21/05/2026
Awesome article on our awesome Patrick Johnstone 🤩
Pat Johnstone qualifies for Cycling World Championships in Japan
Pat Johnstone has won the time trial and the road race at the annual New Zealand Age Group Road National Championships for 70 to 74 age group for the past three years. This, again, qualifies him to compete at the World Championships in Japan in August.
Last year he competed in the Worlds, in Lorne, south of Melbourne, where he achieved a 3rd in the time trial and 4th in the road race. The time trial in Japan will be 15km and the road race 80km. As he competes in two different races, he needs to take two bikes with him.
Pat hasn’t always been a competitive cyclist. He was more interested in running and doing triathlons and because “I was useless in swimming” he turned to marathons, completing 10 to 12 of them with 2 hours 36 minutes his quickest time.
It was when the family moved to Longacre Road and he started teaching at Gonville School and then Rutherford Intermediate that he bought a bike. As he says, “I couldn’t leave Linda (his wife) at home with three young children without a car.”
He was able to transfer his high fitness levels to cycling and do the 20km ride each way to Rutherford with ease. When he transferred to Whanganui City College, he would ride to Okoia, up the hill across to Durie Hill and down to school. He would repeat this on the way back and sometimes “would cycle up Longacre Road to the top of the hill, another five and a half kilometres.” While he joined the local cycle club, he found that “serious cycling is not always time -friendly for families,” especially with their three children involved in local sports. But by around age 50, when the children had left home, he was able to compete more seriously including at Nationals.
He found the age group very competitive as it frequently included “a lot of broken-down runners – ex-harriers – turning to cycling as it was a good alternative – not weight bearing and not so injury prone.”
Pat also found that, unlike competitive cyclists, who have been in cycling much of their lives, he was relatively new and was passionate about competing. He soon picked up a number of 2nds and 3rds at Nationals, and “finally in 2011 I got my breakthrough with my first win.”
However, soon afterwards, he had to take time off due to health issues. By mid 2012, he was back and went overseas “for both pleasure and training.” It was a chance to race in the L’Etape du Tour de France – a stage of the Tour open to good amateur cyclists which took place before the professional event.
Pat rode the Pau to Luchon stage in the South of France on Bastille Day. This was “212km and 4,500m of climbing and involving some of the classic climbs and over 9000 riders.” He describes it as “one of my best days. The villagers cheered us on as well as those in campervans, seeking to get the best position for the professional Tour event four days later.” He adds, “The roads were closed, making cornering so much safer, especially when descending.”
On another trip in 2017, he competed in Haute Route Alps, a 7-day race through the Alps from Nice to Geneva. He says, “It is described as the hardest amateur race in the world and included a total of 32,000m of climbing. I led in the over 60 age group for the first four days but on the fifth, I had minimal energy. That day was a grind, and I ended up finishing second.”
For the World’s last year, he enlisted the help of local Dayle Cheatley, the ex-coach of the New Zealand cycling team. Dayle told him, “At your stage you don’t need distance – just more quality riding” and quoted the maxim of “do your easy rides (ie recovery) easier and do your hard rides, harder.”
Generally, Pat does 8 to 15 hours a week riding around Whanganui or on an indoor trainer. “The approach is based on power (he has a power metre on his pedals). This measures how many watts you produce and power equals speed.” He adds, “It used to be heart rate readings, but there are too many variables, although they do give you insight into how you are training.”
At the local cycling club, Pat is seen as a “legend.” President Marty Hewson describes him as an “outstanding athlete,” with “quite outstanding results.” In recognition of Pat representing Whanganui and New Zealand so successfully, the Club recently awarded Pat life membership. (see the separate article on the Club’s other awards.)
Photo: Pat cycling over Arthur’s Pass in the South Island
