2026 Cocodona 250 - Race Preview
250 miles through the Bradshaws, over the red rocks and onto the Colorado Plateau.
Now in its sixth year, the Cocodona 250 returns with what promises to be the most competitive 200+ mile race in North America this year. The point-to-point race kicks off in Black Canyon City on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona, and takes runners on a multi-day journey through numerous climate zones and multiple historic towns, including Crown King, Prescott, Jerome and Sedona, before finishing in the streets of downtown Flagstaff. This year’s course stays largely true to the course from last year, with only minor route adjustments that won’t meaningfully impact race distance. This field features several returning champions, including inaugural Cocodona champion Michael Versteeg alongside former champions Joe McConaughy and Michael McKnight in the men’s race, as well as the defending women’s champion Rachel Entrekin. With a field of this caliber, the current course records – Dan Green’s 58:47 and Rachel Entrekin’s 63:50, both set in 2025, should be threatened if weather conditions are optimal (which they look to be, as of May 1).
The race starts at 5am on Monday May 4, 2026 and will feature (essentially) wall-to-wall coverage on the Mountain Outpost YouTube channel until the last finisher on Saturday morning later that week. Below, we take a brief look at some of the top competitors in this year’s race (in alphabetical order):
Women’s Field
Courtney Dauwalter (Colorado) is a multiple-time UTMB, Western States and Hardrock 100 champion, and brings 200-mile pedigree, with wins at the 2017 Moab 240 and 2018 Tahoe 200. She stands as the biggest and most decorated threat to Rachel’s title here.
Lindsey Dwyer (California) was second at last year’s Cocodona 250 and has since accomplished a top twenty result at the UTMB Mont Blanc and set a new course record at the Rio Del Lago 100 Mile this past November.
Megan Eckert (New Mexico) arrives as one of the most intriguing first-time starters in the field. Ranked third woman in the 2025 World UltraRunner of the Year rankings, last year she set a new women’s six-day world record and was the second woman at Big’s Backyard Ultra. This is her first attempt at a 200+ mile trail race.
Katherine Edwards Anderson (Virginia) won the inaugural Sedona Canyons 125 in 2024, podiumed at the Moab 240 that same year, and finished in sixth place at the Cocodona 250 last year.
Rachel Entrekin (Colorado) enters as the two-time defending champion and course record holder. Recent wins include the High Lonesome 100, Crazy Mountain 100 and the Mammoth 200, and just last month, finished in third in a highly competitive field at the Chianti Ultra Castles by UTMB 120k.
Heather Jackson (Oregon) transitioned from professional Ironman triathlete to elite trail running in 2022 and has since earned top-20 finishes at each of the OCC, CCC and UTMB races around Mont Blanc, as well as a top ten at Western States in recent years.
Lauren Jones (Georgia) brings impressive 200-mile experience to this race, as a second-place finisher at both the 2022 Cocodona 250 and 2025 Tahoe 200. She also completed 38 yards (158.33 miles) at Ohio’s Backyard Ultra last March.
Allison Powell (Montana) won the Divide 200 in 2024 and was a podium finisher at the Bigfoot 200 the year prior. Last year, she finished second at the extremely tough Jigger Johnson 100.
Mika Thewes (Colorado) will toe the start line for the fourth time, having podiumed twice (2023 and 2024). Mika also finished sixth at the highly competitive and notoriously brutal Tor des Géants 330 in 2024.
Manuela Vilaseca (Spain) finished as runner up here in 2024, and has since become the new record holder of the Triple Crown of 200s (Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200 and Moab 240) in 2025.
Additional athletes to watch: Sally McRae, Parley Hannan, Lila Gaudrault, Marina Striker, Fernanda Cantu, Jodi Semonell, Dalton McCurdy, Christine Almond, Tandi Sherlock.
Men’s Field
Jeff Browning (Arizona) finished runner-up here in 2024 and brings an incredible depth of ultra-distance success to the start line, with more than thirty race wins at the 100-mile+ distance.
Kyle Curtin (Colorado) is a two-time Tor des Géants 330 finisher and holds the third-fastest time by an American male at that race. He also holds the supported fastest known time on the Colorado Trail. (April 7 - Kyle has withdrawn from the race with an ankle fracture)
Jeff Garmire (Montana) is the field’s most experienced Cocodona 250 runner, having finished five times including three top ten results. He also holds fastest known times on the John Muir Trail (unsupported) and the Appalachian Trail (self-supported).
Max Joliffe (California) won the Moab 240 in 2024, and last year, claimed victory at the historic Angeles Crest 100 and finished top five at Mammoth 200. Despite a health-related withdrawal from the Cocodona 250 last year, he returns to the start line this year for a second attempt.
Kilian Korth (Colorado) arrives having just completed one of the most dominant seasons in North American 200-mile history, sweeping the Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200 and Moab 240 in 2025 to set the record for the Triple Crown of 200s. This is his third attempt at Cocodona 250, where he finished eighth in 2023.
Joe McConaughy (Washington) won here in 2022 and returned to finish fourth in 2024. He is one of the most accomplished long-distance trail athletes in American history, with fastest known times on the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, Long Trail and Arizona Trail.
Michael McKnight (Utah) is a four-time finisher, and 2023 champion of the Cocodona 250, where he overcame a significant time deficit in the race’s closing stages to earn the victory. He also holds two Triple Crown of 200s titles.
Cody Poskin (Missouri) won the USATF 100-Mile Road Championship at the Jackpot Ultras last year, with a time of 13:26 and backed it up with a strong seventh place finish at Cocodona 250. Earlier this year, he ran an impressive time at the Black Canyon Ultras 100k, finishing in the top fifteen.
Edher Ramirez (Nevada) stepped onto the Cocodona podium in third last year and followed that with a runner-up at the 2025 Mammoth 200. Earlier this year he ran 13:44 at the USATF 100-Mile Road Championship.
Michael Versteeg (Arizona) won the inaugural Cocodona 250 in 2021 and finished in the top five in 2024. He is a former Arizona Trail fastest known time holder with over a dozen ultra wins to his name.
Additional athletes to watch: Adam Kimble, Zach Hauer, DJ Fox, Michael Greer, Hannes Gehring, Troy Croxdale, Jeff Pelletier, Patrick Kavanagh, Chris Marcinek, Nick Allen, James Strahorn, Elliot Chisholm, Ryan Clifford.
Liam’s Podium Picks:
Men’s Race: (1) Joe McConaughy (2) Jeff Browning (3) Kilian Korth
Women’s Race: (1) Rachel Entrekin (2) Courtney Dauwalter (3) Mika Thewes
This preview will also be published in a race preview newsletter that will be available in print form at the race. Pick up a copy!
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Great rundown! But I would put Meg Eckert on the women’s podium instead of Mika.
Hey Liam - Is there any chance that you have a link or copy of the digital version of the newspaper?
Lindsey greatly appreciated the Aravaipa Racing Team article and wanted to be able to show her family/friends in the future.