Tips for Running in the Rain

Long run in the rain this morning! Woohoo! And while it wasn’t the most enjoyable thing ever, I will take rain over snow ANY day!!

Distance: 18 miles

Time: 2:28

Average pace: 8:14 minutes/mile

Weather: 60* with light to moderate rain

While this was not a speedy run, it was 20 minutes faster than the 18-miler I did at this point in my last marathon training cycle. [It was also the “middle” of winter (a.k.a. March 31), so it is to be expected I would be running slower.] After 12 miles in the rain today though, I was ready to be done, but I kept chuggin’ along. Who knows, maybe some day I’ll have to run a marathon in the rain?? Plus, I just kept thinking, “this is still way better than snow!”

Lesson of the day: 16 oz. of half-caf coffee is way too much caffeine for this girl’s intestines! I was pinching my cheeks after 1.5 miles holding it in because I did not want to look like this guy–> WARNING: Brace yourself for a disgusting picture!

Thankfully, I made it back home in time and felt tons better afterwards!

We actually have quite a few rainy days in the summer here in Anchorage—we are the “other” Pacific Northwest. And while running in the rain isn’t the most comfortable thing ever, these are some things I do to make it at least somewhat bearable.

1. Wear a hat!

I only recently discovered how much this helps, and it really does make a world of difference. Also, I always make sure to put my hair up in a bun instead of leaving it down in a regular ponytail. Otherwise I have a mess like this to comb through.

2. Wear a good rain jacket.

It is hard to find a good rain jacket that will keep you dry but also doesn’t weigh you down. Truth be told, I don’t think any (?) jacket out there will keep you 100% dry. Plus then there is the fact you are sweating on the inside, so it is hard to tell if it is rain seeping through or just sweat.

I do love this Nike Cyclone Vapor Running Jacket though. It is super light-weight and doesn’t feel uncomfortably “sticky” when it is wet. Yes, it still sticks to my skin, but I hardly notice it. (The little blue circles are supposed to help the jacket from sticking to your skin.)

3. Wear comfortable shorts/capris/bottoms

I like running in skin-tight capris since they are already suctioned to your skin. I don’t like wearing some of my shorts because they stick to my skin and ride up even more when they are wet. I had never run in my Lululemon running skirt before today, but it was awesome for the rain. As you can see it stuck to my skin a little bit, but it DID NOT ride up or become uncomfortable at all. It was great!

4. Wear anti- blister socks

Honestly I don’t know how much these helped. I still felt some hot spots on my feet, but then again I did run 18 miles in the rain, so you can’t expect too much.

Warning: Another gross foot picture below!!

I’m so sorry! But yes, those are my beat up feet after the run today. I’m pretty sure there is no hope for them.

5. Puddle jumping

I do try to avoid the puddles when I run. I hate wet socks and shoes, and I do not want to run long periods of time in wet shoes. So I will do my best to practice my long-jumping skills and perform a graceful (ha!) ballet jump over all the puddles. One thing I have learned though: the foot that lands in the puddle is not going to be the one that gets wet—it is the other foot that will get drenched by the splash!

6. Dry out your shoes afterwards

Any time my shoes get wet, I remove the sole inserts from my shoes, crumble up newspaper, and stuff it into my shoes. This works wonders and really does dry your shoes out!

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Once I got back from my run, I downed all sorts of beverages. I got really thirsty while running today! (I only took water twice, which usually is enough but not today.)

That would be: water, water with electrolytes, and Naked coconut water with pineapple.

Another lesson of the day: stop buying coconut water–it is not good, Michelle! At first this tasted good (probably because I was so thirsty), but by the last few sips I was making my “this is disgusting face.”

I have been taking electrolytes after each of my runs these past few weeks. I’m not sure that it is entirely necessary, but I figure it can’t hurt. Plus, I have to admit, the main reason I started doing it was because Kara Goucher said she started taking them in this video. Yes, Kara Goucher is my idol, and I want to be just like her.

So far I’ve tried two different brands: Nuun and Hammer Nutrition.

Both have a pleasant taste and but the amount of electrolytes in each varies quite a bit. (I need to dissect each one more carefully before I give my thoughts.)

The one thing I have noticed it that the tablets from Hammer Nutrition don’t dissolve entirely and leave floaties in my water. This isn’t a bad thing, just an observation I’ve made.

It can be hard for me to find something to eat after a long run because most foods do not sound appealing, but for whatever reason, a small container of Greek yogurt with shredded wheat cereal pieces sounded appealing today.

I really do like this “kids” Chobani Greek yogurt. I’ve kind of overdosed on the regular Chobani, so this is a nice change. It is already pre-mixed and has a whipped texture that I really like.

The shredded wheat is from Trader Joe’s and tastes good.

I’ve had my ice bath, a warm shower, lots of hot tea, so hopefully I can stay warm for the rest of the day!