Social Exercise
Owner operators are a self reliant bunch. Exercise is a self reliant activity. The success that we achieve in both activities is largely due to our own hard work. When we operate our trucking business we work with other people or companies. We can’t survive without customers. We rely on expert advice from mechanics, insurance people, accountants, and more. Most people who start an exercise program at home can join a club. They can receive guidance and a sense of belonging from a group of like minded people. Now, with the help of social sites we can too.
Facebook groups like truckin’ runners, Rideandroll-cyclists on the road, roadcookin’, truckin’ fitness, and teamrunsmart are there to help. Truckin’ runners is the group that I am most involved with. I have had the privilege of running with a Boston Marathon champion, 3 judges (one with a personal record mile of 3:55.8), a brain cell biologist, a rocket scientist, and a few journalists. That does not compare with the opportunity to run with a fellow driver. Truckin’ Runners has given me that opportunity, in person and over the internet.
Truckin’ Runners is mostly about encouragement. We have a few ultra marathoners who have run races as long as 100 miles. Several marathon (26.2 miles) finishers belong to the group. I admire people who can train for and complete distances like that. I really admire people who can do that while driving a truck. Those people are a significant part of the group. We also have members who are just starting out. Their goal might be to hold a fairly brisk paced walk for a mile. The members of truckin’ runners include several walkers with zero intention of running. Everyone is cool with that.
What we have in common is greater than our diffences. The “newbies” at truckin’ runners can benefit from the knowledge and experience of the veterans. Information is shared and debated openly. We can discuss shoes. Other groups can discuss types of bicycles, or if a rice burner works better that a crock pot. A discussion can come up about resistance training (weight lifting). Are resistance bands, like the ones used in the F.I.T. system, the equivalent of actual weights?
Veterans benefit from the enthusiasm of the rookies. Enthusiasm for anything can wane when personal bests are no longer easily achieved. Personal records are harder to achieve as we age. Everyone is genuinely enthused when someone can run a mile without stopping for the first time in decades. When a member posts about finishing their first 5k it is celebrated as much as a veteran completing a marathon. It does not matter if it is a walker/runner finishing in 50 minutes or a top notch runner finishing the 3.1 miles in less than 20 minutes. We celebrate.
Members are encouraged to enter local events. Almost every town has a local 5k. Most of my events are done in my home state of Wisconsin. I stumbled across a 4th of July 5k in Perry, UT while riding my bike. I signed, up, joined in and had a blast. The locals were amazed that a trucker from Wisconsin was among them. Running in local events and telling people that you are a trucker destroys stereotype. Signing up for local events also provides a short term goal and a break from the routine.
Check out these sites. They are truckers helping truckers. We all know that health problems can bankrupt us. We know how expensive health insurance is. Health costs are through the roof. 30 minutes of daily exercise is a great investment.