Running in the rain

“Baka ma-pasma o pulmonya ka!”

This is what we often hear our folks say when we go out to run in the rain.

The past week saw record heavy rainfall brought about by super typhoon “Carina.”

For many runners, however, training doesn’t stop. And unless one’s area is submerged in flood and the storm is raging with lightning and thunder, there is really no reason to stop.

“Pasma,” as it turns out, is the stuff of folklore. There is really no such thing scientifically.

It is believed that water facilitates the entry of negative or “cold” energy through the skin pores. Manifestations supposedly include trembling of the hands, excessive sweating and swelling of the hands and feet, numbness or pain in the distal extremities and knees, as well as prominent veins in the hands and feet.

The truth, according to doctors is, “pasma” manifestations may actually be symptoms of diabetes mellitus or thyroid disfunction and have nothing to do with “lamig” or getting wet.

In the same vein, a person cannot ordinarily catch pneumonia by getting wet in the rain.

Pneumonia is caused by bacteria or virus, and infects the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. One becomes susceptible by having a weakened immune system. Unless one is overtraining, a runner’s immune system is in fact expected to be more robust than others.

In the Philippines, we only have the wet and dry seasons so running in the rain is inevitable.

Moreover, one should prepare for a rainy, even stormy, race day. Races do not ordinarily get canceled just because it is raining.

When I did the Tokyo Marathon in 2019, it was 10 degrees and raining all throughout. The same thing happened during the Berlin marathon that same year.

And who can forget the 2018 Boston Marathon which had the worst possible weather conditions? The temperature was 4 degrees and it was raining throughout the race with wind gusts hitting more than 40 kilometers per hour. That was hypothermia level. Yet the race was not cancelled and, surprisingly, an Asian, Yuki Kawauchi, won the race.

As someone who’s highly thermogenic with an unusually high sweat rate, I personally relish running in the rain.

The cold enables me to run a bit faster and require far less hydration.

The bonus is if the rain is cool enough, our bodies work harder to stay warm, so we end up increasing our metabolic rate after a period of adaptation, enabling us to burn more fat.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind when running in the rain.

A running cap or visor is a life saver. You will get wet but at least it shields your eyes from the rain and you won’t need to constantly wipe your face.

Stay visible by choosing a bright colored getup.

This enables other people, especially vehicle drivers, to see you from afar.

Ditch your race day shoes. These shoes usually have minimal outsole material and thus are not ideal for wet and slippery roads.

Trail shoes with lugs and gore-tex upper are ideal because these shoes have superior grip and are water resistant. If you do not have any, just use running shoes with rubber outsoles.

Rainy weather is also not the time to skip a good warm-up. It boosts blood flow, wakes up muscles and increases flexibility to enable you to keep your balance better as you run in wet conditions. Just 15 minutes of dynamic stretches, lunges, hip openers and leg swings should do the trick.

Lastly, bring a mobile phone for emergencies.

As long as you are prepared physically and mentally, running in the rain can actually be one of the most pleasurable experiences and it doesn’t cost a penny.