Member Spotlight: Layla Soileau
Layla joined Trail Roots in 2023 when she was looking to find a healthy community and restart trail running. She joined our Wednesday Discovery Trail class and has built her way up to a 25k with consistency and coaching. As a weightlifter, UX designer, writer, and drummer, she has a creative and active lifestyle. Her next race is Sky Island where she plans to run the 25k. She has been a long time trail runner in Austin and consistent member with Trail Roots on Wednesdays and Saturdays for two years now. We wanted to ask her a few questions about her journey.
What inspired you to start running?
I started trail running in my early 30s - I'm 46 now. I've always been an athlete—played soccer and basketball in high school and was always using sports to make friends since I moved around a lot. But in my early 30s, I was coming out of a breakup and hanging around a friend group where people were struggling with addiction. I realized I needed to step away from that scene to create a healthier, more joyful life for myself.
Growing up in South Louisiana, nature has always been my happy place. I really wanted to love running, but I just didn't enjoy it—especially on the road. Then one day, I was hiking in Austin and I saw this older woman absolutely crushing it on the trails. I thought, 'That's badass. If I'm gonna be a runner, that's how I want to do it.' I went straight home and started googling trail running groups.
At that time, I was pretty nervous about joining because I was new to Austin and wasn't fully out as queer yet, but the trail running community turned out to be incredibly welcoming. I finally found a place where I could just be myself.
Why did you join Trail Roots?
After being away from trail running for a few years at the tail end of COVID, I stumbled across Trail Roots online. I actually tried to join back then but had to back out because I had some awful plantar fasciitis.
Later, when I was going through my divorce, I knew I needed to rebuild my community, and I really missed trail running. Joining Trail Roots was totally a conscious effort to come home to myself. I eased in with the Wednesday Discovery runs, which were perfect for getting my trail legs back. Playing in the woods with friends again was exactly what I needed.
Has your training changed since joining a group?
The group has helped me be more consistent. It's more motivating to run with friends, especially on those tough days when I might otherwise find excuses to bail. I've also made real friendships that go beyond the group runs. For example, I have this goal to run up the Hill of Life without stopping, and my friend Tony regularly meets me for grueling hill repeats to help me make progress.
What do you love about running?
I love the community, but I also love the alone time where I get to be meditative and quiet the chatter in my head or process my emotions. I love exploring the different landscapes and noticing the birds, owls, rabbits, snakes, and spiders. In the mornings, I especially love getting serenaded by the birds and catching those wild pink, orange, and purple sunrises.
“The group has helped me be more consistent. It’s more motivating to run with friends, especially on those tough days when I might otherwise find excuses to bail. I’ve also made real friendships that go beyond the group runs.”
What do you think is special about the Trail Roots community?
Not to sound like a broken record, but the community makes Trail Roots special. Members like my friend Kelly always check in if I miss a run, and everyone is genuinely friendly and helps each other out. For instance, if someone is injured, there are usually folks who will hike with them so they can still be part of the group. Oh, and the DOGS! We have the best dogs!
What made you want to start coaching and how has it changed your training?
I signed up to get support building a base for the Dos Senderos 25k last March. I needed accountability and guidance since it had been over ten years since I'd run that distance, and I was coming off a sprained ankle. I worked with Rachael, who I knew from my old trail days. She helped me build my base, encouraged me to try Tuesday road runs (which didn't work with my schedule), so I added neighborhood runs instead. She was great about focusing on trail runs since that's what I love most. The accountability has been huge— if it's on my schedule, I'll get it done.
Dos Senderos was hard—hotter than usual and exposed. I feel like I had to go through that difficulty, and now I'm better prepared. I'm training with her for Sky Island 25k in September, focusing on hills and staying consistent with base mileage. Rachael also helps me think about nutrition on long runs—how to take care of myself out there.
You’re in an all-women surf rock band, what made you get into drumming and how did you get into a band?
I started drumming about three years ago and was totally new to it. I'm kind of a plate-spinner—I’m always juggling multiple creative projects at once. So, drums felt like the perfect fit. Plus, I love how physical it is, and trail running definitely helps with stamina.
About 7 months into my drumming journey, I joined a Surf Rock class at Femme Rock and met four other amazing women. We learned three covers for a showcase and had such great chemistry that we were like, 'We have to keep going!' So we became Sea Hagzzz (spelled with three z's because some dudes already took Sea Hags back in the late 80s.) Now we're recording our first EP, MEET US AT THE EDGE, with some originals and covers, and already writing songs for our next album.
Sea Hagzzz is one of the best surprises and joys of my life. A few Trail Roots friends have come to our shows, and I've really appreciated their support.
Why did you choose Sky Island as your next race and what goals do you have with it?
I chose Sky Island because I haven't explored the Davis Mountains yet. I really like the West Texas landscape and wanted to make a little trip out of it. I also knew that a good group of Trail Roots folks were going, so it should be fun. I'm working on getting more efficient at running hills for training. My main goal is to finish and enjoy the journey.
As a die-hard weightlifter, how do you feel it helps with trail running?
I definitely wouldn't call myself die-hard! I actually got into weightlifting to become a stronger runner. Started with CrossFit about 14 years ago, then got really into Olympic lifting for a while, but lately I'm more focused on powerlifting.
As I'm getting older and going through the lovely phase of perimenopause, lifting helps me build muscle and bone density. And like running, it's great for my mental health. Plus I just love being strong and seeing how far I can push myself. When I'm training for a race, I focus more on my base miles and usually cut back to just two lifting days.
What advice would you give people who are new to running and want to join a group?
Wear well-fitting shoes, don't stress, and try a Wednesday morning Discovery trail run with Trail Roots to kick off your day with some endorphins ✨