Route 29 Fitness

08/22/2026

🏆 2026 Illinois State Fair Bench Press & Deadlift Championships 🏆

Date: August 22

Levin Stringham
Deadlift: 535lbs
-1st place Men's Deadlift only 45-49 years

Jean Barbee Dougherty
Bench: 105lbs
Deadlift: 235lbs
- 1st place Womens 80+ years

Meredith Caudill
Bench: 148lbs (PR)
Deadlift: 284lbs (PR)
65% Bodyweight Bench for reps: 10
- 1st place Womens 50-54 years

Cassie Drake
Bench: 191lbs
Deadlift: 321lbs
65% Bodyweight Bench for reps: 26
- 1st place Bench press for reps
- Overall Top Female lifter

Big numbers from our Route 29 Fitness Crew at the Illinois State Fair today!!! Hard work pays off, and you all showed up strong!!
We are very proud of you all!!
Congratulations!!

Shout out to Holly Williams, Lisa Easley, Amy Hardway, Krista Stringham, and Chuck Caudill for spending their day cheering on their favorite powerlifters at the 2026 Illinois State Fair!! 🎡 🏋🏻‍♀️

Stats and photo credit: Holly Williams

08/01/2026

Saturday Morning Challenge Complete!!

40 # DB, or KB Farmers Walk for 1 mile.

Thanks for joining the fun, Kevin!!

Keep moving, see you soon!!

07/31/2026

Big shout out to McCormick Strength Training for all that they do to keep the sport of powerlifting alive and strong!!!

07/26/2026

HUGE congratulations to Meredith, Cassie, and Holly on crushing it at the USPC Gateway Pro/Am yesterday!!

Meredith
Squat: 200.6 lbs (PR)
Bench: 145.5 lbs
Deadlift: 275.6 lbs (PR)
Total: 621.7 lbs
→ 1st Place Women’s Amateur 181 lbs M50-54
→ 1st Place Women’s Amateur 181 lbs Squat & Deadlift
→ Illinois State Records in Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Total!!

Cassie
Squat: 260.2 lbs
Bench: 194 lbs (PR)
Deadlift: 337.3 lbs (PR)
Total: 791.5 lbs
→ 1st Place Women’s Amateur Tested 181 lbs Open
→ 1st Place Women’s Amateur Tested 181 lbs Submasters
→ Illinois State 181 lbs Open Record – Bench Press
→ Illinois State 181 lbs Submasters Records – Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Total
→ Top Overall Amateur Female Lifter

Holly
Squat: 403.5 lbs
Bench: 242.5 lbs
Deadlift: 424.5 lbs
Total: 1071.5 lbs
→ 1st Place Tested Women’s 198 lbs M40-44
→ Illinois State Tested 198 lbs Open & M40-44 Records – Squat, Bench, Total
→ National Tested Open Records – Bench Press & Total
→ National Tested M40-44 Records – Squat, Bench, Total
→ Top Overall Pro Woman Lifter

Shoutout to the whole crew — Erica for the epic photos/videos, and grinding through all of Holly’s warm-ups, plus Amy, Lisa, and Jess for making the trip down to cheer and film.
Teamwork like that is everything!!

Next up
• Meredith & Cassie at the Illinois State Fair on August 22nd

• Lisa heading to Oliver Springs, TN for USPC’s The America’s

• The rest of the squad taking a well-earned break, and eyeing 2027 Record Breakers

Route 29 Fitness athletes showing out again!!
We are so proud of all of you!!!

07/24/2026

Big weekend for some of our Route 29 powerlifters!!

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 25th, Holly, Cassie, and Meredith are competing at the USPC Gateway Pro/Am in Ellisville, Missouri!!

• Holly is competing in the Pro division
• Cassie & Meredith are repping strong in the Amateur division

This all-female powerlifting showcase is going to be awesome!!

Safe travels, ladies!!
You’ve trained hard, now it’s time to get things done.
Crush those lifts, have fun, and bring home some more hardware!!
We can’t wait to hear your numbers!!

We’ll post their results as soon as we have them.

Let’s show them some love Route 29 Fitness!!

Special Note: Most, if not all of these ladies are following along to support their friends!!
Cheer loud, take lots of pics, and hurry home!! ❤️

07/23/2026

Farmer’s Carry
Why You Need This Move at Route 29 Fitness

Hey Route 29 Fitness!!!
One of the simplest, most effective full-body moves you can do in the gym (or out back with our strongman gear) is the Farmer’s Carry.
It looks basic — just pick up heavy stuff and walk — but it delivers serious strength, conditioning, and real-world carryover.

