Truth Is

 Truth is I go to work every day to help people heal from trauma, overuse, or just wearing out, and while I give everything I have to help people get better it sometimes just isn't enough and I can't help all (I have a great track record though) patients recover completely.  While I can do everything possible including massage, stretching, taping,  encouraging them on, coming up with a great treatment plan, bend over backwards  and do cartwheels (not quite, but almost and don't put it past me) sometimes it still won't be good enough if they don't do their exercises or take ownership in their injury.

Truth is if you skip your workouts and skip the work and steps it takes to get stronger,  you won't get more fit, you run the risk of injury and you most likely won't cross the finish line or meet the goal you wanted. In the end, if you skip the steps and the work, you will never be completely satisfied in the outcome at the finish line.

Truth is, I haven't put goggles on my face or swam since Vegas 70.3 World champs in September. Truth is, I haven't wanted to. Although,  I do miss wearing my Betty Designs suits. I did put on the mosaic bikini on 1sunny 20 degree day just to see if it fit. (whew! it did)

sunny and 20 deg!

Truth is, I have only signed up for 1 race this year so far, it is a 1/2 marathon on March 15. Truth is I've only been consistently running worth anything for a few weeks, so truth is I probably won't get the time I'd like, but truth is, I'm ok with that right now.   Truth is, I got my ass kicked on a killer hill run with Jen Harrison, and running legend Dave Walters and Ioved it. Truth is Dave can be so motivating when you are sucking it up a steep hill. Truth is, I drove an hour and showed up to run where the starting temp was -4 degrees plus windchill. Anyone who knows me well, understands I hate leaving the house under those circumstances and hate showing up to run when I'm not feeling strong.

Truth is I love Jimmy Fallon! but can't seem to stay awake to watch him.

Truth is the olympics were amazing, and now  I want to learn how to snowboard and do slopestyle!

Truth is I have no direction and no coach; while low pressure is awesome, I'm starting to want direction again.  Time to look for a coach.  Recommendations anyone?

Truth is I have't minded shoveling this pile of snow, and truth is I've taken my frustrations out on shoveling, running intervals so fast on the treadmill I've almost fallen off backwards, and painting my family room.

Zoey, on her snow mtn.

Good bye -pain

Truth is when you go through your lowest, most difficult times you see who your true friends are. The ones who aren't afraid to reach out to you and hear you out, tell it like it is, cry with you, put you in your place, or tell you your hair looks great or  even when it looks awful because its been in a pony tail for 2 days.   Truth is I have a few friends I rarely talk to, but when we get together its like we've never missed a beat. I went to Madison recently to visit a long time friend I hadn't seen in a few years and we had a blast. Madison is amazing even in the winter.

Truth is I am currently going through a divorce, not my choice.  Truth is Its the most painful experience I've ever been through.  I've named it the polar vortex. Seems fitting.

Truth is this kind of pain/experience can only make you stronger. Seems like I  might be able power clean a semi one day.

Truth is there is always someone worse off than you, and wow, I've seen some people at work that have experienced some very tragic situations this winter that makes your own  pain seem like nothing.

Truth is spring is coming, and unless I've gone crazy because I never sleep,  I hear birds in the morning. I am awake before they are.  And with spring comes more sun, more daylight, and warmer temperatures and melting of the polar vortex.

surviving the polar vortex

For us midwesterners we have fallen into a frozen pit formed by the polar vortex that has taken over winter. It has been continuous cycles of snow followed by sub zero Arctic temperatures cold enough to close schools and businesses (of course not physical therapy departments)  I have shoveled more in a weeks time than I did all last winter. This kind of cold makes me want to stay home under the covers, run away and hide from it, and not face  uncomfortable things I don't like about it.  Instead,  I have tried to put my best foot (with a warm boot on) forward and stare it in the eye and embrace it (with a lot of layers on) and deal with the problems it brings. Here are a few ways I've been facing the polar vortex:

