Running......

Over the summer months and into the autumn, I have been running.  I did have myself pegged as a fair weather runner and fancied the idea of indoor exercise over the winter months.  It came as a complete surprise to discover that I actually like running on crisp winter days and even don't mind the rain....who knew!  This did though throw up a problem....what to wear!  My summer leggings were leaving me a little pink around the calves and I was forced to borrow my daughters jacket on several occasions.  My other raincoat is too long and restricts my movement, so I needed something a little more fitted.  I love Courteney's raincoat and the way it is longer in the back than the front or duck tailed as my kids would describe it.  A permanent solution needed to be found.  I started to draft myself a pattern based on Courteney's jacket when I had a stroke of genius.  My Jalie jacket pattern would be perfect with some modification.

I cut out my usual sweatshirt size in some Goretex from my stash, but added 3cm to each side panel and the arms for some movement and lengthened the entire jacket which mean't no need for a bottom band.  I also removed all of the panels in the back and the sleeves which reduced the risk of water soaking through at the seams.  I then lengthened the sleeves so I could put in an elastic casing.

While I am running, I like to listen to my Ipod so, I put a button hole in one of the pockets so I could thread my headphones through.

To make sure my Ipod and house keys actually stay in my pocket, I added zips beneath the pocket placket which proved to be quite a simple procedure and was worth the little bit of extra effort for the security it provides.

To stop the rain soaking through my zip, I added a zip placket down the entire length of the jacket once my jacket was complete.  A snap at each end of the placket ensures it stays closed, even on the most blustery of days.  The finishing touch involved spraying all of the seams with some silicone spray to avoid watering wicking through the seams.  I then tested the waterproofing by running in a torrential downpour for the best part of an hour.  There was some minor dampness on the inside of the jacket at the end but my underclothes were completely dry.....score!

It happens that this jacket performs equally as well as a wind breaker for a bit of recreational weekend cycling.

For the record, this is the 12th version of this jacket that this pattern has been used for.  You really can't get better value for money than that.