Behind-the-Scenes, Pacing Cocodona 250

Highlights from our trip to Arizona for the Cocodona 250 in May 2025 where I’d planned on doing some pacing, before racing the Flagstaff Crest 38 mile at the end of the week.

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this is going to be the fastest race ever 
or a lot of people are going to blow up   because we are going way too fast Welcome 
to episode two of Time on Feet where I’ll   be showing you highlights from our recent 
trip to Arizona for the Cocodona 250 where   I planned on doing some pacing before racing 
the 38 mile distance at the end of the week. We started by flying into Phoenix to 
pick up a camper van from Road Surfer   which would be our home on wheels for the next 10 days. All right so we just arrived in Phoenix We 
picked up our van We just had a quick lunch some   delicious Mexican food Um we’re just looking 
for SIM cards for our phones We got to get   groceries fill up our water tank and then uh 
we’ll go look for a camp spot for the night We stopped for the night on route north 
before finishing the drive the next day   to where the start line was being 
set up just outside of Black Canyon City Well another month another adventure and 
this time we are in Arizona for the Cocodona 250   We’ll be here for about 10 days Uh my primary goal 
is to pace my friend Jeff Garmire. He’s best known   for his throughhiking accomplishments including 
numerous FKTs He’s a very talented runner as well   He’s sponsored by Janji and Janji is supporting me 
on this project this week as well So it’s Sunday   afternoon Uh the race starts tomorrow morning on 
Monday at 5:00 a.m Everyone’s just flooding in now   for registration But first up is a shakeout run 
that I’m going to lead actually with Finn Melanson   uh for Naak and Janji in about an hour Yeah So 
we’re here at the Cocodona Expo pre-race We’re   going to be sampling out a bunch of the stuff 
that will be available on course but then also the   boost line since that just launched We’re about 
to head out for a shakeout run with everybody at   3 to 4 miles and then we’ll come back and do 
some giveaways and just start kicking everything off. This week would be a great chance to catch 
up and to meet a bunch of people in person who   I’d only ever spoken to online I’m probably 
not in shape to go on this run but uh I work   for Finn Yeah we’re going to hopefully be filming 
him doing better than he expects We’ll see how it   goes And I finally got a chance to meet someone 
whose work for Salomon over the years I’d always   admired and had had a huge influence on my own Hey 
tell me what you’re up to here with Ryan this week   Yeah we’ve just started a new documentary 
project which we’re releasing in 2026 and   uh Cocodona is going to form the backbone of that 
piece So very excited to be here New experience   filming a 250 mile race Um so we’ll see Ask me on 
Wednesday evening huh How I’m doing Well might be   a different answer Well I think I’m going to 
run to Flagstaff tomorrow Not really tomorrow   but over the course of three days Tell me you 
got a crew this time You got Yes I got a crew   this time And then I got Jeff Browning pacing and 
Karl Meltzer pacing Amazing We’re calling it the   salty crew That’s a lot of experience between 
It is It is We got the We definitely have the   um time on our side I guess so to speak with with 
what’s going on with this this race this time for   sure All right so we’re at the check-in at Cocodona 
250 and uh I’ve been doing these for about 8   years now uh specifically with Howie And so we 
want to get a before photo so that when people   finish you see the after and how much change they 
go through in 5 days and 250 miles I think over   all the years and thousands of images the thing 
that I can pull out of it is that people are so   nervous in these photos and they have no idea They 
put these giant smiles on but when you see the   smile at the finish line it’s so relaxed and pure 
and I love that Well I’m feeling pretty good Uh 3   weeks post Arizona Monster 300, Run about 350 miles since 
then So the the taper/recovery is going well And   uh yeah just coming back for my fifth Cocodona 
you know just to have a big party on the trails   and uh eat a lot of good food and run a couple 
miles I said I would not shoot again Uh but for   the third year shooting um I’m working with 
Dylan Harris again Um if you haven’t seen The   Chase from last year I had the opportunity to be 
out here shooting Um and we’re making you know   we’re making a little bit of an unexpected film 
I know there’s a lot of attention on the front We   followed the front last year and this year we’re 
following the back We’re following the like the   everyday runner It’s it’s a slower pace I’m used 
to the like hectic like go go go but there’s also   the fun part of like there not going to be other 
camera crews back there It’s not going to be like   jostling around at the finish line or anything 
