FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
Media Contact: Mark Winitz
Tel: (650) 948-0618   Fax: (650) 949-2172

FIFTY-PLUS ANNUAL FITNESS WEEKEND ADDS BAY AREA SENIOR GAMES

Palo Alto, Calif. - (January 25, 2006) - Although a recent survey* 
indicates that social acceptance of obesity has doubled over the last 20 
years, the message from Palo Alto-based Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness 
hasn't changed for almost a quarter of a decade: "Use It or Lose It!" is 
the organization's unofficial motto. Other studies consistently 
demonstrate that quality of life improves with increasing physical 
fitness, no matter what your age. Almost 1,000 physically active adults, 
primarily age 50 and over, will underscore this fact at the 23rd Annual 
Fifty-Plus Fitness Weekend, scheduled for March 10-12, 2006 at Stanford 
University and several nearby venues.
For the first time, the action-filled gathering, which originally started 
as an annual fun run, will include the Bay Area Senior Games -- a 
multi-sport extravaganza that will offer softball, swimming, table 
tennis, tennis, and track and field. In addition, Fifty-Plus will build 
upon its traditional Weekend fitness activities: the 8-Kilometer road 
run, 5-Kilometer fitness walk, and competitive race walk.
The Weekend's signature event, the Paul Spangler Memorial 8K Run, once 
again hosts the Pacific Association/USA Track & Field 8K Championship. 
The race, which draws the top senior runners in the country, has produced 
multiple U.S. age-group records.
"The debut of the Bay Area Senior Games, and return of the 8K 
championship for our Weekend, demonstrates the Fifty-Plus commitment to 
promote active aging for senior adults," said Anne Cribbs, Managing 
Director of Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness. "But the positive message 
associated with a physically active lifestyle is critical for all ages. 
So, we're planning our best-ever Weekend with something for everybody and 
every body."
For example, the 5K (3.1-Mile) Fitness Walk offers a target goal that 
many people can shoot for and comfortably attain-with proper preparation. 
Fifty-Plus organizes walking groups, fitness camps, and other physical 
activities to prepare senior adults for these endeavors.
The Bay Area Senior Games will take place each year through 2009 under 
the auspices of the California Senior Games Association (CSGA), an 
affiliate of the National Senior Games Association (NSGA). The 2009 Bay 
Area Senior Games will preface the 2009 Summer National Senior Games -- 
the Senior Olympics -- to be held in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 
Summer National Senior Games is the largest multi-sport event in the 
world for senior athletes with 18 sports, 15,000 athletes, plus three 
demonstration sports in 2009. Over 35,000 visitors are expected for the 
15-days of competition.
In November, 2004, the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) 
successfully won a bid over 10 other U.S. cities, earning the right to 
host the 2009 Summer National Senior Games. Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness 
and Stanford University will play integral roles in producing the 
national event. 
"The San Francisco Bay Area and California's affinity for active, healthy 
lifestyles makes this partnership uniquely suited to bring NSGA's mission 
and programs to the hundreds of thousands of seniors that reside in the 
state," said Bill Bankhead, CEO of the NSGA.
The 2006 edition of the Fifty-Plus Weekend will also include its popular, 
traditional activities: The Fifty-Plus Health Conference, Annual 
Fifty-Plus Awards Dinner, which includes the presentation of the Emil 
Zatopek Award, and the Fifty-Plus Health Fair.
Olympic figure skating gold medalist Peggy Fleming, and former football 
star Ronnie Lott, will take part in the Weekend as special guests. Dr. 
Walter Bortz, Chairman of Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness, will deliver the 
keynote speech at a reception on Friday night, March 10, 2006, kicking 
off the Weekend with insights from his best-selling new book, Diabetes 
Danger.
Certainly, the many inspiring senior athletes who will participate in the 
2006 Fifty-Plus Fitness Weekend are examples for others to embrace.
Harold "Hutch" Thurston, 87, of Los Altos, Calif. is a regular 
participant in the Weekend's 8K Run. He started running in his thirties 
as an airline pilot when he found that runs after long international 
flights helped him adjust to jet lag. Today, Thurston's pacemaker implant 
doesn't prevent him from getting out for three-mile runs, four days each 
week. "A good horse can walk as fast as I run now," said Thurston, "but I 
still enjoy it."
Elizabeth Baker, 80, of Morro Bay, Calif. is especially looking forward 
to this year's 8K run since she enters a new five-year age group. In this 
year's race, she hopes to successfully defend her title as the oldest 
female finisher. Baker has competed in international track and field 
events for masters all over the world, and has finished the Big Sur 
International Marathon eight times, plus ran in the 100th running of the 
Boston Marathon. "I'm not fast, but I get there," she admitted.
Joyce Hanna, 71, of Atherton, Calif. sits on the Fifty-Plus Board of 
Directors, and is Associate Director of the Health and Fitness Program at 
the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention. 
Deeply involved in seniors' health issues in both her profession and 
leisure activities, Hanna returns to this year's event with only one goal 
in mind: "I hope to place in the top three in my age group," said Hanna. 
"I'm feeling really good right now." Hanna states that running the 8K 
race is "simply an expression of the exercise that I do throughout the 
year" which includes hiking, weight training, and yoga. Among other 
accomplishments, she has topped her age group in the exhausting Pikes 
Peak Marathon and has competed in the Boston Marathon.
EVENT ENTRY: A registration form for all of the Fifty-Plus events can be 
obtained by contacting the Fifty-Plus Hot Line: (650) 843-1752, E-mail: 
info@50plus.org. Online race registration is available at www.active.com. 
Further information is available on the Fifty-Plus Web site at 
www.50plus.org.
Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness is a non-profit, international organization 
based in Palo Alto, Calif., with 2,000 members, whose mission is to 
provide a longer and more independent lifestyle for adults by expanding 
awareness and involvement in health and fitness activities.
Thanks to our major sponsors, who help make the Fifty-Plus Fitness 
Weekend possible: City of Palo Alto Recreation, Classic Residences by 
Hyatt in Palo Alto, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and Palo Alto Weekly.
MEDIA NOTE: For media credentials, further information, or interviews, 
contact Mark Winitz, Win-It!z Sports Public Relations, Tel: 650-948-0618, 
Fax: 650-949-2172, E-mail: winitz@earthlink.net.
*  Study released January, 2006 by NPD Group, New York, NY
Bay Area Senior Games added press release in .doc format