Running in the rain

Strange that by June in the Western Cape I haven't had to run in the rain. But today that changed and it was a god learning experience. I didn't expect it to rain and was going for an easy flat 5km run on my 'round the damn circuit' in Silvermine West.
On the way to SIlvermine I stopped to check out what was availble as a waterproof jacket, to be kept in the pack for trail runs as often a waterproof jacket is required for trail runs. There were a number of options for water resistant (windbreaker) jackets but not so for waterproof jackets. Mind you, I did require the jacket to be fairly light. So I checked out Sportman's Warehouse (nada but a helpful saleman did mention www.chainreactioncylyes.com), Due South ("maybe at our Waterfront store they have the Gore-tex jacket". Price! Gulp!) and one other store. Nada.

I stopped at Mr Price Sport to grab a pair of tights that I like to run in to prevent chaffing. I picked up a pair of their Maxed branded 'compression tights' for a good price. By then it was raining and I was trying to talk myslef into still going for my run. Taking a chance I asked a sales lady if they had any waterproof jackets - 'no, except the one in the trail section.'
Bonus, R359 for a semi-lightweight waterproof jacket. So I went on my run wearing my new jacket, straight into a Cape cloudburst! I will post a review in how the jacket fared at a later date.

What did I learn about running in the rain?

• Rain does make your shoes and socks heavier - lift your feet!
• A peaked cap is a must, keeps the rain out of your eyes
• Gloves are handy, my fingers froze
• Make sure your keys remain dry
• Have a good base layer

But most importantly, I learnt that running in the rain can be fun! You can stomp through the puddles (my shoes were already soaked) and enjoy nature like few actually do. Secretly I knew I was doing what few actually do. To be honest I only saw one other car in the parking lot. Crisp, wet and fresh. Doing training runs also allows you to test yourself and your gear in what might be race circumstances later.

Enjoy your trails!

Location:Jamaica Close,Cape Town,South Africa