LEXINGTON, Ohio — Mackenzie Bart can’t wait to follow in her predecessor’s footsteps — even if those footsteps are flooded with six inches of sticky, sloppy muck.
The reigning Miss Ohio, Bart will be among the thousands of adventure seekers who pour into Richland County for Tough Mudder Ohio. The 10-plus-mile obstacle course challenge, which was held on the grounds surrounding Mansfield’s Lahm Regional Airport the past two years, will take place May 9 and 10 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
The 23-year-old Bart is following 2013 Miss Ohio Heather Wells, who tackled Tough Mudder Ohio last May.
“Heather Wells had done it last year and when I was approached by the (Mansfield/Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau) and a couple other people to do it, I wanted to take on the challenge,” Bart said. “This is my very first and I’m trying to prepare to the best of my abilities.”
By her own admission, Bart doesn’t have a distinguished athletic pedigree. Still, the opportunity to help Wounded Warrior Project was too good to pass up. Tough Mudder participants have raised more than $6 million for the charity.
“The driving force for me was knowing the money raised goes to the Wounded Warrior Project,” Bart said. “Throughout my year as Miss Ohio, I’ve worked a lot with current military members and veterans. Being that both of my grandparents are veterans, I was born and raised to always help them out. It’s a chance to give back to veterans and they could use the funds.”
As for her athletic background, well …
“I was a cheerleader in high school and I played tennis, but I’m not super athletic. To be honest, I really don’t enjoy running,” she said. “I like the idea of trying something new and pushing my boundaries a little bit. I know this is going to be a huge obstacle to take on because I’m not a runner, I’m not very athletic and it’s something kind of outside of my comfort zone.
“Knowing the ending goal that I’m helping an organization that needs it is my motivation.”
Miss Ohio’s demanding schedule has meant Bart has had precious little time to prepare. She will sneak in a workout wherever the job takes her.
“I am constantly traveling places, but I’m trying to get in as much training as I can,” Bart said. “I’ll find a treadmill or run outside, anything I can do to best prepare myself for the challenges that lie ahead. I really don’t know what I’m getting into.
“I’m kind of going into this blind, but I want to see how far I can push myself.”
Mother Nature had the last laugh at last year’s Tough Mudder Ohio. Temperatures were in the mid-40s with occasional showers and strong prevailing winds.
“I hope the weather cooperates,” said Bart, a senior at The Ohio State University majoring in atmospheric sciences who plans to pursue a career as a broadcast meteorologist.
Bart finished in the Top 10 at the Miss America Pageant last September. She won the talent competition of the program with her ventriloquist routine of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” with her puppet, Roxy.
The other finalists stuck to more traditional talents. Among the other Top 10 finishers, there were five vocalists, three dancers and one pianist.
“It was a pretty goofy act … that kind of breaks the typical pageant mold,” said Bart, who will participate in Tough Mudder with Miss Ohio Outstanding Teen Rosie Westerbeck of New Bremen. “I’ve tried to take every opportunity possible to show little girls that there is not a set stereotype that Miss Ohio has to be. They can be from a small town (Bart was raised on a farm near Brockway, Pa.). They can do a Tough Mudder and get dirty.
“I’m excited to show that there is not a set mold for Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio can step out of her boundaries a little bit.”
