Entrekin Breaks Ultramarathon Record

In a world of unjust bias against women, this one proved them wrong. Entrekin is a 34-year-old woman who has not only participated in the Cocodona 250 (a 250-mile ultramarathon race) but won it two times in a row! She also beat the fastest man there by more than an hour and beat the overall record by nearly two hours!

Entrekin started running in 2009 and, over time, began to run longer and longer distances. She found out something about herself that she realized about herself as she ran: she loved running up mountains! This was perfect because ultramarathons mostly consist of uneven landscapes which often include mountains.

Entrekin said she thought, “I think I can do this, so why not?” She thought back to the other races she had won and that she was “just as qualified” as anyone to be at the front of the race.

But the race still wasn’t easy, Entrekin ran for two and a half days non-stop with only 19 minutes of sleep in all. She took three short naps, each one seven minutes or less. She didn’t have any type of cushion, so she just slept on the floor.

As for how she got her energy, she ate mashed potatoes because they are easy to chew. But she only ate or drank on very quick breaks or while she was running and she wasn’t eating constantly or she would have stomach aches. Speed isn’t the only important thing in an ultra-marathon, says Entrekin. She believes that a runner’s attitude as well as their experience in handling tough situations are just as crucial. So she thinks that might give women some advantages.

Entrekin hopes that people will stop measuring women’s success by comparing them to men. She believes that women shouldn’t talk themselves out of trying things just because they aren’t sure if they will succeed. “Why not try?” she asks.

Clearly, Entrekin is one of many inspiring women that continue to prove stereotypes wrong.