This gym once had great equipment. It was new, shiny, clean facility. The year was 2007. I first…read moreworked out at Fitness Plus in '07, and some of the same cardio equipment is still here. There is no desire to update the facility. Post-COVID, the membership fee dropped to $20 a month. They have no budget. The facility is less clean and understaffed. There is no longer a locker room attendant, so the men's locker room is in a sad state. The tile floors around the showers are unclean. The lockers are never wiped out. One locker has had a piece of dried gum stuck inside for 6 months. I've told multiple staff members. At one point, the shower curtains had black mold on them. I've taken a white towel to the steam room and wiped a section down. The towel was black. This was 2 hours after the facility opened that day. The sauna has not had a good cleaning in probably over a year. The funk of 15 years of sweat is just caked into the wood benches. I quit using the whirlpool in the aquatic area after i noticed the grout between the tiles was black. And nothing quite says, "I'm here to save you" like a lifeguard wearing socks and shoes while playing on his phone. Unprofessional, but its the least of this facility's concerns honestly. Moving upstairs, the workout equipment has not been updated in over 15 years. Due to understaffing, the floor in one room upstairs is supposed to be a nice tan color. It now has a layer of filth over it that makes the floor a nice gray color. The cable stations may or may not be working. The smith machine works on a good day. Most of the equipment works, but it's just sad to see what was once a good gym just become so dated. There's newer, better equipment on the market. Overall, it's not a terrible gym for $20. But I have heard Planet Fitness is cleaner, and it's only $10. Saint Francis lowered the monthly membership from $57 to $20, and in doing so, they literally became a $20 gym.

I love going here. True, they could upgrade some of the equipment, but it certainly has a LOT of…read moreequipment now. I know one of the upgrades they made was to the basketball court. I love the fact, being older, that it is located right next to St. Francis Hospital. If you need medical assistance, I am certain this is the best place to be. I love the two stories and view to the outside. Great place!

We have been using Be Chosen a few weeks now to help our son get in shape during the off season &…read moreI'm blown away by the physical & mental changes we are already seen in him. These guys give 110% to those kids & they have been absolutely amazing. They also offer training for adults, so I'm looking into this also!

Things that are awesome: The equipment (both free weights…read moreand machine) Locker rooms are very clean and have all the amenities Indoor track Cardio equipment (they have every kind you can imagine, from treadmills and ellipticals, bikes, a bring your own bike and hook it up thing, some wood name thing that imitates natural running, a few kinds of stair climbers) Free classes, both with instructors and virtual Pools Sauna Showers Activtrax Smoothie and coffee bar Swag store Everything is super clean Things that are not so awesome: You have to pay extra for some classes The people who take cross fit are inconsiderate a-holes Short weekend hours Class schedules are hard to read and should probably be listed somewhere (body pump starting in ten minutes!) I wish there were more yoga classes offered in the evening

from the moment you walk in the door, you just know you're supposed to be here. Very peaceful…read moresetting and instructors who always seem to know what I need that day

Amazing! love people their, the environment, and the knowledge and wisdom learned. It's clean and…read morevery relaxing with multiple daily options to choose from with regards to the class you would like to attend to meet your needs

We came here for a friend's birthday party, and it was awesome. It's nice to have a spacious, air…read moreconditioned place for kids to run around during the summer months. There were several bounce houses, a styrofoam block pit, balance beams, and more. The staff was really nice, too. They kept their eyes out on our kids, and also handled all of the cleanup. Now I'm thinking about having my son's birthday party here!

A tiny gem in the heart of Carbondale. Tucked away in the low hills southeast of the city center,…read moreBrush Hill Preserve certainly doesn't announce its presence; you may have driven by it a dozen times and never noticed the sign. (A tip for finding it is below.) It's just one of several preserves maintained by Green Earth Inc., and it's whet my palate to explore the others. A single trail twists gradually down a hillside covered in trees and lush vegetation. It forms a loop -- a feature of trails I LOVE -- of one mile. Two loops makes a very nice jogging circuit with some serious grade. If you're training for cross-country or just tired of the flats of Campus Lake, Brush Hill is your answer! A cute brochure is available on the Green Earth website, so you can check out what the 7 numbered posts refer to (woodpeckers, seasonal pond, etc.). The single-file dirt trail is beautifully maintained, with gradual slopes and stone and wooden steps inserted as necessary. The bends are smooth, with no switchbacks. No poisonous plants line the path. Birds are obviously happy about being there, and you will be too! Tip for finding it: it's immediately next door to the Carbondale Township Fire Department on Park St. As you're looking at the FD from Park St., the Preserve's gravel parking lot is just to the right.

