As noted, the Wayfarer’s Half was cancelled for potential storms… and then no storms appeared whatsoever. That was Saturday.
Sunday was another story entirely – great buckets dumped from the sky allllllll day, legit rain to which words like “shower” and “sprinkle” did not apply. And this was bad news for me because, having wound up running only a 10k, I wanted to get another run in.
I waffled about my options.
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I could skip the run, of course. I did just run a race, even if it was a much shorter one than I had expected.
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I could pack up all my stuff, drive to the gym, use the treadmill, and drive back.
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I could suck it up and let the rain have at me.
At Pat’s encouragement, I decided to take a shot on a rainy run. I slapped on a ball cap to keep the droplets out of my eyes, stuck my phone in a sandwich bag, walked outside… and promptly came back inside for my weather resistant jacket, because in addition to being rainy it was chilly to boot.
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| Enjoy this photo shot through a plastic bag and distorted by a water droplet! |
Okay. I was finally ready to brave the elements. I walked toward the usual corner where I start my runs AND IMMEDIATELY GOT 100% DRENCHED BY A PASSING CAR.
It couldn’t have been a more perfect shot if the driver had done it on purpose: the gutter was overflowing, and due to the narrowness of the lane the wheel got all up in there. The resulting spray hit me in the face and chest and completely soaked my tights. I may as well have jumped right into the pool.
I doubt anyone would’ve blamed me if I’d turned on my heel and marched right back into my apartment for a 45 minute hot shower. But you know, it’s funny – after the initial shock and annoyance, my ill-fated hosing put me in just the right mindset for my wet, froggy run.
After all, there’s nothing beyond drenched. As Tom Stoppard says, things have gone about as far as they can go when things have gotten about as bad as they can reasonably get. And short of fording an actual river, I wasn’t going to get any wetter.
And so I ran five miles in a downpour, sloshing my way through enormous puddles cheerfully because my socks and sneakers were already waterlogged, so what difference did it make? My rainy run had secretly been an aquatic adventure all along!
But I still followed the whole thing up with a long hot shower. Even brave girls have needs.
What’s the worst weather you’ll run in? Has an errant vehicle ever tried to take you down?
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