How to Do It (Proper Form):
1. Choose your implements:
• Dumbbells (DB) or Kettlebells (KB): Easiest for most people. Grab one in each hand.
• Barbells (BB): Use a trap bar if available, or hold shorter barbells/hex bars in each hand.
• Strongman I-Beams (out back): Our 67 lb I-beams are perfect — start unloaded and add weight as you progress.

2. Setup:
• Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Grip the handles/kbs/dbs tightly (thumbs wrapped).
• Brace your core. Shoulders down and back, chest up, gaze forward.

3. The Walk:
• Take short, quick steps.
• Stay upright — fight leaning.
• Walk 20–50 yards or 30–60 seconds.
• Set weights down with control.

Tips:
Start lighter to master form. Breathe steadily. Keep wrists straight and grip strong. Great as a workout finisher — 3–5 sets.

Benefits of Farmer’s Carries:
• Grip & forearm strength
• Core stability & posture
• Full-body conditioning
• Functional, real-life power
• Mental toughness under load

Bonus: Head out back and try the I-beams (67 lb each). They crush your grip and traps in a whole new way!!

Who’s adding Farmer’s Carries to their next session?! Who’s already handled the I-beams and lived to tell about it?!

What are you waiting for?!
See you soon!!

07/16/2026

If you are competing in the 🏆 2026 Illinois State Fair Bench Press & Deadlift Championships 🏆, this information is for you….

🚨 🏆 2026 Illinois State Fair Bench Press & Deadlift Championships 🏆 DEADLINE 🚨

If you’re planning to compete at the 2026 Illinois State Fair Bench Press & Deadlift Championships, July 18 is the important deadline!

✅ Register by July 18 to guarantee:
👕 Your option to order an official event t-shirt
🏆 Your potential awards are ordered and ready for meet day

After July 18, registrations will still be accepted if space remains, but we cannot guarantee a t-shirt or awards, as those items will already be in production.

Don’t wait until the last minute!

📅 Meet Day: Saturday, August 22, 2026
📍 Illinois State Fair – Springfield, Illinois

Step onto one of the most unique platforms in powerlifting and compete in front of a live State Fair crowd.

🔥 Secure your spot before July 18!

👉 Registration link: https://forms.gle/1pZuaLqhPNSK4Gdd9

07/16/2026

🚂 BIG NEWS for Local Train Fans & Families! 🚂

This Saturday, July 18, the legendary Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 — the world’s largest operating steam locomotive — is rolling through our area as part of its coast-to-coast tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary!!!

What to know:
• It departs Bloomington around 8:15 a.m. and should pass through Lincoln, IL around 9 a.m. (exact times can shift slightly).
• Then it stops in Springfield at the Amtrak Depot (Washington St. crossing) from 10:45–11:15 a.m. — perfect for a quick family viewing!!
• Another quick stop in Girard around 1 p.m.

This 1.2-million-pound beast is a rare sight and a piece of living history. Bring the kids, snap some photos, and make it a fun morning outing!!! 🇺🇸

07/16/2026

The 2026 Menard County Fair is happening right now in Petersburg, IL and it’s jam packed with fun for the entire family!!! 🎡 🌭 🎶

County fairs are truly a labor of love and wouldn’t be possible without all of the dedicated volunteers, and organizers who have worked so hard to put on an amazing event for our county this year!!

Let’s not waste this opportunity to have some fun!!
See you at the fair!!

07/10/2026

Family Fun @ The Frosty Cow!!!🍨

6:00pm update…thank you to the generosity of the Menard County Family Collaborative we still have some budget left for complimentary ice cream tonight!!

You’re Invited to a Sponsored Ice Cream Social at The Frosty Cow! 🍨🐄

The Frosty Cow is proud to partner with the Menard County Family Collaborative to offer a complimentary ice cream social for area families!

Join us for a free scoop of ice cream, Friday July 10th starting at 4:30pm courtesy of the Menard County Family Collaborative, while available. Ice cream will be complimentary until the sponsored funds have been fully used.

We are grateful to the Menard County Family Collaborative for making this special community event possible, and we look forward to sharing a sweet treat with local families.

The Frosty Cow will be open this weekend
Friday 10th 4-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 1-8pm