When my alarm went off in the wee hours of the morn last Saturday, I heard the rumble of thunder and rain outside my window. I checked the Weather Channel app on my iPhone, saw that it was storming over the area my running group runs, promptly texted my running partner that I wasn’t running with them, and rolled over and went back to sleep.

When Duane and I woke up at a more reasonable time, he started to tease me about being scared to run in the rain.

It wasn’t the rain I was concerned with. At 4:00 in the  morning, I had to decide whether or not I was willing to risk an hour drive to the meeting place only to turn back around due to the weather. (OK, so a bit of my decision was that I wanted a bit more sleep, but it was mostly due to the weather.)

I suited up and headed out for my run (all 14 miles of it!). It was raining. And it rained. And it poured. And it rained some more. To say I got a little wet, would be an understatement. Everything I had on my body was necessary to make my run a good one.

And as I ran, I began to chuckle. Of all the different equipment I had with me that day, it was the least expensive thing I carried that saved the day.

Here’s a list of my foul-weather gear. (I’ve also included links in case you want to learn more about my favorite gear.)

1. LukesFit Singlet: Given to each participant in the LukesFit training program.
2. [amazon-product text=”ASICS Running Cap” type=”text”]B001Q5H8DU[/amazon-product]
3. [amazon-product text=”Under Armour Circuit Sunglasses” type=”text”]B00283SIEC[/amazon-product]
4. Marine Corps Marathon Finisher’s Jacket: I earned mine in 2007.
5. [amazon-product text=”FuelBelt” type=”text”]B002OLWX7Q[/amazon-product]: Filled with electrolyte fluid, this little device keeps me hydrated for hours on end.
6. [amazon-product text=”Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor” type=”text”]B0025UHKNS[/amazon-product]: Almost the greatest thing since sliced bread, my Forerunner tells me more than just how far and how long I’ve run.
7. [amazon-product text=”CW-X WomensTights” type=”text”]B001MS8BC8[/amazon-product]: These tights are specially designed to give my muscles extra support and enable me to run longer.
8. [amazon-product text=”ASICS Womens GEL-Kayano 15 Running Shoe” type=”text”]B0029LGJ3K[/amazon-product]: You’re shoes are pretty important and these keep my feet in top condition.
9. [amazon-product text=”Apple Nike + iPod” tracking_id=”conttesoluti-20″ type=”text”]B000JVFKH8[/amazon-product]: A fun little device that  integrates with my iPhone and lets Dana Kaster or Lance Armstrong cheer me on as I run.
10. [amazon-product text=”ASICS Kayano™ Quarter Socks” type=”text”]B0009PY7JG[/amazon-product]: Socks are a runner’s first line of defense.
11. [amazon-product text=”Ziploc Sandwich Bag” type=”text”]B002A1SE5U[/amazon-product]: Nestled inside this household staple was my iPhone (not  numbered in the photo since Duane was using it to take the photo). This little bag that cost me mere pennies protected my music and my phone without missing a beat!

It was a nice day of running. Even if folks looked at me as if I was crazy!

When have you found that an inexpensive household item saved the day? Tell us in the comments what it was an how you used it.