I woke up this morning at 4.45am and was meant to run outside with my friends but I saw that it was raining, rolled over and went back to sleep and then went to the gym later in the morning. Does that horrify you? Am I a wimpy runner for not running in the rain?
I used to run whatever the weather and did for a long time when I lived in London. I remember running with my running partner across Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park in the sleet, the snow and heavy rain although the latter was not by choice – it started pouring half way through the run.
But now I kind of feel that I like my comfort too much and don’t want to chafe and potentially catch a cold all from running in the rain, and more importantly I do not want to be slipping on leaves and rolling my ankle that has happened on more than a number of occasions and then has set me back a few frustrating weeks of physio.
I found this nerdy site that shows you what happens to you when you run in the rain. Haven’t a clue what it all means but for those number crunchers of you out there enjoy!
If you are an all weather runner a few tips for running in the rain below just for you that I have found over the years, more from running in the cold but still apply to running in the rain too:
Cover your vitals
Wear layers and maybe a windproof lightweight top. I have a gilet that I wear that is awesome for when its cold/damp – as it has no sleeves it means I don’t overheat but I keep my chest warm. Also if raining a good number of layers helps and don’t forget to cover up your gadgets i.e. iPod unless they are waterproof of course!
Hat
Wearing a hat will keep your head warm which in my experience has helped to prevent me from getting sick. I tend to go for a beanie but if you wear a cap you get the added bonus of the water not falling onto your face!
Be seen
If it’s really raining hard and you really want to run I’d advise wearing bight close or a high visibility vest or top. I know when I am driving that when it’s raining hard I find it hard to see, so make sure you are seen to make sure no accidents happen.
Spare clothes for when you finish
If you have a long drive home and won’t have the opportunity to shower I would seriously recommend you making sure you have a change of clothes in the car as the last thing you want when finishing a run soaking wet is to then have to sit in them and risk getting a chill or sick as a result. I have a bag that I keep in my car full of all sorts of gym things like towels, plasters, spare shoes and clothes just in case but generally I look at the weather forecast and head to the gym if it rains.
