2026 Cocodona 250 Deep Dive! Course Preview, Tips & Strategies

FLAGSTAFF BOUND is BACK for 2026!Become a Distance to Empty subscriber!: https://www.patreon.com/DistancetoEmptyPod Get some free DTE Swag by supporting out sponsors!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Janji.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and be sure to select 'podcast' > 'Distance to Empty' on the post purchase "How did you hear about Janji" page. Thank you!Check out Mount to Coast here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mounttocoast.com/discount/Distance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Code IRON at www.goodranchers.com and mention us in the post purchase survey!Episode Title: Cocodona 250 Course Preview 2026Kevin and Peter are back with their most-downloaded episode of the year — the Cocodona 250 Course Preview. With a combined ~5 finishes between them, the guys break down everything you need to know before toeing the line in Black Canyon City this May.They cover all the meaningful 2026 course changes first: the new Watson Lake Aid Station (bring $5 cash for parking), the relocated Fain Ranch at Living Waters Church, the loss of crew access at Deer Pass (hello, 50K crew-less stretch), and the big pacer rule flip — you can now bring a pacer through Walnut Canyon, but the final 19 miles over Elden are solo. No pacers. Just you and the mountain.Then it's a section-by-section breakdown of all 253 miles:Start to Crown King — 37 miles, 11K+ feet of gain, and one critical right turn you cannot missCrown King to Whiskey Row — navigating the Bradshaws overnight through Camp Kippa and the Yankee Doodle TrailWhiskey Row to Mingus Mountain — crossing Prescott Valley, the Granite Dells, the Fain Ranch gopher field, and the big Mingus climbMingus to Sedona — the most mentally draining stretch of the race, a junkyard descent out of Jerome, and a Verde River crossingThe Hangover Trail — slick rock, big exposure, 40-minute miles, and somehow the most beautiful part of the courseSchnebly Hill to Walnut Canyon — 51 miles deep in the race on the Coconino Plateau, Muns Park, Kelly Canyon, and the legendary Fort TuthillWalnut Canyon to the Finish — the final solo push up Elden via the Newhart Trail and down the steep descent into Heritage SquareThe guys also share details on the Distance to Empty ShakeOut Run (Sunday May 3rd, 2 PM at Deep Canyon Ranch), the Mingus Basketball Association three-shot challenge (live leaderboard, prizes from Mount to Coast, John G, and Ultraspire), and how to score some DTE swag out on course.Whether you're racing, crewing, pacing, or just dreaming — this is the episode to prep with.