Uh yeah it’s just it’s just good oldfashioned   storytelling I love it I’m pacing crewing Jesse 
Haynes I’ve got nine coached athletes running   Three new to 200s first time 200s I have two in 
the 125 We got a couple coaches running Stoked   What can we expect out there, cooler year this 
year? Cooler year Um looks like we’re going to   have isolated storms in the first 3 days and 
then it’s sunny and back to normal So front   of the pack runners are going to have to deal 
with some weather up on the rim Um probably the   the mid to back of the pack are it’s going to be 
nice by the time they get up there So but it is   going to make it more overcast through the desert 
Two desert sections day one day two for the front   you know front 10 or 15 people So that’ll be nice 
for the lead pack It is going to be chillier at   night though Um and potentially wet so we’ll see 
That evening we had   a last minute crew meeting. Then it was   time to get some rest before getting up for the 
5 a.m start. So what’s your You   got a bagel Bagel coffee Had some sodium bicarb 
already Uh no ketones yet Holding off on those   lubed up Checked in Checked in Got the 
tracker I guess I’m just ready I mean   now I’m just second guessing Should I have 
more food Should I have more anything But you got Yeah I definitely you get some sleep 
Uh couple hours Yeah Good Good Little something   Not too much but yeah we are Yeah What up 
brother Let’s uh every every 30 minutes I   was like “Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go 
Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go.”   Not the best sleep but some sleep Well we’re 
going to miss you out there We like the full   live vlogs while you come back and just 
almost take first place you know How you   feeling Oh I’m feeling pretty good You ready 
to go I think so Yeah I’m I’m really excited   mentally Like I just want to get this thing 
going So I’m just hoping that my body follows   through Yeah It’s just a you know it’s just a 
big adventure So excited to go out there and   see what the world has for me to experience 
this time and what I’m going to learn and   yeah and it’s just it’s just a thrill to be 
here This is such a great event It’s almost   time It’s going to be wonderful It’s going 
to be terrible It’s going to be amazing Take   care of each other out there Here we go Eh Yeah 
Exciting 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Oh god I got to start driving now I’m supposed to 
be at Crown King at 12:00 I can’t believe What’s   the detour It’s proposing Um well from Bumblebee 
it’s like this giant like you’re like here and   then you’re you got to do this giant loop around 
Okay The race is underway They got off here at   5:00 a.m The sun came up shortly after And 
uh we’re all planning our drive over here   to Bumblebee Aid Um and then from there we’ll get 
our permit And it’s a staging area for Crown King   And unfortunately it looks like there’s a road 
closure It could add several hours of driving so it turns out the off-ramp in question was 
accessible from the other direction   so we made it to the hold area at Bumblebee 
Ranch with plenty of time to spare Once runners made it past the specific checkpoint 
crews would be allowed to continue driving onto   Crown King which is at the end of a rough 
drive that can’t really handle too much traffic Harry is crushing it He is like right out in 
front I think he’s got something to prove you   know He’s coming back determined to show that 
he’s not just like a oneshot wonder Like it’s   exciting Yeah I wasn’t expecting to see him so far 
in the lead already Cold temperatures Look at you   in a puffy I know I know It’s cold Or I’m soft 
It’s one of the two Yeah What’s up It’s like that   Spider-Man meme Yeah I got a 135 on though so I’m 
really tight on ya Oh shoot you got me beat I’m at   16 Jeff’s not too far behind So we got everything 
ready for him We got his options here We got his   snacks We got his bag So is he on schedule What’s 
uh He’s way ahead of schedule Is he Yeah Yeah We   we were expecting him to come in around um 1:30 1:30 
So it’s about 11 something right now So yeah Doing   great Yeah we got our puffies on We we we had to 
get into Jeff’s gear in order to gear bag in order   to uh stay warm but uh yeah it’s a little chillier 
than we thought Good racing conditions though Yeah   Oh awesome Really nice day for Jeff especially guy 
coming from Montana As a desert person I’m very   uh cold Yeah we know last year Jeff struggled 
with the heat so this year it’s been good to   see him have better conditions Yeah Yeah What are 
you shooting this week What’s your project What’s   your focus Um I am following the leaders um which 
is lead men and women probably with Courtney She’s   up in the mix So doing the best I can to shoot it 
all by myself and get an edit done by the end of   the race So we’ll see how that goes What’s Tell 
