Keeping fit over 50 Keeping fit over 50 (February 11, 2004)

Annual fitness weekend to feature exercise, education and Art Linkletter

by Dana Green

Walking 30 minutes a day doesn't sound like a miracle cure. But it can work wonders. Even for sedentary, older Americans, a daily two-mile stroll can cut one's chances of getting heart disease, stroke, or Type II diabetes in half, according to research.

Organizers of the Fifty-Plus 21st Annual Fitness Weekend in early March hope to get 50-plus-year-olds walking -- and talking -- to avoid illness and stay fit. The three-day event at Stanford University features a public forum, health conference, and athletic events, including a competitive 8K run for seniors, a 5K racewalk, a four-mile fun walk, and a 20-mile bike ride. A health fair follows Sunday's races.

This year's theme, "On the Right Track! Staying Fit and Healthy in an Obese America," wasn't difficult to choose, according to Anne Cribbs, managing director of Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness, a nonprofit founded in 1979. "The topic of obesity is everywhere," she said.

Nearly 20 percent of Americans adults are obese, a 61 percent rise during the 1990s, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Health-conference speakers will address the link between obesity and physical inactivity, and explain what older individuals can do to make exercise an integral part of their daily lives.

Technological advances are partly to blame for decreased physical fitness among baby boomers and seniors, said conference speaker William Haskell, Ph.D., deputy director at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. Computers and work automation have "engineered physical activity out of our daily lives," Haskell said.

Haskell argued that individuals have to make time for exercise in a time-challenged world. "We're not going to get people away from using the Internet. ... It's just too convenient," Haskell said. "People should be sure that [the technology] increases their efficiency ... so they have more time on their hands to exercise (and) to play with their children or grandchildren."

The good news is that a small amount of exercise can make a big difference. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes per day not only combats chronic disease, it also can help stave off depression, diminished balance and sleep disorders, all of which particularly plague seniors.

"If you can't get across El Camino Real while the light is green ... you're not going to visit friends, or shop at the market," Haskell said. "Exercise is absolutely critical to maintain quality of life."

The weekend is not all talk, however. Breakout sessions feature yoga, Pilates, and tai-chi. The main event on Sunday is the Paul Spangler Memorial 8K Run. At age 94, Spangler set the record as the oldest competitor in the history of the run, now named in his honor. The race starts at 9 a.m. and winds around the Stanford campus. The 8K also serves as the USATF Pacific Championship for seniors (age 50-59), super seniors (60-69), and veterans (70 and up).

Sunday's other athletic events also include a 5K competitive racewalk for 50-plus year-olds, a two- or four-mile fun fitness walk for all ages, and the Betsy Evart Memorial Bicycle Ride, through campus and the Los Altos Hills.

Those interested in preparing for the event can take advantage of a new partnership between Fifty-Plus and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Program. For a fee, trainers are available now to help individuals get in shape. Proceeds from the Team in Training Program go toward research of leukemia and lymphoma-related diseases.

In addition, 91-year-old entertainer and writer Art Linkletter, recognized as a "spokesperson for his generation" for his numerous books and speeches on aging, will be hosting a public forum on Friday. Titled "Old Age is Not for Sissies" after Linkletter's book of the same name, the forum focuses on how to grow older with grace and good humor. The Fitness Weekend, of which the Weekly is a sponsor, is being held Mar. 12-14 at Stanford University locations. For online registration and a complete schedule of events visit www.50plus.org or call (650) 843-1750. Dana Green can be reached at dgreen@paweekly.com

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