What is it like to run in the rain?

[runjanerun]

Looks like rain for the Tinkerbell 5k. Anyone run a runDisney race in the rain? Any tips?

I will be "running" with my 9 year old. Half tempted just to throw a raincoat and rainboots on her and just walk the whole thing.

 

[ZellyB]

Well, we got rained on briefly during this past marathon. It wasn't that bad really, but it was a light rain. I know for the people who ran Wine & Dine in November (aka Splash and Dash) it was a far more miserable affair.

I've run on training runs in pretty heavy rains and it's not fun. Here's hoping that the forecast is wrong and things stay dry for the run.

 

[Ariel484]

I've run a few training runs in the rain, and I ran the 2014 Wine & Dine half...it rained pretty steadily the entire time.*

Honestly, it's not the end of the world. It's not IDEAL, but it's not terrible.

Best advice I can give you...

1. Wear a hat. SO helpful for keeping the rain off of your face. I wear hats for my rainy training runs and I didn't have one for Win & Dine. I think that would have helped a lot.
2. Wear good moisture-wicking clothes. My running skirt was perfect, but my shirt did nothing to help wick the water. It just felt heavy very quickly.
3. Bring something to keep you dry while you are waiting for the race to start. I'm not sure if you've run a Disney race before, but you'll have some waiting around to do. For Wine & Dine, we bought ponchos in the parks ahead of time and wore them while we were waiting in the corrals. Once it was our corral's turn to start, we took the ponchos off and tossed them in a nearby garbage can. There's no way I could have run in one - it would have been way too hot. You may also want to bring garbage bags to sit on during the wait so your butts stay dry.
4. If it does rain and your shoes get soaked, you can stuff them with newspaper afterward - this will help them dry more quickly than just having them sit out.

Remove the laces and the insoles...
- Stuff shoes with newspaper and leave it in for an hour
- Remove old paper and stuff shoes with new newspaper...let sit for 2-3 hours
- Remove old paper and stuff shoes with new newspaper...let sit overnight

5. Bring an old point & shoot camera to use for on-course photos - I mostly use my phone for pictures but I don't have a water-proof case for it. Having my old point & shoot at Wine & Dine was a lifesaver. I still got pictures and my phone didn't get soaked.

Biggest piece of advice - if it actually DOES rain, accept that it's happening and don't freak out. Make the best of it. You're still running in Disneyland!!


*I still feel like a total bad*** for completing that race without too much whining.

 

[Chaitali]

I ran the Rock and Roll Half in DC in the rain. I tried to put a good face on it but by mile 6 or 7 I was just miserable. Tips in advance... a brimmed hat to help keep the rain off your face. Good socks to help prevent blisters. Lots of body glide to help prevent chafing. I body glided the heck out of my feet and I feel like that, in combination with good moisture wicking socks, helped prevent blisters. A lot of people recommend a trashbag or something at the beginning so that you can put it over yourself to keep kind of dry and then take it off once you're ready to go. I assume it won't be cold since it's May but if there's a chance of it being chilly, a warm jacket or hoodie in gear check for afterward would probably be a good idea.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I got rained on during most of my run through ESPN WWOS during January's marathon weekend and it was not too bad. Echoing above, it wasn't a hard rain and it was warm so it kind of felt good at the time and didn't soak either my shoes or my clothing to the point of discomfort or bringing blisters into the equation. The timing and lightness of the rain also meant there was no standing water (puddles) on the course which would have been tough for wet shoes and would have made running a little tougher. Outside of Disney I ran a 5 Mile Turkey Trot in Cleveland last year after "running" the 1 Mile Family Run with my 5-year old nephew. It was about 35 degrees and sleeting so my feet were soaked and the course was really wet (the sleet was hitting the ground and turning to water and slush rather than ice). That was not fun, but if you dress for the occasion and are realistic about the conditions it doesn't have to be a bad experience.

 

[Ariel484]

@Barca33Runner I was at that Turkey Trot too. My brother and I took it veeerrrrry slowly.

 

[RookieLady]

I run in the rain a lot. I have a tight schedule with work and kids and I just run when I can. I don't mind running in the rain. It's a lot better than heavy humidity which I get a lot where I live. At least you can breathe better once the rain starts.

The hat is a great idea, but I usually don't wear one. I look down a lot, which means I missed a lot at 2014 wine and dine because I was looking down. Once you're wet, you're wet, so you may as well finish your distance.

However, I do second the suggestion of the ponchos BEFORE the run (no way would I run in one). Also, make sure you pack clothes to immediately change into (all the way down to the undies, because you will be drenched). As soon as I stop running, I am miserable. Go figure.