me about that strategy Um partly to challenge   myself in editing but also try to like capitalize 
on like the hype around the race and get something   out quick How we doing It’s exciting eh It’s super 
exciting It’s fun to see the runners come in It’s   uh I think people going faster than expected with 
the colder weather Yeah pretty tight grouping now   Super tight Yeah I mean Harry Harry’s been making 
a push so he’s a few miles ahead but it seems   like you know two to eight is all super close 
together Yeah it’s going to be quite the race Yeah   How does Ryan look Oh he looks good He’s super 
chilled and um he’s more chilled than we are So Last year I did a story on the the front of the 
pack and uh this year I felt inspired to to tell   a story that of an idea I had for a while which is 
following the cutoff of the race paying homage to   the back of the packers like really the the core 
and the heartbeat of ultra running in my opinion   um and putting them on their pedestal 
and and showing respects to them and   uh yeah so I’m going to be following the 
cuto off of the race and I’m going to be   um telling the stories of the people who are 
kind of interacting in that time space and   um some will be heartbreaking and some will 
be uh victorious so I think it will be special   this year is absolutely different Um there is a 
professionalism that is um coming to these small   towns in Arizona that I’ve grown up around and 
it’s wild to see and it’s wild to see all these   faces in media and my peers that I see at all the 
big races around the world and the country showing   up here It’s just um honestly it’s pretty special 
for me Like I feel a lot of pride in this race So all right Finn Cuz I’m not going to be moving fast enough for 
you This is my feet are in good shape Yeah your   hands were cold eh Oh I lost feeling I 
could barely break down my poles Yeah Hey Jesse Nice work Right here Can you give me 
like a blanket or a sleeping bag Here You want   my jacket The bottles out too Okay The bottles 
already mixed Yeah we got some mixed You got a   hat Yeah Do you want to just take care of my pack 
Kristen And Ari can do the bags Okay And how you   feeling Really good Good
Yeah you’re doing great I had a splits just like   everyone else Yeah man You’re doing great It 
was miserable It was snowing Yeah Really Yeah   Like real snow The headlamp is in the the outside 
pocket   any spots to fill water One spot at Raster Creek I 
wouldn’t Is that the Hy Rox champion Mike McNight? Hey me and Britney and Ben came up with a new name 
for you Aaron What is it? Aaron Quadbala Quadbala! We haven’t taken How do I get them 
out You unzip the side pocket before This is going   to be the fastest race ever or a lot of people 
are going to blow up because we are going way   too fast All right go get it Who went out ahead 
of me He’s Well he said he was 20 minutes ahead   but I think on the spreadsheet he was projected 
in here at 130 So 45 minutes Yeah that’s good. Good job Hey looking good Your buddy’s fun Jeff 
Yeah Yeah He brought me in Go get him He’s right   ahead of you Is he all good I said don’t leave 
without me He left without me Nice and smooth bro All right Finn Go get it Let’s go everybody jacket Everything’s perfect 
Headlamp Uh headlamp is one right now   Good That’s why we gear check Head lamp 
Perfect It’s in my It’s in my pack That’s   why you gear check right there Don’t want 
to go out in the night without a headlamp Go baby There she goes What was that Just missed her Yeah Yeah Dan Green just rolled in here and went 
straight into the bathroom there It’s like   he’s got a cup of noodles Okay All right We 
can start passing judgment after a minute   What’s uh tell me about the last couple hours 
here Uh last couple hours we saw Courtney a couple   times Uh one of them was up high like 7,600 feet 
and it was snowing We snuck a little 35minut nap   in which was awesome and then uh saw Harry come 
through and then very shortly after Courtney did   and then we went a little bit further and stumbled 
across the exact moment where she passed him which   was really awesome and we got that We filmed that 
and then drove like another handful of whatever   and filmed a little bit of drone and then we came 
here and ran It was so fun running parallel down   the street in cuz it was like seven people filming 
and I filmed like parallel You could see people in   front that are like leading her people behind and 
it was super fun Then we uh in the aid station and   Daniel here filmed um the aid station stuff and 
then I filmed this she ran out and on the way out   there wasn’t anyone else filming So it was nice 
to get the like both all the people filming her   and then like a little bit of her and her pacer 
leaving 2025 Coconut 250 This is the fifth edition   and it feels like the race is like really growing 
up for our eyes which is really cool to see You   know something that was just a dream however 
many years ago Like we’ve got incredible athletes   athletes coming from around the world that are 
