Running in the Rain

The rain — on National Running Day no less — had to be a test from the running gods. How much do you really want to do a run in the park with Olympian Deena Kastor after a long day at work? Wouldn’t the gym be a lot less wet?

I ducked back into my apartment for a hat.

Making my way into Central Park last evening, I breathed in the deliciously earthy odor of wet leaves and worms. I suddenly felt buoyed by the tranquility of the setting and forgot about the rain soaking my shorts and apparently not-water-resistant-after-all running jacket.

Weather is only another variable for this sport; marathons have no dome. Just ask the folks who ran the Chicago Marathon the last two years. You run in the heat, the rain, the snow and whatever other plague comes down because that day is on the schedule.

A group run can make the rain seem almost invisible.