Whoa man!

At about 5 feet tall, Mary Jacobson is a tanned and curvy beauty, with long, curly blond hair and a seemingly foreign accent. She likes to ride motorcycles with her beau, Ed Martin, and together they live in a large home on a spacious piece of property in Afton.

But she is unlike a lot of other middle-aged women.

At 56 years old, the cancer survivor bench-presses 350 pounds.

And Saturday, she will team up with Augusta Health’s Lifetime Fitness Center to present the inaugural Blue Ridge Mountain Mountaineer Strongman competitions.

Jacobson, originally from San Francisco, was diagnosed with stage-four adenocarcinoma in 1995 and given only a 10 percent chance of survival.

Because of her success in fighting the disease, she now helps others in their battles.

“Most people when they get cancer, they think they’re going to die,” Jacobson said. “But if you work out when you get cancer, it helps the systems.”

Because of the rarity of her disease and the slim chance of survival she was given, Jacobson made preparations to die.

She arranged for her best friend to adopt her 9-year-old daughter, settled her affairs and bought a coffin. Then she gave her body to the doctors for two years, to do what they could.

“I was in a coma for two years,” Jacobson said. “When I came out of it, I weighed 302 pounds. But they figured out how to withdraw the cancer from the study, and it doesn’t come back. It was able to save more women’s lives.”

She began to work out and, within six months, she trimmed down to 168 pounds and, a few months later, to 140. In 2000, she became a member of the North American Strongman Inc. organization and began lifting and pulling heavy weights and objects competitively. She moved to the East Coast in 2004 to increase her opportunities to compete.

“Now after doing this 11 years, I am known as the world’s eldest strongwoman,” Jacobson said.

But realizing the gift she’d received in a second chance at life, she knew she had to give back.

Jacobson’s pulled planes and fire trucks all to benefit organizations including St. Jude children’s hospitals, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Special Olympics.

“I want the kids here, to see what they can be capable of doing,” she said. “I believe what I have been doing these years for kids and other organizations … [is] my reward, for my second chance of living on this earth today and yesterday.”

The strongman event has 20 competitors signed up thus far, including four women. Events will include two medleys with a chain drag and keg carry, a tire flip or frame carry and duck walk, plus axle and Apollo wheel presses, and stone throws over a bar.

“The competitors are working on going to the nationals,” Jacobson said. “Some of them will qualify to go from this competition.”

The Preston L. Yancey Fire Company will donate the use of one of its fire trucks for a 100-foot pull, and bluegrass band Southern Sounds of Grass Musical will provide entertainment.

Unfortunately, Jacobson’s inspiration is needed closer to home now.

Martin was diagnosed with prostate cancer about nine months ago, two months after he and Jacobson began their life as a couple.

Jacobson said that throughout Martin’s 39 chemotherapy and radiation treatments, he has experienced none of the side effects that doctors predicted he would. She even got him to lose about 40 pounds in the process.

“I feel great,” Martin said. “The biggest thing is to be positive.”

They share the tips and tricks they have each learned with other patients at the clinic, at the gym or wherever people will listen.

“He never worked out before he met me,” she said. “But now, he’s there to give me that hug when I win or when I don’t win. Beautiful women can compete in this sport and be strong.”