If you entered the Cocodona 250 lottery, you already know what the entry fee looks like. You saw the number, sat with it for a minute and then, signed up anyway — because some experiences are just worth it. Right now, you’re waiting on an email that might change your spring of 2027.
Money and running are a weird combination. What races actually cost, beyond the entry fee, tends to stay private. Maybe it feels like bragging, maybe it feels like complaining or maybe it’s just nobody’s business, but Cocodona isn’t a normal race. It’s a 250-mile journey through Arizona that people plan to do for years, and what it costs to get to the finish line varies wildly depending on how you do it.
I was curious how people did it, so I asked. Whether you’re dreaming about it or already in the lottery, here’s what some runners actually spent on their race this year, so you can get an idea of what to budget for your dream race in the future.
Every runner paid the $1,940 entry fee. (Entry and fees will go up to $2,238 for 2027.) After that, what you spend depends almost entirely on how you do it. Among the runners I talked to, total race week costs ranged from under $2,000 to well over $6,000.
Elliott Waldock has run Cocodona twice, driving from North Dakota in his 2008 Prius and using travel rewards points for hotels. His crew car-camped for most of the race. Excluding entry, his race week costs came in well under $2,000. “I’m pretty calculated,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve made any large logistical errors.”
Josh Col flew in from out of state with his parents, who drove out and covered their own costs, and a friend, to crew. Josh’s personal race week tab came to about $3,100, not counting a sprinter van rental which his friend covered. “I definitely had to turn off the calculator in my brain,” he said. “[I] think of it as a once in a lifetime opportunity.” His one regret was the $88 he spent on gels and nutrition fuel before the race. The aid stations at Cocodona are exceptionally well-stocked, and he said he could have fueled from them, almost entirely, between stops.
Elliott Waldlock takes a dirt nap during Cocodona. Photo courtesy Elliot Waldlock
Ashley Bonikowsky flew from Canada with her partner, who was running the race. They rented a Jeep Wagoneer for eight days and booked an Airbnb with a cold plunge in Cornville. The town is close to everything on the course but smaller than Flagstaff or Scottsdale. Lower lodging costs of a small town gave them room to splurge in other areas, and they made a real vacation out of it. Between the two of them, flights, car and accommodations ran about $5,000, not counting his entry fee. She wouldn’t change any of it.
Two of the runners I talked to rented sprinter vans for their crews. The van becomes the crew’s home base, gear storage and portable nap pod. Crews quickly tend to become true believers. Josh’s mom became one of them. After the race she said, “If you ever do this again, we will be sure to get a van.” The rental cost $1,800 for five days. Another runner also rented a van because he wanted his crew to have a good experience and not worry about anything – comfort or finances. He knew how much they were giving up to be there. He drove the van from California, which offset some of his travel costs. Total cost was $2,219 plus $642 in gas. It’s not a cheap option and not a necessary one, but if it is in your budget, it’s worth consideration.
Nobody I spoke with covered 100% of their crew’s costs, but the range was wide. Josh’s parents and friend covered everything themselves. Elliott left his credit card with his crew but said they rarely used it. Some covered all food and lodging during race week while crews handled their own travel. Whatever your arrangement, talk it through before race week so no one is surprised. The last thing you want is financial awkwardness when someone is trying to pace you through mile 200.
None of these numbers include what it costs to be ready to stand at that start line. Many runners did multiple training races in the months leading up to Cocodona, which meant additional entry fees and travel. Kaitie Sloan worked with a coach. David Von Stroh paid for a three-month gym membership to get sauna access for heat training. Josh spent about $1,500 on gear he didn’t have, though most of it carries forward to other events. Everyone’s version of these costs will look different but keep them in mind as well.
Whether you wrap the race into a larger vacation, save up credit card points, splurge on a sprinter van or run solo, there is no right or wrong way to do Cocodona. Whatever you decide to budget for, take Elliott’s advice and get a hotel room the night before you start. One last real night of sleep in a bed before running 250 miles is not the place to cut corners.