"Man Conquers Nature!" "Man Conquers Mt Everest!" "Man Conquers Space!"
Really? I don't think so, and that kind of arrogant claim bugs me to hear. Mt Everest is just fine thanks, and will be for the next thousands of years as it has been in the past, even with the growing truckloads of junk left behind with each new expedition. Some guy climbed it with a team of local guides/packmules and big-buck sponsors maybe, and that's a mighty big deal for sure, but no conquering over Nature happened. "Man Conquers Giant Bowl of Corn Flakes!" You bet. Conquering yourself is the greater victory, but that discussion is beyond the scope of this blog and my brain. But- conquering some self-imposed limitation is pretty cool, and I'm happy to write about that.
I lived up in Wisconsin, way up dere ya hey, for 25 years and ran pretty steady most of those years. Hot and humid in the Summer and butt-clenching cold in the Winter, milder in Spring and Fall and beautiful throughout the seasons, each in its own way. None of it really kept me off the roads, same as down here in Indiana. Cold and snow- no problem. Hot and sticky humid- bring it. Windy and rainy- la la la la la. Wind, ice and heat slow the pace but don't prevent the run. But one thing that nearly always has- cold rain. Ugh. A nice Summer or Spring shower is refreshing and makes for a great run and even a downpour can be fun in a way, but take away any warmth and I get miserable fast. I have stayed in many times rather than go out in the cold rain, and hated it when I did. Little tiny indoor tracks make me nutty very quickly. I don't mind using a treadmill and have had many very effective and enjoyable workouts on them, but I will always prefer to be outside for a run. Cold or rain is not a problem. Cold and rain and I'm the one conquered.
Until this Winter that is. It's been an exceptionally mild Winter so far here in the Midwest, and the running has been great. There have hardly been any days where it just wasn't possible to get out, including on the trails, which sometimes I've had to avoid when the snow gets too deep and run on the plowed roads instead. So I guess I got spoiled and didn't want to stop when the cold rains did come, and out I went anyhow. And it wasn't awful. Not even very bad. In fact, I enjoyed it. Hey- this ain't so bad after all!
Few things fuel enjoyable momentum like enthusiasm, and this new discovery was getting fun. Even better than when I realized at 47 that actually, I do like olives after all. I set out to find a good running rain jacket since the one I had was far from waterproof. A pricey lot they are too, ranging up to $300 and beyond if you're willing. I'm not. I settled for an Asics Storm Shelter jacket, which is rain and wind proof and more to my budget at $100, still a pretty good chunk of dough. It's not wispy light like a windbreaker, but it's not heavy at all either and provides moderate warmth along with protection from the nasty elements.
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| Ta Da! |
It has most of the features I want- some reflective detail, (Hey running apparel manufacturers- MORE REFLECTIVITY!!) zippered front pockets, not-too-tight collar and a comfortable unrestricted fit. After several rainy runs I can say it is in fact rainproof too, so- bada bing! There are zippered vents under each arm you can use as you like, and the material has some way (magic?) to vent heat out also, so it stays comfortable. I've had this jacket out in temps ranging from mid 30's to mid 40's and it has been well suited in that range with just a SS tech T underneath. In all this is a nice treat and I'm very happy with it, though it is the limit of my experience with rain gear. I got the red one because I enjoy wearing color and it can't hurt being seen better by drivers too. It's neat also that just having the protection from the jacket is enough to keep me warm and enjoying the run without rainproof pants or hat also, so I'm all set.
So, all conquering aside, I can now happily add cold rainy days to my running schedule, and that's a good thing.
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