Beginners and Beyond

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Running in the cold rain (Read 65 times)

Philliefan33


    Today we had rain and sleet at 35 degrees. Perfect weather for running on a treadmill.

    meaghansketch


      Cold rain is treadmill weather for me.  Warm rain is fine, cold and dry is fine, even snow is fine, but cold rain is just the worst.

        My main concern would be that I don't warm up during the run.

        On the other hand if I wear rain gear would I over heat?

        Been there, done that - both of them. Wink  Close to 30F and raining, my legs will be cold enough that I wouldn't be able to run hard enough to warm up. I haven't tried it near 30F, but it's probably been in 40s when I conducted that accidental test - and it was downhill partly on rock steps for about another 2 hrs. I had taken my rain gear off - both top and bottom, iirc - since I'd overheated. I later tested with regular pants, and verified that, yes, they get heavy and wet. Over the years I've been wet enough, that I've gotten tired of drying out. Wink

         

        You can get used to running in cool wet weather without raingear, once you figure out what layers work. With a bit more experience, I've found that my Marmot Precip works well in heavy rains, cool temps, and wind. If it's not quite that nasty, then unzip the pit zips (except maybe on the windward side if it's raining). If it's not raining hard enough to warrant the bombproof gear, I probably use my Patagonia Houdini - gets wet, but it dries fast. On my legs, I usually wear a light weight windpant if it's nasty - it doesn't get as wet as regular pants and still keeps my legs warm enough that I can run.

         

        This is one reason why I run outside - to accumulate experience on what to wear under different conditions, if needed. It's something that mpw doesn't necessarily account for.

         

        In the past, I've been hypothermic when hiking. I'm usually running alone - even in many of my races. I enjoy running and not willing to risk safety. (come from Girl Scout / Be Prepared background)  If you're not familiar with hypothermia, take a look at this.

         

        Granted, it's not a big deal if you're just out for a short time.

        "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
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