Imagine your perfect running day — sunny, 65 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, just a cool breeze passing through. Now picture the opposite of that — clouds, a borderline-uncomfortable wind smacking your face, and a forecast of rain. What if I told you that both days are running days for me? Before you go and call me crazy, hear me out.
Training days wait for no one, and they especially don’t care if there’s a 60 percent chance of rain and a 100 percent chance of discomfort. With a limited amount of time to devote to training and only a few solid hours of daylight, working in a run is essential for me while I’m in peak training season.
Staying consistent with runs and sticking to a schedule helps me up my mileage and get faster while also keeping my body strong to ultimately avoid injury. So when my weather app delivers a not-so-ideal forecast on one of my training days, I suck it up and lace up! Take a peek at how I survive — and thrive — during my rainy weather runs.
Plan the Route
Before even stepping out the front door, I have a plan in mind. I always stick to a clear path and know exactly how far I’m setting out to run. For me, that’s an out-and-back run or a quick loop that I’m very familiar with — rainy runs aren’t necessarily the time you want to go off course or try something new. And, if I need to adjust my mileage due to conditions, I allow myself the flexibility to do so and don’t beat myself up about it. Even if I’m not able to squeeze in 10 miles before conditions worsen, logging five is still a great alternative and keeps my training on course.
Get in the Zone
Mentally preparing to go on a run can be hard enough, but preparing for one when it’s pretty blah outside can be a task in itself. I hype myself up for a run in the rain by focusing on my big picture goal. Am I training for a race? How excited will I be to crush my race goal? Will I PR? But, for days when that’s not enough to get me going, I focus on smaller wins at hand. How great will I feel after my run? What book and carb of choice will I cozy up with? How amazing is my new playlist? Or how badass am I going to look in my rainy run selfie? I’m always surprised at how concentrating on even the most trivial of things during my run can give me just the push I need to keep going.
Double Check Conditions
Running in the rain is totally safe, as long as you’re mindful of the conditions outside. I always take a second glance at the weather prior to pounding the pavement to make sure conditions won’t worsen while I’m on my run. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a run and having the weather take a sudden turn, and a soggy run thus becomes a soaking one. Another thing I always keep an eye on is temperature changes. If the temperature is dropping as well, it may not be safe to run in wet or damp clothing as they can lower your body temperature quicker, so be mindful of any potential dips!
Suit Up
This may seem obvious, but having the proper attire for a rainy run is crucial. I’ve found that sticking to layers helps me stay warm and dry, and thus preventing any discomfort — or worse, squishing — in soggy clothes. Read on from some options from Under Armour that can help do just that.