How and in what to run in bad weather to avoid getting sick: 8 important rules of jogging in the rain

Running in the rain is not uncommon. The running community has a saying “there is no such thing as non-running weather”, and it holds true. Rainy weather is a common occurrence in most parts of Russia, except for brief periods when the temperature drops well below freezing.

Since most runners have a more or less fixed time allotted for training, waiting for some special weather does not work. So if it’s time to run and it’s raining outside, you have to accept the rules of the game.

Besides, running starts are rarely postponed because of the weather, and psychological readiness to run in snow, rain, wind, cold and heat must also be trained. If you do decide to run in the rain, what rules should you follow to avoid getting sick?

Alexander Elkonin

ultramarathoner, trailrunner, founder and coach of ERA club.

The main thing to understand is that no one gets sick from the fact that clothes, shoes and skin are wet. You can get sick from hypothermia, and that is what you need to avoid.

In warm weather at temperatures above 20 degrees you can not worry about a little rain: after 10-15 minutes even light running body warms up, becomes hot, and raindrops pleasantly cool the skin. Of course, the first blow of a cold front with strong wind, hail or thunderstorm is better to wait it out, taking shelter in a safe place.

In any case, for runs longer than one hour, it makes sense to check the weather forecast so that you don’t suffer from the heat in black clothes with long sleeves and pants. Or not to freeze in short uniforms in cold rain with strong wind.

There is a universal rule: “run – change your clothes”. And it applies not only to running in the rain, but also to any outdoor sports activities after which you sweat. During physical activity, the body heats up, moisture from rain or sweat is not felt, but as soon as you stop, wet clothes and shoes rapidly cool you down, and there is a great risk of catching a cold. That’s why it’s important to take two sets of clothes to any workout or competition.

Read more about running in the rain in our article.

The idea of wearing something to protect against the rain at first comes to almost everyone’s mind. Indeed, the modern light industry offers clothing and shoes with special impregnation or with membranes of various types that do not allow water to pass through and at the same time remove sweat that evaporates from the surface of the body.

Unfortunately, even the most advanced and expensive membrane cannot handle the maximum perspiration of the human skin, and the better the rain protection on the outside, the more water accumulates under the clothing due to vapor condensation on the inside.

In the end, most runners accumulate their own experience over time, which tells them when rain protection can be neglected, when a light windbreaker will suffice, and when a full-fledged membrane jacket with a hood is needed.

In any case, clothes should be made of synthetic materials, because they are less water-soaked and dry faster. Absolutely no clothes made of cotton fabrics, including underwear, are suitable for cross-country training.

There is one important rule, the violation of which can be very expensive: in the mountains, protective clothing should always be with you, even if it is hot outside and there is not a cloud in the sky. Clouds with thunderstorms and hail can arrive in half an hour, and there it is better to be fully armed.

You need to choose the right tread pattern for your shoes. If you plan to train on soft ground, in the rain it will turn into mud, and smooth “asphalt” sneakers will slip. For such cases, it is worth having in your arsenal shoes with a “toothy” pattern of soles.

In addition to hypothermia, there is another nuisance that threatens runners in the rain or after the rain. Wet clothes chafe the skin and the risk of chafing on the feet, under the arms, in the groin or on the nipples becomes greater. This usually happens when running for long periods of time.

You can save yourself from blisters and chafing by applying a greasy cream or petroleum jelly to the skin beforehand.
Do not rub your feet in wet sneakers will help tight-fitting socks made of synthetics. Cotton socks, when wet, bunch up into an accordion, and this is where blisters cannot be avoided.