After three days on the trail, Tailwind Nutrition ambassador athlete Maggie Guterl placed first in the female category and seventh overall in the inaugural Cocodona 250 on May 6. This is the first year of the ultra race, which spans a curated route through central Arizona historic towns and trails.
Guterl, also the brand’s athletes and events manager, finished with a time of 85 hours and 34 minutes. The cutoff for the race is 125 hours. The max elevation for the race is 9,013 feet, with an estimated cumulative gain of 42,313 feet and an estimated cumulative loss of 37,445 feet. A total of 184 runners competed in the race.
The Cocodona 250 challenges runners with 255.8 miles of foot trails linked together through the towns of Black Canyon City, Crown King, Prescott, Jerome, Clarkdale, Sedona, and Flagstaff. The race has been described by some as a “life-changing test of endurance,” said the brand.
Throughout the race, athletes run through multiple national parks including Jerome Historic State Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Fort Tuthill County Park. Guterl was paced by fellow Tailwind athlete and ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter. Additional pacers included Kevin Schmidt, Nicole Bitter, Zach Bitter, Brian Tinder, and Kyle Curtin.
According to Guterl, she primarily fueled with Tailwind Endurance Fuel and Rebuild Recovery and did not eat many solid foods during the heat of the days during the run. She also sustained her energy on trailside naps, totaling a couple of hours over the duration of the event.
Guterl is also known for becoming the first female to win at Big’s Backyard Ultra in 2019.
Photo courtesy Tailwind
