September 13, 2009 Running in the rain can be fun This past weekend the Austin Triathlon was held in the Capitol City. Three local athletes endeavored to challenge the event that has each person go for a swim, ride a bicycle and then run a few miles to finish off a good morning of exercise. Dean Porter was in the 25-29 year age group and finished in 1:52:25. Greg Pannell entered in the 55-59 age category and finished in 2:03:55. Our local sports reporter for the Daily Record, Tyler Mayforth, also entered and was doing great, but for some reason was unable to finish all three events. I am sure he will gear up to run another one and come out near the top of the entrants. While Greg Pannell was in Austin in the Triathlon, his wife, Nelda, was in Virginia City, Virginia, speed-walking the Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon. She has entered the series that is put on by this organization, and this was one of the events. Her next one is the Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon in San Antonio. Nelda ran with her daughter, Melanie, and they finished in 2:54. That is faster than many of the runners finished with regard to time. The Country Roads 10K was this Saturday; and after a long summer of hot, dry weather, it seems this weekend it decides to rain. We definitely needed the rain; and for a runner, running in the rain is not so unusual. There might be a few non-runners who think runners are a bit on the crazy side anyway, and to see them running in the rain just confirms their suspicions. Actually, running in the rain has several advantages. I remember one very hard rain where even on flat surfaces the rain was several inches deep, and the group of us were laughing and smiling like a group of kids playing in mud puddles. It makes a runner happy to be out and enjoying the wet weather, and that is something we have not had for some time. Some runners like to run in the rain with the idea that, with all the water, they don’t have to take a shower afterward; while others say it just makes a warm shower afterward feel that much better. It has a tendency to make a runner feel special in that they know that they are “tough,” and can look at the runners that are still sitting inside getting fatter and “wimping” out of a good run. Depending on where you run, the rain can clean your muddy shoes; and the opposite of that is that, if you hit mud, it makes your shoes dirt-stained for life. Some runners are unsure what to wear when running in the rain. When it is warm, just wear regular running clothes. No matter what you wear to keep the rain off, you will get wet; so you might as well get used to it and know that everything will be wet. If you wear a raincoat, it will just cause you to overheat and get too warm. Rain gear is okay for cold weather, but we are not in that season just yet. Wearing a hat with a brim is good, because it keeps the rain off of your face and out of the eyes. Wear something that is bright and easy to see, as cars are trying to look between windshield wiper rhythms and are not always as attentive as they should be. Being visible helps with this problem. Wet clothes and shoes tend to rub and will cause blisters where there is the least bit of friction. Putting some sort of Body Glide or Vaseline on those parts helps that situation: places like the feet (toes and heels), inner thighs and under the arms. The hardest part of running in the rain is the first step out of the door. The raindrops feel cold at first; but after a very short distance, the body warms up and the cool rain feels great. One other thing to consider is, after the run, you need to dry out the clothes and shoes. One easy way to dry out the shoes is to stuff newspaper in the shoe to absorb the moisture and keep the shape of the shoe from shrinking. It is not recommended to put them in front of a heater, as this tends to dry them too fast and often makes them very uncomfortable for your next run. So, while the dry ground and lawns really enjoy the rain, a runner can also have a fun and enjoyable time running in the rain. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!