FGB Badass: Georgia Nixon

Fight Gone Bad: 1 Day | 1 Workout | 1 Purpose… and thousands of athletes of various fitness levels all across the country, fighting their way through wall ball, push press, rowing, sumo deadlift high pull, and box jumps, one minute at a time.

Pretty neat, right?

I’m fortunate to know a bunch of badasses that are participating this year, and I’d like to introduce you to some of them… meet Georgia.

[Georgia & Emil]

Georgia Nixon
Age: 28
Dayjob: State/Regional Affiliate Program, Sr. Program Coordinator, American Society of Clinical Oncology. My office is actually in Alexandria, Virginia and I work remotely from my home office here in Austin. Working from home has always been a goal of mine since I was a kid, so my current position is a dream come true!

What’s your favorite athletic activity right now?
Crossfit, of course! Other than that, I’ve been working on my running at Town Lake with my dog, Ginger the Wonder Puppy, as my running companion. I was a competitive gymnast until high school when I transitioned to cross country, track, and cheerleading so I could live a normal teenage life. I’ve also been golfing since I was seven. I’m only good enough to keep up with the pace of play, which means I can still enjoy the game and not let the ever-elusive “sweet spot” ruin my beautiful walk in the park.
Why are you participating in Fight Gone Bad?
I’m participating in FGB for three main reasons.

One, my father died of cancer in ’06. I was 25, and it was terribly unfair to not only lose my father, but to also lose all those moments that we would never have together (father/daughter dance, birth of his first grandchild, him seeing my first house, etc.). I felt like a victim and I HATE feeling like a victim. So I decided to transition my career into the cancer community and to do everything I could to help support patient advocates, like the Prostate Cancer Foundation, when I have the opportunity.

Two, I come from a military family. Every branch of service is represented at our family reunions! I was raised with the greatest respect for the men and women who so unselfishly put their lives on the line every day. The Wounded Warrior Project is our opportunity to thank the service men, women, and their families for the sacrifices they make for us.

Three… an opportunity to be more involved with the Crossfit community? I’m all over it! Who wouldn’t want to hang out with a bunch of crazy, tabata-loving Crossfitters?

Do you have a goal for your Fight Gone Bad performance?
My main goal is that if I’m going to ralph, I make it to a trash can! Aside from that, I want to crawl away knowing that I couldn’t do one more rep. It’s a mental game even more than a physical one.

What’s the one song they could play during Fight Gone Bad that would get you totally fired up?
“I Don’t Wanna Stop” by Ozzy Osbourne.

Usually, I keep my rebel side kept safely underwraps. However, there’s no holding back when I hear this song. It makes me want to drink greedily from life. Just listening to it, I get the same rush as I do from driving way too fast, riding (on the back of) a motorcycle, skydiving, surfing, cliff diving, jetskiing, jumping on boxes, lifiting heavy objects…

[Fired up on pullups]

It’s the perfect FGB song:

All my life I’ve been over the top
I don’t know what I’m doing
All I know is I don’t wanna stop
All fired up, I’m gonna go till I drop
You’re either in or in the way
Don’t make me, I don’t wanna stop

What’s your favorite part of the FGB workout? Least favorite?
Fave: Push Presses

[Yay, push press!]

Least Fave: Wall Ball… I shattered my nose when I was nine, and I still have nightmares about it happening again. So I have to fight the urge to freak out when the med ball comes plummeting down at my face. Just a weird quirk. Oh, and the movement is brutal too!

Got a FGB strategy?
Don’t be afraid to think ahead to the next station. If I feel like an elephant on the box jumps, I’ll transition to push presses faster because I should be able to crank out more of those. Same with the row/wall ball transition.

What will you eat for breakfast before FGB – and more importantly, what will you eat AFTER?
I don’t normally eat before working out so I’m not really sure how my stomach is going to handle this. Most likely eggs, avocado, and maybe a piece of fruit? Nothing too out of the norm. After, I’m thinking a peach with a hard-boiled egg probably. I’m still figuring out this whole zoned paleo thing.

If you could do FGB alongside someone – living or dead, fictional or real – who would it be?
I thought long and hard on this one. As a coach/counter, I’d want Bela Karolyi there. I would STILL obediently do (pretty much) anything that he asked of me. Can you just imagine?!?! Push, push… row, row… rebound off the box… yes, push, go!!! (all in that wonderful Romanian papa bear accent!)

However, as a fellow participant I would chose Adrienne Hoar of Crossfit Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia. Adrienne was the first Crossfit woman I ever met. She was the first person to say hello to me on my first day. She’s smart. She’s hot. She’s an amazing friend. She has an amazing story. And, she’s a freaking badass beast when it comes to Crossfit… but especially at FGB. She’d be the perfect partner in the Fight!

How will you celebrate after Fight Gone Bad?
Hopefully with a coffee, a nap, and then a night on the town.

[Strong, fit, and she cleans up pretty good, too.]

How will you get psyched up for FGB?
I’m pretty traditional. I’ll probably watch a sports movie the night before.

Do you have any advice/tricks for people who are thinking about tackling a new activity or competition and need a kick-in-the-pants to start?
Ask yourself one question, “What kind of story will this make for my grandkids?” If you don’t try, there’s no story at all. Take risks! Don’t be afraid to fail miserably. The greatest stories come from when we try, fail, and rise again.

Don’t be afraid to write your story. Start the chapter. Do it now. Life changes in a second, there’s no time to waste on being afraid.

Got a favorite quote?
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. – Alan Cohen

Workout, schmerkout. What do you like to do that doesn’t require a) punching a time clock and b) counting reps?
I like taking my dog on new adventures and getting her socialized. Hanging out at the pool with my friends and their kids. Grilling out as an all-day event with friends. Driving with the top down as often as possible. I love enjoying food and wine as art & entertainment. Love travelling but, when I need a vacation and can’t take time away, I put on one of my vintage aprons, turn on some Sinatra/Buble, pour a glass of wine (or champagne!) and bake up a storm!

[Tailgating at a Redskins game]

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