What is it like to run in the rain?

[Ariel484]

Good thing you didn't run DOPEY this year.......................not sure we got above 55 until the marathon.

I was gonna say...

I thought the weather for Dopey was awesome this year! Way better than when I did Goofy + 5K in 2013. It was way too hot.

 

[Keels]

We didn't run, but we were in Orlando over Marathon weekend in 2014 (we were actually at EPCOT the day of the marathon and got to cheer runners on!) and I thought the weather was perfect. I'm hoping for weather like that in 2016!

 

[FFigawi]

Mid-low 50s is ideal running temperature, in my opinion. Even high 40s is good.

40-45 is ideal racing weather. 50-55 is ideal training weather.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I ran in the Wine and Dine half in 2014 and it was not comfortable. I kept a trash bag on in the corral and ditched it at race start. After the first mile I finally felt somewhat warm. However my shorts and shirt were just plastered on and after the first few miles it wasn't worth bothering to try to dodge puddles. The worst was immediately following race being so wet and cold once the running stopped. Check a bag if you can so you can get dry and warm right away.

 

[bumbershoot]

The worst was immediately following race being so wet and cold once the running stopped. Check a bag if you can so you can get dry and warm right away.

Yes.

Except there was no "right away" for us with gearbags. My friend is an S last name and her line for bag pickup was at least 15 minutes long. I'm a B and my line wasn't long but they lost my bag for around 10 minutes (this is after waiting in the S line). I was FREEZING. And miserable. Then we waited in the line for beer, which was very poorly done. Thankfully we found our chocolate milks stashed in our gearbags which helped us feel human for about 15 minutes. And then there was no place to change unless we waited to wait in Yet Another Line for the changing tent, which we did not want to do.

At that point I said "do we want to go to the party?" and my friend said "no" and I said "but not going to the party woudn't be fun" and she said "what part of this seems like it would be fun?" and she was right.

And then the line for SSR was about 2 years long (which we only got to after I insisted on changing and using the restroom, which took a long time and my friend was not happy with me) and I was cramping in my legs sooo badly.

But we were in an SSR 1-bedroom with the big tub so we filled it and soaked our legs in epsom salts which made things a bit better. (and now, this long later, I wish we had gone to the miserable party)



But again, that's a Half and not a 5K and it won't be that miserable for the OP.

 

[Slogger]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away......I started running.
I used to enjoy the heat and humidity. Didn't mind the sweat.

Now three years later, I really prefer my running temps to be 35-60. If it's much warmer than that, I will wait for night or early morning to go for a run.
The past week it has been mid 80s around here and somewhat humid, no fun to run.

I was fine with Dopey weather except for the 5k which was very cold AND very windy and I had a 12 year old with me that I promised would have a fantastic time at a RunDisney event.
Never thought we would take shelter in a port-a-potty prerace but we had 90 minutes to kill and it was the first day of the Race weekend . At least they were clean and fresh.
For those of us in the mid to later corrals on Sunday, the rain at the end of the marathon was refreshing.

 

[Slogger]

I was gonna say...

I thought the weather for Dopey was awesome this year! Way better than when I did Goofy + 5K in 2013. It was way too hot.

Wondering if heat will be a factor for those of us running Labor Day weekend.

 

[Slogger]

Another nice thing about the clear ponchos is they look WAY better for pictures. Trust me!

 

[mrsg00fy]

Different strokes for different folks on the weather. I thought the weather for the 2014 Disneyland half was perfect! The wine and dine was wet and chilly. The marathon weekend was too cold for my taste. The worst of all was the 3/29/15 Philly Love Run. It was 27 degrees and I didn't realize I didn't need to be to the start so early. I am STILL battling the chilblains on that one and am hoping to be okay for the pixie dust challenge this weekend.

 

[Ariel484]

Wondering if heat will be a factor for those of us running Labor Day weekend.

It may be! At least we'll be done earlier in the day though, and not 11AM/noon like the marathon.

