Running vs. Real Life

This is the first installment of "things you do while marathon training that you would never do in real life."  Item #1 is:

Running in the Rain.

In real life, when you wake up to the pitter patter of rain drops on the window, you don't pop out of bed and throw on the running shoes. No, in real life, you pull the covers up tighter, roll over, and go right back to sleep. Who willingly runs in the rain!?!  Let me tell you who: people training for a marathon. In real life, you don't HAVE to get up and go running. In real life, it can wait until tomorrow or until the weather clears or just until you feel like it. But when you're in training, those miles HAVE to get run and it doesn't matter what conditions they are run in. The whole point of training is to prepare yourself to succeed in the big race. And, unfortunately, we don't get to choose the conditions of our big race. We run in the rain because sometimes we just HAVE to. We run in the rain because the rain can't stop us. We run in the rain because we are determined.  We are hard core and even a little bad ass, so we run. 

So this morning in the dark and as the rain fell, I ran those miles. I have to say, there is something about running in the rain that makes you feel a little tougher than a regular run. There is this point when you can tell if it's sweat running down your head or rain water. That is, until it runs into your eyes and the burning instantly makes you realize it's definitely sweat!  But on you run. 

Here's the deal. When you run before the crack of dawn (I mean that literally. Dawn hadn't even thought of cracking when I started this morning), selfies don't turn out so hot. You'll just have to take my word for it. It was wet out. 

Since my running shot didn't turn out, ladies, I will leave you with this running in the rain shot. You're welcome.