excited to be here and make this their goal race   And we’re here in Whiskey Row and the lead man 
and woman are already through here and it’s not   even dark yet Like I could not have imagined 
that after the last couple years Like year one   Michael Versteeg came through here I think it was 
midnight It was ghost town and now there’s you   know kids giving high fives and this place is 
just filled with people and it’s it’s just so   cool to see like this vision coming to life and 
it’s amazing What I think is so cool about you   know this distance there’s so much more room for 
drama and storytelling and things to happen like   someone could be crushing it on morning one and 
then they’ve fallen apart on night two and then   they come back and like the weaving of that in 
sport is incredible And you know if this was a 100   mile race like Courtney would be almost done right 
now And I’m like we’re just barely getting started   and that’s so cool That’s just for the leaders 
like let alone like I mean there’s still people   that are on the first climb of the course like 
coming up out of the start right now and they’ve   got five more days So much more drama to come Yeah 
It’s already through and Dan Green’s gone through What It’s either crazy or That’s all I’m saying Or new normal right Or 
new It could be the new normal I mean what was   it unthinkable that someone could finish Western 
States in the daylight at one point in time Yeah   absolutely And then now it’s And this is a new 
This is a very new sport This distance Yeah Yeah   This distance is a new sport And all right this 
is pretty exciting I could hang out here all night   but I’ve got to go get a nap cuz I’m going to be 
pacing starting in about 2 hours here That was Ryan Sandes Okay 
now I’m going to go have a nap All right so it’s 1:00 a.m I managed to get 
a couple of hours sleep here in the van Uh Jeff   is about 5 miles out from the aid station here at 
Whiskey Row about mile 77 Um he did have a couple   of hours nap at the previous aid station but he’s 
back on his feet He’s rallying so it’s going to   be my job to get him back on track There’s lots 
of race left here How do you feel Good Yeah I’m   rested I’m rested I’m excited to get out there see 
some of the course Mhm Should have a nice sunrise hopefully There he is Good to see you Nice You ready for some company Oh 
yeah I’m ready to run Oh yeah   I’m ready We’re going to run a 
lot Nice Under the heat lamp Wow All right Jeff just came in here 
It sounds like he’s going to do a   full change of clothes change of shoes He’s 
got no shirt on though so he’s not cold He says he might have a fever actually but he’s 
running He’s moving Figure out what he’s what   he’s eating what he hasn’t Okay Do what you 
know how to do We’ll be following you Yeah   Have a good day See you guys See you guys in a 
few See you in a bit buddy Yeah   Have a good night See you guys Bye All right Got a lot 
of food We’re good All right All right Here we go So much race left Yeah Yeah It’s not 
the worst time to have gotten here   Like I’ve been here later and got 
respectable times Yeah So we’ll be okay So how are we feeling We’re about 2 
hours since our last check-in Yeah just   sort of meh this year But I mean the goal is 
always to just be able to run on day two and   three And while day one was pretty rough and 
have a little bit of a bug or something the   fact that my legs can still run will be better 
than more than half of the people ahead So yeah All right we’re coming up on Iron King Aid 
here We’re going to get a bit more water   grab a couple of things but we’re going 
to try to make this like a 1 minute stop   And then we’ve got another 5 and 1/2 miles or 
so before I tap out Really runnable 5 and 1/2   too Nice and runnable Yeah exactly 24 hours 
on feet Yeah And the sun should be coming   up in the next half hour or so Um someone 
comes but you need your usually Like last   year the sun will be rising when I’m in the next 
section and we’re like five miles before that So   it’s really not It’s It’s weird how the math 
always works out Like a little quick refer a   big sleep this year moving efficiently when I’m 
moving and we’re still not that far behind Yeah All right 2 and 1/2 km till the shift change Yeah 2 and 1/2 km of muddy fields Yeah these 
fields are terrible All right we’re just   approaching Feain Ranch I’m just finishing 
my first shift here after about 4 hours on   feet I’m going to tap out Woo Yeah feeling 
good right Yeah Somewhat good Good enough We’ll take the big headlamp and charge it and do 
a food swap for like fresh food Same stuff he’s   been eating He said water is here you guys Kind 
of candy and nuts and stuff And we’re going to   try to do like five six minutes maybe and get 
him out of here Okay And then um you got some   coffee Sweet My job’s done Uh how are you doing 
Good Yeah we had fun Yeah Yeah Did you get wet   a lot Did you get wet a lot? No it was fine 
