Riding in the rain has never been so rewarding to bicycle commuters in Seattle.

Cyclists will get the chance to participate in the fifth annual Ride in the Rain, a four-week event in which students, staff and faculty members are encouraged to commute on their bicycles for trophies.

“Commuter Services holds Ride in the Rain to do something fun for our dedicated cyclists and to introduce new riders to the joys of bicycling,” said Celeste Gilman, the transportation systems manager for the UW Motor Pool.

The event has 1,093 participants registered, 250 more than last year. More than 1,000 of those participants are in one of 124 registered teams.

Registered teams and individuals keep track of the number of one-way trips and miles ridden, as well as what sort of weather they experienced on their commutes.

At the end of the event, each participant who logged at least 20 one-way trips will be invited to a celebration luncheon and award ceremony April 17 in Red Square.

Gilman emphasized the health benefits of participating in the event, including how cycling can brighten a person’s day by getting his or her blood flowing.

“You notice a lot more. You get to experience not just the sights but the sounds, the smells of the flowers, and birds singing; it can also be more social running into neighbors and people you know, if you take a moment to talk to them,” she said.

In the first four years, the challenge was held in January, said Elena Fox, head of communications and marketing for the UW Motor Pool and a participant in this year’s event.

“We moved it to March this year for safety reasons; last year’s ice and snow, coupled with the very short hours of daylight in January, made riding conditions downright hazardous,” she said.

Gilman recommends having a rain jacket rain pants, and waterproof shoe covers when riding in the rain.

Participants in the event have varied commutes, ranging from riding just a few blocks to and from campus to riding considerable distances. Some cycle to save money, some cycle for exercise, and some cycle simply because they enjoy cycling.

“Some people ride more than 20 miles to commute to the UW campus and their bicycling gear is finely tuned from the top of their helmet to the tip of their toes; others may ride just a few blocks and need nothing more than a helmet, a bike and some lights,” Gilman said.

Gina Neff, an assistant professor of communication, is captain of an eight-person faculty and graduate student team called “The Commute-icators.” She bikes a 3.7-mile commute frequently, rain or shine.

“It’s nice to know when you’re being rained on that other people are sharing in your misery,” she said.

Ride in the Rain began March 2 and concludes March 29.

Additional reporting by Chantal Anderson.

[Reach reporter Anthony Michael Erickson at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]