Rain and Running!

Before the run

It had been raining all day but Carina sent a message that the practice run was on. Hassan said reminded us to dress for the occasion. I mentioned that there might be a little traffic but I will be there!

I left work about 5 minutes before 5 PM. Although there was a bit of traffic I made it still in good time. I had prepared my clothing choices and put them out the night before. I wore 4 layers; a no sleeve Nike, Uniqlo red long sleeves, a Nike orange reflectorize long-sleeves and a light weight North Face rain jacket with hood. The first three layers were tight (for warmth) and made of polyester and spandex blend to wick away moisture. My rain jacket had zippers in the under-sleeve area. While there is a need to be warm, it is also important not to perspire. Once you perspire, you will get cold and a chance of hypothermia. I was also wearing a beanie hat and a head lamp. I wore spandex running shorts and a waterproof pants. But when I got to the meeting place at Cavitt, Jeremy advised me that I’d get too warm. I took it off and left it in the car.

Dripping wet!

After the customary picture taking we were off, already dripping from the rain. Everyone just took off! I was glad that Carina was taking it easy because she did not want to get injured before the Folsom Lake Sweet Water race this Saturday. Rain dropping steadily, we tried to avoid puddles and sometimes we were successful. But after some time, we just had to be careful not to slip.

It is good to practice in the elements specially if you intend to go for longer races because you never know what to expect. Knowing how to dress up, and bringing the necessary gadgets like a head lamp and/or flashlight, water and food is important. At practice, you also learn tips from other runners who have run it before. The body is conditioned, the mind better prepared, your spirit, too! As your body gets stronger, your confidence develops, too! Pushing yourself a little each time.

It was cold, it was dark, the rain did not stop, but we were all smiling! The exhilarating feeling of being able to do things you won’t normally do and having fun in the process. You can do this!

Why do we do this?