Cocodona Splits: Pacing Lessons from the Women’s Record
Rachel Entrekin ran the Cocodona 250 in 56:09:48 – as the first woman outright and with a Course Record. Kilian Korth achieved the men’s CR in 57:28:36. What stands out are not the headlines, but the splits between Mile 76 and 107.
I left the Cocodona tracker open for two days, then closed it and pulled the splits table again. The win is one story, the pacing is a lesson. If you’re planning Lavaredo, UTMB-CCC, or your first 100K this summer, the race from May 4th to 6th is more relevant than your next training plan.
What happened: 253 miles, 56 hours, a pace that doesn’t fit
What is the Cocodona 250? The Cocodona 250 is a point-to-point ultramarathon in the US state of Arizona, held annually in early May. The 253-mile course runs from Black Canyon City across the desert and over the Coconino Plateau to Flagstaff. Cocodona is one of the toughest 200+ mile races worldwide and has been considered a benchmark for multi-day ultras in the US since its premiere in 2021.
Cocodona has started at 5 am in Black Canyon City, Arizona, for five years, and ends 253 miles later at Fort Tuthill near Flagstaff. About 400 runners took part. Entrekin took the overall lead around Mile 50 and never looked back. She secured the outright win, her third in a row, and shattered the course record.
Korth was in a tight pack with McConaughy in the men’s field for a long time. At Whiskey Row, Mile 76, they both arrived within three minutes. By Mingus Mountain, Mile 107, Korth had pulled away. After descending into Jerome at Mile 125, he was almost two hours ahead. By Fort Tuthill at Mile 212, he had maintained his lead.
In translation: Entrekin ran 56:09:48 for 253 miles. That’s 13:19 minutes per mile, 8:17 minutes per kilometer, over two days and eight hours without significant sleep. Korth ran 8:28 minutes per kilometer.
The Splits in a Table
Race Anchor 2026
| Course | Black Canyon City » Flagstaff, AZ |
| Distance | 253 Miles / ~407 km |
| Course Record Women / Outright | Rachel Entrekin, 56:09:48 |
| Course Record Men | Kilian Korth, 57:28:36 (2nd fastest time ever) |
| Field | ~400 starters, Mon, May 4, 5:00 AM Local |
Sources: iRunFar, RUN247, GearJunkie
The Three Pacing Lessons DACH Hobby Athletes Can Take Away
Lesson 1: Weather is a Variable You Can’t Get Back
Entrekin took advantage of the cool, overcast conditions in the morning to set an aggressive early pace. By Mile 50, she had left the entire field behind. Those who run conservatively in the first hours, because that’s what’s in the book, are giving up seconds that can’t be regained later.
In the DACH summer, it’s the opposite. At Lavaredo or Eiger Ultra Trail, the hottest section often occurs at noon between Miles 30 and 60. Those who get ahead early run in the cool phase. Pacing follows the thermometer, not the textbook.
Lesson 2: The Race is Decided in the Middle Section
Whiskey Row at Mile 76 was the point where the men’s field was still together. By Mile 107, Mingus Mountain, it was decided. Over 31 miles, or one marathon, it was decided who would win the race.
Translated for your 100K: Miles 35 to 50 is the phase where you decide. Some maintain the pace, while others break down. If you continue to push there, without exceeding your pain threshold, you build a lead that you can’t build on the last 30 kilometers.
Lesson 3: Holding the Lead Costs Less than Catching Up
Korth led from Mile 107 to the finish. His lead grew steadily. Once you have a lead, you run more calmly, eat better, and sleep less. Those who break down and try to catch up need double the energy.
This also applies to 50-mile ultras. If you’re slightly ahead of schedule at Mile 25, maintain the pace. Don’t accelerate, don’t let up. Staying ahead costs less than making a comeback.
What Cocodona Doesn’t Teach You
Cocodona is a desert ultra. Heat, altitude, rocks, and little nutrition between aid stations. DACH trails are different. The elevation gain per kilometer is often more brutal in the Alps, but the aid station distances are shorter and the weather less consistent. Those who apply the Cocodona logic 1:1 to a Berner Oberland 100K are walking into a trap.
What is transferable: preparation for long periods of wakefulness, pacing discipline in the middle section, and acceptance that pain is part of the strategy. Korth reportedly ran with constant muscle pain and still didn’t break down. That’s mental, not physical.
If you train now
Pick the next training session that’s longer than three hours. Run the first 60 minutes conservatively, the next 90 minutes at a moderate pace, and the rest a bit faster. That’s the Cocodona pattern in a nutshell. If you do it twice a month, you’ll have more reserves on race day than any steady run can give you.
And we’ll leave the Cocodona tracking archive open. Next season, someone else will be leading the pack. The splits will look similar.
Cool-down
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Was 2026 really the course record for women?
How does this compare to the men’s record?
Can I put this pace into perspective?
Which DACH race is most similar?
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Image Source: Pexels
Source of Title Image: Pexels / Jared Brotman (px:34462634)