The New Career

Well, it's been quite some time since I last posted and many changes have taken place since then. Back in early October, I was given notice that my position at work was being consolidated and eventually our group would no longer exist. That day has finally come, and I am now spending my first week ever on unemployment.

I've been through many different emotions since the announcement, but now I have made peace with this change and am ready to move on. At 55, there's not a whole lot of career left in me, but with the economic situation, I'm likely to have to work for another 10 years. Relatively speaking, 10 years is a short time, so I plan to pursue a career that I will enjoy, not one that may be financially the best option.

Since I was a kid, I've always loved to travel. My parents always took us somewhere every summer, mostly up and down the east coast. When I turned 18 and took my first vacation as an adult, my buddy and I drove from Michigan to California and back in a week. Being on the road and seeing the country was thrilling to me. So, what do I want to be now that I've grown up and need a job; a driver of course. What's the best job in the driving industry; ya, that's right, a truck driver.

I've made the decision that I'm going to pursue a career as a truck driver, fully prepared to drive OTR in a big rig. Some people think I'm crazy, but I'm excited. Yes, a part of me has always thought about driving a truck, so why not now! I've enrolled in a 6-week truck driving school, which starts in May. After graduation, I'll be qualified work in an industry that is always in need of drivers, so finding a job shouldn't be too difficult.

In the meantime, I've kept up with my running and am currently training for the Lincoln Marathon on May 3. The training seems so much more difficult this year; I don't know why, but I seem to struggle on every long run. Sometimes I think it's mostly mental as it's been hard to keep focused the last few months.

Going forward, training while being on the road in a truck will prove to be quite a challenge. Realistically, I doubt that I will be able to train for long races anymore, but I do plan to try and put in a few miles every week. It will be exciting to be able to run in a different state or different city every day.

Wish me luck.......