1. Painted the small powder room in the house> 3x to get the color right, now its perfect

2. Drive through Starbucks at lunch for hot coffee,  hot chocolate or hot cider, of which I only drink 1/2 of because it gets cold, I should probably start saving that money for a warm trip somewhere

3. Bundling up and running with friends>the Betty skull cap is so warm except now it is MIA, so I'll have to go on a Betty shopping spree

4. I made my muscles burn by starting up strength again; I went to cross fit once and started  going back to my long time personal trainer, Mark 

5. Signed up for a race to motivate me, the Get Lucky 1/2 marathon in March  is on the books! Time to get running faster to warm up 

6. Long visits with great friends with a glass of wine by the fire

7. Turn shoveling into a workout> that's one way to put muscles back on the arms

8. Have seen some previews of  the new Betty Designs swimsuits coming out in the spring and they are HOT!,  that's motivation to get moving

I feel so lucky to have so many amazing friends in all my walks of life! Great friends will always help you warm up.  Working with the Betty team has also been a very exciting start to the year and I am happy to share some of the fun gear with you. Email me directly at lzucco1@gmail.com if you are interested in some bad ass but beautiful gear. 

Shiny New 2014

I've been hibernating. I got so cold and frozen at the end of cyclocross season I buried myself in a hole and tried to defrost.

Racing bikes in snow...

......and 10 degrees

But 2014 is here, and its time for new start, a fresh makeover for 2014 with new goals and roads to ride and paths to run. Usually by now I have a race schedule set, goals for the season and have signed up for several big races. Right now I am flying by the seat of my pants,  still don't have a race schedule, and am not sure of what events, distance race etc I want to focus on. I'm tossing a few ideas around that include  a few triathlons, maybe an xterra, some bike racing, of course cyclocross,  but lots of running,  maybe even an open marathon such as maybe PORTLAND MARATHON ...something I've never done. Change of focus is good, mixing it up is good,  otherwise I think its easy to become stagnant.  

A new and exciting change for 2014 is being part of team Betty. I am more than thankful and thrilled to "be a Betty in 2014". What an amazing opportunity to race and train along so many fabulous women from across the world, not to mention wear super hot training and racing gear. So this year I have the privilege of pushing myself to new limits, sweating, getting dirty while looking good along the way (or at least really trying) Santa delivered a big box full of Betty gear.

 What huge motivation to get moving again.

I also updated the look of my blog, to make it shiny and new with a little bit of Betty style.  Im a physical therapist, not a web designer so it still needs some perfecting, so stay tuned for some updates and BETTY discounts in the New Year! 

 Until then, cheers to a shiny new 2014!

Loving Cyclocross,Choices, and....Keeping It Simple

The trails have been awesome

I love cyclocross, its no secret. I have been having so much painful fun with this year's CX season! Last year fizzled out with my hip injury leaving my without much CX since 2011.   I am remembering how much I love the complete switch and 180 from triathlon to cyclocross. It can't be more different in so many ways.  I love and … need that. In 70.3 and Ironman races spectators cheer you on, encourage you, "you look awesome you can do it, you are an Ironman!"  In cross, they heckle you! Its dirty, its crazy, its balls out hard and then everyone has a good time.  I love it also because its simple. I don't even have a computer on my CX bike right now.  There is no need for a pre race plan, or nutrition plan. I don't eat gels, sometimes a swig of gatorade when its warm, but more often hot chocolate, or some regular Coke before the race. After a triathlon season of driving to work feeling like I was having  panic attacks on how to fit in training around a full time job and life, or nearly falling asleep from getting up at 4:20, the short and sweetness of CX has been awesome.

Yes, I rode through mud in a TUTU at Halloween Cross

With my new team PSIMET (which includes some fast women racers and a heater in a tent!)  along with a a now VERY competitive women's CAT 123 field  in Chicago Cup,  the CX fire is burning strong!   I had some bad early races with crashes coming off of triathlon, and missed a race to enjoy the beauty of Ironman World Championships and Hawaii. This year if you if you fail even just a little, you lose. Lose points and its harder to catch up. Is it because I'm forty-$# now, or because the field is so deep that crawling to the top of the Chicago Cross Cup Overall standings has gotten tougher.  I have been top 5 of women's CAT 1,2 3 field in the CCC twice.  Right now I"m hovering around 15 th.  If you want to place high in the CCC you have to win, do well in every race, not crash out in starts of early races, and not miss races to go to Kona.  

