THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504270127
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
DR. KAREN BRENNAN could no longer handle the drug and surgery world as a pediatric nurse at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.
So she switched to the more natural healing properties of chiropratic medicine and that, in some ways, might have influenced her decision to become a competitive bodybuilder.
``It can get kind of depressing,'' Brennan said of her days at Johns Hopkins. ``I wanted to get away from the approach used in hospitals.
``More people are swaying toward chiropractic medicine. They are more independent in their choices of health care. And I'm much happier now.''
And it shows when she smiles and flexes her trophy-winning muscles.
Brennan and husband Mike have run Strawbridge Family Chiropractic for the last three years, and spend ample time in the gym. Mike, a former bodybuilder himself, has been instrumental in his wife's short but extremely successful competitive career. His support, combined with training from Al Walke at Flex Gym and posing choreography from Lester Cash (the current Mr. Bahamas), have taken Brennan to championship status in a very short time.
The 31-year-old started competing just last summer and she captured the overall title at the Body Sculpting Championships in Hampton in her first contest. Since then, she has improved to 3-0 by adding a lightweight championship in the Virginia/Carolina Open in Danville, and the overall title in the Maryland Ironman Classic Naturally three weeks ago.
The latest victory qualified her for the Junior USA Championships May 20 in Greensboro, N.C., and the Junior Nationals June 24 in Washington.
``I sure hope (I do well at the nationals),'' said Brennan, a native of Connecticut. ``It's going to be a good experience and it's going to be different from what I've been doing. From what I hear, it's going to be a lot tougher.
``All this is making me work harder. After these contests, I'm going to take a little break. But I'm going to stay in this for a while. I love it.''
Nobody was more shocked than Brennan at the first-ever contest victory. The thought of posing in a skimpy bikini, on stage, in front of a crowd of people made for a serious case of butterflies.
But she has gotten more used to posing and performing for an audience.
``I wouldn't use the word `exhibitionist.' But I never thought I'd ever be up on stage in spandex,'' she said with a smile, ``but it is a lot of fun. But I love posing, every minute of it. I guess you might have to have a little bit of that in you, but this is different.''
She is, however, used to the limelight. Throughout her academic years, the 5-foot-2, 111-pounder competed in gymnastics.
Aside from watching her patients become more healthy and active, bodybuilding is about the most rewarding thing Brennan has ever done.
``I wasn't ever lacking in self-esteem or confidence, but building muscle and making your body respond to your training has really helped accentuate those things, I guess,'' she said.
Of the many aspects of competitive bodybuilding, Brennan has the most trouble with the strict diet she must stick to. Especially a few weeks from a contest.
``Two weeks out, Al cuts my carbohydrates way down,'' she said. ``But other than that, I eat about six meals a day. But you have to find ways to add variety to the old tuna fish and water diets. Things like scallops instead of chicken, or grilling instead of baking. Lots of proteins and vegetables.
``It's not so bad, really, and it's very healthy.''
For Brennan, that's only fitting. Since her days as a nurse, everything she's done in her life has revolved around being healthy.
And now, she has the trophies to prove it. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Karen Brennan, who along with husband Mike runs Strawbridge Family
Chiropractic, was a bodybuilding hit in just her first year of
competition.
by CNB