Two Alabama ultrarunners completed the Cocodona 250 endurance run in Arizona that ended in Flagstaff after a grueling climb up Mt. Elden.
Martin Schneekloth of Huntsville and Nikki Harvey of Birmingham were among the 350 finishers of the annual test of skill and will. Schneekloth recently completed the inaugural Southern States 200 that went from Dalton, Ga., to Mt. Cheaha on the Pinhoti Trail. Harvey, earlier this spring, completed a six-state run in 44 days from Mexico to Canada to raise money for food banks.
Schneekloth crossed the finish line in Flagstaff at 11:11 p.m. (MST) on May 10. He averaged a smidge more than 49 miles per day, and finished with 31,161 feet of elevation gain.
Harvey wasn’t far behind, crossing the finish at 11:46 p.m. on May 10. She also averaged about 49.4 miles per day and had 31,161 feet of elevation gain.
“The 2024 Cocodona 250 challenged me in ways I hadn’t been before,” Schneekloth said. “The technical terrain, climbing and full sun and heat exposure on just the first day sent me on a mental downward spiral that was worsened by severe sleep deprivation, ultimately resulting in just seven hours of sleep during 114 hours (nearly five days). Luckily, I had an amazing crew, with all but one of the four crew members having previously guided me to two successful 200-mile finishes.
“There were a lot of lows, but also a few highs. Getting to close out the final 20-plus miles with my wife by my side as my pacer — when we still had to conquer the biggest climb of the race, up and down Mount Elden — was the biggest highlight for me. We didn’t just complete the climb, we crushed it. For me, these long distance events are about conquering your inner doubt, not about finishing with some arbitrary time goal. This journey took me through high desert landscapes, sandstone valleys, canyons and over mountain tops. I will remember this shared experience forever.”
The final climb up Mt. Elden is about 9,300 feet. Runners encountered snow along the rocky trail to the top before enjoying the descent on a U.S. Forest Service road.
The Cocodona 250 begins in Black Canyon and ends in Flagstaff. Black Canyon is a little more than 45 miles north of Phoenix, on I-17. Runners get to enjoy climbing through the Bradshaw Mountain Range to iconic towns including Crown King, Prescott, Jerome, Sedona and up the final mountain into Flagstaff.
Haraldas Subertas won the race in 59:50:55.
