A runner participating in the Cocodona 250 has died after experiencing what organizers described as a serious medical emergency during the race.
Event officials confirmed the death late Tuesday in a statement shared on social media, saying the runner’s family and support crew had been notified. Additional details, including the runner’s identity and the circumstances surrounding the emergency, were not immediately released.
“We are deeply saddened to share that a participant experienced a serious medical emergency today during the event and has passed away,” organizers wrote. “Our team is supporting those directly involved and will share more only when appropriate.”
Despite the tragedy, organizers said the ultramarathon would continue in honor of the participant, asking runners and crews to carry the individual’s memory with them along the course.
Organized by Aravaipa Running, the Cocodona 250 has rapidly become one of the country’s premier endurance races since debuting in 2021. The event spans roughly 250 miles across Arizona, beginning in Black Canyon City and ending in downtown Flagstaff.
The demanding route takes runners through communities including Crown King, Prescott, Jerome and Sedona while covering dramatic elevation changes. Participants start in the high desert at just under 2,000 feet above sea level before climbing to more than 9,200 feet near Mount Elden outside Flagstaff.
According to race tracking data, nearly 400 runners entered this year’s 250-mile event, with additional 125-mile and 100-mile races also taking place during the week.
The race began Monday, and many of the top competitors were expected to finish by Wednesday. Among the frontrunners was Rachel Entrekin, who was nearing the end of the course Wednesday morning while on pace to challenge the overall course record. Entrekin, already a two-time women’s champion at Cocodona, was also attempting to become the first woman to win the race outright.
