Running in the rain isn’t the most popular time runners want to get out on the road. Most runners prefer running on a warm, beautiful, sunny day rather than a dark depressing one, me included. But, my mindset towards running in this weather changed after I said “You know, screw it! I’m gonna go for the run anyways!”

photo credit: rajeshkunnath

Let me back up a bit. Here in Toronto, there is a Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon going on. Walking around downtown and around the venue, I saw herds of runners nervous, excited and exhilarated for the marathon. For some marathoners, running in the rain can be intimidating because they might have not done it before.

It really is challenging IF (and this is a big if) you make it challenging. There are a lot of excuses we feed ourselves and confuse the mind to make it absolutely ok for you not to run. So instead of continuing to feeding your mind crap, I want to transform your perspective of running in the rain and why this will actually help your running.

Here are 7 reasons you should run in the rain:

1. You train yourself in challenging situations that allow you to overcome challenging periods of your marathon.
2. You will be physically more comfortable in different weather conditions as well as more layers (this is true for the  freezing, cold marathons early in the morning that transform into a beautiful day halfway through your race.
3. The relaxing shower after really feels like no other. At the end of the shower, you feel renewed.
4. It will clean your shoes so you don’t have to :)
5. There is no one else running – while everyone else is feeding themselves a buffet of excuses, you are “trimming down” and training to run your next PR!
6. You will become tougher physically and mentally – EXCUSES BE GONE!
7. If you get cold, there’s only one thing you can do to make yourself warmer: keep running!

There are literally hundreds of reasons why you should and will run in the rain and for every runner, there is a unique answer. Find the reason why you like running. Maybe it’s the beautiful sounds of the water or the feeling of tranquility when you run in a fall trail path.

Whatever it is, use your reason to get the most out of it as a motivator to get you out running in the rain.

photo credit: terriseesthings

If you think you’re too old to run a marathon, think again! There are many people out there, just like you, who dream of running a marathon and do it. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people who get past the 50 years milestone and it all goes downhill: more aches, more pains, sickness, etc. Why does this happen? Is it really caused by your age or is it your mindset towards your life?

There are thousands of people that decide to take the leap and run a marathon each and every year. Many of those thousands are people over the age of 50. You still may not be convinced. I want to illustrate the power of the mindset towards running by sharing a story with you of a woman who accomplished just what we’re talking about today: she ran a marathon…at age 65!

I came across a story of a woman, Cammy Wesson-Cohen, who dreamed of running a marathon after she saw one of her friends running the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon and decided that she was going to do it. She was always fit and active but as life progressed, she got caught up in things to do and just pushed her health to the “to-do list” (does that ring a bell?)

Cammy’s Story

I want you to read this story, understand Cammy’s mindset and how she fulfilled her dream.

Cammy shared one of her mindsets in terms of time training for the marathon:

“I just knew it was going to take me longer and I wasn’t going to compete with the fast guys.”

When you will run your first marathon, keep one thing in mind: just finish. Don’t get caught up in the pace, and the speed that everyone else is measuring up with. Run your own marathon without caring of what speeds other runners are running at.

I hope you enjoy the story and take to heart what is your are capable of.

PS: Talking to your physician regularly is a necessity but what is your biggest concern with running your next marathon? Is it injury? Is it failing to complete the marathon? What is stopping you from running your next marathon?