And I was I was warm Okay Nice Did it rain a   little Yeah we passed a bunch of people I think 
we probably passed I don’t know eight runners I   would say in pacers at least maybe Yeah Yeah He’s 
passing all the people I think that passed him   while he was sleeping And I got a feeling maybe 
tomorrow he’s going to pass a lot of the front   runners he went out to too hard So there he’s got 
a lot of race left in him Oh yeah there’s still a   lot of time Okay Hey well we made it to Fain 
Ranch after just over 4 hours on feet about 30   km I’m tapping out here for now Ending my first 
shift I’m going to get some rest get some food   Jeff we’re hoping to get him out of here in 
about 5 minutes He’s having some coffee some   food and then head back out there with his 
next pacer Jameson Uh we’re going to go run   up Mingus Mingus Mountain We’re going to go try 
not to kick cactuses for the next six miles And   then hit me with some a bunch of nice cruisy 
trail up to the top of the mountain Could be   some weather up there right Yeah we’re going into 
that cloud right there So up there Have fun guys What do you think I thought he looked good Yeah 
Yeah he’s rallied and I think he’s feeling good   I didn’t hear him complain about his back or his 
head So u some time right Yeah And that you know   this is his kind of weather He laughs about the 
sauna but you know this is what he trained in   So he’s a better chaser than being chased So 
we’ve been here before Part one of three done   Yeah For the next Mhm Yeah Is that real maple 
syrup It actually is Kirkland Good stuff Costco Wow going up there Cool We did our best to keep up with the lead 
runners while balancing the need to rest and to   eat ourselves. Nice They are cruising I think it’s   Finn I hope it’s Finn I’ve been tracking him 
Um so it’s both Finns I have the live location   of one of the Finns I’ve been tracking him all 
the way through Um so yeah this should be them   Max should and Max is coming up really close 
I think we saw them come right behind Yeah So   yeah they’ve been running together pretty much 
since the last like two sections back and forth Hey slow down Jeff how’s Garmire doing He’s coming 
back How are you doing Good You’re looking great   Thank you Thank you You’re looking great Send 
him home Wendle Send him home Wendle All right   All right So let’s do just a little bit of 
massage Yeah Brush the teeth Get the massage   gun I like this He’s got a list He’s got a plan 
Charge Oh yeah No I’m good You don’t want any   watch charge Um dude that section Yeah Like I 
mean we just kind of we just accepted our fate   with like glumping whatever you want to call it 
glopping It was It’s amazing what 10 g of protein   an hour can do in the 200s Oh that’s the spot 
The TFL Is the TFL good You want some mesh Yeah Doing great We got You asked for this Let’s   go sit down Right That was rough 
Nice work man You’re beast dude Let’s go Max Let’s go I don’t know Okay Was it 
too hot Too cold Um let’s do let’s do the uh the   bands Let’s keep doing the bands cuz my right 
knee is is not functioning on downhills really   well Chewy boogie You need shades All right 
Uh Max I’ll see you out there buddy Have fun   Jesse man that’s what we did Wow that section 
was a [ __ ] show Not feeling great You look   good You don’t have a cough Yes I do Oh you do 
You I just caught you at a good time Yeah I’ve   uh I’m hearing a lot of that I’ve been hacking 
it up. Don’t take any extra steps   Okay So you got eggs cooked in bacon grease you 
got bacon you got yogurt I’m going to have you   you try these Oh yeah More than that Oh am 
I Yeah More of that You look amazing Those Max We’re going to get some new shoes next time 
because uh I hear there’s a water crossing Yeah   cuz they haven’t been through enough water Yeah 
Day by day hour by hour You know how it goes Yeah   But he seems he seems in good spirits Good spirits 
right And the good spirits is what we want at the   halfway point That’s just it right See you Jeff 
See you about service Whole different ball game   having crew eh It’s a little different It helps 
Definitely I don’t have to try to figure it out All right so I’m packed and ready to go We are 
at Jerome Aid Station here Mile 125 So roughly   halfway in the race Uh we’re expecting Jeff any 
minute He’s about a mile or two out And then I’m   going to jump in with him for my second pacing 
shift I’ll take him from here at Jerome to Dead   Horse Ranch about 9 miles So roughly 134 miles 
into the race John kitted me out this week That’s   Jeff Garer’s sponsor and uh sponsor of the race 
And I’m wearing their shorts and a shirt and the   pants have come in really handy for the cooler 
temps we’ve been experiencing along with the   hard shell Uh with all this rain we’ve been having 
unseasonable rain uh in Arizona here Uh for shoes   I’m running in the Mount to Coast T1 These are uh 
