The Running Man - Day 60

So I finally ran the full distance. The weather gods decided to smile and deliver a 13C day for my debut race after several weeks of uncomforable suffering in the heat, which was nice, and steady rain, which wasn't quite so much. Particularly when you've been out for a friend's birthday the night before. And when you're wearing your glasses when you should have your contacts in.

Due to the cooler weather I could manage being swept along for the first five minutes at a speed higher than I wanted to set off at, but was paranoid for the next half hour that I'd run out of steam at the end. Fortunately, as you can see from the split times for each mile, that didn't happen. I learnt that drinking from small paper cups is very hard at race speed, and most of it goes in your face or down your front. 

I didn't really pass anyone until about the 4 mile mark, whereupon I steadily began to pass people as I went up a gear or two, and had enough left for a teeth-clenched, grimacing final burst to the finish line. I was going at 5:15/mile pace at the end. I dread to think what my facial expression looks like in any official photos. Split times for the race: the first half was 28:30 and the second half 25:54 which was nice. I haven't found out the full results yet, but I finished 73rd overall in the race. By the time I left, there were 175 finishers. The previous race last year had 300+ entrants in the 10K race, so to potentially finish in the top 25% is quite satisfying.

Edit: wet glasses are hard to read posted notices at a distance through. I've just checked the website of the timing company, and the result is officially 54:25, 77th place out of 227, so inside the top third of entrants.

The Running Man - Day 57

Three weeks out from race day, today was the 50 minute run on my home-made schedule. Given how hot it was this morning as Ship O'Clock made a welcome return, I decided that I'd spend the afternoon inside hiding from the heat and then go out as the sun went down. It felt a lot more pleasant than the 21C it allegedly was. Today's experiment: 3 miles at gentle, steady pace, and then up through the gears and see how long I could last. Pleasingly, I made it all the way back to Beige Towers without having to ease down, though there was no sprint, 10-out-of-10 level effort left as I ran round the car park. Just past the 4 mile marker on the map, there was a feeling of "blimey, feeling very strong here" which was slightly disconcerting. I also lost 3.5 lbs in weight. I sweat, profusely, when I run.

Split times? Mile 1: 9:46; mile 2: 9:56; mile 3: 9:58; mile 4: 9:02; mile 5: 8:14; mile 6: 7:36/mile. Once again, the readings for miles 2, 3 and the first part of mile 4 are made very unreliable due to walking over a pedestrian bridge twice. I think you could subtract at least 30 seconds off each of mile 2 and 3. Hopefully, next week I can get somewhere near full distance (6.22 miles).

A List As Long As Your Arm

When people say "a list as long as your arm", they usually mean figuratively, rather than literally. Except here. This is, as far as I can make out from my jobs folder and my EI diary, the list of job applications I have submitted - excluding unsolicited resumes, resumes uploaded to company HR, resumes sent to recruitment agencies - from last April until now, presented without further comment. Except to wonder, once again, what life would be like right now had the first one on the list come off:

Research Chemist - Sanjel
Research Chemist - Alberta Sulfur Research Limited
Team Leader, Research - Brenntag
Chemical Specialist - Calfrac Well Services
Product Development Specialist - 3M Canada
Research Chemist - Brenntag
Technology Consultant - Boast Capital
Chemist - Champion Technologies
Chemist, Asset Integrity - Champion Technologies
Chemist - Champion Technologies
Chemist - Champion Technologies
Chemist - Champion Technologies
Reseearch and Technology Advisor - Canada Revenue Agency
Technical Customer Service Representative - Executrade
Chemical Researcher, Drilling Fluids - Express Employment Professionals
Research Associate, Oil and Gas - Express Employment Professionals
Research Associate, Chemical Technology - I Martin Recruitment
Project Manager, Environmental Remediation - Imperial Oil
Research Scientist - Maryn International
Junior Technical Service Specialist - Nova Chemicals
Research Scientist - SOS Staffing
Research Scientist -Diversified Staffing Services
SR&ED Consultant - Ross Recruitment
SR&ED Consultant - Ross Recruitment
Technical Writer - Sanjel
Research Reservoir Engineer - Shell
Laboratory Technician - Umatac Industrial Processes
Research and Technology Advisor - Canada Revenue Agency
Associate, Stimulation Applications and Implementation - Sanjel
Associate, Cementing Applications and Implementation - Sanjel
Research, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Sustainability Scientist- Schlumberger
Project Manager Assistant- Maxxam Analytics
Technical Service Specialist- Nova Chemicals

