Running in bad weather

♠ Posted by Paul Naylor at 7:27 AM

When dark clouds are forming outside, I know that it does not make a lot of people looking forward to training outside. But just because its raining, doesn't mean that you have to take your running inside or skip the day altogether. If you are training for a race, and bad weather falls on race day, the race will most likely go on. In fact, the only weather that I have seen cancel a race is hurricanes, tornadoes, sub-zero temperatures, and possibly volcanic eruptions. With that being said, getting use to running in the elements, helps better prepare you bad weather. and even if you are not preparing for a race, running outside can still be enjoyed in bad weather.

Here are some things that you can do to run in bad weather.

Wear a ball cap - This is helpful when its raining, the brim from the hat will keep the rain out of your eyes, even during a downpour.

Dress in layers - Make sure that the material that is closest to the body is a light, tech material. This is so that air will be able to move freely. Avoid wearing waterproof material, that tends to trap moisture and heat, which causes rashes and blisters. Keep the first layers light, and jackets should also be light

Wear reflection - When its raining outside, it'll be hard to drivers to see you. First thing, if possible, avoid running routes that are around traffic. But if you do have to run where cars are going to be, wear a reflective vest, reflective hat, some shoes have reflectors, etc.. Just make sure that you can be visible in dark, stormy weather.

Protect your electronics - If you wear GPS or music devices, take extra precaution to make sure that they stay dry during your run.

Wear safety glasses -  I know that this sounds silly, and it may look silly. But this is for when the winds are really high when running, and safety glasses will help protect your eyes from flying sand particles, bugs and other small debris.

Just run - It may be hard to get started to run in bad weather, especially in the rain, but once you get going, you can find that it is very enjoyable. And you may find yourself running in bad weather more, and enjoying it more than good weather.