Running in the Rain
Running is a good all-purpose exercise: you use it in almost every other sport and it's good endurance training. Plus, it's ridiculously hard; nothing transforms the body quite like running does. It's nice to do solo and also pleasant to do with a friend. It just requires decent shoes and perseverance .... I have the shoes, so I've counted myself as a runner for a while. As an adult, I've trained for and completed some long distance races; I've scored myself medals and shirts and the desire not to run ever again, only to return slowly to it as I realize how much I miss being outside and communing with the bunnies and deer and birds and trees.
I have an eye condition called ocular rosacea, which makes my eyes very sensitive to light and wind, so I don't run much anymore. I can run outside when it's dark and not breezy and, admittedly, those limitations are sometimes too restricting. My desire to get up at 4 a.m. or to begin my run at 8 p.m. is pretty low. Therefore, my running has been limited to the treadmill and watching whatever terrible TV happens to be on at 5:30 a.m. Not ideal.
This weekend, my friend Paul was running his first marathon and I wanted to support him, so I swore to myself that I would run outside with him for at least 2 miles -- regardless of what it did to my eyes -- and that I would spend the rest of Saturday and Sunday recovering from the experience. We started off at 6 a.m. and it was glorious. I ran with him for 5 miles and then trekked back a few more before I called to be picked up. My eyes only started hurting at the end of the run, which I count as a tremendous success.
The secret? It was raining! I never purposefully ran in the rain before but it was exceptionally delightful. The sky was dark and overcast and there were no surprise shafts of sunlight breaking through at moments and stabbing my eyes. No need for sunscreen or a hat. It was a gentle rain, so the coolness was refreshing and it soaked my outer-layer so I was never overheated. All together, it was a very pleasant experience, and I recommend you try running in a spring rain to see if you like it too!
I have an eye condition called ocular rosacea, which makes my eyes very sensitive to light and wind, so I don't run much anymore. I can run outside when it's dark and not breezy and, admittedly, those limitations are sometimes too restricting. My desire to get up at 4 a.m. or to begin my run at 8 p.m. is pretty low. Therefore, my running has been limited to the treadmill and watching whatever terrible TV happens to be on at 5:30 a.m. Not ideal.
This weekend, my friend Paul was running his first marathon and I wanted to support him, so I swore to myself that I would run outside with him for at least 2 miles -- regardless of what it did to my eyes -- and that I would spend the rest of Saturday and Sunday recovering from the experience. We started off at 6 a.m. and it was glorious. I ran with him for 5 miles and then trekked back a few more before I called to be picked up. My eyes only started hurting at the end of the run, which I count as a tremendous success.
The secret? It was raining! I never purposefully ran in the rain before but it was exceptionally delightful. The sky was dark and overcast and there were no surprise shafts of sunlight breaking through at moments and stabbing my eyes. No need for sunscreen or a hat. It was a gentle rain, so the coolness was refreshing and it soaked my outer-layer so I was never overheated. All together, it was a very pleasant experience, and I recommend you try running in a spring rain to see if you like it too!
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