Running in the Rain – It All Depends on the Equipment

Actually, the weather doesn’t matter. With the right clothes, running is always fun – even in the rain. Some runners, however, are turned off by bad weather, especially in the cold, wet fall. When we go out in thin sports clothes, we feel cold at first. But once we start moving, we quickly warm up from the inside. This works well at least as long as our clothes are not completely soaked. If we want to run in the rain, proper running gear is crucial.

When it rains, running tracks become slippery and muddy. Cobblestones and downhill stretches in particular quickly become a hazard while running – similar to aquaplaning for a car. When it rains, we therefore not only have to run more vigilantly, but we also need particularly good grip. Here, the outsoles of our running shoes are the decisive factor.

In principle, running shoes with more lugs also offer more grip, i.e., better footing. The differences in the outsoles of various running shoe models are sometimes immediately visible to the naked eye. If we let our hands glide over the outsoles in the store, we can feel the different lugs in any case. How slip-resistant the outsoles are in the end, however, is determined not only by the lugs – but also by the material.

But it’s also clear that a running jacket is usually a compromise. If we sweat a lot and it rains a lot, even running jackets reach their limits. In many situations, it helps to wear a functional shirt under the rain jacket.

If temperatures permit, we should definitely avoid wearing long pants when running in the rain. Because even with pants, the more fabric we wear, the more weight we have to carry when it gets wet. This is not a tragedy for the time being. Because up to about 10 degrees Celsius we can go running in shorts without any problems.

In addition, the right choice of socks also influences our running experience in the rain. What sounds trivial is twice as important in wet conditions. Even in dry weather, running socks can prevent blisters on our feet. Socks that get wet quickly increase this risk. That’s because wetness creates friction – which increases the likelihood of blisters. Tight-fitting running socks do not slip and absorb less water than conventional cotton or tennis socks.

Another tip: many runners swear by a cap when running in the rain. To a certain extent, it not only keeps our head and face dry, but also protects us from getting water in our eyes while running.

Now that we’ve found the right running shoes and clothing, here are five tips to help us run safely in bad weather:

1. Avoid slip traps: When it rains outside, wet tree roots, cobblestones, and sloping routes in particular become real slip traps. Therefore, we should run on well-known routes in the rain or plan our routes well in advance.
   
   

2. Run with foresight: Sometimes it rains unexpectedly. If we are not familiar with our running route, we should be especially careful. It makes sense to keep an eye out for tripping hazards and puddles – and then steer clear.
   
   

3. Pay attention to your body’s center of gravity: To help us maintain our balance, we should generally place our feet under the center of our bodies when running. This is even more important on wet, slippery surfaces.
   
   

4. Avoid tempo units: If we increase our running pace, we also increase the pressure on our forefoot. However, we lose stability when forefoot running – and the risk of slipping increases. We should therefore adapt our training to the weather.
   
   

5. Take a shower: When we return from our run in bad weather, the first thing we should do is take a shower. This prevents our body from cooling down too much.