Wednesday, July 8, 2015

The art of running in the rain


I love to run in the rain.  It's my favorite.  Even if I already ran in the morning, if it starts to rain, I will lace up and head out. Running in the rain is my one weakness when it comes to my rest day - I can't resist!  It's even better than running in the snow (my other favorite).

Running in the rain also comes with challenges.  Here are my tips to help you enjoy it as much as I do:

1.  The rain can make it slick!  I have a little trail I like to run and it gets muddy and particularly slick...so be careful!  Slow down if you need to in order to avoid slipping and falling.

2. Be extra cautious of traffic.  A good hard rain (the best kind!) can limit visibility.  Cars may have a hard time seeing you as clearly so be extra aware.  Bright colored clothing can also be helpful.

3.  This one seems obvious, but if you're experiencing a huge thunderstorm with lots of lightning, just stay in.  Lucky for me we don't have many of those here :)

4.  Here in Colorado we don't have the warm rains that we had when we lived in Georgia.  Take care not to let yourself get too cold.  If the rain is cold, wear something that will help you stay warm and maybe a little drier.  Layers are good here.  It looks completely ridiculous, but a garbage bag works well.  Also get out of those wet clothes as soon as you can after your run.

5.  Be extra careful of blisters and chafing.  Wet shoes = wet feet and wet feet that rub against wet socks can mean monster blisters.  Wearing good moisture wicking socks (no cotton!) can help.  I also prefer to wear pants (or compression shorts back in GA) to help prevent chafing.  Cotton t-shirts can weigh you down so good moisture wicking clothing is great for running in the rain.

This morning Axe and I headed out into the rain for my tempo run.  I usually do these on the treadmill just to help me with packing and consistency, but I couldn't resist the rain!


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