  A Providence employee returns to Race Across the West June 2009 and Wins!
6/22/09 Update: 1,044 miles in 58 hours 56 minutes.
Race Across the West Slideshow
Providence Hood River employee George Thomas loves ultra marathon cycling, and especially the Race Across America, an annual transcontinental bicycle race from the west to east coast of the United States. It's a grueling race, more than 3,000 miles long, and tests top athletes to the limit.
A resident of Hood River, OR, George has won the race, more than once. Even more remarkably, George has overcome substantial health challenges to continue riding in long distance races such as Race Across America. George wanted to challenge himself physically and emotionally after a car accident left him with life-threatening epileptic seizures.
When he is not on his bike or working at Providence, George travels the United States to speak to various organizations. This year, he published "Going the Distance" co-authored with Team VeloWEAR media person, Jeff Welsch. The story is told vividly through Thomas' eyes as he pedals 2,911 miles in the bicycle Race Across America.
With race partner Terri Gooch, George also directs cycling events and races, such as the Race Across Oregon and the Northwest Time Trial Series. Back in the Columbia River Gorge, George promotes an active and healthy lifestyle for all. In 2008 and 2009 he organized the Providence Harvest Dash.
Follow George in the 1,000 mile Race Across the West
Begins: Wednesday, June 17 12:00pm (PDT)
The Race Across the West (RAW) runs concurrently with the Race Across America (RAAM) and covers the first 1000 miles of the RAAM course finishing in Taos, NM. This is a real chance for competitors to test themselves on the RAAM course against the RAAM racers. The 1000 mile distance makes this a truly unique event.George will be racing in the 2 person team category for the RAO/GVHBikes team with teammate, Tom Letsinger.
Go on the road with George
George will file RAW race updates on the Providence Hood River website
Check here for his colorful daily updates from the road
Join our team at Providence Harvest Dash
Join us this October 2009 for Providence Hood River's second annual Harvest Dash 10k/5k run and family fun walk held during Harvest Fest in Hood River. The race event is our way of encouraging sports and a healthy Gorge lifestyle. George Thomas is the race organizer.
George’s Race Results
RAAM Experience:
2004 Two-person team with Terri Gooch – 1st place of 2
2002 Tandem with Terri Gooch – 1st place of 1
2000 Tandem with Katie Lindquist – 1st place of 1
1995 Solo – 8th
1994 Team – 5th
1993 Team – 1st
Other Race Results:
2002 UMCA 24 Hr Championships – 1st place, Tandem, 426 miles
2001 UMCA 24 Hr Championships – 2nd place, Tandem, 444 miles
1999 UMCA 24 Hr Championships – 1st place, Tandem 426 miles
1997 Bicycle Across Missouri – 1st place, Solo, 33 hours 58 minutes
1997 Midnight Sun 600k – 1st place, Solo, 19 hours 15 minutes
1996 24 Hours of Adrenaline – 3rd place, MTB, Solo
1996 Oregon Dist. 40k TT Championships – 1st place, Tandem 52:04
1996 Midnight Sun 600k – 2nd place, Solo, 20 hours 19 minutes
1994 Furnace Creek 508 – 3rd place, Solo, 31 hours 52 minutes
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