358: Lila Gaudrault's Cocodona 250 No-Plan Plan

AFB, Anna-G, Josh and Phred welcome back ultrarunner, hospice nurse, and Vermont mountain crusher Lila Gaudrault back to the Cultra Trail Running Podcast to break down her experience at the legendary Cocodona 250.

Lila takes us deep into the Arizona suffering machine, explaining how she showed up to a 250-mile race with a surprisingly loose game plan, then spent the better part of the first half battling nausea, dehydration, and the reality that 250 miles is a very long way to travel on foot. We talk about sleep deprivation, hallucination-adjacent trail weirdness, crew and pacer support, and the problem-solving mindset required when you're three days into a race and still have mountains to climb.

The conversation explores how Cocodona differs from 100-milers, why the atmosphere at 200+ mile races feels more collaborative than competitive, and what Lila learned about managing fatigue, recovery, and the physical toll of multi-day events. We also dive into the science of gender differences in ultrarunning, pacing strategies, and the unique culture that develops when everyone is equally exhausted.

Along the way, we discuss

* Cocodona 250 race recap

* Sleep strategy and managing fatigue

* Nausea, dehydration, and race-day troubleshooting

* Crew and pacer support in 200+ mile races

* Hallucinations and sleep deprivation

* Gender dynamics in ultrarunning

* Vermont 100 and Backyard Ultras

* Balancing hospice nursing and elite ultrarunning

* Future race plans and FKTs

* The upcoming CUT112 fundraiser for Connecticut Forest & Parks

A four-day journey through the Arizona desert, countless lessons learned, and proof that sometimes the best race plan is figuring it out one aid station at a time.

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Cocodona 250

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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