Race Across AMerica : Pete Penseyres’ Time a Record by 16 Hours

An unorthodox diet and sleep deprivation helped ultramarathon cyclist Pete Penseyres break the course record in the Race Across AMerica, pedaling into Atlantic City, N.J., Monday night at 9:47 Eastern Daylight Time--8 days 9 hours and 47 minutes after leaving Huntington Beach July 6.

The Fallbrook resident’s winning time for the 3,107-mile race was more than 16 hours better than the old course record of 9 days 2 hours and 6 minutes set last year by Jonathon Boyer.

Race founder and director John Marino said he attributed Penseyres’ record to his “scientific approach.”

“His diet was 80% liquid and that really seems to be the answer as far as getting the most out of your body,” Marino said. “He also was sleeping only 90 minutes a night.”

Kathleen Burke, the race’s press coordinator, said Penseyres’ nutritional routine consisted of drinking protein shakes 18 to 20 times a day.

“He has revolutionized ultramarathon cycling with his scientific approach and aerodynamic equipment,” Burke said. “He used a special skin suit, shaved his arms and legs, and used an aerodynamic helmet and a disc wheel on his rear wheel, which is what they use in the Olympics.”

Burke said Penseyres was “absolutely elated” at his finishing time.

“His motivation was the insulting remarks that Jonathon Boyer made last year toward all the other riders,” she said, adding that Penseyres’ brother was among the participants in last year’s race. “(Boyer) called everyone else ‘the cavemen’ because he thought they were so novice in their approach to road-racing competition.

“Penseyres was determined to show him that he wasn’t, and with his 16-hour lead he definitely shattered the record, with no more remarks necessary.”

Former RAAM champion Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill., was in second place Monday night, 230 miles from the finish with a possibility of also bettering Boyer’s 1985 mark. He was projected to finish today at about 2 p.m. Eastern time. Matt Beerer of Garden Grove was in third place, 36 miles behind Haldeman.

The top woman, Elaine Mariolle of Berkeley, was 445 miles short of the finish Monday night in Peaks of Otter, Va.