8 Tips for Running in the Rain and Cold
Running in the rain is one of my favorite things to do.
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There are few things as wonderful as running in the rain on a hot day. It makes me feel invincible, refreshed, at one with the universe and really hardcore, and because I live in a crowded city and no matter what the temperature, the rain seems to chase the majority of people indoors, I love that I usually have the sidewalks to myself when it rains.
But cold weather running, well that is a different story. That is something that can give you all the fulfillment and more of warm weather running, but it takes a real determined, seasoned runner, or just a really crazy person to be able to go running in the rain and cold.
If you dare to be exceptionally hardcore or if you are just plain crazy enough to go running in the rain and cold, here are some tips.
1) No matter what, wear a hat!
The worst thing for me about running in the rain is having water pouring into my eyes. However this can be easily solved by wearing a hat or visor.
2) Wrap saran wrap around your socks before you put your shoes on to keep your feet dry.
Just make sure you put the saran wrap over your socks, not under them. Otherwise in the words of my super mountain running friend Marny who gave me this tip, "Ouch!"
3) I ask you, who ever said you had to always wear running clothes? Sure chafing is annoying and painful and running in wet clothes can make it worse, but if you don’t have warm weather running clothes, I often run in the rain with my running shorts and tank top underneath my every day clothes.
4) Running in soaking wet clothes is a great way to get in some weight training.
Many of us runners don't get in enough weight training. And as the trainer at my gym informed me when he was trying to sell me on training lessons, this can lead to osteoporosis later on.
But if you're like me and the fear of your bones falling apart is still not enough to help you get over the boredom of weight training, then running in the rain is the perfect solution. As your clothes become weighted down from the soaking rain, they will become heavier so that by the end of your run, you will have completed a weight training session.
5) If you insist on staying dry, you can always put on a parka or garbage bag or even a grocery bag (depending on your size…personally, I'd opt for the garbage bag).
I was given one of these at a 10k in October and it kept me so dry, I had to do run another 10k loop after the race, just for the hell of it because I could and because it was raining all around me and yet I was staying dry, and there was hardly anyone else out there so it was mostly me and the trees in NYC. I thought I was in an episode of "The Twilight Zone."
6) Resist the urge to jump into a tub full of warm water when you get home.
It usually only takes on time of going from extreme cold to extreme warmth, first so wonderful and then ugh, it feels like you are dying a death from a million fire ant bights. But in case while your outside running in the rain, your brain freezes over, it's worth the reminder!
7) Have dry clothes available at the end of your run. If possible, change into a complete set of dry clothes immediately after your run.
You might keep it in your car, or in a plastic bag under at tree at the start/finish of the loop you are running. If you run with a jogging stroller, you can keep it in the pocket underneath the stroller. If you don't have anywhere else to put it, you can put it inside a plastic bag inside a backpack and carry it while you are running. This could also be great weight training.
8) If you forget or are unable to follow any of the tips above, remember, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!!!! :)
