Fitness Buffs Work Up a Sweat for AIDS Research

About 200 fitness buffs worked out for three grueling hours Saturday morning, sweating to raise $5,000 for AIDS research.

The event, organized by the City of Hope National Medical Center near Los Angeles, was one of 120 “Sweat-A-Thons” held simultaneously throughout the country by the hospital to raise money for AIDS research and patient care. Twenty-thousand participants were expected nationwide.

As music filled Orange Coast College’s gymnasium, the mostly female group danced and jumped through a series of 15-minute aerobic programs, including “Slappin’ Leather,” and the “Electric Slide,” both popular country steps.

“This is so much fun, working out with all these people,” said participant Robin Guild, 33, a personal trainer at Superbodies Gym in Costa Mesa.

Guild won a two-night stay at Newport Beach’s Le Meridien Hotel for raising the most money, $373, through pledges.

Event organizer Barbara Wright, an aerobics instructor at Orange Coast College, said the City of Hope had a goal of $2 million nationwide. About a dozen volunteers from throughout Orange County organized the event.

Approximately 20 health-related businesses and sportswear companies set up booths in the gym, where their representatives offered advice, food, and clothing.

“This is the sixth year that the hospital has held this event. It’s an opportunity to work out and do something vitally important,” Wright said.

About 15 aerobics instructors took turns leading the group, which began warm-ups at 9 a.m. and finished the day with circuit training, spending about 20 seconds at each of 10 stations, where they engaged in different workouts.

Taking a break to gulp down some water, David Wright, 32, a loan processor for Bank of America in Costa Mesa who had attended two previous Sweat-A-Thons, said this year’s turnout was the largest.

“It’s pretty strenuous out here,” said Wright, who is no relation to the event organizer.