Best Tips for Running in the Rain

So next Saturday I'm running my first half marathon and weather.com says that the forecast is possibly rain/snow. This worries me since I haven't done any running in the rain while I've been training or in general (at least not since ). So to ease my mind I looked up tips for running in the rain and I thought I'd share some with you (not that anyone is reading this haha)my favorites.

1. Make sure the layer closest to your skin is a fabric that is not cotton, one that wicks away moisture. People recommend 100% Polyester. Cotton shirts absorb water making them very heavy when you run in the rain. This concept also applies to socks. Pick ones that are acrylic or polypropylene blend. These are some examples of 100% polyester shirts:



C9 Champion Running Shirt

Nike Running Base Layer

2. Wear a hat. Simple I know, but it keeps the rain out of your face which I could imagine can be very annoying. And since I have hair it has to have an adjuster in the back to pull my pony tail through.

3. When I was younger I distinctly remember doing the next tip at 5k races. Wear a garbage bag. I love this one. Its so simple yet so effective. It works best with heavy duty contractor bags. Just cut the wholes out of it for your arms and head and voilà handy little rain protector. The best part about this is even if you want to wear it while running then decide against it, you can always throw it out at one of the water stations.

4. Prevent chafing before it starts. This is important during all conditions during a long run but becomes vital during running in the rain. There are three main products to use to prevent chafing are: Vaseline, A&D Diaper Ointment, and Body Glide.

I LOVE Body Glide. It is amazing. I used to have problems once in a while in the summer but once I bought this I could wear whatever I wanted without worrying about that obnoxious irritation.

The places to worry about chafing are: feet especially toes, inner thighs, and nipples*.
(*Use BreatheRight strips instead of BandAids. I found this tip interesting. The reason for this is because the strips are made for sweaty noses so they don't slide off. Cool)


I hope you found this condensed information helpful. Enjoy :)