The Simple Joy of Running in the Rain (Waterfalls Ahead)

“Rainy days are for long trail runs,” I tell my coworkers. Most of them give me funny looks. “No really, running in the rain is freaking awesome!,” I say. They roll their eyes and ignore me. They don’t understand. Why, after all would you go out and get all wet and cold?

I love running in the rain. The rain on my face, the wind, the low clouds, the rivulets of water flowing down the trail, the empty trails. It’s one of those things that makes you feel truly alive.

Water Dog/Trail Dog

Then there is Daisy- aka trail dog, water dog, springer spaniel. Add water to a spaniel and she gets super spunky. Her joy at just being out for a run is infectious. Stop for more than a few seconds, and she starts rolling in the grass and growling. Stop for too long, and she will bark in your face till you either either start moving again or give her a dog biscuit.

This was a recent run on the lower slopes of Mt. Tamalpais, during our exceptionally dry California Winter of 2012. When the skies finally opened up in mid-March, the ferns and spring greenery came alive. Seasonal waterfalls were around every other corner.