Weather has lately been a factor in almost all of either my training events or practices. I went to the NRA TPC (Tactical Police Competition) in Shreveport, LA this spring, and the weather was horrible, with rain all day and temps in the low 50’s. When I was at Midwest Tactical for the 3-gun instructor course, it rained for three of the four days. The last two outdoor practices I did, the wind was blowing about 25 mph with gusts to 30-40 mph, and at the All Steel Rifle match (200 yards) I shot last month, the wind was a factor also, with wind speeds in the same range.

One of the guys in the 3-gun class, an old school SWAT cop, threw out an oft repeated old cliché “If it ain’t raining, you ain’t training” which is just as valid now as it was when it was first said, probably by a Roman Legionaire in 50 A.D.

I find that the harder I train, in the crappiest weather I can stand, preferably while maneuvering in the mud, with large rocks underfoot, and a boot with a leak, I become a better operator. I realize that trying circumstances create fortitude, resilience, and strength of character. Along with these mental traits, come the physical aspects of balance, weapons manipulation in adverse situations, and pushing myself to perfect shooting in less than nominal conditions.

“The single minded convergence of training, experience, and will”