 PSIMET Women at Sunrise Park

Thank-you to Mathew Cane, who been out there snagging some great pics of the women's 123 races! I think he is getting hooked on covering cyclocross races!

I love our own local CCC. It helped me fall in love with CX and get better. Fierce local races every weekend for the past 3-4 years. I have always hated to miss a race. But this year I've ready to move on a little and try some bigger races again.  Along with trying to keep it simple and wanting to do all the CCC races to place as high as I can made this decision tough,  but I've  decided to put on my big girl bibs again, skip the double cross CCC Indian Lakes races for JINGLE CROSS. So I'll kiss all my work at crawling my up in the CCC goodbye. I'm heading to Iowa to see the Grinch, experience Mt. Krumpit, and race with some fasties.

Triathlon is on a big back burner for me right now. But it is never completely gone. There is a triathlon ghost living in our house.  So I have been biking a lot, running some and swimming is a far distant memory. To get up at 4:20 to swim, I have to have at least a race in mind to train for and right now I don't  I have no clue what I want to do next year. Something adventuresome will come to me, but for now I'm loving CX and will be playing in dirt, mud and probably snow soon until early January finishing the season at Nationals in Boulder.

#7

sunset on the Pacific/ i love 

I'll be leaving again soon for a trip across the Pacific to Kona, for the 7th time. (pretty sure its , but kind of lost count). I could co-author a second book called; "Survival guide to being #1 Fan in Kona during the Ironman World Championships" Every year there has been a different experience with different athletes and /or friends racing, or coming to also spectate. I particularly love my role of  being DONE with triathlon,  gels,  anything aero, and well into the start of cyclocross season. I've been there at least 7 x, maybe more and never raced. There was a time prior to Jack, I wanted to do it...he is 10 now.  As far as training goes, that week I manage to fit in some decent runs, find my goggles for the first time in weeks ( i saw my swim bag yesterday, it looked lonely) , stand up paddle, and maybe bike 1 x on the Queen K race day sprinting between mile markers cheering or AZ.  

Every year:

-I like to SUP and chase the dolphins on the board

-I swim in the waves and see the Honu

-run on Alii drive

-enjoy fabulous coffee every day, then dream about it the rest of the year

- cook the pre race dinner, tuck AZ into bed, go to TGNIR (thank God I'm not racing)  with whoever will go with me

I tend to look at my phone a lot

-Adam says sleep in, don't come to the swim and just watch the start of the bike, but the start of the race and the swim and race is one of the most exciting parts of the day

-my phone blows apart and nearly dies, this year I have a plan

-I get more nervous than my own races

This year:

-I'll be the one on the beach with cuts scrapes and bruises from 2 hard fought CX races. I have to stop getting taken down early in the race and then chasing down as many as I can. Although it has been good for motivation and putting out a massive effort to catch as many as possible only to finish mid pack which I don't like.  I am embarrassed to say how sore I am right now sitting here from a 45 min race yesterday.

-I'd like to have one of these drinks while waiting for the bikers to come in

-I get to cheer on my athlete Sara Arnold, she is a mom of 4 and and amazes me every day how hard she worked to get here!

Sara and I at the Hualalai one year. Who knew what was brewing!

-I have 2 Zuccos to cheer for; Pappa Joel is racing as a Legend!

With the end of the triathlon season and start of the CX season are some exciting changes for me. For cyclocross 2013/14, I am excited to be racing with PSIMET. I have always admired the support they give to women's cycling and am excited to be part of such a strong local women's CX team! 

