Race Across America : Pete Penseyres Breaks Record by 16 Hours

An unorthodox diet and sleep deprivation helped ultramarathon cyclist Pete Penseyres break the course record in the Race Across America. He pedaled into Atlantic City, N.J., Monday night--8 days 9 hours 47 minutes after leaving Huntington Beach on 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 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.

“His motivation was the insulting remarks that Jonathon Boyer made last year toward all the other riders,” she said. “(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.”

Almost 23 hours after Penseyres completed the race, Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill., and Matt Beerer of Garden Grove crossed the finish line within an hour of each other Tuesday.

Haldeman, who won the race in 1982 and 1983, arrived in Atlantic City at 8:02 EDT for second place, and Beerer arrived at 8:57 for third place. Elaine Mariolle of Berkeley, who has been leading the women’s division for eight days, reached Jefferson, Md., 2,888 miles into the race, Tuesday, and is expected to finish today.