Running in the Rain

So this happened this weekend:

 

I was in Toronto all day on Sunday, so I knew I would need to get up nice and early to tackle my long run on Saturday morning. I awoke to a dark room and the sound of pouring rain. Not exactly the motivation I needed to roll out of bed before 7 am on a Saturday.

Nevertheless, I geared up, laced up and set out. Running in the rain is slightly different than running in sunshine. Besides the obvious, there is always this:

But there are a few things to be mindful of when setting out when it is pouring.

Wear a hat with a brim. 

Other than making you look cool beyond words, it will block the wind and keep rain from falling into your peepers. It also keeps your hair dryish and you will feel more sheltered from the elements. (Aka – false sense of security).

 Wear Body Glide. 

Or Vaseline. Or SOMETHING. I had no idea that things chafe more in the rain and it turns out…they do.

Dress in layers: 

I went with shorts, a tank top and arm warmers and they worked fabulously. You can always shed the arm warmers if it warms up or miraculously stops raining. For me, it poured the entire 3.5 hours. Avoid cotton unless you fancy being a sponge. Also, rain does not equal extra layers – you will just be weighed down.

Make sure your electronics are waterproofed. 

Put them in plastic, ziplop bags. I knew the pocket in my hydration pack was water proof, so my iPhone when inside. Seems obvious, but you never know… (See next step.)

Don’t take headphones. 

Trust me.

AFTER THE RUN

Dry your shoes out. 

When you get back from a drenched run, take off your running shoes, loosen the laces, take out the inserts and stuff them with crumpled balls of newspaper. This will help them keep their shape and the paper draws moisture out of the material. Don’t put wet shoes on direct heat, it will mess with the construction and integrity of the shoe!

So there you have it. Consider yourself equipped to run in a storm.

Ever run in the rain? What trick am I missing?