 

[Slogger]

All good advice so far. Usually the waiting around in the rain is tougher than actually running. See if you can find a cheap umbrella that you can discard once you start running.
It you want to be prepared, you can get some clear lightweight throwaway ponchos at Wal-Mart for $1-$2 each. They are usually in the camping section.
Walgreens also has a similar product sometimes.
You can also use the plastic grocery bags to cover your feet to keep out the rain. Just make sure to tuck them into your shoes so you don't trip.
A friend of mine wore aqua shoes for a 10k where it was really coming down and had no issues.
I've always found that the more time, money, and effort I spend preparing for the rain ultimately leads to less rain than predicted. Murphy's law?

Just remember you are at Disney, and even Disney in the rain is better than no Disney at all. Have a great time.

 

[Barca33Runner]

@Barca33Runner I was at that Turkey Trot too. My brother and I took it veeerrrrry slowly.

My sister and I seriously considered leaving before the 5-miler. We were the only two signed up for the longer race and we couldn't feel our feet after the 1-miler. Fortunately the 5-miler started relatively quickly and we were able to get the blood flowing again. We probably went too fast for the conditions and ended up paying for it later, it took both of us a lot longer to recover from that race than it normally does for a run of that distance.

 

[Chaitali]

I've always found that the more time, money, and effort I spend preparing for the rain ultimately leads to less rain than predicted. Murphy's law?

Very true! I had a 10k a couple weeks ago where rain was predicted and after my last experience, I decided to get a water resistant running jacket. Of course that meant it ended up being a beautiful, sunny morning. The afternoon before, it said 100% chance of rain but apparently my purchase of the jacket changed everything

 

[FFigawi]

Use lots of BodyGlide on your feet. Wet socks increase the probability of chafing.

 

[Ariel484]

@RookieLady I agree, running in the humidity is the worst!!

And this is a good example of why people need to do training runs in all kind of weather! You just never know what'll happen on race day...

My sister and I seriously considered leaving before the 5-miler. We were the only two signed up for the longer race and we couldn't feel our feet after the 1-miler. Fortunately the 5-miler started relatively quickly and we were able to get the blood flowing again. We probably went too fast for the conditions and ended up paying for it later, it took both of us a lot longer to recover from that race than it normally does for a run of that distance.

I considered leaving too. I was just like..."I'm not even getting a medal for this, maybe I just need to go home and get ready to stuff turkey in my face." Sigh.

 

[Keels]

Running in warm rain = not bad, actually can be kind of nice and refreshing.
Running in cold rain = most miserable thing on the planet.

I'll echo what others have said here - wear a hat to keep the rain off your face, wear Tech fabric/moisture-wicking clothing and really BodyGlide/Vaseline up your feet.

I'd rather be way too hot than too cold, so when I've had to run in cold rain, I wear a breathable Magellin rain coat to help break the wind and keep my upper body from getting wet. This isn't for everyone, though ... I can see how some people would not want to feel like they're running in a sauna.

 

[Ariel484]

I'd rather run in cold weather...different strokes for different folks.

 

[Keels]

I'd rather run in cold weather...different strokes for different folks.

Brrrr! No! I don't like to even go outside if it's below, say, 55.

 

[Ariel484]

Brrrr! No! I don't like to even go outside if it's below, say, 55.

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

 

[ZellyB]

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

Word.

 

[Keels]

Y'all are cray!! I ran in long-sleeves at the gym yesterday because they had the A/C on full blast.

Maybe something is wrong with me?

 

[Slogger]

Brrrr! No! I don't like to even go outside if it's below, say, 55.

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

 

[bumbershoot]

Wine and dine last year was SO miserable. Rained the whole time except 15 minutes as we went through DHS, and I spent most of that time in the bathroom.

The rain made my clothes fit weird. My shorts are short and the rain and my racebelt pulled them higher. I didn't bodyglide high enough and had to stop at the first goop station for Vaseline. Vaseline and rain and sweat on the upper thighs, yuck. But there was no chafing so it worked.

Feet were beyond wet. Thankfully I use nike frees so they are light. If I'd had my big Asics on it would have exhausted me more.

My friend brought a proper poncho and wore it the whole race. I had a small trash bag and wore it until we approached AK (a few miles I suppose).

But all of that was for a half. For the 5k it won't be as long or as miserable.

Have layers (go to goodwill and buy some cheap layers that you can shed along the course), be prepared with dry clothes in the gearbag or with family at the finish, keep a promise of cocoa at the end.