The TeeHouse is one of Cape Girardeau's true hidden gems. Well, maybe not hidden if you're a local,…read morebut not as obvious to the occasional visitor or passerby. I was honestly surprised when there wasn't a Yelp page, especially considering the amount of traffic it received while we were there. The TeeHouse has an 18 hole mini golf course, standard outdoor driving range stations, and heated/covered bays that feature TopTracer (think Top Golf) Technology to track your ball with the ability to play a variety of games. I have personally never seen another driving range, outside of Top Golf, with this technology. The standard range stations are free to use, provided you buy a bucket of balls: $5 for small, $8 for medium, $10 for large, and $15 for extra large. Frequent visitors can pay for a punch card in advance and save a few bucks on each bucket. The same bucket prices apply to visitors wanting to use the TopTracer bays, but you will need to pay an additional $10/hr for the bay, which can accommodate up to four people. Not bad, especially if you're used to Top Golf prices. I did see a few guests struggling to setup the computer in the lane because it isn't as automatic or intuitive as Top Golf (I.e., you have to select the point on the actual range where you're going to aim), but it doesn't take too long to get the hang of it. Minigolf is $6 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. The pro shop has a decent selection of clubs and other equipment though I didn't pay attention to pricing. They also have clubs available to individuals that do not have their own clubs for use on the range. There is a small bar inside with a good selection of beers and they will do buckets if you ask. Snacks as well. There is a batting cage complex as well, but according to the sign on the front door, it is permanently closed. All in all a really cool spot in Cape for anyone looking to work on their swing, or just kill some time in a fun way. The young lady behind the counter was very pleasant and helpful, and I definitely look forward to going back the next time I'm in Cape!

In 2023, I toyed around with the idea of bridging the gap between 50km and the 50 mile distance. It…read morewas bothering me as I raced marathons and 50km that year until it happened. Maybe I have what I takes. I looked for a 50 mile distance race that had a very generous time limit on ultrasignup.com. I found Tunnel Hill 100 mile and 50 mile distance events in Vienna, IL. They offer 30 hours for both distances, so I would be able to complete the 50 miles with plenty of time to spare. I shared my findings on social media and they told me to go for it. And so, I did. Signing up online was easy, with prices under $100, you do get a bang for your running dollar. In the ensuing months before race day, it was on the back of my mind. Race day comes and I was not really nervous. Probably more excited than anything. My friend and I arrived in his rental car. We drove from Crystal Lake, IL. We lucked out on parking here and proceeded to packet pick up for our race bibs. Once secured, we milled around the mass group of participants that have joined that morning. After a brief race morning announcement, we were under way at 7am. The course was a figure 8, mostly trail with a lot of scenery and trees. The 50 mile course was a 13.1 mile out and back, then roughly 12 miles out and 11 miles on the return for the 50 miles. 100 miles repeat the 50 mile loop on the next set of 50 miles. It was literally that simple from a running standpoint. I started the race with mix emotions but every mile that checks off was me getting closer to the goal. The overall feeling of making it was electric and amazing at the same time. It was just after 2:30am when I crossed the finish line. No fanfare but just me and my thoughts. I figure that's how it is with these long distance running events, but I proved to myself that I can. There was a few aid stations on the course, but best thing was to carry your own aid if you need extra. But I carried my Starbucks cup, so I could carry water in between aid stations. Thank you to all the volunteers who make this event possible! When I made it to 35 miles, I knew I was in uncharted territory. I was tired and exhausted. I kept going and took breaks at the aid stations when necessary. It rain heavy that evening in 2024, which added an hour to my total time, but I didn't care at all. Just wanted to finish. Each step was a victory for me, especially after 40 miles and during the lonely stretches where it was just me and my thoughts. For the most part though, it was the greatest thing I've done since my 1st marathon in 2007. It was amazing to see other accomplished runners with me on the course that day / night. Happy that I finished and not doubted myself even just once. Happy for myself and that I believed in myself. Grateful and blessed. Tunnel Hill 100 mile ultra endurance event is staged at the Vienna City Park in Vienna, IL. They accept registrations annually at ultrasignup.com, which generally requires major credit cards as payment. As far as parking for race weekend, you just need to get here as soon as you can. Once other race participants arrive, it fills up pretty fast and they have another parking area for you to go to, but it is a half mile walk from the race venue. As far as public transportation, there is virtually none here. You would have to rent a car or have one of your own to get here. The closest airport will be in St. Louis, Missouri. Or Paducah, Kentucky. I happen to be driving from Chicago Illinois, because it was the cheapest I could find, flying into Chicago. For the most part though, it was a life changing experience for me and one that I won't ever forget forever. Definitely a place and race that can surely be the one you want to do your ultra distance in. Definitely a place where you can just let loose and enjoy the scenery while you crank the miles for your favorite distance or go race. If you don't have any yet or don't want to run Chicago, considered coming to this one since it's pretty awesome. Low-key and definitely a good vibe for all those involved. 5.0 stars for the overall experience Support local! A+

An excellent rail trail connecting 45 miles of truly rural spaces, this made for a great 2-day…read morebikepacking excursion. We cycled from Harrisburg to Karnak, stayed the night in a campground right at the end of the trail, and returned home the following day. If you were to start this exact trail from any population center, it would be teeming with visitors. But that's not the reality here. We didn't see more than two dozen other cyclists total in 2 weekend days in May -- we damn near had the place to ourselves. And we were the only campers at the campground on a Saturday night (although some people might have stayed away because of rain in the forecast). The path itself is in really good shape for such an old trail. It's well-maintained and well-marked, and best of all, it's shade the whole way. You're almost always surrounded by trees. The terrain is surprisingly interesting, and for a number of miles you follow wetlands. I also particularly liked the bridges, which employ used railroad ties beautifully. And of course, there is the namesake tunnel, which you hit around mile 22. If there is a downside, it's the relative lack of amenities. You're not going to have ample choices for groceries or restaurants. But at least water stations and dry good shops are still around every several miles. And you're not here for the restaurants anyway.