An interview with Ms Blog
Ms Blog:
Lucca, nice to meet you. Tell us who you are.​
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Lucca: My name is Aleksandra Westfal. Most people know me under Lucca, or Aleksa. I was born in Poland in 1983. In 1989 I moved with my family to Germany (Berlin). In my mid 20's I have become a passionate runner. Started of running in Berlin's concrete jungle, and then a few years later, the real nature called me. So I moved to New Zealand in 2018. When Im not running, I am working for Xero as a product leader.
So I am a tech nerd as well.
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Ms Blog: Why do people call you Lucca? It’s not your official name, right?
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Lucca:
Lucca is a nickname. It was given to me over 20 years ago, when I was backpacking in Australia. I met a friend who’s name was “Lex”. Back then this was the nick name my friends used to call me (its shorter than Aleks, and much shorter than Aleksandra). I got confused every time when someone called her name. One day my Scottish friend Jamsey decided to call me Lucca. That’s it.
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Ms Blog: What has motivated you to create the Lean-Trail Adventures blog?
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Lucca:
I love the outdoors, I love trail running, and I am a tech nerd. “Trail” has a double meaning for me: It is about the outdoors, particularly enduring through the outdoors. My love for running whilst being in nature is what led me to move to the other side of the world, New Zealand. Trail to me, also symbolises a pathway, mostly associated with undulating terrain, much like life with its ups and downs. The idea is to stay nimble with our minds and bodies to master everyday challenges that come our way, or that we choose to take. “Lean” comes from the concept of Lean Product Development, which is about being efficient, flexible, and focusing on what truly matters to achieve your goal. In a way Lean-Trail combines two core principles that I aspire to live up to: Dream big and stay nimble on your way to your goals. Lean-Trail Adventures is an outlet for me to reflect on my adventures – the good the bad and the ugly. And hopefully a good read, maybe inspirations for others. This is how I got inspired – through other slightly crazy likeminded.
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Ms Blog: What has been your favourite (trail) run so far ?
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Lucca:
Oh, that is a tough question. There is so many awesome trails. I think my first ever (proper) trail run adventure was in Madeira in 2015. I did not know what I signed up for. After 600 meters of vertical climb which took me over an hour I stood on the top of this massive hill from where I could see the whole island. My trail running guide, showed me the landscape of mountain ridges on the horizon and said “we’ve got another 26km to go”. It was fabulous and humbling running through all possible weather conditions, jungle, forrest, mountains, black sand and ocean, and through little villages – all in 6 hours. It was a very humbling experience.