a new pair of shoes coming out from Mount Coast   in the fall Actually their trail shoe and they use 
the Vibram or Vibram outsole which has been really   great in all the slippery mud that we’ve had And 
for nutrition as usual I’m using Knack Uh this   week I’ve been experimenting with the new uh Naak 
Boost energy drink mix along with some of the   Boost gels which has been working really great Oh 
top of his head Yeah there on top looks like him Nice Let’s go Jeff You look 
so good Yeah buddy Yeah Jeff Battle out there All right You look so good We’re fighting everything out there 
The mud monsters are out today   My boss That’s a good looking hilarious We filled up our bottles with mud We just 
been drinking it We’ve become one with it   You might as well It seems like things are 
getting a little weird here Oh yeah Oh yeah I think maybe change my shoes Yeah we were 
playing some Disney tunes some Frozen and   then we then we got the DJ tracks going and 
next thing you know we were covered in mud   and dancing to some EDM music So we were getting 
a little frustrated how the mud was clumping on   our shoes So I was like let’s just become one 
with the mud Let’s just embrace it and then   just rubbed it on our faces Secret weapon 
promise You feel like you just woke up And   did I No I don’t even know when I slept but 
I feel like I did That’s half the battle All   right welcome to the Free Outside podcast I’m 
joined by Jeff P and on today’s episode I will   be going by step by step with Cocona and uh the 
It’s going to be a 40hour episode Yeah I’ve done   250,000 steps so far So it’s a lot of walking 
you through the race It’s going to be a good time Yeah You’re coming back to life here eh 
There’s a lot of runnable stuff here but once   again we are smartly running it Yeah Yeah Yeah 
Make every step count like you said Yep Just   over a half an hour in here Close to 5 km We’re 
moving The rain kind of just a little drizzle   It’s not too cold No It’s a great temperature 
for uh someone from Montana And we’re passing   people Two already in 5K We got a little bit of 
chafing though A little bit Yeah In the spot you   don’t want it What fun times will be had right 
after this one Giving it all to the game baby All right 6 kilometers in 45 minutes 
We’ve hit a paved section so we’ve   got some easy miles coming up here Y kind 
of hurt the feet but faster miles so good Yeah Yeah So who did we just pass there Yeah 
There’s a woman who every year she climbs up   the mountain above Jerome and cheers me on and 
makes sure to track me Yeah And so she can come   out of her house and cheer for me She says I’m 
her favorite runner and she did Elden Crest one   year cuz I inspired her It’s a It’s one of the 
coolest stories of Cocodona Like I just know her   house It’s right on the course and she comes out 
and runs alongside me for a bit It’s It’s very   special I don’t know That’s why I love this race 
And we just saw her Yeah we just saw her Got that boost Some of this navigation is a little 
bit tricky Of course I’ve got the route   loaded on my watch my Choros Vertix 2s Got 
turn-by-turn navigation and it beeps at us if   we go off course So I’m also wearing the 
2S And I’m so confident in the battery I   didn’t even charge it the night before the 
race It’s going to last the whole way and   probably have 50% battery left It’s insane 
Check is in the mail Jeff Check is in the mail I think I can find Yeah there you go Uh this way This way Hey Hey Hey This 
way Yeah So the Mingus Traverse uh runs   basically from Prescott back to 
uh Sedona So we’re catching up to   um a lot of runners in that as well Oh it 
looks like we got a big creek crossing here All right This is another Cocodona runner up here Looking fresh guys Your car on the left How about a little bit 
of this Uh how’s your shirt They’re going to   come park right here Thank you Okay so we’re at 
Deer Pass Aid Station mile 148 and Jeff should   be here any minute Uh he’s going to take a few 
minutes to regroup I’m sure and then he’s going   to head out with Jameson Um they’re going to do 
another 13 or so miles and then I’ll see them   at the next aid station where I’ll take over 
for another 14 or so Yeah my Jeff man How you   going Hello Jeff 3 minutes ago Okay I’ll take 
one And then I need more Maybe just that Just   this You want it again or you want to wear it 
I don’t want to wear it Yeah I feel pretty good   Good job on your food He wants these pretzels 
too Cool Okay What else How you feeling Good   Yeah Consistent smooth Yeah Good Just nothing 
special but keeping it good Yeah This is a big   section cuz once you hit Sedona it feels like 
the last third of the race And so um I think   we’re just going to knock this out And there 
is the option for a longer break in Sedona if   we need it But I think this is not the place I 
want to take a longer break Let’s do it Enjoy it Have a good one guys Okay here we go for round three Jeff is on 
