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Getting To Know Lesley Paterson

  • By Paul Moore
  • Published June 14, 2011

One of the world’s top triathletes, Lesley Paterson is also a talented film producer and star of the recent Triathlete swimsuit shoot (see the video below). We recently sppoke to her about the things that make her tick…

Which type of racing do you prefer: XTERRA or 70.3?
I love Xterra and 70.3 racing equally for different reasons. When everything is going well in a half-Ironman and you’re in the zone it’s a very linear experience, whereas Xterra is a very dynamic experience and you have to cope with the terrain and a different type of acceleration. I love being in the outdoors and up in the mountains, where you feel like you’re racing the terrain, not other athletes.

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Do you have a favourite race?
There’s an event in Scotland called the Dumyat Hill Race, where you run to the top of a mountain and then throw yourself off the top of it. The prize is totally awesome—it’s a keg of beer. I love those kinds of local races where you’ve got anybody showing up, and there’s that real camaraderie where everyone is suffering together. I also like the Xterra USA Championship in Utah; that time of year the leaves are changing colours and it feels like you’re in Switzerland.

What are your racing essentials?
In terms of pre-race nutrition, I’ve gotta have my Scottish porridge oats. Without it, I’m nobody. Vaseline is a big one for sure. Also, my Jamis bike. The company is run by a woman, and I feel really connected to the brand. My other sponsors include Avia, CE P compression, Skinfit, Spider Tech Tape and Gu.

What’s your best piece of racing advice to age-groupers?
Take care of yourself; don’t get concerned about what other people are doing. A lot of times athletes will show up to a race and get completely psyched out by what everyone else is wearing, what they’re doing, what their warm-up routine is. Get things dialled in beforehand; have a strict plan that you follow, whether you have headphones in or a hoodie over your head—do whatever it takes to get focused. Create your own plan and stick to it. The confidence comes in knowing that you’ve done it time and time again and that it’s worked for you.

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Paul Moore

Paul Moore

Paul Moore is the Online Editor for Triathlete Europe. When not glued to a computer he can be found writing books - most recently The World's Toughest Endurance Challenges which you can buy on Amazon. Paul has also written Ultimate Triathlon: A complete training guide for long-distance triathletes which is also available on Amazon.