Your Practical Guide to Running in the Rain

Learn at least 4 practical tips to make running in the rain safe and practical.

You’ve finally decided to kickstart your fitness journey with a weekly run…

Motivation is high… you’ve bought new running shoes… downloaded a running app….

And then… it happens… the heavens open and it starts chucking it down.

Sound familiar?

Running in the rain is unfortunately something every runner will experience at some stage. Luckily, it doesn’t need to be a terrible experience that quite literally dampens your spirits and keeps you from enjoying your outdoor exercise.

In this handy guide, we outline 4 key things to consider when running outside that will help ensure it’s a positive experience.

Learn at least 4 practical tips to make running in the rain safe and practical which will enhance your outdoor running experience. #runner #running #runningintherain #runningtips #blackgirlsrun

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#1 No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Just Bad Clothing

Every time I exercise in the rain I think of this quote, because it really is true.

If you don’t dress appropriately for running in the rain, it’ll most definitely be a miserable experience, and you’ll likely feel cold, wet and unmotivated to push yourself during the workout.

Some useful things to consider when dressing for a wet run include:

• Avoid cottons as this will absorb the water and make your clothes feel very soggy indeed.
• Synthetic fabrics often have “wicking” properties which help to repel water away from your body. Investing in a t-shirt and long sleeve top that have this technology is definitely a bonus.
• Thermal underlayer is useful for when it’s cold rain and you want to stay warm.
• Big thick socks are useful for keeping your feet and ankles dry.
• A cap can also be useful to keep the rain out of your eyes.

#2 Avoid Muddy Areas That Could Be Slippery

It would generally be considered safer to avoid grass and muddy areas when running in the rain.

Mud will get slippery when wet and this increases the risk of you falling during your run.

Even if you don’t fall flat on your face, a subtle slip can be enough to jerk your back, for example, and lead to injury.

#3 Plan Your Running Route

It’ll come as no surprise; you’ll likely feel colder when running in the rain compared to when it’s dry.

This means it’s worthwhile planning your route carefully and potentially keeping your run quite local, in case the rain worsens, and you need to call it a day.

#4 Warm Up

Warming up is important before you do any exercise, but when it’s cold and wet, warming up becomes even more important.

You really want to ensure your muscles are warmed up before you start running to avoid any nasty injuries like a pulled hamstring.

There are all sorts of movements you can do to warm-up. The Inchworm stretch is a great movement that engages the whole body and can wake up tired muscles that need to be ready for a run.

Why Run in the Rain?

At this point, you’re either feeling slightly more motivated for your next soggy run, or thinking something along the lines of “why on earth would I run in the rain, I’ll stick to the treadmill!”

Well, if you fall into the latter category, it’s worth noting the research that shows the benefits of exercise in nature. As well as the physical benefits, outdoor exercise brings with it a whole host of mental health benefits too, helping to flood your body with endorphins and feel-good hormones.

Running in Adverse Conditions

Check out our guides on running in winter and running in the dark for more tips on running in adverse conditions.