Running in the rain...

"Rain, rain, go away.... come again another day...."

When my alarm rang at 5:45 AM on Saturday morning I looked out the window and said to myself, "No way! I'm not running in this!" It has been a few weeks since we had had rain in Chicago and it was making up for lost time. It was pouring.... just a constant stream of water flooding the outside. Wow. I'm a big wimp, but after a little encouragement from Jake, I found myself lacing up my running shoes and heading out the door with my rain coat.

"If you are crazy enough to run a marathon.... you are crazy enough to run a marathon in the rain!" ~Quote by Jack Nowicki (my TNT coach)

I met the Team at Waterfall Glen in Darien for our 8-mile run. Before each run we sign-in, listen to announcements, and have a mission moment for motivation. For some reason this particular Saturday seemed like we waited forever just to begin the run. By the time I started set foot on the path I was already drenched from head to toe.

I began running by myself and after a few miles the West Team coach, Mark ran alongside with me. We chatted as we were running through the fields of the forest preserve among the constant rain drops. At the half-way point, I met two other TNT participants - Stephanie and Kate, both girls were also from the West Team. For the remainder of the run I had the company of my two new friends. The rain was actually quite refreshing on my hot skin. We ran 8 miles in 90 minutes (roughly an 11-minute pace) - awesome!

I ignored my "bad-ittude" (as Art would say) and ran anyway - out on the running path you have your good days and your bad days, just like anything else. This day was not a bad day at all, in fact it the pouring rain made it fun! If the marathon does happen to have rainy weather - I know I'll be ready for it!