Marathon Heat

For better or worse, the weather has taken over our lives. A few weeks ago heat talk was a copout in conversation. Now it is a must. It literally melts into the brain and oozes into the banter.

How many of you visit your favorite local news web site to check the seven-day forecast? Show of hands please. Thought so. Even though you see triple digits across the board, you just blankly stare at the screen, right?

It was through this malicious ritual that I discovered a fantastic little entertainment nugget. On the KJRH-TV site, after waking from the coma of reading 100's, I clicked on "Julie's Run Blog".

Here is an excerpt from a recent entry: "Tuesday we made landfall in Bermuda. Paradise! We explored the caves near St. George and I also got in my four-mile run here. Bermuda is a hilly island (technically it's made up of over 100 islands that are all connected) so my calves were screaming."

You could argue Julie is Tulsa's favorite weatherperson. Her gregarious smile seems natural compared to some of her counterparts.

Before we dive into her involvement with blogging, running and social media prowess, lets get the weather talk out of the way.

"I've lost track of the amount of requests and the number of bribes I've been offered to cool down the weather and bring some rain," said Julie Chin. "If only I had that kind of power. From record snow to record heat, yes, certainly this has been a year of extremes for Tulsa."

Break A Sweat.

This year she tackles the Tulsa Run. The Tulsa Run goes back to 1978. This will be the first (and longest) distance for Julie.

"I've forecasted the weather live from the sidelines of the Tulsa Run, but this is the first year that I will put the microphone down and lace up my sneakers," she said. "I'm excited and nervous all at the same time."

Over the years she has run the occasional 5K fun run. She started running on a regular basis this year. When the organizers inquired about her participation, she was up for the challenge.

They hooked her up with the exercise and wellness staff at Hillcrest Medical Center.

"Each week my training consists of three runs, two cross training sessions and then one or two weightlifting sessions," she said. "It really wasn't until I was paired with these experts that I realized there's a lot more to running a race like the Tulsa Run than simply running."

The heat (here we go again) is wreaking havoc on her training. Lazy people sitting inside soaking up air conditioning are miserable. How exactly does someone prepare for a 15K or 9.3-mile run?

"Since my weekday work schedule restricts me from running in the early mornings, I tackle two of my runs on the treadmill (or dreadmill as I lovingly call it now) each week."

Six miles is the longest distance she has attempted to date. Her long runs take place early Saturday morning. An early start is a must to avoid, you guessed it, the heat.

Like most avid runners, joggers and even walkers, she prefers running outdoors than in. There are more distractions running outside.

"I have discovered some really cool parts of the city by running through it," she said.

Blogadocious

Julie, along with her Director of New Media Aaron McColloch, hatched the blog idea. She takes you through a week of training and provides insight as well as entertainment.

"We thought it might be a fun way to share my training setbacks and successes," she said. "The intention of the blog is to provide some useful information, help others start running and mix in a few laughs."

You know T-Town loves the weather and news channels love the weather segment. If something drastically changed and sports somehow muscled its way onto the morning or evening news (not that I'm biased) Julie would absolutely have a career waiting in the blogosphere.

Check out another excerpt from a blog back in mid-May: "When it comes to running I welcome light drizzle and celebrate a cloudy sky. Late winter was a good time to start my training, and it has been an easy transition so far this Spring, but this year I find myself dreading running in the Summer -- the season that has always been my favorite of year.

"Yes, it's the end of May, and the temperatures and dewpoints are creeping up."

Little did she know what was in store for us.

Has running during the heat (sorry, last one I promise) taught her anything?

"Water, water and more water!"

"I never leave home without my water bottle these days," she said. "I'm sure to eat a little something before my runs, and of course I never head out without my sunglasses and sunscreen."

This year's Tulsa Run takes place on Saturday, October 29. Visit tulsarun.com for more information.

Also visit kjrh.com/julierun for her fantastic blog.

Better yet, next time your feelings are being crushed by the seven-day forecast on kjrh.com, click on Julie's blog for a little sunshine and hopefully a few scattered showers... for her sake.