Right now the weather is forecasted to be rainy and 49 degrees for the Little Rock Half Marathon on Sunday. The one and only time I did the half in OKC (back in 2012), it rained. It was terrible… the crappy weather, the unfamiliar course, no family waiting at the finish line… I hated every minute of it. Maybe if I had been more prepared for the uncontrollable rainy conditions, the experience wouldn’t have been so bad.

I did a ton of research and came up with this list of tips for those facing a race in the rain:

1. Make sure to have a set of dry clothes, socks, shoes, etc. waiting on you at the finish line. The last thing you want is to stop running, cool down and be wet. BRRRR!
2. Don’t wear cotton. When cotton clothing gets wet, it gets heavy and takes forever to dry. Wear moisture/sweat-wicking, lightweight fabrics. Also, wear short sleeves and shorts… your bare skin dries quicker than any clothing will.
3. Apply Body Glide or even Vaseline to your bare feet prior to the race to aid in preventing blisters, also wear light-weight socks…your feet will get wet. Thinner fabrics dry quicker.
4. Use Body Glide or some other kind of runner’s lubricant on other parts of your body to prevent chaffing from the extra moisture.
5. Wear a ball cap with a bill or a visor… it will help prevent rain from getting in your face.
6. Wear a thin poncho. It may be cumbersome, but you’ll be glad you have it. It’s convenient to tuck into your belt strap (if you wear a belt) and if the weather clears up, it’s not much of a loss to toss it to the roadside and leave it behind. But, if you’re running in Little Rock this Sunday morning, don’t toss that poncho prematurely, it’s Arkansas…you never know what the weather is going to do!
7. This is probably one of those “duh” things, but… be sure and protect your electronic devices from moisture by putting your phone. iPod or other music player in a plastic baggie. Also, wear water-proof headphones, running the cord down your shirt to keep it from getting too wet.
8. Stay indoors or under a covered area to stay dry for as long as possible prior to race time.
9. Bring newspapers to the race…once you’ve crossed the finish line, stuff your shoes with them to dry them out. You don’t want stinky shoes!
10. Have fun! From what I’ve read, a lot of runners love running in the rain and some have even accomplished Personal Records… maybe they’re in such a hurry to get out of the precipitation!  I doubt that will be me, but I’m going to put forth my best effort!

See you at the finish line!

Until next time…Happy Blogging!

P.S. Do you have any tips to add? Leave me a comment below… I’d love to see them!