This week on Cultra, we sit down with Jillian Ellefson and Cherie Bilbie to talk about the unofficial women's movement that took shape around the Connecticut Ultra Traverse 112 (CUT112). What started with a simple Facebook post quickly grew into a community of 26 women and 16 supporters, all committed to helping each other tackle one of the toughest adventures on the Beast Coast.

Anna G takes the lead as Jillian and Cherie share how they approached training with precision and purpose, spending six months breaking the route into manageable 12-20 mile segments until they had covered—and in many cases repeated—the entire course. Their strategy wasn't just about fitness; it was about learning every rock, climb, and road crossing that CUT112 could throw at them. Now they are looking to replicate their success and get more women lined up for next year's event.

The conversation also explores the emotional side of ultrarunning. Jillian opens up about balancing race preparation while supporting her daughter through a hospitalization for an eating disorder, and how the encouragement and companionship of Cherie helped her continue pursuing what once seemed impossible.

Along the way, the crew dives into:

-Building confidence by training on specific sections of the course.

-Why places like Tariffville deserve your respect before race day.

-The mental game of taking on a 112-mile journey with no hard time cutoffs.

-The power of community and women supporting women in trail running.

-Why sometimes the best training plan is simply showing up for each other.

It's an inspiring conversation about resilience, friendship, and proving that impossible goals become achievable when shared with the right people.

So grab your favorite trail snack, adjust your training bra (or don't), and join us for another gloriously impulsive episode from the belly of the Beast Coast.

Join the CUT112 Womens Training Group Facebook

Get your official Cultra Clothes and other Cultra TRP PodSwag at our store!

Outro music by Nick Byram

Become a Cultra Crew Patreon Supporter basic licker. If you lick us, we will most likely lick you right back

Cultra Facebook Fan Page Go here to talk shit and complain and give us advice that we wont follow

Cultra Trail Running Instagram Don't watch this with your kids

Twitter @BlueBlazeRunner

Buy Fred's Book Running Home

More Information on the #CUT112

#CUT112 #TrailRunning #Ultrarunning #Cultra #BeastCoast #WomenWhoRun #NewEnglandTrail #NoSleepTillGuilford

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.

Subscribe to Lil's Substack "Running too Much"

Cocodona 250

Get your official Cultra Clothes and other Cultra TRP PodSwag at our store!

Outro music by Nick Byram

Become a Cultra Crew Patreon Supporter basic licker. If you lick us, we will most likely lick you right back

Cultra Facebook Fan Page Go here to talk shit and complain and give us advice that we wont follow

Cultra Trail Running Instagram Don't watch this with your kids

Twitter @BlueBlazeRunner

Buy Fred's Book Running Home

More Information on the #CUT112

357: Take 2 Trail at The Spring Fling 10 Hour

What if we could leave less of a trace, and save some $ at the same time? Jess Parker is the Ultra cool founder of Take 2 Trail, and she has found a way for us all to easily buy and sell used gear. This lowers the cost of entry for trail runners, and helps keep landfills and our closets from getting cluttered with the shoes, packs, and doo-dads that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Jess was so much fun to talk to, and we get a chance to hear about her running, and journey in life. And we get a good chance to discuss The Spring Fling 10 hour Race.

Take2Trail

@Take2Trail Instagram

Take2Trail Facebook

CTTrailmixers

Get your official Cultra Clothes and other Cultra TRP PodSwag at our store!

Outro music by Nick Byram

Become a Cultra Crew Patreon Supporter basic licker. If you lick us, we will most likely lick you right back

Cultra Facebook Fan Page Go here to talk shit and complain and give us advice that we wont follow

Cultra Trail Running Instagram Don't watch this with your kids

Twitter @BlueBlazeRunner

Buy Fred's Book Running Home

More Information on the #CUT112