his way in here to Sedona Aid Station Uh   about mile 162 and I’m going to jump 
in with him for about 15 miles until   Foxborro Ranch Nice job Hard section 
Yeah Yeah You said it was going to be You want to take this Go from there Did 
you have tape or tape Wet tape Goodbye guys   See you in Foxboro Yeah See you in 15 miles 
Ankle feels good I feel ankle feels good No Nice job too Who’s that It’s Jeff Jeff Garmire 
here Jeff What’s up guys Yeah So how are things   going Uh tough It’s the section from Deer Pass 
into Sedona It’s always hard for me My brain likes   measured progress and directionality and that one 
zigzag so much that it’s a hard one I’m glad we’re   through it I really love this trail So this is 
we’re going to have fun on the hangover trail Yeah Tricky navigation through here 
coming out of Sedona Some of   these windy trails but again just relying on the watch Trail’s getting a 
little more interesting here So we’re climbing along the Slick Rock 
here on Hangover Trail high above Sedona   Jeff had a little 5 minute dirt nap and 
he’s like a new man this way here Come   towards me Yeah this area this trail really 
hangover trail is known to be a particularly   beautiful section of the course So we had 
planned on having me hit it in daylight   uh based on Jeff’s original projections so we 
could get some footage but that’s okay Rock   overhangs We’re basically just climbing 
traversing alongside here of this massive   overhang on the one side and a huge drop 
off on the other Fair bit of exposure too Well we hit a bit of a low patch there 
Jeff was uh puking but he was puking   while walking so we were still making forward 
progress The sun has come up and Jeff is a new   man He’s got new legs and we’re running 
again And this is absolutely beautiful Nicely done Pretty epic huh It’s beautiful Kind of 
worked out Yeah for me Yeah All right   that’s all we have to do And then it’s 
like three from the water drop to the aid All right so we just passed through what 
was an unmanned water drop Uh we filled up   one flask and we’ve got just under 6 km to 
go now in this leg and then I’m going to be   tapping out and Jeff will head out for 
for what is a pacerless section Due to   permitting restrictions runners can’t have 
a pacer in the next leg So what do you have   to take care of when we get to the next aid Uh 
just prayers thoughts and prayers Thoughts and prayers hopes and dreams Yeah Um probably grab 
my I don’t know maybe Bluetooth headphones It’s   going to be a hard section but I think it’ll 
be good Yeah Vaseline up the important parts   And some rice if they have it right Yeah Plain 
rice sounds good Need to get some glucose in me This mud This should be a 
runnable section but I’ve   got about two pounds of mud on each shoe Look at this Just mud as far as the eye can see It’s Vaseline Okay we got that So come on 
over so I can put my pack on the entraine   It’s got avocado and Yeah let’s start Try 
start with that It’s got some hummus in   it The shoes feel so different I think it’s 
good At least it’s different right Yeah we   need different We need different Okay have 
fun Hey thanks for getting me through that   That was really hard That was awesome man You 
did You did so good You did so good There it is Welcome to our sweet home on wheels courtesy of 
our friends at Road Surfer while we’re here for   the week in Arizona crewing pacing and racing at 
the Cocodona 250 Uh this has been a great crewing   vehicle so far Um of course it’s got a fridge 
a microwave a two-burner stove which is super   practical Um it’s got a giant king-size bed in 
the back but when I’ve been sleeping alone during   Jeff’s night uh pacing shift I’ve just been 
sleeping on like the one side of the bed so   uh I don’t have to worry about making it 
up There’s even a toilet and a shower in   the back which has been so handy given 
how muddy the course has been this year   And of course uh Jeff when he’s done pacing 
and racing uh it’s really nice for him to   be able to fully wash off There’s a ton 
of overhead storage Um there’s a heater   or AC whichever one you need Um and yeah 
overall this has been a great vehicle so far Hooray If you’re happy and you know it then you   really show it If you’re happy 
and you know it shout hooray Hooray Hooray Um you’re looking good Is it Have you 
run into any problems No Anything out   of the ordinary No Need any help 
studying for the MCAT Actually I   would love it if you No everything’s good 
Yeah Do something That’s water How many of my toes It’s the first time I’ve done a focus 
pull from one blister to another blister No   not very artistic Jeff’s friend Ari just did 
a big 20 mile section with him Um and now he’s   setting off on his own for the next 16 miles 
They don’t allow pacer on this one section Um   so it’s going to be by himself but uh thankfully 
there’s still a bit of daylight Um and then after   that he’s going to pick up his next uh pacer to 
uh bring him home He’s in really good spirits   Um some foot problems but that’s to be expected 
