Entrekin Sets Overall Cocodona 250 Course Record in Winning Time of 56:09:48

This was the third time Entrekin has run the Cocodona 250.

The 2026 edition drew more than 1,300 runners. The Cocodona 250 takes competitors up 38,791 feet along a route that includes the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail, Prescott Circle Trail, Sedona, Arizona Trail, Flagstaff Loop Trail and the Sonoran Desert.

The race continues from day to night and stretches multiple days, exposing runners to extreme heat and cold in addition to dramatic geographical changes.

"I didn't expect to be a pinnacle or champion for women's sports and what I just got to be a part of. So, yeah, it's pretty incredible," Entrekin told ABC News in an interview after her victory. Entrekin said she did not start the race believing she would finish at the front of the pack.

"I had a lot of doubt, actually. I thought that maybe I was being foolish," she said. She adopted a mantra that helped carry her through: "Why not you? Why not now? " "Somebody has to win, so ... " Entrekin added.

Who went to school to become a physical therapist, she now competes as a professional ultramarathon runner and lives in Colorado. Kilian Korth came in second place and was the men's first-place finisher. He expressed admiration for Entrekin's performance after watching livestream footage of the race.

"You look at some of the livestream footage [of the Cocodona race], I look like I'm struggling, and she looks like this is just a piece of cake," Korth told ABC News. This year's race was not without tragedy. Race organizers announced that a runner experienced a serious medical emergency while competing in the 2026 Cocodona 250 and later died.

Hilary Yang, a broadcaster for the Cocodona race, said Entrekin's run transcended the moment. She noted that Entrekin smashed the men's course record by several hours and her own previous course record by six hours. Entrekin said she hopes her victory will inspire others by demonstrating what women can achieve.

"I think women can do anything, and I'm happy that this race has been able to kind of put an exclamation point behind that sentence," she said. @ABC reported that Entrekin did not initially see herself as a pioneer but recognized the significance of her achievement after crossing the finish line in Flagstaff following more than two days of continuous effort.