Published September 26, 2026, at 03:05 AM, the latest installment of the Outside Podcast delves deep into the extraordinary mind and career of one of endurance sports’ most captivating figures. Over the past year, the global ultrarunning community has watched in absolute awe as American runner Rachel Entrekin has systematically dominated the sport’s most grueling and punishing distances, setting new benchmarks for what athletes can achieve when physical conditioning meets an unshakeable psychological framework.
Widely and affectionately known in the ultrarunning world as the "Queen of Cocodona," Entrekin has earned this prestigious moniker through her historic and unprecedented three consecutive victories at the brutal Cocodona 250, a relentless endurance race winding through the demanding terrain of Arizona. Her dominance at Cocodona reached its absolute peak this spring, when she achieved a historic milestone by winning the entire event outright, crossing the finish line ahead of the entire men’s field by a remarkable margin of over an hour. It was a performance that stunned seasoned observers and cemented her status as a generational talent capable of matching and surpassing the best endurance athletes in the world, regardless of gender.
Yet, despite the magnitude of her achievements in the deserts of the American Southwest, Entrekin’s remarkable racing season was far from over. Just recently, she made her highly anticipated debut at the legendary UTMB race held in the shadow of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France. Trading the familiar, scorching desert heat and dry air for the brutal, highly technical alpine climbs of the European Alps, Entrekin proved her incredible versatility against a stacked, world-class international field. Navigating the treacherous mountain trails and punishing vertical gains, she secured an incredible second-place finish in the highly competitive women’s race, crossing the finish line with a remarkable time of 22 hours and 15 minutes. This European success further validated her status not just as a regional specialist in multi-day desert races, but as a truly global force in elite ultrarunning.
To find out what truly drives one of endurance sports’ rising stars, the producers of the podcast turned to writer Rebecca Byerly. Rebecca occupied a unique vantage point with a front-row seat to Rachel’s history-making performance this year, having been out on the trails pacing another runner at Cocodona. By immersing herself in the environment where Entrekin performs her craft, Byerly gained intimate insights into the physical and mental demands of these extreme distances. In this in-depth profile, Rebecca explores Rachel’s meteoric rise to the top of the sport, examining her unique approach to training, the psychological fortitude required to manage hundreds of miles of continuous exertion, and the deep-seated joy that fuels her through some of the most punishing physical ordeals imaginable. Through detailed narration and on-the-ground reporting, the podcast illuminates the human story behind the statistics and medals, offering listeners a comprehensive look at an athlete who continues to redefine the boundaries of human endurance.
