The best and worst running conditions, 2022 Edition (Updated)

Previously:

The best and worst running conditions, 2022 edition (November 7, 2022)

The best worst running conditions: 2016 edition (April 27, 2016)

Bad weather running: the list (updated) (July 10, 2012)

Bad running weather: the list (July 13, 2011)

Yes, I’m updating this list mere weeks later because I finally ran in a new weather condition: fog. Let’s see where it ranks!

Reminder: This list is ranked from best to worst conditions. Really, only the top three are what I’d consider ideal for running.

1. Overcast and light breeze. This is actually ideal conditions. It is usually never too cold or warm when the weather is like this. Temperature-wise, we’re looking at around 15C.
2. Moderate wind. Moderate wind is fine. I have a cap that stays in place now.
3. Warm sun. Warm is no big thing. I’m talking about 20ºC or thereabouts.
4. Light rain. You might think light rain would be nice, but it really isn’t. You still get soaked, and in the summer there’s no real way to dress for it. And it still feels cold(ish), even in mid-July.
5. Snow. I’ve only run in light snow a few times, and it was fun. Light snow is shallow and fluffy, so it’s easy to move through. I’m thinking a foot of snow would probably be less so.
6. Cold rain. Cold rain means cold hands and if you wear gloves they need to be waterproof. Cold rain is never fun. WARNING: Click the footnote for nipple content ¹Plus my nipples are weirdly sensitive to the cold now and cold rain is like torturing them. Poor little nipples. UPDATE FOR 2022: It turns out the nipples are more sensitive to moisture more than the cold, as The Nipple Issue™ returned in Summer 2022..
7. Hard rain. This has the potential to wreak havoc with any non-waterproof items you may be carrying, and it’s hard to see if you wear glasses. I wear glasses.
8. Extreme cold. I’ve run in sub-freezing conditions and been fine. I’m thinking Arctic tundra-type cold here.
9. Heavy wind. The resistance means you work a lot harder to achieve the same result, and my cap has to be on tight enough to cut off circulation, so it doesn’t fly away. This is pretty rare where I run, though. And I don’t run during actual windstorms due to the very real danger of flying (tree) debris.
10. Hot sun. When it’s hot, my body feels like a furnace, and I’m left parched as all get-out. Dry mouth and lips are yucky. By hot, I mean high 20s and up. While it still gets hot in the summer, a new contender has arrived to usurp it. Keep reading!
11. Fog. *NEW* Running in fog is fun in terms of the spooky and quiet atmosphere it produces. Unfortunately, it also means the fog itself–a low-hanging mist–adheres to my glasses, making it seem about five times foggier than it is and, thus, much harder to see where I’m going. This is not particularly good when running.
12. Hard rain and heavy wind. Likeliest weather to make me wonder to myself, ‘What was I thinking?’ when running.
13. Hot sun and heavy wind. Or “What would it be like to do a run on a windy day in the Sahara?” Heat dries you out, the wind makes it harder to run and dries you out even more. Bleah. This combination is, however, pretty rare.
14. Hail. Getting pelted by little ice rocks is unpleasant. I’ve been caught in hail twice and did not like it either time. Still, twice since 2009 is not bad.
15. Cyclists. I have grown to loathe anyone on a bicycle, especially since the area where I run most frequently–Burnaby Lake–forbids bicycles, but cyclists show up anyway, sometimes in packs. They tend to be either little kids who will wobble suddenly and unpredictably in front of you, or jerks who power through as fast as they can pedal, oblivious to the presence or safety of others.
16. Dogs. See here. I’ve had a dog knock me down while running. The weather has never done this.
17. Tree roots. See here. I’ve only tripped and fallen over a tree root while jogging at full speed once, but once was enough. Fortunately, the resurfacing of the trails at Burnaby Lake means almost all exposed roots are now gone.
18. Hot sun/heat and high humidity. *NEW* This is my other new entry for 2022. See how Hot sun is way up there at #10? The heat/high humidity combo is so much lower because IT IS TERRIBLE. While I don’t suffer from a parched mouth in this weather, the combo of 30C+ weather and extremely high humidity in the summer of 2022 made running a horrible slog, no matter what the time of day. It was only just less horrible, depending. And it happened for nearly the entire summer, earning its hallowed spot here.