Interview with Lesley Paterson

We had a chance to ask current Xterra World Champion - Lesley Paterson - how her Rehab United (RU) stretching and strength program has improved her performance  . . .

-Stretching is critical to my performance as it has helped maximize my efficiency, strength and power.  It has also been integral in in jury prevention. This largely has to do with maintaining range of motion - as when you're training as hard and as long as I am, muscles get overused and seize up; with that comes restricted range of motion which means that compensation patterns occur.  As soon as you start compensating by using tendons, ligaments and muscles not meant for that job, you lose efficiency and increase your chances for injury.

-Strength training in the off season is my golden ticket to speed maintenance during the season.  Triathlon is all about efficiency and strength, so by working specific exercises for each sport that enhance those, my chances of maintaining speed/power output across long periods of time goes up dramatically.  Not only that, by doing dynamic, functional strength work like we do at RU, I'm strengthening up all of the supporting tissues that often get injured when you start laying on the intensity.

Les - Congrats on an extremely successful 2011 race season and good luck in 2012!

Lesley Paterson with Rehab United CEO and Performance Coach, Bryan Hill.

Getting to Know . . . Christine Gould

Christine Gould is a member of the RU Team EXCEL elite squad, a regular at RU Sports Performance Center Classes, and a Catalyst Endurance Coaching Athlete.

RU: Thanks for taking a few minutes . . . so what first brought you to RU?

CG: I had been doing some functional strength training with a personal trainer, and he decided to back to school. I wanted to maintain that sport-specific type of training and I heard about the classes through emails and Facebook. Wanted to check it out!

RU: How has training at RU changed things for you?

CG: I feel strong overall – stronger in my workouts and stronger in my racing. It has also dramatically reduced my incidence of injury and has introduced me to a wonderful, supportive group of people that I am happy to call my friends and teammates.  I previously struggled with hip injuries (first suffered when training for Boston Marathon a few years ago), but no injuries over the past year – hence, RU is super!

RU: What got you into triathlon?

CG: I like a good challenge. I grew up as a swimmer and started running marathons after college. When I moved to San Diego, I learned it was the “triathlon capital” and I wanted to give it a shot.  My first tri was an Olympic Distance in 2004.

RU: So you didn’t start off with a sprint distance like most normal folks?

CG: Nope – and I actually did the Olympic distance because I didn’t know about Ironman at that time. I always figure, go big or go home.  I probably didn’t do a sprint distance until my 10th tri.

RU: What has been your best race to date?

CG: Honestly, my most recent finish at California 70.3 (April, 2011). I feel like this race was a huge breakthrough for me – especially in terms of my cycling and running fitness. I finished 4th in my age group (W30-34), 1st amateur female out of the water, and 6th amateur female overall with a 14 min PR. I feel like I have reached a new level with my racing.

RU: Excellent work!  What pre-race meal or “good luck” do you fuel up on before an important race?

CG: I have learned this year that a turkey burger and sweet potato fries do the trick for me. I always have some ice cream too.

RU: Do you have a favorite post-race meal?

CG: I’m usually fairly salt-deprived post-race so, French fries are a good fix for me (McDonalds are probably still my favorite).  And after California 70.3 this year, it was nothing fancy – a regular sundae from Dairy Queen.

RU: So achieving this success does not come easy – what’s your favorite, or most painful (since for many triathletes those are one and the same) workout?

CG: Swimming: 100 x 100s . . . just to see if I still can!  I also love riding hills and running a good fartlek.

RU: 100 100’s?!!!  That’s probably what I swim in a season.  When was the last time you did that?

CG: Last time I completed that swim workout was November 2010 – my PR (back in college) is a 1:18 average per 100 meters.  That was a record at my school. =)

RU: What do you enjoy doing when you are not training or competing?

CG: Hanging with my friends . . . yoga, reading, and traveling.

RU: Ever travel anywhere interesting?

CG: I went to Greece after I completed my PhD – it was my first time going to Europe.

RU: PhD?  Impressive.  What is your alma mater?

CG: I have a B.S. in Biology (2002) from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO and my Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UCSD (2009).

RU: Smart and athletic – there are so few of us.  Okay, we’ll finish up with a few random questions just for fun.  Tell us a little known fact about Christine Gould.

CG: I don’t like cheese.

RU: Can you do any super human tricks?

CG: I have freakishly loose shoulder joints from my years of swimming. You probably don’t want to see what I can do.

RU: Probably not.  What’s in your CD player (or on your iPod) right now?

CG: Thievery Corporation – great music to train to, race to, and work to.

RU: Agreed.  Ever seen them live?

CG: Mmmmm . . . only five times!  Definitely a top-five show I have ever been to, maybe even the best.

RU: What can you do today that you could not do a month ago?

CG: Put the wheel back on my tri-bike . . . seriously – I didn’t know how to do this, it’s tricky!

RU: Lastly – What’s your fondest memory of RU?

CG: I am down there three nights a week and I love walking in there and feeling like I am family; it’s a great environment. Also, seeing everyone out there cheering for me at Ironman 70.3 California was amazing! I was teased that I was the most popular girl on the course. I couldn’t be more grateful for the support!

RU: Well, we are grateful for your time today as well as having you on our elite team and part of the Rehab United family!

Christine at 2010 Vineman 70.3