Since it appears that the upcoming Swanzey Covered Bridge Half-Marathon is going to be visited by ‘Ernesto’, I figured I would start putting together some thoughts on how to run in the rain. I am just searching around at this point and will put everything I find here.

Overall, since its in early September, most have indicated that running it in the rain will actually be refreshing. The problem will come in with blisters and chafing on my feet. Here is what I found (the list will be ongoing):

1. lubricate your feet to reduce the risk of wet socks chafing or producing a blister. Vaseline on your feet works well. (guess I’ll invest in some vaseline)

2. Wear a poncho before the race starts. A large trash bag with a hole cut out for your head, also for your arms if you prefer, works good. It works well because you can tear it off and discard it when the race starts.

3. Moderate your pace for the conditions. Shorten your stride and stay relaxed.

4. Don’t wear cotton t-shirts in the rain. These tops cling, rub and weigh a gazillion pounds. Choose wicking Cool-Max tops instead. They’re a little softer and don’t hoard rain drops.

5. Most wet cotton socks are blister instigators. They bunch, wrinkle, crease and give your toes a wedgie. Pick an acrylic or polypropylene blend.

6. A cap with some type of beak keeps the worst of the spritz off your face.

7. Dry your shoes by removing the innards and stuffing the body with newspapers to wick the moisture out of your gear.

Edit- after the race!
Surprisingly, all the above worked for me in the rain, as I had about as a decent experience as I could in the rain. I really just understood at one point that I was wet, I was going to stay wet, and there was no way around it. Once you accept that, it makes the run easier.