All Roads Lead to a Finish Line Festival at the Tour of PA

Finish Line Festival

World-class cycling teams from around the world competed in the American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania presented by Highmark Healthy High 5 June 24-29, 2008.

As part of the six-day, 450-mile race across Pennsylvania, Highmark Healthy High 5 held Finish Line Festivals in Carlisle, Bedford, Latrobe, Pittsburgh South Side and downtown Pittsburgh promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

View a slideshow of the events.

Slideshow View some of the fun activities from the Finish Line Festivals and the American Eagle Outfitters Tour of PA presented by Highmark Healthy High 5.

The Festivals allowed kids and their parents to sample first-hand how easy and fun it is to be active and eat healthy. Just by participating kids became eligible for drawings and won many prizes, including, American Eagle Outfitters gift cards, official Tour of PA race memorabilia, amusement park tickets, and custom made bikes.

Giant Eagle and Giant Foods were on hand to talk about delicious but healthy ways to grab a snack; the American Heart Association’s jump rope teams showed the challenges and fun of jumping; and aerobics enthusiasts got an update on the latest rage, Zumba. At the Highmark Healthy High 5 booth, kids sampled Dance Dance Revolution. The Byrnes Health Education Center was on hand with an amazing 30-foot-diameter inflatable dome filled with activities and games that got kids really involved in understanding the importance of fueling the body with the right foods and creating balance between activity and consumption.

Mike Steidley, 2007 U.S. National Mountain Bike Trials Champion and one of the most exciting and extreme mountain bikers in North America, performed and talked about how he balances his life to support his very physically active occupation. Learn more and see a video of Mike Steidley performing mountain bike stunts.

A single shot rang out at the Highmark campus at Camp Hill to begin the Sate Three Start of the race. More than 2,000 Highmark employees lined the route in a light drizzle to cheer on the cyclists. Race officials asserted that the Camp Hill start was one of the best they had ever witnessed thanks to the enthusiasm of Highmark employees. And the Highmark Foundation took great pride in awarding the Highmark Healthy High 5 Best Young Rider award honoring the fastest rider under age 19 for each stage.

Through its presenting sponsorship of the Tour of PA, the Highmark Foundation achieved an important Highmark Healthy High 5 goal of connecting with communities to promote healthy living among kids. What better way to celebrate Pittsburgh's 250th birthday than to help assure good health of future generations through Highmark Healthy High 5.