Running the Rain

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Raincouver! The Wet Coast! Yes, we all know that life in the Lower Mainland – the “best place on earth” – comes with weeks (OK, months) of cloud cover and drizzle. But I have learned to love running in the rain!

Why rain sucks

There are lots of reasons to dislike rainy weather:

1) Footwear
Especially on those days that start out dry, but with a promise of afternoon showers. Do you just wear your shoes, and take the risk?Or on those days where you are wakened by the pitter-patter of…well, rain on the windows, but the sun peeks out just before your walk home. Do you pull on those branded rain boots for the trek to the office, only to feel like a fool when the sun is beating down? Carry an extra pair, or leave extras at the office? There is no solution.

2) Umbrellas
Same problem – you’re stuck carrying it one way or another. Also, Vancouverites, for all the rain they have to deal with, have terrible umbrella etiquette. Enough said.

3) Being a pedestrian
I walk to work, regardless of the weather. Even with an umbrella and fancy boots, just a bit of wind and you’re stuck with soggy dress pants. Plus, there’s that massive puddle at the corner of Hornby and Davie that soaks the entire sidewalk, and anyone who happens to be there!

4) SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder – to many months without sun makes us gloomy. Another rainy day just makes it worse. We become a cranky bunch…

Why rain is awesome!

Despite the trauma of my first rainy run, I have actually become rather fond of getting out and running on rainy days. Here’s why:

1) Footwear
I already know my feet are going to get wet – and it doesn’t matter! As soon as I’m done this run, socks are in the laundry, shoes are drying out. While it’s true that stepping in a three-inch-deep puddle and being completely soaked is not ideal, in most cases your feet are really no wetter than the rest of you.

2) Mud
While I’m not what you’d call fastidious, I do like to be clean. Tough Mudder? Not my thing. However, there is something satisfying about splashing through the muddy trails and ending up with legs like this:

3) Solitude
Sometimes when I’m running the Seawall, there are so many people and dogs, it’s like an obstacle course. When it rains, folks stay indoors. Today, as I did a 4km loop in Stanley Park, I encountered a grand total of one other person on the trails. He was obviously a serious runner, because he wasn’t even listening to music. So, for most of the run, the trail was empty:

photo 2

4) Nature
There’s something so peaceful about a rainy day. The colours seems brighter. You can see why Vancouver is so green. And why the tulips are blooming. It makes me smile.

photo 3

Finally, it makes me feel kind of hard core when people say: “You ran in this weather?”

 

What are your thoughts on “Running the Rain”? Please comment on my blog!

7 Comments

  1. I wrote a blog post on this exact subject, (called “Reasons to run in the rain”). I love running in the rain on the seawall; I have the place to myself–apart from the other rain-loving runners! And your last point is spot-on. I feel 100% hard core afterwards. B-)

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