The Rain Run

by Carilyn on January 11, 2013

I had actually written a full (sort of) review of “Eat and Run,” by Scott Jurek, but after much consultation with my friends, loved ones, and the mail man, decided to hold off posting it. Apparently, I’m “angsty”.

So instead, I’m just posting a photo from my rain run yesterday (and not even a good one, but hey, this is a “stand-in” post).

Sometimes, your best runs happen when you least expect them. I really wasn’t dressed for rain, so when I started getting drenched, I contemplated heading back to my car and finishing up on the treadmill. But, when I realized I wasn’t really all that cold, just super wet, I stayed out.

There is something about running in a downpour that is hard to describe to someone who has never run in one. Remember when you were a kid, and it was pouring outside, so you wrapped up in a blanket and drank a mug of cocoa on the couch while reading Robert Louis Stevenson books? Everything was quiet, and you felt like the most alone person on Earth, but in a good way.

Or how about swimming underwater, pretending you are a deep sea diver out in the middle of the Pacific? Or maybe Dustin Hoffman sitting on the bottom of the pool in “The Graduate”?

Well, that is what my rain run felt like. With everyone abandoning the park for drier shores, I was left alone to run in the semi-darkness and quiet. Peaceful. Joyful. Running.

Happy Running!

{ 12 comments }

Kirstin C (@ultrarunnergirl) January 11, 2013 at 1:25 pm: Oh my goodness, there is nothing as exhilarating as a run, or dancing, in pouring rain.
Sarah January 11, 2013 at 3:15 pm: Love those kind of runs! Glad you stuck it out and got to experience it. 🙂
Kent January 11, 2013 at 3:19 pm: Had a couple of long runs last summer in a downpour, and you’re right – there’s nothing quite like it. Have to admit that I didn’t care for soggy socks 🙁
Kate January 11, 2013 at 3:20 pm: That really does sound wonderful. I like running in the rain, mostly because it makes me feel like a kid again, but also because it’s not nearly as bad as people imagine it is . 🙂
Carilyn January 12, 2013 at 7:22 am: I agree, Kirstin! 🙂
Carilyn January 12, 2013 at 7:23 am: Thank you, Sarah!
Carilyn January 12, 2013 at 7:23 am: I’m with you, Kent! I hate those wet socks!
Carilyn January 12, 2013 at 7:24 am: It was wonderful, Kate! Love those little “gifts” 🙂
SteveQ January 12, 2013 at 9:09 am: I don’t like getting wet, but once I’m soaked through, I enjoy running in the rain and splashing in puddles and mud. I finally broke down and read Jurek’s book and I was surprised at two things: 1) I knew people he was writing about – that was weird. 2) He’s not the laid-back vegan running in the woods that people think, but a very serious competitor.
Char January 12, 2013 at 2:39 pm: My most fun runs have been rain runs. There’s something totally joyful about running around in the rain. And if you happen to meet anyone else out there being just as crazy as you, there’s an instant camaraderie – like the two of you have discovered a special secret.
Anne January 13, 2013 at 2:45 pm: I love a warm rain run too. In fact, I once wrote about the potential power one has in a blot post. http://run-dmz.blogspot.com/2007/12/jesus-wash-me.html

Looking forward to reading that review.
Marcia January 15, 2013 at 6:10 am: You’re so right. On the surface I hate running in hard rain, but once I just surrender to it, it’s kind of magical.