The best excuse to not run is bad weather - it’s cold! It’s pouring! But running in bad weather makes you better at running in bad weather, which means more running!
The thing is, if it’s raining you’re going to get wet. If it’s cold out, you’re gonna get… cold. But the truth remains - you most likely won’t die! So that’s the bonus.
➡️ When running in the rain I just remember the universal truth - this ain’t forever. Forty minutes running in the rain is way better than any rain-sounds playlist.
The biggest challenge is staying warm in the rain, so a rain shell keeps the heat in. Yeah, you’re going to be sweaty, but at least you won’t be cold.
🚫 Avoid cotton, as it absorbs sweat and then it sticks to you, and starts to weigh you down. Zero fun.
➡️ In the cold, this has been my truth; if I step outside and I’m warm, I’m over dressed. My go-to is a shell and one of those athletic shirts, even when it dips below 20°F. Yep, the first mile is chilly, but your body warms up after that first mile.
That said, keep your extremities toasty; your ears, fingers, and toes. Don’t mess around with those! Get some good gloves, and a good hat. As time goes on, and you warm up, taking your gloves off is a lot easier than removing all your extra layers.
All that to say - you can do it. You can run in the rain, you can run in the cold. There’s gonna be some days when it’s raining way too hard, and that’s fine. Some mornings you’re going to wake up and just be chilled, so maybe you’ll wanna skip that morning jog.
Run when it’s in the low 40s, which makes it easier to run in the 30s.
Run when it’s drizzling, which makes it easier to run when it’s a steady rain.
The fun part is as we get older, it’s real easy to avoid all this discomfort. Especially during *these unprecedented times.* But they call it a comfort zone for a reason, and leaving the comfort zone on occasion can lead to many wonderful things.
By getting out in the rain, by running when the snow is coming down, you’re dancing with nature. You’re in it, experiencing the weather directly on your face and in your bones.
Trust me, the shower afterward will feel majestic.
So get out there, you won’t melt. Wear bright colors, keep your fingers toasty, and have fun out there!