Brendan Johnston talks marathons
Brendan Johnston has won the past three Australian XCM Championships in a row, we caught up ahead of 2018 National Title.
Brendan Johnston has a list of marathon and stage race wins longer than most riders could ever hope to have. And he's just 26. Consider that in that time he's won some of the most prestigious marathon races in Australia, including the National Championships over the past three years. At a guess, the only major marathon race he hasn't won would be the Otway Odyssey.
On Sunday 29th April, the 2018 National Marathon Championships are taking place in Townsville, at Douglas MTB Reserve just behind James Cook University. We caught up with Johnston by the Coral Sea, to not just take a look at his 2018 ride, a Giant Anthem 29er, but also ask him about the course, his competitors, and why he loves marathon racing.
First up – a look at the Giant Anthem
This isn't quite the Giant Anthem Advanced you'd pick up at your local Giant dealer. Instead, this one has a full Shimano XTR drivetrain and brakes, alongside a cockpit setup from Shimano's component arm, PRO.
The Di2 rear mech shifts across the 11-40 cassette.
The Di2 setup allows a superlight action for shifting – even though the XTR M9000 mechanical setup would still be the slickest we've ever ridden. Johnston has an XTR Stages power meter to track his training and race efforts.
The XTR shifter is pretty small, and you can programme how you want each button to shift, and the shift speed.
For braking, Johnston uses the minimal XTR Race brakes, although we did spy Shimano's XTR IceTech pads in the calipers, for some better cooling under heavy use.
Johnston uses slim lock-on grip from PRO, and he raves about the compound for bar feel. What's noticeable is how slim the locking mechanism is.
The lock out lever goes to both the Fox Factory 32 SC fork, and the Float EVOL rear shock.
It's not the tidiest cabling we have seen – but it's close and allows access to the barrel adjuster.
The Fox 32 SC is the lightest XC fork on the market, thanks to the 'stepped' lower legs which mean the whole thing can be narrower without a negative impact on stiffness.
Johnston claims he uses the lock out 'all the time', something that many racers do. The benefits of remote lock out on one lever are many, and while it's not a big deal for a trail ride, when you're racing and every details counts – this is a big one.
Giant's Maestro suspension system has been redesigned for World Cup level performance on the new Anthem.
Grip is also a big deal, and for 2018 Johnston made a switch to Mitas tyres. He's got the 2.1" Scylla fitted for Townsville. They're low tread height tyres.
The whole bike is an impressive machine – but really it's the pilot who provides the results, so we asked Johnston a bit more about marathon racing, and the Championship course for Sunday.
“It's not super different being the same terrain with rocks and what not," said Johnston when asked how he thought the 2018 course compared to the 2017 course on the other side of Townsville. "The only thing is there's a lot more of it on the course and it's pretty full on. At Pallarenda there was some respite at the end of the lap with the stretch of firetrail, but we don't have that at all now. There's a bit of road at the feed at the end of the lap, but otherwise it's full on, it is singletrack the whole way. So it's going to be a diesel style grind the whole day."
That ability to push hard, and push hard for a long time has helped Johnston to many, many race wins, alongside a strong work ethic. The National Championships was set for Pallarenda this year but after lots of wet weather access there was poor, so Douglas was chosen, with 4 laps of a 17km course selected. On Tuesday, MTBA announced Elite Men would race 5 laps, which will increase the difficulty of the race – to the point that pacing will become crucial.
“More than ever it will be a day to ride your own race. The extra lap will just make it harder, I'm not sure if it will change the outcome," said Johnston when asked how he thought the extra lap might change the front of the race. "I think these marathons can be won in the last half hour or forty minutes. And that's what I like. It's a long battle out there and anything can happen in that last half hour as it did last weekend in Bendigo. Five laps is a good distance, it will be a challenge and that's what it should be for a national title."
And what happened in Bendigo? For the first two thirds of the race Johnston was racing with Cam Ivory and Tasman and Russ Nankervis.
"Last weekend, we had 30km to go and those guys were attacking each other full gas, as hard as they could," said Johnston. "If that could be televised somehow, with an E-bike or something, that would be cool. There's stuff that happens out there that people don't see, and marathon racing is making a bit of a comeback I feel." It's a good point. The distance and remoteness of marathon races can make coverage difficult at best – but they are a completely different kind of racing.
"I'm not sure how you'd do it but if it's possible to get some coverage of that then it would get interest. Marathon racing is a battle and throughout the four hours of the race you can go from struggling early on to still winning, or you can forget your shoes like I have before and still win, or you can have a mechanicals and still win. So much happens out there, it's such a battle and that's why I love it." While we aren't sure every rider could turn those odds into race wins, it's clear Johnston has been able to. Will having a lap based race help for some of that coverage though?
"I'm not sure if laps are any better for coverage. You're still only going to see riders come through and then they're out again." But who are those riders to watch, for someone like the current national champion?
"There are people to keep an eye on. Tas (Nankervis) does a lot of road racing and you develop that endurance. Experience is a big part of marathon racing and that's sometimes where younger guys fall over a bit in the longer races, as I did when I first started. But now I've got that experience with years of lots of races in the legs I draw on that often in the racing. It's awesome that Cam is doing the marahons now, too."
And Cam Ivory isn't just doing them. He won the first national XCM round at Alice Springs, and was 2nd at Bendigo. He's probably the biggest threat to the title. But Johnston is known for being able to push hard, and not stop until he needs to.
"I do see that as a strenght of mine, to grind, grind, grind, and when everyone else can't grind I sort of keep going. I've done the work and I feel like I'm in good stead to do that again. That's how I like to win these races but there is Cam, there's Tas. They're strong guys and they train hard and long. They'll be there for sure."
But what of the women? Last year's winner, Bec McConnell, isn't racing (unless she makes a last minute decision), so who can win? Anna Beck, who won in Alice Springs? April McDonough, who won in Bendigo? Holly Harris – 2nd at the XCO National Championships? What about Imogen Smith, one of the most experienced international marathon racers in the field, or Karen Hill who was right on the heels of Beck in Alice?
"The women's race doesn't seem to have a clear stand out favourite," states Johnston. "Obviously Holly Harris is here but I do think the course and the distance will play a part in who gets over her. As far as a pick goes I'm not sure. I think Holly but the distance might be too much. That and the firmness of the course – it's hard on the legs all day."
And that's the thing – marathon racing is hard all day. There is no respite in a championship race and Townsville has delivered a course that is high on effort and trails, and low on recovery, passing opportunities or a chance to eat and drink. Anyone on a podium on Sunday will have earnt their place there. And we'd be highly surprised if Brendan Johnston wasn't on the top of the box again come Sunday afternoon.
