Singin' (or running) In The Rain

I love, love, LOVE running in the rain on a hot summers day! I can't wait until the weather warms up.  But, unless you have the right gear, it may prove to be a daunting task that leaves you feeling like a drowned rat.  Honestly, I prefer a hat to keep the rain out of my eyes and I skip the jacket altogether.  However, on more chilly run days, you will want to be prepared, so finding a good running jacket is great  essential to add to your running gear. But, if you choose this route, you need to shop smart.  Although a jacket will whisk the rain away from your torso, your sweat will eventually drench you anyways.  So, with this in mind, I researched my fanny off and this is what I came up;  When running in the rain, your outer layer should be a technical fabric such as polypropylene or CoolMax, which wick water and sweat away from your skin.  The outer layer should be a wind and water resistant jacket or vest.  Do not wear a waterproof rain slicker as it will trap moisture and heat. Also, keep in mind that you will want under arm vents that unzip and a back flap that also unzips. The down fall to this is when you are running, these flaps do bounce around and can become distracting.  

Prior to my running injury, if it was rainy or chilly, I only wore a long sleeved running shirt that hugged the body.  It is inevitable that you will get wet while running on a rainy day.  But, your body warms up quickly and the rain feels refreshing!

For a running shirt, make sure it is not cotton.  And it doesn't have to be anything fancy and ultra pricey. I have heard many great reviews for Target's line of active wear. And also Old Navy's Active wear for running is a personal favorite. I borrowed my friend's running jacket from there on a cold fall day and became an instant fan! Read the reviews here, I think you will be very pleased. They also offer this in men's wear. If you do have the extra money to spend, I suggest the Under Armour ColdGear Compression Mock Top. SportCheck sells them for $59.99

My all time favorite is Adidas TECHFIT (this will link you to the Adidas site for the best information) at a happy medium price of $44.99 at SportCheck.  

These are my personal faves for non-cotton long-sleeve shirts for running.  They do come in Men's wear as well.

Now on to blister prevention. Whenever you are running in high humidity climate, or rain, or you are striving to become a long distance runner, you need to protect against chaffing and blisters.  I suggest BODYGLIDE. It is effective and i have used it in the past. They have all kinds to choose from in Men's formula and Women's Formula. Band-Aide also makes a sufficient anti-blister product.  You can check it out here. Don't forget proper socks.  Tight fitting are best. Thorlo makes great COOLMAX moisture wicking socks for running at a reasonable price. (I don't know about you, but I am willing to pay a couple extra bucks to prevent blisters.  They Hurt!).  Last, but not least, don't forget your hat with a brim to keep the water our of your eyes.

I hope this blog post was informative, thanks for stopping by! Please follow me through here, as well as on face book and don't be shy to comment ;)
~The Restless Runner