Why We Run In the Rain

Yesterday was my last long training run before the HURT 100. It rained pretty much the whole time. Sensible people are said to know when to come out of the rain. Cautious people consider which clothing and accessories, like an umbrella and hat, would be appropriate for going out in the rain. An ultrarunner considers rain a gift of nature, a weather-training variable, and just another opportunity to experience what the jungles and skies are going to throw at him on the muddy, rooty, rocky trails of Oahu.

Running in the rain in a redwood forest is one of my favorite pastimes. It brings out the little-boy spirit in me. Mud? Run in it. Puddles? Step right in them--once your feet are wet, they can't get wetter. Pouring rain? Just more of nature's infinite drama.