The post Runner Dies During 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile appeared first on iRunFar.
In an extraordinarily sad social media post, the 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile race organization has announced that a runner passed away on Tuesday, May 5, during the event.
Details are limited, but the race organization has said that an unknown medical emergency occurred to a participant during the race. At this time, the race organization notes that it does not plan to release the runner’s name to respect their privacy.
The start of the 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile on Monday, May 4. Photo: Anastasia Wilde Photography/@_anastasiawilde
“We are deeply saddened to share that a participant experienced a serious medical emergency today during the event and has passed away. The runner’s crew and family have been notified,” reads the May 5 social media post.
The Cocodona 250 Mile is a 253-mile race taking place in the Arizona desert and mountains, stretching between Black Canyon City and Flagstaff. The 2026 edition began on Monday, May 4, and ends on Saturday, May 9. Runners have 125 hours to cover the course, which has over 38,000 feet of climbing, and covers a mixture of singletrack, doubletrack, some technical sections, and a bit of tarmac around the towns through which it passes. This year’s race had on the order of 400 participants in its 250-mile event, and many more across the event’s five races, ranging from 40 to 250 miles, during the week-long festival. It is not clear from the announcement which race the runner was participating in.
The desert and mountains of Arizona play host to the Cocodona 250 Mile, which is taking place for the sixth time in 2026. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The organization says the race will continue in honor of the fallen runner. Its announcement reads: “We ask all participants and crew to carry the memory of this runner with you on the trail.”
This is an evolving story, and we’ll update this article should more information become available.
iRunFar extends its condolences to all who are affected by this tragedy.
Runner Dies During 2026 Cocodona 250 Mile by Eszter Horanyi.
