Yesterday I walked with a light rain coat because it rained a few times during the day. This morning it has been raining heavily for hours. I stepped outside to get 4 season tyres from the post box for the bike and my back was quite wet after a few minutes.
Such rain might feel limiting if it fell several times a week, but it doesn’t. It usually falls heavily for a few hours, and then it stops for a few days, before coming back.
Some people will see that it’s running, and that they are still recovering and think “I’m not running in that. I did and my “short run” project was changed to a full run. I had planned to run two to three kilometres but ran five instead. The Apple watch wasn’t happy, not with the running, but with the rain. It got a false tap and paused itself for 300 or more meters.
Today it’s raining, which may imply that I will not go out for a walk, or a run, and definitely not a bike ride. It also implies that I am wearing the Apple watch for no reason today. My step count will be low, as will my calories burned count, and finally my exercise minutes. On a day like today I could keep it off, for peace of mind. I really wish Apple Fitness behaved like Strava, rather than a silo.
Yesterday I went for a 50km bike ride that took two hours. During the first half the weather was good, and it felt warm. I cycled down to Nyon and towards Prangins, before cycling back towards Nyon before heading to Duiller and from there up towards Genolier, but not the direct route because of roadworks. I went up via a smaller town. When I got to Genolier I then went down the hill before heading back up to the road that takes you via the top of Trelex before cycling to Gingins and up via the golf of Bonmont before riding to La Rippe and up via the upper route that takes you to Divonne via the upper route.
For five years it was sunny almost every day in Switzerland. It was sunny so often that the water tables declined and village fountains dried up, as did fields. Clouds of dust could be seen rising when tractors worked the fields. It’s because of this excellent weather, for years in a row, that I stopped looking at weather apps.
Now, weather is interesting again. Two or three weeks ago Geneva flooded.
Yesterday it rained so consistantly that I didn’t leave the house. I stayed indoors the entire day. I wanted to go out but because of the never-ending rain I never set foot outside.
I considered going for a run but by the time I had digested I considered that the rain would be soaking. I don’t like not going out.
I could have gone for a meetup event on Saturday and enjoyed snow, crampons, plenty of climbing and descending, while hiking.
Rain was forecast today. If rain had not been forecast then I would have driven to Ins, near the Lake of Murten near Neuchatel to go around the lake at a slow up. I didn’t go, not because rain was forecast, but because rain was expected although not quantified. I like to drive and do things, sometimes, but if I drive so far, especially to do something in relative solitude I would prefer to do it when the weather is good, rather than rainy.
Walking is an easy activity. You put your shoes on, and you go for a walk. Sometimes you walk from home. Other times you walk from a car park. Sometimes you walk along rivers that are full, and others you walk along streams that are almost dry.
A few years ago I did the same Via Ferrata by a waterfall two or three times within a few weeks because I liked it so much.
When some people see that it’s grey or rainy they don’t want to go for a walk. They don’t want to get rained on and they don’t want to experience the discomfort of being in a wet environment. I don’t mind the rain. I don’t mind wearing a rain coat and rain trousers, and waterproof shoes, and ensuring that I don’t need to fiddle with the phone when my hands are wet with rain.
I knew that it would rain heavy yesterday (at the time when you read this) so I considered running so that I would spend less time in the weather. The issue, at this time of year, is that if you run you need to do so before the sun sets but you also want to wear lighter clothes, for running to be easier.
Ready for Rain For these reasons I went for a walk instead.