 

[Neoflynn]

everyone has given you great advice so far, I ran my Half Marathon in March in a steady rain the entire time and for me it really wasn't that bad ill echo some of the advice that ive already heard

Bring something disposable for before the race (I bought cheap ponchos from the local grocery store) Then toss it as the race starts
Wear a hat and tech/wicking clothes, I always wear a hat anyway but it helped keep the rain of my face
Accept that its happening and enjoy the race anyway, if you are lucky it will be a little bit on the warm side then the rain actually feels good if its a light rain
Check a bag with some dry clothes if you can, I didn't do this and waiting around while my friend finished was the worst part for me

 

[Baloo in MI]

40-45 is ideal racing weather. 50-55 is ideal training weather.

My treadmill broke last summer and I am too cheap to get it fixed so I ran out doors through the winter - Michigan winter mind you. There were some brutal cold days, but if you dress for the weather it is refreshing and very beautiful. Summer though it is hard to get away from the heat. I will take 45-55 degrees for racing anyday; that sounds perfect.

 

[DOOM1001]

I was a spectator at the 10K this year and a runner for the half and full,I was freezing watching the 10K and I was freezing for the half until we got going,I'm sure others were too as I remember just hanging out in the tented gift shop with about 250 other runners waiting to get called to the start.Even after we started I was regretting not bringing one of those buffs that you can wear on your head or over your face cause my face got cold.The full was fine this year as far as the temperatures but in 2014 it was pretty much perfect,in 2013 it was definitely hot but being from South Florida I was more than used to it,plus it was January humidity which is lower than any other time of the year humidity.I got a little wet while running the full this year around mile 20 but not too bad,after I finished however it came down harder really soaking me.I ran a half in Ft.lauderdale in November where it rained pretty hard from mile 7 on,I felt like a wet sponge after finishing,luckily runners that did several of the races in that series got a special shirt after the race and I was able to change into it after the race which was great as we had to wait like 90 minutes to take a shuttle back to the starting line to get to our cars.Didn't like that setup at all,luckily I'll be running Wine and Dine that weekend this year instead of that race,it wasn't horrible but the rain and the long wait for the bus dropped my enthusiasm to do it again.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

When it comes time for Wine and Dine in November, I think I can prepare myself for any type of weather except rain. That is what makes me the most nervous.

 

[runjanerun]

Thanks everyone! Fortunately it wasn't bad at all for the 5k. At 1am my husband said the rain was coming down in sheets. By race start it wasn't raining, but started drizzling about 10 minutes in. My friend's husbands had ponchos for us and met us as we were going through the entry plaza half way through, so we had those for the rest of the race. I use "race" lightly as we ended up walking the whole thing. It was still fun!

 

[Slogger]

Glad that you got through it and had fun!

 

[derekleigh]

Mid-low 50s is ideal running temperature, in my opinion. Even high 40s is good.

Ditto! 35-55 is my perfect running weather. I prefer running when its warmer (40-70 but my body prefers cooler temps (25-50) as my PR history will show. I ran a double PR for the 1-mile and half in a single day and it never got about 35!


On topic, I will say running in the rain is my LEAST favorite element to run it. I've run in sub-zero temps, hot & humid, days, wind, rain, etc and I hate the rain the most! It all boils down to my feet too. I hate running with wet shoes and socks!

Another tip, if weather permits, wear tech shirts! Wet cotton shirts are pure evil when running in the rain!

 

[FFigawi]

Another tip, if weather permits, wear tech shirts! Wet cotton shirts are pure evil when running in the rain!

You should never run in cotton, period, no matter what the weather is. It doesn't breathe, soaks up sweat, and lends itself to chafing. Stuck with tech shirts, shorts, and socks.

 

[Ariel484]

On topic, I will say running in the rain is my LEAST favorite element to run it. I've run in sub-zero temps, hot & humid, days, wind, rain, etc and I hate the rain the most! It all boils down to my feet too. I hate running with wet shoes and socks!

Humidity and blazing sun are the worst for me.

In general I'll run in pretty much anything though - I draw the line at icy roads/sidewalks, thunder, lightning, etc.

 

[derekleigh]

You should never run in cotton, period, no matter what the weather is. It doesn't breathe, soaks up sweat, and lends itself to chafing. Stuck with tech shirts, shorts, and socks.

The ONLY time I wear cotton shirts when running is when it starts hitting single and negative degrees. I've tried techs under sweatshirts, jackets, etc and it just doesn't cut it for me. Above those temps, techs are a norm for me.