Why You Should Run In The Rain

Happy Wednesday friends! I hope you’re having a lovely week so far. We’re in the time of year where it’s either super hot and steamy or there’s random rain showers that pop up. As a runner, you have to be prepared for anything. That’s why I wanted to stop by and talk about why you should run in the rain!

It’s very tempting to hop on the treadmill when you see the storm clouds roll in. I get it, it’s just uncomfortable and it’s not always fun to be soaking wet, but hear me out. When you are training for a race (especially a marathon) I’m a firm believer that you should run in the rain at least once. Yes, I get it. It’s probably the last thing you want to do but what if it rains on race day?

I’ve got the best luck in the world and it has rained during both of my marathons. Once it bit me in the butt (it rained and it got super hot and steamy afterwards) and the other time it pushed me to a PR (it rained and was cold and perfect). Learning how to physically and mentally deal with the rain was the difference in both of those scenarios.

Obviously, be smart when it comes to the weather. I don’t recommend going out in a crazy thunderstorm with lightning in the area. Also, speed work in the rain may not be the best idea (I’m clumsy and don’t need anything to mess up my hip/groin). However, if you have something manageable on the schedule and the rain isn’t awful, get out there and get used to it. Make the mistakes now so you don’t make them on race day. If you find out that running in the rain makes you chafe like nobody’s business, you’ll be aware of that in case there’s rain on race day. It’s also builds mental fortitude since you’ll be “used” to it and it won’t come as such a shock on race day.

For some, running in the rain is a necessary evil. For others, it’s even a cathartic experience. Getting out there and not backing down will help in the long run!

Do you like to run in the rain?