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Group Health STP Draws Thousands to 205-Mile Tradition

Posted on: Monday, 20 June 2005, 15:00 CDT

SEATTLE, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Late June in the Pacific Northwest means nearly 8,000 bicyclists are gearing up for the region's biggest bicycle ride: The Group Health Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic (Group Health STP) July 9 and 10.

This will be the 26th year that participants, ranging in age from 10 to 80, will travel the winding route. A group of 20 Group Health physicians -- also experienced cyclists -- will provide first aid on the road between stations. These medical riders wear bright-red jerseys and carry radios in case of an emergency.

Participants travel 205.4 miles at their own pace down scenic Western Washington roads, across the Columbia River into Oregon near Kelso, toward family, friends and volunteers waiting at the finish line festival in Portland. Group Health volunteers will staff over a dozen food and first aid stations along the route, offering snacks, water, minor bike repairs, sunscreen, and basic medical care if needed.

"The Group Health STP remains popular because it's a calorie-burning, friend-making, well-organized challenge of a lifetime for anyone who loves riding a bike," said [Group Health's Medical Director Hugh Straley, who rode the route as a warm up in mid-June]. "Group Health is proud to play a pivotal role in supporting the event and honoring a very rich tradition of cycling, fitness and active lifestyles in the Pacific Northwest."

The first group of riders will begin the trek shortly at 4 a.m. at the official starting line in a parking lot at the University of Washington in Seattle. Nearly 20 percent of the 8,000 cyclists make the trip in one day. However, most riders stay overnight at pre-determined sites on the route and arrive at the finish line in Portland's Holladay Park in the afternoon on July 10.

Participants in the Group Health STP ride all types of bikes, including recumbent and tandem styles. The course passes through the Washington communities of Puyallup, Tukwila, Kent, Algona, Pacific, Sumner, Spanaway, Yelm, Tenino, Centralia, Chehalis, Napavine, Winlock, Vader, Castle Rock, and Kelso; and the Oregon communities of Rainier, St. Helens, and Scappoose. Organizers expect more than 15,000 supporters at the finish line at Holladay Park in Portland to cheer on arriving cyclists.

Cascade Bicycle Club, the nation's largest bicycle club, handles registration, course set-up and lodging logistics for the Group Health STP. The event is a major fundraiser for the club.

Group Health is an active partner with Cascade, the City of Seattle, King County, and non-profits statewide in promoting the health benefits of cycling. In addition to the Group Health STP, Group Health supports more than 25 cycling events each year across the Pacific Northwest. For cyclists seeking more health, cycling event, and safety information, Group Health has launched a "Cycling for Health" Web site (http://www.cyclingforhealth.org/) with easy-to-read articles containing quotes from Group Health doctors, many of whom are avid riders.

Group Health Cooperative

Founded in 1947, Group Health is a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, Group Health and Group Health Options, Inc., serve nearly 550,000 members in Washington and Idaho. Group Health's commercial and Medicare plans have received the top rating of "Excellent" from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Group Health encompasses medical and specialty centers, hospitals (including a full service community hospital), a nationally recognized research center, and a charitable foundation. Group Health and Group Health Permanente (its multi-specialty medical group practice) combined employ over 9,000 staff, equivalent to Washington's third largest private employer.

Please visit our virtual newsroom by clicking on the "newsroom" tab at http://www.ghc.org/

Group Health Cooperative

CONTACT: Christopher Mulally, +1-206-448-6135, or Lee Tucker Therriault,+1-206-448-6135, both for Group Health Cooperative

Web site: http://www.ghc.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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