A Fourth First

When I first started this marathon project, I knew I would have many firsts. To review, the firsts so far:

1. I got bit by a dog

2. I fell while running

3. I wanted to smack a doctor

My fourth first happened during this mornings run. I ran in the sprinkles and cooled down in the rain.

A while back, I was talking to Doreen about all of the things that concern me about this training. One was the weather I would have to venture out in. I remember a course leader I had say something interesting. He said that there is a difference between a runner and a jogger - and it wasn't their speed. He said that a jogger wakes up, looks out the window to see what the weather is to see if she will run that day. A runner wakes up, looks out the window to see what type of gear she needs to wear to run that day.

That was an aside to what I want to say today.

So, I tell Doreen I am really concerned about running in the rain. I don't have many health concerns - I don't get many colds, I have yet to have the flu, I don't get headaches, my back doesn't bother me and so on. I do have skin concerns. I will be the first to get a blister. I have contact dermatitis and have regular break-outs, especially during the summer. It seems my skin erupts from my own sweat. I smear myself with vaseline in areas that I get the slightest chafing and I still have skin erosion. So, I am really worried about wet clothing smacking against my skin, at the same spot, over and over again for miles and miles. I am concerned about my feet being in wet socks in wet shoes and whatever rubbing that will cause.

Doreen says that she loved running in the rain, that the rain cooled her off, that she even ran through puddles in purpose to cool off, that she would run through people's sprinklers to get cool.

I go "hmmmmmm'.

Today, I loved running in sprinkles, it does have a cooling affect. I even liked the rain while I cooled down. The rain got rid of the sweat that was getting in my eyes, so I really enjoyed my cool down.

Maybe rain is not to be feared.