Los Banos runner completes 190 miles of ultramarathon in Arizona
A runner from Los Banos fell short in reaching his goal of completing the Cocodona 250, an ultramarathon held in Arizona last week.
But James Thornton certainly made Merced County proud.
Thornton had to pull out of the race after 190.6 miles due to a medical issue, according to the race’s tracking website. According to the tracking site, Thornton completed 48.8 miles per day and completed 25,890 feet of cumulative elevation gain.
Thornton is a member of the Reservoir Ruckers, a rucking club based in Los Banos. “Rucking is a form of exercise with roots in military training,” according to www.901pt.com. “Very simply, it’s walking (or hiking) a set distance while carrying a weight in a backpack. Rucking comes from the word ‘ruck sack.’”
According to the event website, “The Cocodona 250 links together some of the most iconic trails and towns in Arizona for one monumental undertaking of 250 consecutive miles on foot.”
Rachel Entrekin became the first woman to win the ultramarathon, according to Runner’s World. She finished in a course-record 56 hours, 9 minutes and 48 seconds.
According to the Runner’s World article, Entrekin took three naps for a total of 19 minutes of sleep over the 56 hours of racing.
The time limit to complete the event, which held its first race in 2021, is 125 hours.
For perspective, 250 miles is like starting in Merced and finishing at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia.
