They say running in the rain is a good way to keep cool.
It is also apparently a good way to miss a new world record marathon time.
In today's Dubai marathon Haile Gebrselassie won easily, but just missed out on setting a new world record because of the rain.
He finished his world record attempt in a time of two hours five minutes and 29 seconds, 90 seconds and just outside the mark he set in Berlin last year.
According to CNN:
"The 35-year-old two-time Olympic 10,000 meters champion has set 26 world bets during his phenomenal career but conditions made a 27th impossible.
"It's not just the rain from the sky, it's the water on the asphalt," Gebrselassie told Press Association.
"I knew after halfway when we turned back, and felt the wind, and saw the rainclouds, it was gone."
Dubai organizers had offered a $1 million bonus for a world record but he still picked up $250,000.
Gebrselassie, who skipped the Bejing Olympics due to pollution fears, will next run the marathon distance as he returns to Berlin next September.
He told reporters that he would not be competing at the world athletics championships in the German capital the month before."