Check out 34-year-old Larry Cline, a truck driver from Turlock who is in the Modesto Marathon Adult Training Group. Cline, who has lost an incredible 115 pounds, is planning to run the full marathon in Modesto on March 19, 2017.
Cline said he signed up for the training group at the urging of friends in his Weight Watchers group, where he lost 50 pounds before he started running at the gym. Another 43 pounds later and he joined the training group and started running with the ShadowChase Running Club.
As a truck driver staying in shape is not always easy. Not only is the job of a relatively sedentary nature, but the pressures of finding regular work can also be stressful, leading to unhealthy habits. Also, as part of this job, the driver is responsible for ensuring that he is compliant with the ELD mandate solutions (https://www.lytx.com/en-us/fleet-management/dot-compliance/eld) that are required of him by his company, be cognizant of distractions while driving, and be very knowledgeable about the vehicle.
In addition, considering the frequency of accidents, operating a truck is a very risky job. Your capacity to work dictates your income, as it does in most occupations. Always plan for the worst-case scenario. The optimum situation is when a company’s insurance coverage covers truck drivers. On the other hand, while working alone, you must do in-depth research and hunt for websites that can offer a Top HGV insurance quote in minutes. Other than that, to pay the monthly insurance EMIs, steady work becomes even more crucial for self-employed truck drivers.
That being said, the transportation industry has come a long way in recent years to improve the hiring and recruitment process to ensure job security for qualified individuals. For example, the use of truck driver recruiting software and the development of a truck driver application form can ease the hiring process. Additionally, trucking companies can optimize their website in such a way that when a potential driver searches for driver jobs on the internet, it can show them the link to the application page of the trucking website to apply for the same. Say, someone is looking for truck driving jobs in Chicago, the websites of trucking companies in Chicago should show up on the first page of the list.
Consequently, while discussing the pressures of finding regular work as a truck driver, Cline went on to detail his weight loss journey.
“This is the first time since high school that I’ve been under 300 pounds,” said Cline. “I used to play football in high school but still didn’t pay attention to my weight.”
“I always wanted to run (the Modesto Marathon), just my weight has held me back.”
Cline, who drives a semi truck to Oakland daily, considers himself a “wrocker,” combining running and walking to achieve his mileage. “I’m not worried about my time,” he said. “I’m just worried about finishing.”
He tells others considering making the running commitment, “Start slow and be ready, believe in yourself and make it happen!”
The Modesto Marathon may be the perfect place for Cline, since it offers a flat course ideal for first-timers, as well as a generous 7-hour time limit. There’s plenty of swag this year too, such as a tech shirt, jacket and free photos on the course, perfect to capture the memories of a lifetime.
Cline advises that, “I make sure to always put myself first. No one else can lose my weight or run this race for me.” He said he is most proud of himself, not for losing the weight, but “I’m proud that I have the mindset of wanting to give back and encourage others who want to get healthy, that it’s not impossible and it can be done. I’m proof!”