Countdown to Cocodona

May 15th, 2020

2:03pm

I am sitting at my computer, not quite believing what I am about to do. On my screen is the registration page for the Cocodona 250; a race that is over five times as long as I have ever run before, with an total elevation gain several thousand feet taller than climbing Everest….from sea level. Not to mention that once the starting gun goes off, you have exactly 120 hours, or 5 days, to complete this trek. Crazy? Yes. Insane? My three teens think so. So why on Earth would I even think of trying this?

My interest in 200+ mile races began a few years ago, when I was starting to run ultras. I was training for my first 50K (Skyline 50K in Oakland, CA) and binge watching ultra running videos on YouTube. Past Western States races, Hardrock 100 vids, etc. I really enjoyed the videos following one or two “ordinary” runners who had qualified to run one of these iconic races and their journey to train for and either complete the race or DNF after giving it everything they had. It seemed like with hard work and support (and a bit of luck with the lottery!) running a race of this magnitude and distance was achievable, even by someone like me.

As I continued to watch various videos, the YouTube analytics recommended a runner by the name of Kerry Ward. He has been an ultra runner for a number of years, and puts out what he calls “long form” videos of his runs, which he record during his races and hikes. In particular I was drawn to his longer races, including Fat Dog 120, BigFoot 200, Tahoe 200 and Moab 240. These were usually 1-2+ hours long and included his thoughts and feelings (including his highs and lows) while he was running. He showed the beauty of nature around him as well as the problem solving that must inevitably take place during one of these epic races. How you could be dead tired on your feet after going with only a few hours sleep over several days, yet have enough reserves to finish, running the last mile or two to cross the finish line with a smile and perhaps a handstand or pose with the RD (race director) balancing on your legs or shoulders (watch the videos to see what I mean!). I felt, through watching him, that what was most important was the journey you took during the race itself and not necessarily the finish. To go out and enjoy the many biomes that nature offers, whether it is in the desert, mountains or plains. To experience running, hiking and walking on trails that not many people have seen, and fewer people have linked up to run together. And to do it with other like minded people who share in this wonderful and crazy passion. I knew then that I eventually wanted to try one of these longer races; perhaps in several years after working up in distance from 50 miles to 100K, 100 miles and so on.

Enter 2020. Having DNF’d both my races in 2019 (Squamish 50K due to a twisted knee, and Javelina 100K due to a broken toe) and just starting to run again after my toe had healed, . Had I not broken my toe I would have easily finished the 100K (I made it two loops, or 42 miles before the pain of the toe forced me to quit, even with 12+ hours left to complete the third and final loop). I had set my sights on these two races again, as well as an 8 hour fixed race and maybe a 24 hour race. Maybe I would add something else; I was playing around with the idea of another 50K+ race, and go for a 100 mile race in 2021 if all went well and I didn’t break any more toes kicking rocks in the foyer of our AirBnB (I’ll tell you about it in another post). Then the COVID-19 epidemic spread worldwide, and all races up until the Fall were all cancelled (definitely the right move). Suddenly I had no races, and no goals other than way off in October for the 100K. I was still training, but it was hard to stay motivated with everything going on. Stuck at home and worrying about having to close my practice for 6 weeks, I would inevitably find myself rewatching Kerry’s videos and listening to Rob Steger’s book Training For Ultra: Ultra Running Stories From the Middle of the Pack on Audible.

I believe it was around this time that I became aware of a new race that Jamil Coury, owner of Aravaipa Running, was planning for 2021. Having run two of his races (McDowell Mountain Frenzy, Javelina) I was excited to hear about the new event. He had mentioned on some of his videos and podcast interviews that he would love to have a 200 mile event to showcase the beauty and variety of terrain that Arizona has to offer runners. He finally released a trailer video, in which the race name and some snippets of the course were were shown. The race was called Cocodona 250, and would occur in May of 2021. As for the race course and where it would go:

“Cocodona 250 takes runners from Black Canyon City up into the Bradshaw Mountains – an area steeped in gold mining lore – to the historic town of Crown King. The course then traverses more of the Bradshaws, up and over Mount Union, and snakes down into Prescott where it cuts straight through town on Whiskey Row and out into the iconic Granite Dells. From Prescott the course heads up and over Mingus Mountain into the town of Jerome and onward through Sedona, experiencing a mix of stunning red rock formations and high desert vistas. As runners leave Sedona, the course starts to get into the pines of Flagstaff, finishing up and over Mt Elden and into downtown Flagstaff.”

Description of the Cocodona 250 route from the Cocodona 250 website

Wow……just wow. This sounded amazing! Then several videos were released showing race director Steve Aderholt running the various sections of the race course and showing off the views we would see. Truly epic! This looked like a once-in-a-lifetime experience to participate in, and to be able to do it at the inaugural race? I knew that I wanted to run this race if at all possible. But….

But I had never done a race this far or long in my life! 250 miles, 33K+ of total elevation gain? Doing a race that occurs over multiple days, where in all likelihood I would be getting only a few hours of sleep total? Sounds like finals week with a view, right? I also found out reading the requirements for the race that I needed to have a 100+ mile or multi-day race under my belt before I was allowed to run, neither of which I currently had. So I would need to adjust my schedule and change Javelina to the 100 mile race option, completing it in 30 hours of less to earn my qualifier into Cocodona. Oof.

I did have a few things going for me, though: I had just under a full year to prepare and train for the race. I had an amazing coach, Megan Roche, who has helped me train for all my races since the Chicago Marathon and, when I asked if this race was doable for me, said ” I’m very excited about the possibility of Cocodona 250 and think it fits in well with your goals, adventure vibes, and the overall trajectory of your training. Will be fun to have on the schedule!” My body was finally healthy and ready to tackle the training it would take. My wife, who does think I am crazy to want to do Cocodona, said I have her full support. Not to mention the support of The Ginger Runner (Ethan Newberry), Mile Long Legs (Kimberly Teshima-Newberry) and all of the Ginger Runner Crew.

So as I sat in front of the computer, filling out the registration, I decided I would also embark on another first; creating a blog that would chronicle my journey to Cocodona; from training, to the qualifying races, then to Cocodona itself. My thoughts, my setbacks, my accomplishments. I also was thinking “Am I crazy to try something so epic, so out of my comfort zone? 250 miles, on foot, over 5 days?” Maybe. But those thoughts didn’t stop me from finishing the form, entering the payment, and pressing “Enter”. Here we go!!