Sometimes it should rain on your parade.

If you're in the Annapolis area, then you know just as well as anyone that summer months bring outrageous amounts of humidity. And with that humidity comes unpredictable amounts of rain. Sometimes the air gets so heavy that it just starts leaking – at least, that's what it seems like. I'm sure there's some sort of meteorological explanation that makes some kind of weather-sense. But whatever it is, it means that some days in the summer you'll be trotting back from your daily run soaked through by a surprise rainstorm.

Or maybe it wasn't such a surprise. Maybe you were staring out the window, watching the sky get darker and darker, and decided to test fate.

Or maybe you were checking the weather, furiously trying to plan your next run so you'd get a little heat relief with Mother Nature's sprinklers. If you're like me, you like a good rain run. Puddle jumping is pretty fun, and once you're over the age of 5, it's not cute anymore. So slogging through a bunch of puddles for the sake of "exercise" gives you a good excuse to revisit your childhood without people thinking you're too crazy.

Or maybe you hate running in the rain. But I'm here to change your mind. Rain-running is actually pretty good for you, and here's why!

1. Stress relief.

There's something about water that just naturally eases anxiety. People love relaxing by the pool, vacationing at the beach, or falling asleep to the sounds of rushing water. There have been studies, and psychologists can offer up lots of explanations about how rain can actually help our mood. Pair that with the stress relief benefits of exercise and — Wowza! — are you chilled out. You'll finish your workout in a better state of mind, and you might even enjoy the process more.

2. Better performance.

Running heats you up; rain cools you down. It's math, people. Your body temperature stays a little bit more stable during a rain-run, so you might find your speed or ability to go the distance is better than you thought it was. Which leads me to reason #3 ...

3. Better calorie burn!

If you get chilly enough in that rain, your body has to work harder to stay warmer, which means you're burning more fat. And no one has ever said "no" to a little extra calorie burning at minimal exertion.

4. Learning to expect the unexpected.

More often than not, we're out running when it's not raining. That doesn't mean the weather is perfect while we're out training. It just means the adverse conditions are usually fairly minimal. But I think it's safe to say everyone has had that race where the skies have opened up, the wind has been ripping, or maybe the course is super muddy or slippier or frozen. The point being that we can't bet on the weather being awesome when it counts the most. So if you're always going out for your run when the sun is shining, the air is still, and the temperature is perfect, you're not preparing for those days when it inevitably won't be. Your body, your feet, and your brain need to learn how to react to bad weather. And the only way to do that is to lace up your shoes when the weather gets bad. (Note: stay inside when the weather is REALLY bad. All races are going to be canceled during hail storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. You don't need to train during those.)

5. You'll feel like a boss.

Tough Mudders are a thing for a reason. Getting dirty can feel like a very obvious and visible way to show off how tough you are. Sticking it out when the going gets tough is a quick and great way to feeling stronger. When you come back from your rain-run with water dripping off your hair, mud spattered across your shins, and wringing out your running shorts, you (along with anyone else who sees you) will know you went out and did something other people didn't. You went out and weathered the unideal. It can be a small accomplishment, but one that you can still feel good about.

The Run-Around is a weekly feature, focusing on fitness in and around Annapolis, MD.