The summer is gone and before it’s actually winter we are treated with some long days filled with rain. This can mess with your run training,
but only when you let it. Here are some tips for you to deal with this and have a better experience running in the rain.
As always, let’s look at what the problem is to see how we can fix it. The problem is water is falling from the sky, the roads are wet, we get wet, our gear gets wet. We get cold, we move slower and have a bad time on our run. Does this sum it up for you to go running in the rain?
Well, let’s fix this one step at a time.
1 - Get your mindset right, if you are already feeling bad about your run before you go out, you’re going to have a bad time. Try and stay positive. It might not be nice and sunny out, but you’ll perform better in cold then in heat, you’re not going to keep some drops of rain keep you from your training goal and when else are you going to be able to wear that rain jacket you bought?
When you try and stay positive about your run, you will have a better time all the way through.
2 - Your shoes will get wet, so do you need to wear waterproof shoes? There are shoes that are waterproof, but in my experience when there is enough water they still get wet inside. Now when you’re running on roads, this might be an option, but while running trails and hitting puddles that is not going to help you. Also, you might want to consider that it’s better to have shoes that get rid of the water quicker once it’s in your shoe than to have the water stuck inside your shoe.
3 - Your socks will get wet, so good running socks are a must. Don’t wear cotton socks, or cotton anything for that matter. Socks with moisture wicking qualities like Feetures for instance are great to keep you from getting blisters. Socks with toes in them are specially great for wet runs, they keep your toes blister free.
4 - Your shorts/pants and shirt will get wet, so get some special running gear that will keep the rain out and will help keep your body dry. When you wear a cotton shirt it will get wet, stay wet, get heavy and will chafe when it’s wet. When you have a shirt that keeps the moisture out you will stay warm and enjoy your run a lot more. Don’t wear a heavy or thick jacket, there are very light, thin jackets on the market that have air holes in them that will help you stay cool while also keeping the rain out. When you put on a jacket that is too warm, you might stay dry, but you will end up overheated during your run.
5 - Your face will get wet, to keep the rain out of your face while you’re running you can wear a running cap. It might not keep your face completely dry, but it will keep the rain from hitting you in the face the whole time, so it will make your run more comfortable.
6 - The roads will be wet, so adjust your course accordingly. Try and stay on roads instead of trails, if you know certain areas have better drainage and the roads have less puddles than others, avoid the wetter areas. Instead of training for speed, you might want to try a longer distance instead now that there is less traction on the road.
7 - Your phone will get wet, if you’re carrying things with you that you don’t want to get wet you could consider putting them in a ziplock bag before putting them in your pocket or running belt.
8 - Are there any pros to rain running? If the weather has you caught in the rain a lot you will get used to it, you will be prepared for when you have a race and the weather is bad that day. Also you might perform better when the weather is dry and sunny after having trained in worse conditions. Another pro is that when it’s raining, chances are there will be less people around and less traffic for you to have to deal with.
And the biggest pro of running in the rain is the feeling you get afterwards, you went out in the rain, you didn’t let anything stop you, you got your run in and that hot shower now feels amazing.