Stacy Benoscek, 47, competing for Mrs. Washington

Stacy Benoscek is the reigning Mrs. Spokane Valley and she’s decided to go all the way: In November she will be competing in Mrs. Washington America for a chance to go to the national finals of Mrs. America.

“My husband saw it on TV and he said, ‘You can do that,’ ” Benoscek said. “I said, ‘Look, they are all young and tiny and tall, what on earth makes you think I can do that?” Yet she couldn’t say no to the challenge.

At 47, she said she has to work a bit harder at staying in shape than most of her younger competitors.

“I don’t think there’s anyone in the running who’s my age,” Benoscek said. “And it’s not enough to look good for my age – I have to be able to compete with everyone else on equal terms.”

It does help that she’s a personal trainer, she said, but don’t jump to any conclusions about how staying in shape is easy for her.

“Genetically, I’m not a tiny girl – my family are all big people, so I have to work at it,” said Benoscek. Throughout her life she’s had several health challenges, including a heart defect, epilepsy and asthma. “No matter what your challenges are, if you try and overcome them, you will always be better because of the experience you gained trying.”

The pageant includes a swimsuit event, an evening-wear event and an interview, which counts for 50 percent of the total score.

“The interview is like speed dating, because you only get a short time with each judge,” Benoscek said. “And your answering is a bit like politics. You don’t want to nail it one way or the other, because you don’t know what the judge’s opinion is.”

For now, Benoscek is watching other pageants – such as Miss America – paying special attention to the interview parts.

It’s not the first time she’s been in a pageant: In 1995 she won the Washington portion of Ms. Fitness America and went to California for the finals. But this isn’t just about getting another sash to hang on the wall.

Benoscek said she specializes in training with the aging population, many of whom lose self-sufficiency because they are out of shape.

“They can’t carry their groceries, they can’t get in and out of a chair and that’s something you totally have control over,” Benoscek said. “If I can do this, I can be a good example for someone else.”