It is raining again here in Good Hope, Georgia. The plants are loving it. For humans seeking outdoor fun the rain isn’t as welcome. On the bright side it wasn’t a hard rain when I went for a run then practiced archery.
If you are an athlete who competes you know that sooner or later you’ll be playing in the rain. It is easy to postpone outdoor training when it is raining. Unless the rain is simply unbearable I don’t let it stop me. This morning was one of those where I headed out and got wet.
Over the years I’ve raced bicycles, run races, done triathlons and shot in the rain. During the Tokyo Marathon a few years back it was both cold and pouring rain. It was miserable. But, there I was in Japan and there was no turning back.
In 2017 at the ASA in Augusta it rained, I shot poorly. The second day of the tournament the weather was fine and I shot great. After that decided to not let rain keep me away from archery practice.
If you can manage it, it is a good idea to practice under adverse conditions. You can’t control the weather, but you can learn how to deal with it. Raining falling on your bow while you’re trying to shoot can affect how you perform. Having experience in rain before a competition can help you understand the feel of your equipment when it’s wet and give you confidence knowing you’ve practiced this and are prepared.
