Ken Bob running 26.2 miles in torrential downpour 1999 January 31 Pacific Shoreline Marathon
Doesn’t water soften the soles and cause more wear while running barefoot?
Some barefoot instructors are telling people never to run when their feet are wet. My friends in Seattle were very happy to hear that I disagree with this advice.
In fact, several of my fastest barefoot marathons (26.2 miles) have been in the rain.
I believe the problem may occur when beginners (or experts) start increasing their mileage and/or speed when it’s raining. The solution is to not run further in the rain, than you could or would on dry surfaces without excess abrasion. It really does boil down to a “technique” issue, since most abrasion can be eliminated (or at least reduced to a minimum) with improved (gentle) running technique.
In some cases some of us have noticed either increased sensitivity in or after rain on wet ground, or perhaps because the sharp edges have been cleaned of dust (which may have softened sharp edges somewhat) that they actually are more abrasive. Also, in cold rain we may lose sensitivity and not notice we are running abrasively which could result in excess wear. In all of these cases, however, good running technique should solve the problem (as long as you aren’t running any further than you are already prepared to run).
Hot Tubs
But DO delay jumping into a hot tub after running, especially if you’re already overheated, long enough (in the worst case, maybe 90 minutes) to cool down first. Otherwise you risk serious overheating.
On a hot day, you might want to (if available) jump (or wade) into cooler water before soaking in a hot tub.