 More on 2014 triathlon to come, but a fun sneak peak involves skulls and butterflies and some very HOT racing, training, and active gear and a whole bunch of very cool athletes. 

bettydesigns

VEGAS ....without triathlon

I recently traveled back to Vegas on a Friday night after work just for the weekend. I just barely missed all the big happenings in Vegas that week such as:

1. Interbike: huge

2. SSTriGP: HUGE AMAZING congrats to Ben Kanute who finished 3rd ! I remember teaching him functional strength as a junior!

3. CrossVegas!: a chance to race CX at night in Vegas!...YES Please!  I REALLLy wanted to do that but couldn't pull it off

While everyone else was packing up and heading out of Sin City I was just arriving late Friday night. The purpose of my trip, none really other than some RnR, hanging with AZ, and going to the Motley Crue concert Sat. night. I spent much of the time doing what most people do there,  and I usually don't do while in Vegas. 

Friday I worked at the Fox Valley Marathon Expo at the Dreyer/Advocate booth. Where I work now  is a big sponsor of this marathon and the Chicago Marathon. I rushed to the airport still dressed like a runner and boarded the plane Friday  A flight to Vegas on Friday night is entertaining. I overhead guys talking about cheating on their girlfriends, people who had just lost their jobs, and there is always a token bachelor party on board.

AZ had to get up very early Sat morning to go ride bikes for a really long time. I slept in. Never do that. Then I went to the health club/fitness center at the hotel. Don't do that either.  I don't even have a gym membership anymore other than a masters swim pass and right now that is expired!  I did a little tempo run on the treadmill and lifted weights, something else I haven't had much time to do.  I watched college football in the room while working on the computer finishing schedules for my athletes, then headed to the pool. I sat still in the sun for about 20 minutes before they were telling everyone to leave due to high winds. It was pretty windy up there and things were blowing around. They closed the pool and made everyone go to the other main pool on a lower level. #Vegasproblems. To get there meant walking through the casino and getting through security line that was worse than the airport. They ID'd me (thank you!), searched my bag, threw out my cough drops and aleve, and finally I could get into the pool. 

poolside

This was like a night club for 20 somethings, but poolside. The music and DJ was loud, people were drinking heavily and it was noon. I sat behind my big sunglasses tried not to look out of place and soaked up a few rays.

I went shopping and got some really sassy high shoes bad for toes and walking but super cute.   

We ate an awesome dinner then went to the Hard Rock for this:   

hard rock!

 the show was loud, with crazy people including us. I mostly liked dancing in my new shoes.

Sunday we drove out to Henderson and ran the 70.3 course. AZ still had kind of a big race and I got to experience it all over again.

was this there race day? didn't see it

 I hadn't run long since race day but my goal was to just enjoy and get some miles going again.  My calves were sore from dancing in those shoes, but it was a good run. I want to run a 1/2 marathon this fall along with CX racing.  And yes, we did end up eating at Whole Foods on the way to catching a flight back home. Probably not too many people that were at the concert spent Sunday morning like we did. A transition back to my real life. 

Vegas 70.3 World Championships> Highlights and Lowlights

5 days post race, the soreness is mostly gone, but the fatigue and tan lines are still there and the brain is stuck on what now?, why?, what if, and whew! (It almost sounds like my documentation at work: 

5th day post op, swelling is down but the incisions and scars are still healing, and toughen up …….just kidding on the last part)

I'll be honest I am not completely thrilled with the outcome of this race, but have come to accept it.  I have a lot of mixed feelings about it (both good and bad) that have been hard to describe to... the people I work with, family, my coach, and friends.  For my fellow employees they think 28th in the world is amazing and want to have their picture taken with me (LOL, its true! love them), for my close friends or even myself I know I am a better athlete than the results show. Just 2 years ago I was 12th, in a younger AG and on a much hotter day. WTF. But this is a different year with much different circumstances. My training going into the race had been going well and I was excited and motivated to race, but deep down I know this course. I've done it 3 x, and trained there multiple times. I know what it takes and I know what I had been able to fit in amongst a bunch of craziness and it just wasn't enough to get me where I wanted to be.   So many people close to me say just have fun, enjoy not having pressure to perform. But part of the fun,  for me,  is performing to the best you can…to your full potential. Its a frustrating feeling to not be able to do what you are capable of. But, is 28th in the world as good as it gets for me,  now,  with working full time, developing programs,  shuttling kids, coaching athletes, and being a good wife to an amazingly fast husband who knows how to take his racing training and business to new levels. I don't think so, and isn't doing your best part of what makes you get out the door to train? fit the training in around life? Its part of what still gets me to sign up for races, have a coach, and get up early, skip hair appointments (its obvious!) to train instead. 

