LA Marathon 2012: Rainy Weather Will Create Challenging Conditions for Athletes

With the possibility of mother nature pouring rain onto the course of the 2012 Los Angeles Marathon, the participating runners will have some difficult challenges ahead of them.

From the Los Angeles Times:

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Forecasts call for a 60% chance of showers early in the morning, when the race begins. Rain is expected to diminish as the day goes on.

"I would recommend dressing for wet weather," said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

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Not only is it going to rain, the temperature of the event won't be nice and sunny. Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s for a large part of the afternoon, which means the weather conditions won't be ideal for a marathon.

Some of the runners ready to take part in the event have offered their thoughts on how rain can affect the race.

Via SF Gate:

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"There is a big gap between the two weathers," Fatuma Sado, an Ethiopian competitor in the women's race, said through an interpreter. "When you run dry, the body is more flexible and relaxable. When you run rain, the body contracts, and something happens in the race."

That something is injuries, said Yeshimebet Tadesse of Ethiopia, a competitor in the women's race.

"There is a big difference between rainy time race and dry-time race," she said.

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Even though the Los Angeles course isn't as difficult as the other popular running routes, such as the Boston Marathon, rain will certainly slow down the runners and prevent them from attaining personal records.

Being wet and having your feet squeak in your water-filled shoes is just an uncomfortable feeling that distracts your mind off the task of winning and finishing with the best possible time.

It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the race, and how much worse the final times end up being from those who are able to finish the marathon.