Sclairtech Process R&D Leader- Nova Chemicals

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Specialist- Ernst & Young

Safety Specialist- CH2M HILL

Drilling Fluids Technician - Q’Max Solutions 

Lab Technologist: Stimulation - Sanjel

Junior Laboratory Technician  - Design Group Staffing

Technical Sales Representative, Chemical Solutions - Project Search Limited

Chemical Sales Representative, Technical Service Manager - Launch Recruiting Inc.

Associate, Stimulation Applications and Implementation - Sanjel

Associate, Cementing Applications and Implementation - Sanjel

Technical Customer Service Representative - Maxxam Analytics
Laboratory Analyst - Maxxam Analytics
Plant Chemist - Champion Technologies
Laboratory Chemist - AGAT Laboratories
Analytical Team Leader, Chemical Laboratory - Brenntag
Organic Laboratory Technician - Exova Recruitment
Laboratory Manager, Oil/Drilling Fluids - Lab Support Canada
Senior Analyst, Inorganics - Maxxam Analytics
Client Project Manager Assistant - AGAT Laboratories
SR&ED Consultant - Evamax Group
Quality Assurance Officer - AGAT Laboratories
Lab Technician - Core Laboratories
Instructor, Chemical Laboratory Technology - SAIT
Lab Supervisor, Tribology - AGAT Laboratories
Junior Air Quality Scientist - Golder Associates
Technical Sales Professional, Oil and Gas - Dow Chemical
Lab Equipment Sales - NRP Professional Search
Research Chemist - Alberta Sulfur Research Limited
Research Chemist/Scientist - Synoil Energy Services
SR&ED Consultant - Ross Recruitment
Technical Sales, Laboratory Equipment - ATS Canada
Associate, Cement Research and Development - Sanjel
Research Technologist, PE Products and Development - Nova Chemicals
Technical Writer, Quality Infrastructure and Sustainability - Sanjel
SR&ED Technical Specialist, Evamax Group

Scientific Support Specialist - AGAT Laboratories

Lab Manager - AGAT Laboratories

Lab Supervisor - AGAT Laboratories

Junior Lab Technician - Halliburton
Quality Assurance Coordinator, Oil Sands - Maxxam Analytics

Corrosion Laboratory Analyst - Biochem Consulting Services

Lab Technician - Weatherford

Account Manager - ALS Group

Patent Agent - Heller Group

Chemical Specialist, Calfrac Well Services

Lab Manager - AGAT Laboratories

Chemical Laboratory Supervisor - CMS Management Consulting

Intermediate Risk Assessor - Intrinsik Environmental Science

General Manager, Laboratory Services - Secure Energy Services

Laboratory Supervisor - Diversified Staffing Services

Account Coordinator - Univar Canada

Laboratory Manager, Energy Division - AGAT Laboratories
Technical Writer, Training and Development - Sanjel

Lab Manager - AGAT Laboratories
Sales Representative - VWR International

Chemical Specialist - Calfrac Well Services

Technical Writer - Saipem Canada

Bid Desk Specialist - SMART Technologies

Research Reservoir Engineer - Shell

Research Production Engineer - Shell

Business Analyst - Alberta Utilities Commission

GTBU Team Leader - Champion Technologies

Client Project Manager Assistant - AGAT Laboratories

Research Manager - ECO Canada

SR&ED Consultant - Ross Canada

Water Management Technical Specialist, Entry Level - Baker Hughes

Customer Service Representative - Univar Canada

ProTrend Technical Specialist - Critical Control Energy Services

Resources Coordinator - TERA Environmental Consultants

Client Service Manager - AGAT Laboratories                        

Account Manager - Executrade

SR&ED Technical Specialist - EVAMAX group

Lab Manager - AGAT Laboratories

Research Chemist - Synoil Energy Services

Freelance Editor - Cactus Communications              

Client Service Manager - AGAT Laboratories

Quality Assurance Coordinator - Maxxam Analytics

Contracts Specialist, Office of Research Services - University of Calgary