May Athlete of the: Dixie Beal

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Dixie Beal

Words to live by?
Find what you love and keep doing it.

What is your fitness background?
When I was a teenager, in the ‘60’s, I worked and competed in rodeos. When we were home, it was only 30 minutes to the beach, so I learned to love surfing. In the Army I began playing volleyball, and started learning the importance of practicing to improve whatever it is you do. Prior to then, I thought that the skills people had, in whatever their endeavors, were all natural or God-given. I ended up playing tournament volleyball for several years. I have practiced yoga my entire adult life with some Tai Chi and Tukong Moosul. For the last few years, until CrossFit, it has been mostly horseshoes and bicycling lazily.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
Ten months

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The first thing that comes to mind are the people. Whether coach or athlete, I have never heard anything but positive, encouraging support for everyone in there. When the sweat is pouring and your heart is soaring, it’s nice to look across the room and see someone in the same pain and know that you are not the only one crazy enough to be doing this.

What are your training goals?
So far, I have just been just coming to class wanting to lose weight and feel strong. Now that I do, I want to get stronger, faster, and have more endurance.

Favorite sport or activity?
Surfing, volleyball, biking.

Recent adventure you’re planning?
Driving a U-haul to Montana in June and doing some serious hiking and sight-seeing. Looking for hot springs and cold beer.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I bought my first guitar when I was 48 and wrote my first song at 49. Now I have about 40 of them, and would love to spend all my time playing music and writing songs. Currently I am building the windows for my house.

Longhorns or Aggies?
I was raised in a family of Aggies, but I went to UT and Sean graduated from there. I really don’t care much, except how it affects the people around me. Until Thanksgiving, and then I am a Longhorn.

In addition to being a a beast in the gym, 2 of your sons show up and kill workouts regularly also. What is it like to make CrossFit Austin a Family Affair?
Getting to workout with my sons is one of the greatest pleasures I get to enjoy. We try to coordinate a Saturday WOD followed by some family hanging out. How great is that?

 Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
After a lifetime of hedonistic indulgences, I had never heard of CrossFit, and was facing an unhealthy aging process. This whole thing started as a way to have fun and get healthy. Now it is turning into an experiment on not limiting the things my body can do as I get older. Big thanks to all the fine folks at CrossFit, my girlfriend for suggesting I start CrossFit, and my family for encouraging and supporting me.

 Dixie ERock