Tough Mudder to bring visitors, dollars to Mansfield

LEXINGTON - As Tough Mudder crews transform Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course into a 10-mile obstacle course and endurance challenge for the May 7-8 event, Richland County is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors back to the area for the fourth straight year.

People can't seem to get enough of Tough Mudder, which tests participants' strength, grit, stamina and teamwork by engaging them in a series of obstacles.

Last year's Mudder brought more than 6,000 participants to Lexington, and event director Courtney Jordan said advance registrations indicate the event is on pace to match, or likely exceed, that number this year.

Mansfield/Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau President Lee Tasseff said having the event in Richland County brings about $3 million into the local economy.

In 2015, 74 percent of participants were visitors to the area and 70 percent of participants stayed overnight in a local hotel, according to Tough Mudder's records. Participants also visit local restaurants and retailers, which often provide discounts to Mudder participants.

Having the event in the Mansfield area also boosts the image of the area by giving Mansfield a higher profile, Tasseff said.

"One of the things we've like about Mudder is we're one of 50 sites around the world," Tasseff said. "It's nice company to be in for us in Mansfield and Richland County."

The event is a chance to showcase not only the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course but also everything else the county has to offer, he said.

This year's course features a new event called The Block Ness Monster, which takes Mudders through 60 feet of rotating blocks submerged in a pool of waist-deep muddy water. When tested at a few events in 2015, it was the highest rated obstacle by participants in Tough Mudder history.

Some obstacles, like Cage Crawl and Pyramid Scheme, have been updated from previous years. Also returning are favorites like King of the Swingers, Everest 2.0 and Electroshock Therapy.

Participants are encouraged to bring their kids to participate in the Fruit Shoot Mini Mudder challenge, a 1-mile obstacle course mud run designed for ages 7-12.

Jordan said the appeal of Mudder lies in its emphasis on teamwork and its ability to create events that are sufficiently challenging while remaining safe.

"Tough Mudder is not a competition. It's a challenge and a teamwork event," Jordan said. "Many people come with a team and they train together, but a lot of people, even if they came as individuals, they leave as part of a team."

As the only Tough Mudder event in Ohio, the Lexington event draws many people from Cleveland and Columbus as well as some from farther in Ohio and outside the state, Jordan said.

"I think the terrain here is really diverse. There's amazing backwoods trails, rolling hills and we're taking advantage of the race track venue," Jordan said.

Along with full-time staff and paid contract workers, the event takes 100-150 volunteers to pull off, Jordan said.

For more information or to register, visit ToughMudder.com.

ceday@gannett.com

419-521-7220

Twitter: @courtneydaynj