird was behind one of her crew members.

Entrekin started running in 2009, and the more she became used to it, the more she favored long distances. The Cocodona 250 is a race where not all runners even finish, but Entrekin has won the last two consecutive Cocodona 250s thanks to her amazing endurance. The ultramarathon took her over two days, requiring her to eat and drink while running or during a quick break. Originally, Entrekin would start to eat whenever she felt hungry, but after her first win, she “started working with Emily Arrell, a sports scientist,” says Theo Kahler of Runner’s World. Her tactic was eating mashed potatoes since she did not need to chew. After winning, she rested for seven hours, then woke up to cheer for the rest of the competitors. Entrekin plans to continue running; she will head to France to compete in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc race in only three months’ time.