AINT NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH FOR LOCAL PERSONAL TRAINING GYM WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE: Addie’s Studio raises over $12,000 for the MS Society’s 3-day Challenge Walk. Owner Tyler Merrill successfully completes a second challenge: pushing a wheelchair-bound man up Torrey Pines Hill.

SAN DIEGO, CA--Sep. 11, 2007--Addie’s Studio, semi-private personal training studios with a friendly, non-intimidating environment, recently participated in a 50-mile walk to benefit the MS Society. In addition, the studio raised over $12,000 for the MS Society, and helped make one man’s dream to complete the walk a reality.

Each year, Addie’s studio sponsors, raises funds and participates in the annual September walk – 50 miles over 3 days that includes walking up Del Mar Heights Rd as well as the dreaded Torrey Pines Hill. This year, in addition to exceeding their fundraising goal, owner Tyler Merrill accepted an additional challenge posed to him by the MS Society: to push all 215+ pounds of wheelchair-bound Guy Barns, a former software engineer for Qualcomm with MS, up the Del Mar Heights Road and Torrey Pines Hill, so that he could complete the walk. Merrill pushed solo up Del Mar Heights Road’s 7% grade, and as Merrill and Barns began the ascent up Torrey Pines Hill, personal trainer Erica Penn and client Tiffany Struhar joined in on the final push. As they reached the top, an elated Guy Barns was grateful and overwhelmed with joy. This life-changing experience, explains Merrill, just reaffirms Addie's Studio's commitment to use fitness to improve people's lives.

“It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life” says Tyler Merrill, who runs the studio’s two location with wife and founder, Addie Merrill. “I just focused on the fact that I was using my good health and strength to help someone who would otherwise be able to complete the walk if it weren't for the degenerative nature of MS.”

This marks the third year that Addie’s Studio has been an active participant and sponsor of the MS 3 Day Walk, but Tyler Merrill has been active with the Pacific South Coast MS Society chapter for 4 years. The relationship began when Merrill experienced the degenerative nature of the disease firsthand through a close client relationship. Merrill was the first non-MD to be elected to the Clinical Advisory Board, is a fitness speaker for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter, and is an active current member of the Clinical Programs Committee serving all of Southern California. He is also a regular contributor to the local San Diego chapter’s newsletter.

Addie’s Studio is the only San Diego personal training facility with trainers specially trained in working with MS clients. Through their revolutionary MS F.I.T.T. program, designed by Tyler Merrill, Addie’s Studio has worked successfully with several hundreds afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis to increase mobility, balance, and strength.

CONTACT: Addies Personal Training Studio
Tyler Merrill, Phone: 858.483.2711
Email: tyler@addiesstudio.com
Fax: 858.483.2722
Web: addiesstudio.com