Look at the title of this article. Sratch the world singing. Replace it with walking. Great.

Ladies and gentlemen. I have an annoucement to make. You are not the Wicked Witch of the West; you are not going to melt if rain falls on your head. In fact, your body is often more drip-dry than an umbrella.

Rain should not keep you from walking if you are prepared. True, walking becomes a little more expensive when it’s raining out because of the equipment, but overall, you’ll thank yourself for staying in condition even though it is raining.

If you don’t want to purchase the waterproof pants and jacket just yet, an umbrella is actually going to do a great job at keeping you dry. If you are walking with others, make sure that everyone has their own source of protection or that nobody has it. Sharing umbrellas is difficult, and it will slow down your walking pace. Also, I would advise investing in an umbrella that isn’t going to flip inside out on the first sign of wind. Overall, umbrellas aren’t a great first line of defense against rain; however, dog attacks on the other hand…

Walking in wet shoes is never fun, nor is it good for your feet. Blisters can form easily, and you can end up sloshing around in your shoes. Gore-tex lined boots and shoes are available in most brands of boots. They will cost you a little bit extra, around $30 more, but they will last years, and they will get you through those stormy conditions while keeping you dry.

There are some other options out there, too. One would be to use a spray or some sort of sealer/treater to waterproof your shoes. From my experience, this has worked reasonably well, but it is not a 100% waterproof solution. You can also buy overshoes and put that waterproof layer over your normal walking shoes. This option, however, is not ideal if you are actually planning on walking at a good tempo. Cheaper than buying an overshoe, another idea is to use household items like plastic bags and duct tape that over your shoes.

As for your clothing, look into waterproof socks, jackets, pants, gloves, and hats. Cotton is no good, as you really want a water wicking material.

So, the next time it rains, I don’t want to hear that that’s your excuse for not going out on a walk!