FORMER Sydney Swans footballer Alex Johnson is gearing up for the People\u2019s Ride as part of this month\u2019s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.<\/p>\n
Johnson is an ambassador for the People\u2019s Ride, and is looking forward to getting out on the same course that the world\u2019s best cyclists will tackle.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a role I\u2019m really enjoying. I\u2019ve been a fan of the ride, it\u2019s a great event to carry on Cadel\u2019s legacy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking earlier this week, the 2012 premiership player said he was very familiar with the Great Ocean Road, as his family has a holiday house in Lorne.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great bit of coastline, but it\u2019s a little bit hairy to ride because of all the cars, so it\u2019ll be awesome to have it closed to traffic and be able to ride it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is also happy to talk up the virtues of cycling for rehabilitation \u2013 a subject he is unfortunately highly familiar with, having endured six knee reconstructions.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the past five to six years, cycling has been one of the few things I can actually do, because it\u2019s low impact in terms of the effect on your joints.\u201d Johnson regularly rides between 50 and 80 kilometres as part of his rehab, but passed on the 35km and 65km variants of the People\u2019s Ride to sign up to the 115-kilometre course.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo 115 kilometres might stretch me a bit, but I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Delisted by the Swans last year, Johnson has signed as a player for the Northern Blues in the VFL and has also been appointed the club\u2019s head of development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe opportunity with Carlton and the Northern Blues was something I couldn\u2019t turn down, and it\u2019s been great, I\u2019ve had access to all of Carlton\u2019s medical facilities to help my rehabilitation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just had three weeks off, so I\u2019m back into it today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m aiming to play round 1 in the VFL \u2013 whether I get there is another question, but that\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FORMER Sydney Swans footballer Alex Johnson is gearing up for the People\u2019s Ride as part of this month\u2019s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Johnson is an ambassador for the People\u2019s Ride, and is looking forward to getting out on the same course that the world\u2019s best cyclists will tackle. \u201cIt\u2019s a role I\u2019m really […]<\/p>\n