When we asked readers for their worst gym horror stories, folks complained of hogs who ignored equipment sign-up limits, track walkers who passed on the wrong side and illnesses from nasty bugs lurking in uncleaned whirlpools.

Here's a sample of some of responses. Well-behaved gym-goers, take heart, you're not alone. And as for all you fitness boors, well, if you see yourself here, please give us a break!

Too much face time

Being a young, health-conscious adult, I try to work out three to four times a week, at our local health club.

One afternoon while lifting weights in a relatively sparsely populated area, I noticed a couple lifting together. This is not odd, as many husband/wife and other couples can be seen gymming together. These two were far from spotting each other, as between each set, they'd embrace, kiss, whisper sweet nothings, and generally act like they were anywhere, a beach, the back row of the movie theater, but a gym. We're talking open groping!

Their antics got so annoying, and their workout progressed so slowly, that I eventually left, shaking my head visibly, hoping to never see the "sucking face spotters" again.

And my wife wondered why I wouldn't kiss her when I got home from the gym ...

BEN MAXIN
Houston, Washington County

Uh, the toilet's over there ...

I work as a Fitness Center Coordinator and I encountered this incident last year.

Two female gym users reported a "problem" in the women's locker room so I went to check it out. When I entered the shower room I was slightly disturbed and a little amused when I found that someone had defecated on the floor. Not only did a certain female relieve herself with a toilet not more than 15 feet away, but she proceeded to try and discard the evidence by stomping it down a shower drain (I suspect this because there was a streak ending with toe marks left behind at the drain). Needless to say, I hope this woman took the time to wipe her feet before putting on her shoes and exiting the building.

KORY STAUFFER
Campus Fitness Coordinator
Baierl Student
Recreation Center
University of Pittsburgh

Get a hankie!

About five or six years ago, I took full advantage of spouses' ability to use the corporate gym in my husband's company.

I'd work out at nine in the morning, walking in with my husband. I pretty much had the gym to myself, so I'd bring with me a selection of CDs or else would turn MTV2 or CNBC on the satellite TV.

But every so often -- too often for my liking -- I'd be joined by an employee.

Well, as this man would run, so would his nose. He'd have to blow it repeatedly, which was fine. Except (I still have nightmares about this part) he'd blow his nose into his T-shirt.

The one he was wearing.

I have not used a treadmill, there or at my current gym, since.

SUSAN HELENE GOTTFRIED
Marshall

Meeting Mr. Wrong

Almost every woman fantasizes about being hit on by a tall, dark handsome man with bulging biceps at the gym.

One day on the way to the treadmills, I heard a sly, southern voice from the bicycles say, "Haven't seen you here before." As I blushed and turned around, to my dismay, he wasn't exactly Fabio. He was an overweight, middle-aged man wearing a T-shirt with a chart of different kinds of wild animal dung on the back! Everything from moose to hippo was on display and the view farther south didn't get much better. I stood horrified, smirked, then ran away.

Every once in a while I see him there in his workout "gear;" my workout partner sticks me next to him, just so she can laugh at my horror.

So much for finding Mr. Right at the gym. However I did find a dandy appetite suppressant.

SARA AULL
Edinburg, Lawrence County