893. Rachel Entrekin, 2026 Cocodona 250 Champion
7/2/20261 hr 23 min
"If the winner thinks that everyone's important, then goddamnit I must be right."
Rachel Entrekin arrived at the start line of the Cocodona 250 ultramarathon in May having already won the women's race twice. But as Rachel says, "You don't start and finish Cocodona as the same person." And this year, Rachel finished the race as a history-maker and record breaker. The women's defending champion became the first woman to win Cocodona outright. She finished the 253.3-mile race from Phoenix to Flagstaff — through the desert and the mountains, climbing more than 39,000 feet along the way — in 56 hours 9 minutes and 48 seconds. She finished seven hours faster than she did last year. She beat the entire men's elite field, and beat the existing course record by more than two hours. In this conversation, Rachel breaks down everything from her approach to training ("vibes-based") and her goals for Cocodona 2026 to her mid-race encounter with a very special woman and what the finish line was really like.
FOLLOW RACHEL @rachel__entrekin
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IN THIS EPISODE:
- What's making Rachel happy today? (2:40)
- What Rachel's Cocodona recovery has looked like (4:10)
- How Rachel celebrated her birthday last week (10:00)
- What it means to Rachel to be a "vibes-based runner" (11:00)
- Why did Rachel's win have such a massive impact? (14:15)
- What did it take to do what Rachel did at Cocodona this year? (20:45)
- Rachel explains what she does, and what Cocodona is (22:40)
- On "liking the person I am when it gets challenging" (28:20)
- Running alone vs. with pacers — and a camera crew (36:10)
- All about the Native American woman Rachel met on the Cocodona course (38:00)
- How Rachel found running, and how eating disorder recovery changed her relationship with it (46:00)
- All about the sleep situation at Cocodona (55:45)
- Did Rachel wake up feeling like it was going to be a special day? (1:02:55)
- "Someone's gonna win it. Why not me?" (1:05:25)
- The sights and sounds of the Cocodona finish line (1:10:20)
- All about the post-race shower! (1:16:00)
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAli Feller· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Welcome to the Ali on the Run show. I'm your host, Ali Feller, and this is where I talk with people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond. From professional athletes and celebrity runners to the everyday amateur and back of the pack runner, we are here to celebrate the people who make the running community so special. So whether you are running towards something big or away from something that's been holding you back, I am here to hold your hand and help you pick up the pace. My guest today is Rachel Entrickin. Last month, Rachel won the Cocodona 250, a 253.3-mile race from Phoenix to Flagstaff, Arizona through the desert and the mountains, boasting 39,000 feet of elevation gain along the way. Rachel came into this year's race as the women's defending champion. Now she is not only a three-time champion, she became the first woman to win the race outright. She completed the course in 56 hours, nine minutes, and 48 seconds. She finished seven hours faster than she did last year. She beat the entire men's elite field, and she beat the course record by more than two hours. Rachel's win was huge for so many reasons. So many people were captivated and invested. I was getting texts while Cocodona was happening from friends who don't even really follow running, asking if I was following along and tuning into the live