Deterred by Rain?

Monday was a gray day, raining by the early evening. One of those days that enables you to easily say, "forget it, I am not going out in this mess!" Too wet, too cold, too dark, too dangerous, too wetcolddark&dangerous. However, I had told my running bud earlier in the day that I would be there - in my galoshes if I had to be. All I had to do was get to the door - a much more attainable goal than getting to the high school. I agonized about the attire - what jacket, what shoes, a ball cap (most definitely for rain), gloves (in November, for sure), drive home jacket - finally decided what would be most comfortable and in the car I went.

Met my friend and off we went. Not pouring rain but rain nonetheless. It was a little cold starting out but warmed up in a short period of time. As we moved along we picked up another runner and continued on. Off the beaten path, the swish of the passing vehicles is lessened and I hear the slap of running shoes on the wet pavement, the sound of the rain bouncing off my jacket and see individual drops of water trickling from the brim of my cap. As we run uphill conversation decreases and the steady sound of our breathing is in rhythm with our footsteps. As we make our way around the route we are back on a more traveled route. Vehicles roar by, one by one, creating seemingly tsunamic waves catapulting towards us on the shoulder. In reality, of course, we are splashed sporatically but even small amounts of water is magnified to biblical proportions when you're wet already.

15 km later we ended our run and parted. I took off my cap and gloves and changed my jacket and set out for my 10 minute drive home soaked down to my socks. Yet I felt a curious sense of well being as I always do when I run in the rain. It is not about braving the elements. It's like a cleansing process - ridding the mind and body of all the negativity that has been absorbed during the day - and becoming whole and healthy again ready to take on the next day.

The Middle Aged Runner