Imagine running 250 miles through the Arizona desert—fueled by mashed potatoes and just 19 minutes of sleep. That's the incredible reality for American ultrarunner Rachel Entrekin, who shattered the course record at the Cocodona 250, crossing the finish line in 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 48 seconds. Not only did she win the women's division, but she also beat every male competitor in the field.

"Somewhere around mile 200, I slept for five minutes at an aid station," the 34-year-old told BBC Sport the morning after her historic victory. "Then around 230 miles, I took two seven-minute naps on the floor. And food—it's impossible to say how much I ate, but as far as real food goes, I had a lot of mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are the best. You get tired of chewing, and you don't want to expend any extra energy doing that."

Entrekin's fuel strategy also included energy gels, sweets, rice, and broth throughout the grueling race. Remarkably, she still had enough energy for a sprint finish. The morning after, after sleeping from 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., she spent her time refueling and cheering on other runners as they crossed the line.

Supported by a six-person team that included her parents, this victory marked her third consecutive win at the Cocodona 250, following women's race triumphs in 2024 and 2025. The Cocodona 250 is widely considered one of the most demanding ultramarathons on the planet, winding from the Sonoran Desert through Sedona and up the hills of Flagstaff—with a total elevation gain of roughly 38,800 feet.

"Men and women obviously have very different skillsets, but in an event like this, it comes down to so much more than just fitness," said Entrekin, now a professional trail runner who previously worked as a physiotherapist. "Your attitude and your ability to combat stress is so important—they are at least as important as how physically fit you are. So I think the field is just so much more leveled at something like this."

Her time this year was a dramatic improvement over her 2024 performance of 63 hours, 50 minutes, and 55 seconds—a result she found unsatisfying after the previous year's event. "I actually did not like the person that emerged from that challenge," she admitted. Now, with a new course record and a mindset focused on resilience, Entrekin has proven that sometimes the wildest adventures start with a simple bowl of mashed potatoes.