I just don't do detailed race reports, but like to give highlights and lowlights on my race day.  But first,  I have to say it was so fun to have so many Wattie Elite team members out on the course racing and supporting. They were simply awesome and made a little suffering at the that much better !!!  Being part of such a supportive team throughout the past 2 years has been such a fun experience. Even though most the pictures that have shown up show pain, grit, a muddy face… I was smiling out and high 5ing my teammates out there! 

I also have to give an enormously huge THANKS to the Elite team sponsors who surprised us with an AMAZING super pro package of World Champ surprises!   A new WATTIE INK World champ race kits and a super sweet tank, new KSWISS shoes, BlueSeventy Goggles, sweet towels from Speedfil and ISM, Fuelbelt bottles and race belts, Spidertek tape and my last POWERBAR shipment came the day before I packed to leave. Seriously how awesome is this! They totally went all out for us and it was like Christmas morning! :)  

I love new kits for race day!

pre ride with a lot of fast Treks!

Race Day Recap:

We walked out of the hotel and felt rain! Say what? I hadn't packed any rain gear and could only think about the stuff getting wet and that T1 being a mudslide!  Guess CX was starting early.  It kept raining even after it was suppose to stop. Nothing new hear. Can't tell you how many rides I did this summer in the rain.  

Swim: Best part of the swim was my BlueSeventy swim skin to help me slide through the muddy sludge that was Lake Las Vegas. It seemed worse than the past 2 years, maybe it was the rain stirring up who knows what from the bottom. I had a good start, swam a straight line and passed a number of girls in the back half of the swim. The frustrating part is a slower time than last year, despite working harder on my swim, 4:20 am. wake up calls to go swim with fast people. I was shocked, it was still raining when I exited the water and was running through T1. 

Bike: My new bike was a dream! I can't thank Trek,  Nes/Studio DNA enough for dialing it in to perfection. It fit perfectly. I was so sad it was going to get dirty though! The rain continued the entire bike! I chose not to wear sunglasses, which is good because I got pelted by packs of men coming from behind. I rode strong the bike was perfect, it was just missing some bigger riding miles in the legs by the person pushing the pedals.

Thank you Kevin Koresky for this pic!

Run: The rain stopped, and the sun came out which I loved. My team was out all over the course in the race and on the sidelines cheering. I am one of the few who actually like this run course. When you are on,  you can run strong uphill then hammer the downhills. This worked for about 1 1/2 laps for me. I had trouble with cramping in my feet and calves which I had to walk out some, well more often than I would have liked. I'm guessing I didn't get in enough salt/ hydration because it wasn't as hot, or more likely just not strong enough this year. 

Finish: 28th in the World.  I'll take it with a smile.

big bling

Many athletes just dream to be at a World Championship event, and I have been in at least 5 that i can remember and feel lucky to have fit enough training to be there again this year. 2 days after coming home I picked Jack up at football practice to find out that he had won that weeks game ball;  of course I was mom of the year for missing that game, but the coach said he won it because he executed 90% of his snaps and even though their team lost he never gave up and kept playing hard. Maybe he's learning something!

And thats a wrap on the 2013 tri season! Except for 1 trip to Kona for an underpants run and to cheer for so many friends and my athletes racing this year.  But as 1 season ends another begins! My CX bike has already seen the dirt a few times :)

good bye Vegas World Champs