When competing in wet weather, runners need to prepare appropriate shoes to protect their feet from injury and confidently stride to the finish line.
Prioritize quick-draining upper materials
The first factor in choosing rain running shoes is the material of the shoe's upper. During a race, rainwater or puddles on the road will quickly soak the shoes, increasing their weight and reducing the runner's cadence.
To overcome this, runners should prioritize shoe models that use mono-mesh or thin, lightweight engineered mesh materials with high-density perforations. This structure is characterized by excellent water drainage, helping shoes dry quickly and maintain a light weight when running in the rain. Runners should also avoid shoes with overly thick padding, which can become waterlogged and limit the shoe's drainage capability.
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A male runner strides in the rain with Nike Vaporfly 3 shoes at VnExpress Marathon All-Star 2026. Photo: VnExpress Marathon |
Choose shoes with good outsole grip
Wet road surfaces significantly reduce the friction between the shoe and the ground. This condition makes runners prone to slipping or facing the risk of ankle sprains if they need to accelerate or change direction suddenly.
An ideal shoe for wet surfaces needs a premium abrasion-resistant rubber outsole, with a surface covered in deep grooves or specialized small lugs to increase the shoe's friction. Dedicated racing shoes like the Nike Vaporfly 3 use a thin, waffle-patterned rubber sole, which improves grip compared to previous generations. According to tests by RunRepeat, the shoe achieved a wet grip score of 0,51, equivalent to the average for running shoes, which is sufficient for typical rain.
Another option for runners is the Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, which uses ASICSGRIP rubber and a sole with longitudinal and transverse grooves to enhance friction. According to Believe in the Run, this technology increases runner safety during sharp turns or runs in the rain.
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Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo shoes offer good grip. Photo: Believe in the Run |
Increase shoe size
Continuous long-distance activity rapidly increases blood flow to the two lower limbs, causing feet to swell more than usual after just a few kilometers. If wearing snug-fitting shoes, accumulated rainwater combined with swollen feet can cause toes to repeatedly hit the front of the shoe, leading to bruising or blackened toenails.
Therefore, runners should not wear shoes that fit snugly but instead choose a size 0,5 larger than their actual foot size. Selecting a larger size creates a safe space at the toe box, helping to protect toenails from compression or injury while maintaining pace towards the finish line.
Choosing the right type of shoes will help runners adapt better when competing in the rain during the latter part of the year. For instance, the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2026 has been rescheduled to 13/9, instead of June as in previous years.
According to data from Climate-Data.org, the average rainfall for September in Quy Nhon is forecast to reach 233 mm, potentially leading to standing water on the racecourse. This means runners will face wet racing conditions and the risk of unexpected downpours—a characteristic of September weather in the region.
This year, the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2026 has temporarily suspended the 42 km distance to focus operational, medical, and hydration resources on the three distances: 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km. Currently, registration is open for the Regular phase, and interested runners can register here.
Duc Anh
