MTB worlds

Well alot has happened since i lasted updated my blog, I have raced worlds!!! it was one of the best experiwnces of my life the race went with out a problem, and the crowds were awesome being swamped with media at the finishing 50th was quite odd and slightly embarassing. I would have much rather gone top 20 with no media but that is how it all rolled. Links to all media coverage from my race and story follow. http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/World-Champs---DHMTX-Practice-3,198/Slideshow,1578/sspomer,2 Damian Breach photo and report. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/more-sports/brave-teen-pushes-through/story-e6frey6i-1225768489444 Daily Telegraph pre race story. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/more-sports/no-medal-but-teen-a-winner/story-e6frey6i-1225769223933%20post post race Daily Telegraph story. http://mtba.asn.au/NEWS/?IntCatId=20 mtba story 2/3rds of the way down. https://www.mtbworldscanberra.com.au/news/page/3/ worlds website. http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/mtb-brendan-johnston-to-air-2.mp3 ABC radio interview. so if you are really bored and have nothing else to do check this stuff out!! later

MTB World Champs

So finally I have made it to Canberra for the Worlds, the decision has been made to race. The plan is to start and take it from there. I would be stoked to finish the race in one peice. I have no expectations for the race which means no pressure so it will be good. I hope to have fun and not experience too much pain in the process. The race is at 10:30 am on Thursday. Catcha

Bad News

I thought I better give the blog an update, and inform those who don't know what has been going on with me over the last week and a half. So, on Monday the 17th of August last week following a worlds prep camp, I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. This came as quite a shock, I'm not sure what was going through my mind but I can remember that the idea of racing World Championships was out the window, considering it was rapidly approaching in a little over two weeks. Anyway it was straight into surgery the following day to remove the cancer. I was out the following afternoon and back home on the Thursday. Life has been quite boring and uneventful since then although, I have ventured out on three rides since Monday which is precisely two weeks earlier than the doctor ordered but can it get much worse? I was advised by my GP that it was fine to do anything that hurts, so taking this on bored i went on an hours road ride today and was in little pain. There is much speculation going on now as to weather i will be able to contest the World champs a week form tomorrow. At this stage the answer is no. However the reason for that is the fact that each day will be the decider, depending on how i feel each day decides what I can do so only time will tell. I will attend the camp along with the Australian team starting Sunday. (PLEASE NOTE NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND IT IS UNLIKELY I WILL CONTEST THE RACE). I appreciate all the support from all my friends, family and especially the big card from the Aussie mtb crew, cheers. Catcha

Canada (MSA race)

Well...well...well the race day started out well with a good warm up, i was feeling a little sluggish but not too bad. The start wasn't the best i was about 8th in the first single d. moving past a mexican holding us up in the techo sections, allowed me to chase back onto the lead group (it pays to drop the power off the start). so things were going ok i had moved up to 5th and was climbing and decending well, the crowd was awesome at the "squirel" section which is a sketchy rock shoot. So on the fastest and my most favourite decent of the track i heard a loud snap and looked back and there was my seat post tumbling down the hill 30m behind me, the feed zone was only about a km away so i left it and went on seat post less. When getting to the zone i knew Neils bike's post would be too big, so borrowing a post from the Canadian tech crew was the only option, only it didnt have a seat on it so we had to take the seat off Neils bike and put it on this post so it took a while but im thankful of everyones assistance. riding off again i gained about four posis when crack the seat slipped and pointed striaght up, thankfully there were two tech zones so i decided to go on and fix it there, so this we did, and i was back on my way again. The legs and head were shagged i gained another 3 posis and fished in 15th all in all a tough day. I am now in Bromont in a fancy hotel that we are not staying in but stealing there wireless and swimming in there pool, today and yesterday were graet in terms of weather today we cut to laps of the track its not to techo just taxing on the body, and a 15 min climb straight out of the box. I will up date soon but that is all for now im off to soak up some rays. later

MSA Canada

So... after an extremely long 38 hour monday, arriving at the pad at 2am tuesday morning. We have some massive rigs to cruise the MSA streets in also.

Tuesday involved shopping and a 3 hour spin, first half on the road (the right hand side of the road which is taking some getting used to) then winding through the Canadian forrests on some sweet single daddys. The weather was definatly the biggest + of the day heat and sun the perfect combo.

Today we wern't so lucky, the rain decided to join us on the ride (uninvited). We cut some laps on the track and it was deffinatly much more tamer than i was expecting but fun and some solid assending. Then we did a quite steep 7km climb to the top of the mountain, and yes i did visit the box at least once. The decent was rough as guts and muddy, bike is now washed and i am showered. The rec sesh is not too far away. Catcha

TT bike for Junior Tour

Thanks to John Vaughan for supplying me with a nice Time Trial bike to race in the Junior tour, weather it will help me, im not sure.

Anaconda Mtb Enduro

The warm(er) town of Alice Springs played host to the 2009 Anaconda Enduro. The event was great, a little bit of bad luck hampered my final result, but i was definatly not the only one. My best placing was on stage three with a 12th, this was the stage I enjoyed the most even though I was front derailiureless for the final 20km. I finished the event in 16th overall. All in all a good week in a "different" town. Yeah... I'd go back. Last weekend was a contrast to Alice, we were in cold cold Wagga for The Mc Donalds Classic Handicap and Crits, two solid days of training. Comming up are lots of club MTB races to get going before travelling to Canada for some World cups. Then in four weeks time its back amoungst the the skinny rubber and goanna oil for the Canberra Junior Tour.

Off to Alice! for Anaconda mtb Enduro

Flying to Alice springs tomorrow for the Anaconda MTB enduro, a seven stage 5 day race, after some healthy hospitality from the Goodspeeds! The event website will have intermediate race updates http://www.rapidascent.com.au/AnacondaMTBEnduro/Default.aspx?e=7 and cycling news will have daily stage updates http://cyclingnews.com/. If internet is available i will try to post some photos and results myself.

Canberra Tour

I entered the Canberra Tour as a preperation race for the Anaconda MTB enduro later this month. It turned out to be a great weekend of racing. Stage one featured a 97km course for C grade. On the firts KOM three of us got away and worked well together tp maintain the lead until we split on the final KOMand i was left on my own. Within 2-3 km of the finish i was caught by the bunch and hung on to get the bunch time. Sunday came and my legs were feeling the efforts of the previous stage. There was no chance i was going to be in any breaks today. The plan was to sit in the bunch and hopefully get some KOM time bonuses and make it safely to the finish, all went to plan and with a solo break up the road 200m nearing the finish myself and the race leader were the only ones interested in chasing him down and that we did, in the end i had nothing left for the sprint but was content to just finish with the group. I finshed in the top ten in GC and third in the KOM compition. Thanks to John and Leanne Henderson and Anna. The picture is of me and Ryohei Komori U/23 national Japanese champion, riding home after a long days racing.

I have a blog!

I have created this blog to keep friends and family informed of my Racing and training. I know its not as professional as a PERSONAL WEBSITE but its good enough for my purpose.