Menlo man's team sets 'Ride' record Menlo man's team sets 'Ride' record (July 07, 2004)

"It's amazingly annihilating to your system," said Menlo Park resident William "Billy" Innes, who decided at the last minute to join a team of four riders competing in the 23rd annual Ride Across America, a 2,959-mile road bicycle race from San Diego to Atlantic City.

The team not only won the event, but set a new record when it arrived in Atlantic City June 27, with an average speed of 23.06 mph. The team completed the course in five days, eight hours, and 17 minutes.

Innes, a mechanic at Chain Reaction Bicycles in Redwood City, decided to join the team -- Action Sports -- after being recruited June 16 at the Elite Nationals, where he finished second.

He heard the team needed a replacement, so he went for it.

"I'm definitely a one-day racer, and I knew I was going to have some problems, and I had some problems," said Innes. "But (teammate Kerry Ryan) has done this before, and I told him to tell me what to do, when to sleep, what to eat. His experience was really helpful."

Unlike the Tour de France, RAAM cycling teams ride nonstop around the clock in a relay fashion. Teams are accompanied by vans, where riders can rest, sleep, eat and get medical attention.

Said teammate Sean Nealy: "It was the elevation that was the problem and we were all just gasping for air. The first two days were difficult. We're all road racers and had never had to force ourselves to sleep within 20-minute time periods."

For more information, check www.rideacrossamerica.org.

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