A note from Freetrail: You know Ellie Pell from the Freetrail Fam Pod, but did you know she has an insatiable need to get to know you, and I mean REALLY get to know you? Like, whatās your favorite kind of cheese? āYou Made it Weirdā is Ellieās brainchild because while she loves that these athletes are mega-talented she also wants to know what ELSE IS THERE?! Look for You Made it Weird every Friday.
You Made it Weird With Lila Gaudrault
Famā¦Iām scared. Lila Gaudrault is coming for me. Sheās coming for my course records. Sheās going to break them and make me wonder why I ever thought I was hot shit. Lila is a beast coast crusher who realized her potential in ultra-distance races at the ripe old age of 20. Sheās now 21 and continues to win races up and down the east coast. Not one to shy away from gnarly trails or smooth fire roads, Lila is enjoying her youth racing often and doing her own thing. She retains her humble spunk through her success, and is definitely one to watch bloom on the racing scene in the coming years. I for one, am ready to watch my records go down. I am super invested in her, and you should be too. Show me whatās up Lila.
Find Lia on Instagram, Strava, and Ultrasignup.
Who are you and what do you do?
Hello! My name is Lila, Iām 21 years old, and Iāve lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for my whole life. Iām currently a senior in nursing school, and I like to run ultramarathons in my spare time!
How many hours of sleep do you get per night? What are your nightly habits around your sleep (or lack of sleepā¦what things keep you up at night?)?
Usually 8-9 hours. Iām a hardcore morning person and for some reason have the inability to sleep past 5am. That means my bedtime is pretty early – I guess that makes me a bit of an unusual college student!
Do any of your group chats have names? If so, what are you willing to share? How did they get that name? What is a major topic of discussion in them?
Iām disappointed to report that none of my group chats have names interesting enough to share. Most donāt even have names. Lame. š
If you could change one thing about your favorite social media platform, what would it be?
Does Strava count as social media? I wish Strava had humidity-adjusted pace. This past summer was brutal in New England.
What is a book of fiction that you really enjoyed, for no other reason than you liked it?
Good questionā¦I mostly read nonfiction, but if I want to switch things up, Jodi Picoult is my go-to author. I recently read The Storyteller, and it was excellent. Super impactful.
What is one song youāve been listening to on repeat recently?
Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins.
What is one trend that started in 2020 that you love?
Online classes and meetings! I was a junior in high school at the time and absolutely loved remote learning. Almost everyone in my class complained how junior/senior year was ruined, but I was more than happy with the setup.
What is one trend that started in 2020 that you hate?
Virtual races. Even though Iāll admit Iāve done one. FKTs are cheaper and much more fun in my opinion!
What are the last three emojis you used?
šš š„±
What is the last thing you bought online?
I had to buy a parking pass for school. Last year I didnāt get one, and managed to almost get away with parking on campus without being ticketed for the whole semester. Almost.
What is your most controversial food opinion?
This might not be super controversial among runners, but Iāve never understood people who skip breakfast. Like, how?? I get it that mornings can be rushed, but how do you āforgetā to eat until noon?!
What three videos are at the top of your YouTube recommended homepage?
āThe Olympics When You Didnāt Make The Olympicsā (Allie Ostrander)
Labor and Delivery Nurse Vlog (Madiās Nursing Journey)
The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (Heather Jackson)
Which Allie is your favorite?
Iām a big fan of Allie O!
What argument in mass media do you not understand or think is a worthless issue?
Donāt know if this counts, but I wish that trail/ultra running coverage was more evenly distributed across the country. As an east coaster, it can be frustrating to see all of the hype going to races on the other side of the US when there are so many cool and competitive events out here. Letās put the east coast on the map!!
When you go home for the holidays, what is the food or tradition that it wouldnāt be the holidays without?
My aunt always makes coffee cake for Christmas morning!
When I say in-seam you sayā¦?
Something to do with shorts? Iām not really sure.
When has your ego caused you to do something you sort of regret but also would describe as wild and worth it?
Iām not much of a risk-taker, so I donāt have any crazy stories about skydiving or jumping off cliffs. However, I would say that deciding to start running ultras was a major step out of my comfort zone. At the time, I was a junior in high school, and it had been my dream to compete on an NCAA Division I team for years. When Covid hit, I was in the process of talking to college coaches and narrowing down potential schools. However, when my spring racing season was canceled that year, I started running more miles, exploring new trails, and ultimately developed a love for going longer and pushing how far I could run. I called the coaches Iād been talking to, told them I was no longer interested, quit cross country, and signed up for a 50km. Although looking back at this question, maybe my answer isnāt a good one because Iāve never regretted it š
What was your worst running fuel decision? What was the surprising best?
My worst running fuel decision was not realizing you were supposed to fuel during long runs and races until a few years ago. At my first 50km in 2021, I brought a jar of peanut butter with me as my only source of calories, and had a single spoonful at mile 20. I remember having zero energy on the last climb (the race took me almost 6 hours) but thought that was normal. I was absolutely amazed when I learned it was not only possible but also essential to eat while running!
The surprising best: Coca Cola got me through the last 50 miles of Vermont. I couldnāt stomach anything else.
What is your death row meal?
A giant breakfast. French toast with maple syrup and whipped cream, scrambled eggs, sausage, granola, fruit, chocolate chip pancakes, etc.
Out and back or looped course? Why?
Looped. So much more interesting and easier to wrap your head around.
Barkley or 24H track race? Why?
Thatās easy! 24H track race. I hope to run one within the next year, and Iāll be running an 8-hour track race this weekend [which she won overall, running 53.6 miles]. Barkley isnāt my type of race (Iām not a fan of navigation or super technical trails), but lots of respect to people who take on that challenge!
When I say PTRA you say?
I think the answer youāre looking for is the Pro Trail Runners Association. However, when I did a Google search, it turns out there are quite a few PTRAs, from the Port Terminal Railroad Association to the Pennsylvania Trail Riders Association. Who knew?!
What is one thing that absolutely scares you? Why?
To be completely honest, the idea of not being able to run terrifies me. I went through some rough injuries in early 2023 and realized then how emotionally dependent I was on the sport. Even though my life is busy and full outside of running, I really, really struggle when itās taken away. I do everything I can to prevent getting injured again, but I know things can happen and I need to work on not basing my self-worth on a sport.
What is a time you felt you didn’t measure up? How did you get through that?
This last year of nursing school. I think most nursing students probably face imposter syndrome at some point, but Iāve really struggled with feeling like Iām not doing what Iām meant to and that Iām behind where I should be. Not sure if Iāve really gotten through it, but itās comforting to remind myself that there are plenty of paths I can take in life and my degree doesnāt need to box me into a certain career.
Who is another runner that flies under the radar that we should all get to know?
The woman who won Vermont 100 this year, Sarah Gage, is one to watch for sure! She didnāt just win, she finished 1st place overall in her debut 100 miler. I donāt know a lot about her, but sheās got a very bright future ahead.