Meredith's Training Diary: Running in Bad Weather

Welcome to Training Diaries, a new Lifehacker series about my journey to the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon. This series will cover all the ups, downs, and hill repeats on my journey to the biggest marathon in the world. Leading up to race day on Sunday, Nov. 5, I’ll go over proper fueling, injuries and setbacks, treadmill tips, wardrobe malfunctions, long run logic, and just generally reflect on what it takes to cross a marathon finish line. I’m guided by a mantra both corny and true: A marathon is actually hundreds of miles; race day just happens to be the last 26 or so.

Last week I found myself alone on the Williamsburg Bridge. The moment added to my hunch that, while many people think they’re the main character, only one of us can be right. (Me.) (If that wasn’t clear.) This mix of solitude and ego is hard to come by in New York, especially on one of the most popular running routes in the city. So, my hack for getting an entire bridge all to yourself? Head out in the pouring rain.

It takes mental fortitude to stick to your marathon training plan and get in a run when the weather sucks. I’ve trained for both spring and fall marathons, meaning I’ve trained in rain, snow, and worst of all, a heat wave. This year’s persistent heat and humidity has me relying on the treadmill way more.

When it comes to figuring out a run in less-than-ideal conditions, here’s my order of operations: (1) Tough it out in the weather, (2) resign yourself to the treadmill, or (3) skip (and reschedule) the run altogether. Of course, my mental calculus depends on how important the run is to my training, which pretty much translates to how long the run is. I’ll skip a three-mile recovery run if the humidity has the air outside feeling like a brick wall. But if I need to get in an 18-mile long run, then I steel myself to run up against that brick wall for a few hours.

That example comes from the mental gymnastics I was doing at six a.m. this past Sunday. What was non-negotiable: I needed to do a long run (anything over 13 miles), and I couldn’t change the humid weather. What was negotiable: My pace and distance. Some long run is better than no long run. However, accepting a slower pace meant sacrificing some distance. As a rule, staying out on your feet for more than three hours pushes you from “mental fortitude” to “diminishing returns.”

Understanding diminishing returns is the name of the game. To keep using my last long run as an example, I slashed my planned distance from 18 to 15-16 miles, slowed down to a conversational pace the entire time, allowed myself plenty of water and walking breaks, and got home in just under three hours.

A lot of evaluating whether or not a run is worth it comes with experience. I know that for me, I’ll gladly run eight miles in the rain, but I need to reschedule a four-miler due to heat. I mentally max out on the treadmill at anything over 10 miles. The risk of slipping on ice is never worth a post-snow run. If I sleep in past eight a.m., I’ve missed my shot at a long run that day, and need to make it work out the very next morning. And while cutting the distance on one long run by two to three miles means I can stick to the same training plan, missing that long run completely means I need to go in and adjust my training plan accordingly. Hopefully, it’s rare you need to cut your losses like that.

Tips for running when the weather sucks

Here are some tips for getting in a run in bad weather:

• Run indoors. If you have access to a treadmill or indoor track, this is the easiest option when it’s pouring rain or snowing heavily outside. Treadmills can get boring, so consider doing intervals or changing up the incline to keep it interesting.
• Layer up if running outside. Wear warm technical fabrics that wick away sweat and keep you dry. Otherwise, you risk unfathomable chafing. I recommend investing in an anti-chafe stick for this purpose (more on that in a future post). Add a waterproof jacket and hat if it’s raining. Thermal tights and socks help in cold weather. Visibility gear like reflective vests are a must in low light conditions.
• Alter your route. Look for routes with tree cover or buildings to block wind and rain. Run in well-lit areas if it’s dark out. Avoid trails if they are likely to be muddy or slippery.
• Adjust expectations and pace. Bad weather inevitably slows you down. Don’t worry about speed as much and just enjoy being outside. Shorten your distance if needed.
• Consider the treadmill at your gym. Many have TVs or streaming capability so you can distract yourself from the monotonous belt. Or run outside to the gym, warm up on the treadmill, then finish with an outside run.
• Make it social. Schedule to meet a friend for a run. Having someone else count on you can provide motivation to get out the door.
• Focus on crosstraining. Do a home workout like strength training or yoga on really bad weather days.
• Plan ahead! Rearrange your training schedule to get in long runs on good weather days.

The key is being flexible, watching the weather forecast, and having options so you can still fit in your running no matter the conditions. With the right preparation, you can adapt and avoid skipping workouts.

Oh, and to update from last week: For the 2023 NYC marathon I’m following the Hal Higdon intermediate 1 marathon training plan. I find it to be perfect for me, an experienced-but-slow runner who sticks to the middle-to-back of the pack.

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