Wine Country CrossFit

We are blessed to have James Byrum in our CrossFit community. He is transforming his life with CrossFit and Paleo, and he is the inspired muralist who created the art that graces our walls. The winner of the recent Paleo Challenge, below are his own words about painting, CrossFit and change:

“TRANSFORMATION is the act or an instance of transforming, the state of being transformed, or marked change, as in appearance or character.

When I approach any mural project I attempt to absorb as much of the culture, images, colors and emotions of the place where the art will be. Those energies are comprised of the essence of the people who embrace the art and are derived from the flashes of inspiration I receive in the process. Each of you that I have had the pleasure to know have inspired me in some amazing way.

I had met Beth Rypins through Lisa Lewis-Javar, who had recently transformed herself through eating paleo and working out.
Lisa and I work together at SANE SART(Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Sexual Assault Response Team). I first noticed how nimble Lisa had become when she catapulted herself up on to the billboard scaffolding we had placed on HWY 29 for a promotional picture for our outreach campaign. We were planning on doing an awareness event at the old WCCF location with Beth. I quickly realized as we planned the food for the event, they were speaking a different language than I was.

So when Beth asked me if I was interested in painting murals for her new location, I told her she first needed to invite me to her house for dinner. For me to do a mural that adequately reflected her intentions for the art, I needed to learn how she lives and works from the ground up. So I started On-Ramp cautiously optimistic.

The reason we chose an arrow for the East room was because using an arrow characterizes and exemplifies the 10 components of fitness, such as accuracy, coordination, speed, power, etc. The one I painted was patterned after those used by The Napa Valley’s closest Paleo relatives, The Wappo People. Their arrows were long and made of grass shoots filled with weighted materials. They were known to be brave warriors and hunters.

Learning the ten components became like a part of my new wish list as I made sure the arrow was at the correct height for wall ball training. After making it through On-Ramp barely able to sit on the commode without pain, I realized quickly that some of the components like balance and flexibility would be harder to attain than others.
The arrow on the wall is aimed into the heart of a “dream catcher”, in hopes that all of you will find your highest intentions passionately manifested.

As I joined the group WOD’s with Coach Emelie in the newly opened WCCF, I knew I had to discover my inner warrior! I dwelled on the art I would do on the West room and continue pushing through the WOD‘s. I began to realize that the biggest obstacle to digging deeper and working harder to getting fit was myself , my inner mental rut and my mindset. My enemy was myself. Like the mythical dragon appearing from the chaos, it mirrors ourselves. It can be seen as an actual enemy to fear, or an enemy that is actually a best friend in disguise. The Dragon teaches us a valuable lesson in teaching us to face ourselves, our worries and fears.

So I invited the Dragon to teach me and show me how to accept and deal with the thoughts and habits that had caged me. I would think to myself, “I will invite you to drink tea with me in hopes that my mind and body will be at ease“…like the dragon who looks deep within, some times the enemy is your best friend.
At Cross Fit routine is the enemy. So to overcome and transform we must make change our friend. It is our opportunity to grow. We must make the enemy our friend.

When the Spring Paleo Challenge was announced I knew I had to take the challenge.
I never would have thought I could lose 30 lbs. and 4 inches off my waist in 45 days. Nor did I ever imagine how I would live without my Arizona Green Tea. With your encouragement and CF survivor tips, everyday WOD brought new PR’s! I am grateful to everyone of you. Congratulations to my fellow competitors and female winner Lisa Henry. You inspire me, I hope the murals inspire you. In the next challenge, I really hope to focus even more on my lifting techniques and muscle development. Thanks Beth, you and your coaches are a very transformational force in Napa!”

We thank you James for your beautiful work!

-Beth

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Thursday’s WOD

Power Clean and Split Jerk – 15 Minutes to Find 1 RM

WOD:
Run 400 Meters
5 Clean and Jerk (135/95)
10 Toes to Bar
15 Wall Balls (20/14)
20 Burpees
15 Wall Balls (20/14)
10 Toes to Bar
5 Clean and Jerks (135/95)
Run 400 Meters