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For most of its previous four editions, the Cocodona 250 featured days of hot, relentless sun beating down on the race’s desert trails.
This year is a little different.
Cool temperatures, clouds and a few drops of rain greeted runners at the start line in Black Canyon City, Arizona on Monday morning as they began their journey north to Flagstaff. 307 runners toed the line for the fifth edition of the 250-mile trail race, ready to tackle unpredictable conditions, sleepless nights and an ultimate test of endurance. Standing out among them is ultrarunning GOAT and first-time Cocodona competitor Courtney Dauwalter, who comes in as the heavy favorite for the overall win.
With the most competitive field yet and conditions ripe for fast times, it’s going to be an unforgettable week of ultra-ultrarunning.
Want to learn more about the 2025 Cocodona 250? Head over to our guide to the 2025 Cocodona 250 to learn about everything from the stats, the course, the top contenders and how to watch.
And for those of you who don’t have time to keep your eyes glued to the livestream for the next five days, here are our live updates from the 2025 Cocodona 250, in reverse chronological order:
26:30 Hours Elapsed: Courtney is Out
Courtney Dauwalter has dropped out of the race at the Mingus Mountain aid station, mile 108. “She’s doing fine and very thankful for all the cheers both in person and from afar,” her team announced via Instagram.
Dauwalter crossed 100 miles in second place, having picked up a new pacer at mile 96. But climbing up to Mingus, she had to contend with muddy, wet, cold conditions, as steady rain continued for hours and temperatures dropped into the 30s.
Dan Green continues to lead the race coming out of Dead Horse State Park, mile 134, with Rachel Entrekin just behind as the first woman and third overall.
24 Hours Elapsed: A New Day, A New Leaderboard
There are no guarantees at Cocodona. As steady rain turned trails into mud and temperatures dropped into the 30s, we saw yet another lead change. Just before mile 100, West Virginia’s Dan Green took over the top spot, letting out an energetic “Let’s go boys!” as he joined his crew at the Fain Ranch aid station, mile 95.9. Green opted for a quick stop, changing out his mud-coated shoes before continuing up and over Mingus Mountain, the highest point on the course until the final climb up Mount Elden.
Entering day two of the race, Green has a solid lead over Ryan Sandes, Rachel Entrekin (the 2024 champion and new top woman), and Michael Versteeg, who are descending down into the Verde Valley separated by less than four miles. Courtney Dauwalter appears to have stopped to sleep at the Mingus Mountain aid station, mile 108.3, dropping into seventh overall and second woman.
14 Hours Elapsed: Courtney Takes The Lead
And now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Courtney Dauwalter is the leader of the Cocodona 250.
Dauwalter was all smiles coming into the Whiskey Row aid station at mile 77.3, taking time to high five fans holding signs along the way. After running through a tunnel of fans to the aid station in the city center of Prescott, she was in and out in a matter of minutes, running her way into the first night hours ahead of course record pace.
About 10 minutes later, the leader of the men’s race, Dan Green, came through, downing ramen noodles and coordinating the night shift with his crew.
11:30 Hours Elapsed: It’s Tight at the Top
A quarter of the way into this mega race and just four miles separate the top seven.
Defending champion Rachel Entrekin currently sits as the second place woman and fifth overall coming into the Camp Kipa aid station at mile 62.3. She sits smack in the middle of a chase group featuring four men—Canada’s Pau Rius, the U.K.’s Jack Scott, West Virginia’s Dan Green, and South Africa’s Ryan Sandes.
Who are they chasing? Top contenders Courtney Dauwalter and Harry Subertas, who continue to knock out miles as though they don’t know how long this race is. Speed demon Subertas is racing down the descent into Prescott, while Dauwalter is rapidly gaining ground and closing the gap. Currently, the two leaders are running less than a mile apart.
7 Hours Elapsed: Subertas Continues to Charge Ahead of Tight Chase Pack
Just after 12 P.M. on Monday, Harry Subertas’ crew was waiting for him at the turn-off to the Crown King Aid Station at mile 36.6. But they could barely keep up as they made their way to their truck, with the race leader running a pace seemingly more fit for a 5K than a 250-miler. The 2024 champ came into the aid station at 6 hours and 11 minutes and was in good spirits as he made a quick pit stop for watermelon and a gear change.
Nearly 30 minutes passed before the next runner appeared, the U.K.’s Jack Scott, followed shortly by Dan Green of West Virginia and leading woman Courtney Dauwalter (6:44 elapsed). After a speedy stop, Dauwalter picked up a place, moving up into third overall out of the aid station.
As clouds, scattered rain, and even some snow continue to move through, most runners echoed the sentiment of last year’s sixth place finisher Jeff Garmire: “We’re on really good pace.”
4 Hours Elapsed: Reigning Champ Harry Subertas Leads Men’s Race, Courtney Dauwalter Top Woman
It’s 9 A.M. on Monday, four hours into the 2025 Cocodona 250, and this race is out fast. Course record holder and 2024 winner Harry Subertas leads the field, 23.4 miles in and averaging a blistering 7:30 minute-per-mile pace. Keep that up and he’ll be done in less than 43 hours. Keep in mind, his course record time from last year is 59 hours, 50 minutes, and 55 seconds, so expect things to slow down as the hours (and vert) tick up.
On the women’s side, Courtney Dauwalter is in the lead after some back-and-forth with 2024 women’s champ Rachel Entrekin. It’s a tight race so far at the top, with Dauwalter in fifth overall. For the next 100 or so miles runners will stay above 5,000 feet, enjoying cooler temperatures and partly cloudy skies.
May 5 at 5:00 A.M.: The 2025 Cocodona 250 Has Begun
And they’re off.
Amidst heavy cheers of crew and spectators, a gaggle of runners passed under the start banner proclaiming, “adventure awaits.”
Adventure indeed—the first 30 miles of the course are almost all uphill, a suitable warmup for the 226 miles to follow. Scattered showers are in the forecast later today, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s.
“If there’s a year to go fast, this is it,” 2021 champ Michael Versteeg said. We’ll see who follows that mantra over the beginning of this course.