But for the most part um he’s doing really well Okay He’s just a little stiff We’ve all been there 
We’ve all been there I really enjoyed stabbing my   coach multiple times in the incorrect way There’s 
no right way to pop up Leslie with the with the   dirty with the dirty pin Yeah But definitely 
uh definitely stabbing him and seeing him go   That was payback for all the speed work Yeah 
Yeah All those intervals We headed straight   to the finish line to catch Dan Green’s record 
setting win Uh let’s see Are we doing over then   under Yeah Okay 10 minutes He’s 10 minutes away 
Okay Yeah I’ll take the under There’s no trails for your 2025 250 champion So I asked I went I ran backwards on the course 
So I went up and over Elden and backwards and   then caught Dan and like hiked with him and 
his brother a bit and he slept like 3 15 20   minute sessions and then I then I after 
I left them I went up to sunset bailed   on him went through the hail stom with him and 
then went um back down and caught uh Lucy and   uh and um Ryan and Ryan had trouble sleeping and 
I think this is a really good like interesting   point of 250s You you have to have sleep to be 
able to run fast Yeah And and you just start   like your pace suffers when you can’t get naps 
You know we we we jokingly say if you can fall   asleep on a dime it’s like a superpower in a 
250 What are you doing What are you working on   Oh I’m working on the Cocodona Chronicles This 
is uh something I asked Jamil if I could do my own   thing last year and he let me do it So it became 
this where I shoot edit post and then do that   multiple times per day And so I don’t know why 
I do this myself but it’s it’s fun I like it Um   it’s a good happy medium between the live stream 
and a longer documentary where I get to put it   out for the people right away So I really enjoy 
that It’s been fun this year to to try a little   bit of different I actually have my uh my iPad 
here this year So I’ve all the the the little   captions are handdrawn really every time Yeah 
So yeah I wanted to do I was like going to do   something with AI and I was like you know let’s go 
the other direction and make it a little bit more   uh personalized like that So and before you 
know it Jeff was on his way into town Getting it done You tired Yeah He like ran 
downheld and it was ridiculous Awesome brutally brutally crushes you Yeah Top 
10 g male I made it work Made it work How   does this compare the last four years Would 
you say it’s totally different The weather   made it just big adventure Feeling pretty 
I guess weird or not great from the start   made it I don’t know interesting I’ve had a lot of 
fun It was good to lean into the fun and enjoy the   crew and pacers which were a great group but man 
it just doesn’t it feels like year two Congrats   babe Thanks Year two where it was a different 
course It just doesn’t compare Like there’s just   snow rain for 3 days It was hard but different 
kind of hard than the sauna that I paid to go to Thanks for being out here guys Got her done Just about you may not have won but no 
one beat me to five finishes   Hell yeah Cocodona finisher First $5 foot long $5 Great That’s it Here we 
go Final sprint Let’s go Jeff We’re so proud of Jeff First ever fivetime 
finisher I mean 1,250 mi Is that right   That’s just like that’s mind-blowing to be 
able to get through this race every year   different circumstances different weather 
different conditions different mental space   going in and coming out every time And to be able 
to make it through five and especially this year   with like the rain and the cold um it wasn’t 
easy and he’s he’s like a spectacular athlete   Jeff’s amazing I thought it was finally just 
a couple of days later was golden hour where   the final runners race to finish before cutoff 
All right we’re at Cocodona 250 at the Golden   Hour and there are three final runners coming 
through We’re so excited Yeah we just had our   DFL runners come in so our last three and you 
know they came in with you know a little over   a half hour to spare in the overall 125 hour 
cutoff So the winners are here like just the   community come together It’s amazing to see 
it Like every single one is the hardest thing   I’ve ever done So it’s hard just to compare them 
be what’s neat is how they’re all different and   unique You know being able to take all of my see 
the things that I’ve loved about the course and   relive them but then get new experiences like the 
hangover trail uh to just add to my memory banks   is makes it another special experience My race at 
the Flagstaff Crest 38 mile went well but you’ll   have to stay tuned for the film from that race 
to hear all about that We spent a couple days   in Sedona on our way back to Phoenix to see 
some of what we’ve missed We’ll definitely be   back next year probably to race again And who 
knows maybe even to run the Cocodona 250 myself.