CLINTON TWP— A grandmother posing as a bodybuilder in a swimsuit?

That visual will become reality Sept. 22 when Sarver resident Mary Lou Norris, 42, competes in her first bodybuilding show at the Holiday Inn in Wexford.

Norris has been lifting weights and exercising for 24 years, but has never competed in that field.

"I started at a new gym, Schrec's Health Club, recently and was working out when Kyle Walters approached me and said I should consider giving bodybuilding a try,"said Norris, who is a nutritionist and a physical trainer.

"It's unusual having someone that age try a bodybuilding competition for the first time, but it should be more common,"Walters said. "Especially when you consider how long Mary Lou has kept herself in shape.

"I think she's going to surprise herself by how well she does."

Norris is a grandmother, as her son recently married a woman who has two little boys.

She never played any sports in high school, but played in three softball leagues each summer for a number of years.

Norris and her husband of 25 years, David, have been drag racing for a hobby at Pittsburgh Raceway Park in New Alexandria for about 10 years.

"I do have a little bit of competitiveness in me," she said.

"She's not exactly new to the fitness world,"her husband said. "She's been doing aerobics and weight training for 25 years."

Norris has been in strict training for this event, which is titled The War for the Sword, since June 7. She's been eating five meals a day, including six egg whites and two servings of cream of wheat for breakfast.

Other meals include six ounces of protein (fish or chicken) and sweet potatoes, and six ounces of protein with vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus.

"What's surprised both of us is the amount of time it takes to prepare for this competition,"David Norris said. "The meals Mary Lou eats and prepares, her workout schedule, food preparation and shopping — you're looking at six hours a day. It's very intense and involved training.

"It's incredible, the dedication and discipline she's shown. I know I couldn't do that."

Six days a week, Norris begins a four-mile walk at 6 a.m. She goes to the gym four days a week for workouts.

"I work on one body part on each of those days,"Norris said. "One day would be the shoulders, another day the calves and back, then the legs, then the arms."

Norris said her husband has been "extremely supportive" of her workout and training regimen.

"He puts up with my eating and workout schedule," she said. "And when I'm not eating a lot, I tend to get a little cranky."

"We pretty much have a full gym at home, but she likes to work out with other people, so she goes to the gym,"David Norris said.

Norris will compete in the women's novice plus-35 division. Age divisions are available up to plus-60.

While she's admittedly nervous about posing in a bathing suit, Norris said her curiosity got the better of her.

"I've always been curious about it, always wondered about it, but never knew how to get involved in bodybuilding until Kyle talked to me that day," she said.

Though she's never had a weight problem, Norris has lost about 15 pounds during her 16 weeks of training.

"With the strict diet, I figured on that,"she said. "I'm looking forward to this being over so I can go back to leading somewhat of a normal life."

But she doesn't rule out competing again.

"Oh, I can see myself doing this again at some point — especially if I'm handed a trophy," she said.