Basically, he's the way I look at it:

Situation 1 - you have rain gear that will keep you dry
* walking will likely keep rain from getting inside a hood and similar small gaps.

Situation 2 - You only have a poncho that will keep you mostly dry.
* the fastest you can go without getting more wet than walking...if you run your legs will likely move the poncho around enough to get you more wet than if you walked.

Situation 3 - No rain gear
* Absolutely run if the terrain isn't going to be too dangerous for it. You are going to get wet either way and at least if you run you'll be getting your body heat up and have more time to hang your clothes up to dry if/when you find shelter.

AND THE BIGGEST CONCERN IN MY OPINION - Is the weather going to be getting worse?
If yes, then book it because you might be able to get to shelter before it starts pouring.


Needless to say, I'll run in almost any situation that involves rain so long as I'm not going to twist an ankle. If I'm in a group I'll usually let them walk while I go up ahead and find shelter (or set up a tarp).

Pogo...

Until you slip :)

Rain doesn't worry me unless it effects my temperature or traction. Those would be my only concern. So I'm wet. I have shelter and can get dry when I want to. Or, I won't have shelter for a while, and wearing myself out in a hurry doesn't make much sense. I guess what the article lacks is, what's the point? Is the point to stay dry because being wet will effect temperature or traction? Great, let's discuss it. If it effects temperature but not traction, run. If it effects traction but not temperature, walk. If it effects both, you need to carefully asses your situation so that you don't die of exposure.

Otherwise, walk and point and laugh at the people running.

My wife didn't believe me until I convinced her to try it last weekend. Walking, for the same distance, will get you less wet than running will. I can't prove it with a formula but my actual experience proves it out. It may be because if you run the water is more likely to penetrate and saturate your clothing, or you might be running into more raindrops when you run, I don't know.

"Situation 3 - No rain gear
* Absolutely run if the terrain isn't going to be too dangerous for it. You are going to get wet either way and at least if you run you'll be getting your body heat up and have more time to hang your clothes up to dry if/when you find shelter."

This one! at least the time i got caught in a downpour this summer in VT. knew the shelter was 1.5mi away, insane downpour, trail was a 4-6" deep river. Ran like hell. no sense stopping to get out the rain gear. got to the shelter, changed into dry stuff and put rain gear over that while my main clothes dried out on the line.

"...you should run naked thru the rain. Then everyone will think you are crazy, and lock you up. There you will be dry for a long time."

...classic. Very funny.