Family: Truth Behind My Motivation

As a young married man and newbie father I have found the secret to my success! Whether it is work, workouts, chores, etc etc. My motivation is my family! They breathe life into me and for that I am so humble and thankful.

I've trained hard for years. Thought I was a very motivated guy. Put my time in the gym/runs, and I really thought I was crushing it. Needless to say I was far from crushing it. I've trained with older guys that had families and they always told me that you won't be mentally tough until you had a family. I thought to myself...this guy doesn't know how mentally tough I am, how could he know that I would become tougher if and when I had a family!? Like your diaper changing skills make you so tough I laughed :)

I have always been amazed by endurance athletes and their will power to never give up. Most of them carry a never surrender attitude and that caught my attention. Now I've trained for tons of different sports baseball, basketball, football, mixed martial arts, wrestling, track, and Ultra Endurance-Distance sports for example World's Toughest Mudder and the Leadville 100 Trail Run. All have their hardships in the training breakdown and in their given arena, but none come close to the training or mental toughness that is necessary to push your body to the point where you are competitive and successful at an "Ultra" distance which is anything further than 26.2 miles.

Now that I am lucky enough to enjoy two sons of my own I see what my older experienced training partners were saying about the mental toughness aspect that you are blessed with when you have children! It isn't the sleepless nights or all the diaper changing that make you tough! It's an unimaginable drive to succeed. As hard as I've trained in the past it can't hold a candle to what my training has reached recently since becoming a father. Whenever I feel weak or tired or sore I am fueled by my family. It is a never ending supply of adrenaline when I am pushed to the edge of training because in my Heart and in my Mind I am training to be a role model for my sons. I have a constant reminder and picture in my head of what a true champion and father should be, and that is a person who never quits and never surrenders whether it's at home, the workplace, a long grueling ultra marathon, or a hero WOD from CrossFit!

My family is my secret to my success and they inspire me day in and day out. No matter the pain, be it training or a race I draw on them to fuel me through. When it feels like I can't go any further I dig into that Unconditional Love and motor through for them. It's being linked together by the strongest of chains of something much bigger than me! I am so blessed to have the family that I have and their inspiration to me won't go wasted! I will stretch it to the the tops of mountains and into some very dark and sinister races and challenges. When I step foot into a training session or race I am armored and equipped with an unbreakable love in my heart and mind! For this gift is the gift of Life, and for these Lives I will do anything!

....Fueled daily by my loving wife Brittany Rivera, and sons Drake Westen Rivera, and Tyce Parker Rivera....