Kate McCaughey—also known as Miss Rhode Island—preps for the June 19th Miss USA Pageant with mud masks and steam treatments, just like any other beauty queen.
Unlike any other pageant girl, though, Kate won’t receive these treatments in a spa. This weekend, she’ll be caked with mud then sprayed with water and made to run through fire, continuing on a 10-mile trail run. It’s just part of an event called Tough Mudder New England, a one-day challenge that’ll test not only her poise but push the limits of her strength and stamina. Kate will certainly deserve a crown and sash if she’s able to smile and stay positive while running this course.
The rugged course constructed by British Special Forces features obstacles that’ll have Kate crawling in mud under barbed wires, jumping off 15-foot platforms into icy lakes, and dodging through a field of live 10,000-volt electrical wires. She’ll lead a team of former reality TV show stars through the endurance event. Each celebrity is collecting donations for the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization aimed at helping American servicemen and women who’ve been severely injured in combat.
The national Tough Mudder series appeals to endurance athletes, fitness enthusiasts, adrenaline junkies, and practically couch potatoes alike. The events showcase and reveal the core characteristics of will, intensity, camaraderie and teamwork. Meant to push personal limits, the challenges are not timed. Each mudder participant competes only against herself, and, if she finishes, is considered a winner. Usually about 80% complete the course, and prizes are awarded based on costumes and team dynamics.
Upcoming Tough Mudder events include:
Southern California (LA), May 28-29
Colorado, June 25-26
Wisconsin, July 23-24
Northern California, Sept. 17-18
Texas (Central), Oct. 8-9
Virginia, Oct. 22-23
Florida (Tampa), Dec. 3-4
World’s Toughest Mudder Series Finals, Dec. 17-18
