Running gear for rain - tech fabric

When running or walking for exercise, please wear gear made of technical fabric! Wick-away fabric or, as Nike calls it, Dri-Fit:

• Keeps you cool when it's hot and dry (and therefore warm) when it's cold
• Removes sweat from your skin, preventing rash
• Is gentle against your skin, so you won't get chafed nipples, underarms or thighs (should I have put that reason first?!)

Today, I'm appreciating how quickly wick-away gear dries. It has been raining for a week in the San Francisco Bay Area, which means I've been running in the rain. When wet, cotton is oppressive - either hot or cold, heavy and baggy. Tech fabric, on the other hand, often looks and feels pretty much the same wet as when it's dry. Yes, eventually, it will get soaked through but, as soon as you get under cover, it will start to dry. My shirt from today's run was almost completely dry by the time I got upstairs, set up the camera and took this photo. Just the dark patch below the collar was damp. Simply amazing.

My favorite brands for wick-away tops:
Nike
Road Runner Sports
Asics
Puma and Lululemon also make some nice tanks, but I haven't found shirts that work.

Temp: 49 degrees (~9C)
Wind: 10 mph
Humidity/Precip.: High/Steady rain
Terrain: Rolling hills
Distance: 3.75 miles

What I Wore: Road Runner Sport long sleeve t, Nike shorts and hat (with brim to keep rain off face), Amphipod LED arm band (running at dusk in the rain = hard to see).

Did It Work: No. Thanks to the headwind on the way home, my hands and behind my ears were really cold. Outbound was perfect, homebound was uncomfortable. Next time, a thin skull cap and I'll carry light gloves.

Windy, rainy, upper 30s

Temp: About 37, overcast
Wind: Gusts of 16 mph
Precip./Humidity: Raining/ high humidity
Terrain: Rolling to flat
Distance: Nearly 7 miles

What I Wore: Old running shoes; CW-X compression tights; Nike 3/4 zip dri-fit top; regular sports bra; light Pearl Izumi shell jacket; knit gloves; and a brimmed hat over a balaclava (new gear alert!)

Did It Work?: Mostly yes. I warmed up nicely by the first half mile and stayed comfortable until I stopped for water at the half-way point. As soon as I stopped, my wet clothes cooled off and within minutes I was chilled. My muscles tightened up but once I started running again, I was warm again within five minutes.  
This is VERY hard weather to dress for. It is warm enough that a wind- and water-proof shell might have been too much, but the wind and rain make it so you don't heat up completely. Despite wearing for a several light layers, a hat that kept water off my face and the balaclava, which covered my head (giving me a second layer at a key body-temp control point), ears and neck, I was barely warm during the last two, soggy miles.

Tip: If you have them, on wet days, wear old running shoes. Getting wet is hard on your shoes, so I choose to be rough on an older pair than my current favorites.

What the Balaclava?!: Today's weather sent me to the gear basket. I wanted to stay warm, but not as hot as I would have been in a knit hat (which also would have gotten really wet) and neck gaiter. Solution: the balaclava. It's like a thin, quick-drying hood that's been cut off of sweatshirt. It hugs the edges of your face, keeping out wind and water, but is light enough to fit under a hat or jacket collar. Plus, you can roll it up into a hat or down into a gaiter.
I don't know why it has such an odd name (it used to be known as a ski mask but I think those got a bad rap thanks to bank robbers), but it really is a great piece of cool-weather gear. Here's more about the balaclava: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaclava_%28clothing%29

What to Wear Runnin in 40 degrees & Rainy

Temp: 40, overcast
Wind: Little gusts
Precip./Humidity: Steady rain/moderately humid
Terrain: Flat
Distance: 3.5 miles

What I wore: Knit hat; Under Armour t-shirt (courtesy of the Baltimore Half Marathon); Nike dri-fit, heavy-weight running shirt and light-weight tights. I forgot my gloves!

Did it work: No. Learn from my mistake and look outside before deciding what to wear. Thanks to a delay in the weather report, I didn't know it was raining. Sounds silly, but I'm taking comfort from the fact that two runners on the trail told me they had done the same thing.

What should I have worn: 1) Gloves. 2) A brimmed cap to keep water out of my face and perhaps a headband or earmuffs to keep my ears warm. The knit cap got soggy. 3) A long-sleeve, mid-weight shirt with a rain-resistant shell over it.

Obvious but...: When running on a wet day, keep your feet as dry as possible by avoiding puddles. This seems like a given, but if you live in a friendly running community or run with a group, you might be too busy saying hello and chatting to keep an eye out for soakers.
Two years ago, I was caught running during a flash flood. It was pretty exhilarating but, needless to say, my shoes were drenched. If you're shoes do get very wet, do not put them in the dryer. This is a sure way to shorten their lifespan. Instead, fill each shoe with crumpled newspaper and place them near a heat source (the newspaper helps absorb water on the inside).