A joyful Lesley Paterson, co-writer of 2022 Netflix epic “All Quiet on the Western Front,” repeats as XTERRA Beaver Creek champion

When asked what the theme of her year has been, professional Scottish triathlete Lesley Paterson, a three-time XTERRA World Champion (2011, 2012, 2018), answered simply and swiftly: “Gratitude.”

“Just to be able to still be here and do it,” she continued after winning her second straight XTERRA Beaver Creek full-distance (750-meter swim, 24-kilometer mountain bike, 9-kilometer trail run) event on Saturday morning in Avon in a time of 2 hours, 44 minutes, 50.2 seconds.

“I’m not kidding when I say this is the first time in 10 years that nothing hurt. No hamstring pain, no foot pain, no hip pain — nothing hurts. That’s 10 years. Every other race in 10 years it’s been, I’ve had to pop pain pills beforehand.”

The jovial 42-year-old showed some initial rust early in the race, exiting the first transition in 19th place.

“I knew the swim was going to be dreadful, and it was dreadful,” she said.

Support Local Journalism

Donate

“Everybody was passing me and I’m like, you know, I had that thought in my head, ‘I would be quicker with one arm.'”

The witty world champion — also known for co-writing the screenplay for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” a 2022 Netflix hit — came into the event with “no expectations.” The Ute Trail’s heart-thumping climb, however, brightened her spirits and sparked her back into the competitive frame of mind.

“I just love this course,” she said. “It’s perfect for me — I’m a climber.”

Though five minutes separated Paterson from the leaders — Aneta Grabmuller of the Czech Republic, Samantha Kingsford of New Zealand and Avon’s own Suzie Snyder, it didn’t take long for Paterson to make up ground. Paterson brought the top group into view by the top of the final climb — and maintained the gap on the descent, despite not having ridden her mountain bike in the last 10 months. Kingsford and Snyder arrived at the final transition together, with Paterson a mere 30-seconds back. By that time, Grabmuller had lost touch, falling roughly two minutes off the pace.

“I was bummed; I wanted to be in front of Samantha descending Corkscrew because I know it you know?” Snyder said.

“I wanted to use that descent to my advantage to get a gap on her and Lesley, because I know it so well and I knew they were going to catch me on the run.”

Paterson would indeed catch Snyder around the first mile of the run, but she felt it in her legs.

“I’ve not done a triathlon for awhile, so, got into the run stride, passed Suzie at the top of the first little climb and then I was dying,” she said.

“I’m like, ‘just keep going, just keep going.'”

Kingsford held off Paterson for the majority of the 9-kilometer run leg.

“I’ve not been running super great, so I was not sure (I would catch her),” Paterson admitted.

“And it hurt, it really hurt. I was so close to Samantha for ages. I’m like, ‘oh my god, I’m not going to pass her!'”

Finally, Paterson used her technical prowess to her advantage to pass the 32-year-old, who is currently 16th in the XTERRA World Cup standings. Kingsford didn’t quit, though.

“She was coming back on me,” Paterson said.

“She was right with me. It really hurt, but yeah, I’m really proud of myself, it was fun.”

Kingsford (2:45:05.8) finished second, just 15-seconds after the champion. Snyder (2:48:21.9) claimed her third-straight and sixth overall U.S. national title with a third-place overall finish.

“You always want to win U.S. champs to be the national champ, but these girls are just another level and I just can’t hang,” Snyder said at the finish. “So, you know, I’ll take it.”

Paterson revealed a current movie project in the works, this one based off of Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning.”

“Not official, but I think we’re close,” she said.

“It’s really made me realize what matters for me in life — community, friends, love, my work mastering craft — and you just focus on those things, not by the outcome. I honestly can tell you, I’m so joyous this week.”