Damp Shoes!

[ancientrunner]

Now I know why some of you have more than one pair of shoes. After a complete drenching on Tuesday, put my shoes on this morning to find they were still wet. Momentarily thought what a great excuse not to go back to bed but off I went and glad I did.

[AvatheGardener Graduate]

Well done! You don't say but I really hope your feet didn't suffer. Will you be getting another pair now?

Some trail shoes are more robust in terms of being able to keep a certain amount of water out...

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to AvatheGardener]

No ill effects, thanks. Am due some new shoes so will keep the old ones as spares

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

I've told you before!! - don't run in the rain!!! I don't!!

[dagshar Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

I am afraid that in the UK (assuming it was in the UK) it is nearly impossible to avoid getting wet occasionally never mind how much we try...

[mcgurranhouse Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Northern Ireland Bazza - if you want to run youare going to run in the rain or not run at all!

[Mummytotwo Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Oh Bazza! There is no greater joy than running in the rain!

[heyjude77 in reply to Bazza1234]

I realised I'd become a runner when I went for my first run in the rain. As a fellow runner said, it's much more sensible than running in the sunshine

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to heyjude77]

So true!!

[dagshar Graduate]

That is commitment and dedication - well done. Time for another pair maybe especially with the autumn seemingly upon us now?

[Thomson3 in reply to dagshar]

It's actually quite nice running in the rain 😀

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to dagshar]

Yes I am due some new ones. Have a 10k weekend after this and if I get to the end new shoes are going to be my reward to myself.

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

I read somewhere that rolled up newspaper in the shoe works well, guess in the UK, radiators will soon be going on as there isn't a lot of sunshine to dry our shoes. Generally, shoes don't seem very waterproof,maven my "trail" shoes have breathable mesh on the top so long grass would be a bit damp. Never mind, it will be fun sloshing through the mud in the winter and I have found a few all weather tracks I can use even in bad weather, so there is no excuse for me!! Julie

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to JoolieB1]

Good tip. Mine have the mesh on top and often get a bit damp and muddy at Parkrun but I have never been so wet with clothes on. Those all weather tracks will be great, my favourite path is already a bit of a mud bath.

[JoolieB1 Graduate in reply to ancientrunner]

No one to tell us off for getting muddy n wet, we are allowed to do what we want LOL!

[sprynn Graduate]

Well done! I love running in the rain personally and it's only a question of getting past the horrible task of putting the shoes on. Or maybe an excuse to get a second pair????

[JoolieB1 Graduate in reply to sprynn]

No need for an excuse! I have bought running shoes for the Tarmac and some trail running shoes for the grass and mud! Never been into shoes but now, I could have even more than I need!

[Haybop86]

I stay thankful for those weekly free newspapers that come through my letterbox - they get stuffed in trainers and boxing gloves to help with the drying out ;D

[gary_bart]

You do realise you've been so infected with this running thing that you autocorrected yourself so as not to say "excuse to go back to bed" (which the old you may have attempted to say), and, instead, "excuse NOT to go back to bed". Oh dear oh dear, you need help. Next thing you'll be doing marathons, and running across the Gobi desert if you go on like that.

Oh. I suppose it's wrong of me to say this, but well done, getting out there when the start was against you.

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

Funny what running does to you!!

Actually I have been to the Gobi desert - luckily before my running days I think!!!

[gary_bart in reply to ancientrunner]

Definitely don't risk going there now. Not unless they have a good leash on you.

[Hidden]

On Tuesday I went out just as that heavy downpour was finishing. I had dry shoes on, but what looked like a damp walkway outside my flat was actually a flooded walkway as the drains had all backed up and the water poured straight into the ventilation mesh on the sides of my shoes, soaking my feet. I was still at my front door. Did I go back in and dry my shoes out and delay the run to the next day? (Also have only one pair). No, I convinced myself the action of running would sort of bellow drying air through the vents to dry them out as I ran along. And it kind of worked, I didn't suffer, and my shoes did kind of dry out by the time I got back home. But will def try to keep that drain clear from now on

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Good on you. A bit of wet through the mesh can sometimes be cooling but there are limits. It was the cars splashing through puddles that really got me - had to keep diving into people's front gardens as I saw them coming. Apart from that it was a really good run.

[Hidden in reply to ancientrunner]

That's annoying. I did a puddle-dodging run last week and it really messed up my pace. Surely the least we can expect is to be allowed to run in a relatively straight line!

[Mummytotwo Graduate]

Stuff with newpaper, works a treat!

[Rignold]

Shoes that are 'waterproof' are to be avoided as waterproofing works both ways - if you are trail running you are almost certainly going to get water in your shoes at ome point and then the water won't be able to get out. Most of my trail shoes are fast draining.

don't put them too close to a radiator or you risk damaging the fabrics. My trick is I bought ac ouple of kilos of silica gel - like the stuff you get in tiny packets i electrical goods etc. I put this in colth bags and stick it in wet shoes overnight. The gel abosrbs al the moisture so you have dry shoes then you put the saturated gel in a warm place, such as by the radiator and the moistrure evaporates away again.

[Hidden in reply to Rignold]

Cat litter works in much the same way. Since I put cat litter in my wardrobe previous damp problems completely disappeared (a tip from a friend who lives on a boat, they have serious damp issues). You've reminded me of this with your silica gel advice. I think I might make some shoe shaped cat litter pouches for my shoes now

[Rignold in reply to Hidden]

As long as you don't have cats (!)

[Hidden in reply to Rignold]

Yep I don't have cats! Also once it's sewn into pouches no one needs to know it's cat litter!

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Good advice - thanks. If I get round 10k next weekend am also going to get a second pair of shoes as a reward.

[rmnsuk Graduate in reply to ancientrunner]

unfortunately I don't need to do a 10k to reward myself with new shoes But now I have a good excuse

The silica gel/cat litter advice sounds good. I'm gonna look into that. I'm still trying to dry my trail shoes out after a run last weekend.

[StuHolmes]

Before stuffing with newspaper (or silica gel), remove the insoles and put them somewhere warm to dry separately.

[ancientrunner Graduate in reply to StuHolmes]

Thank you - I should have thought about it at the time but I just needed to get out of the wet clothes!

[Jonny1 Graduate]

I love running in the rain but I wear glasses and it's a nightmare trying to see where I'm going. Somebody needs to invent some wipers for glasses😂