Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
In Depth Product Reviews
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
2
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
3
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
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My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
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The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2023 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Funniest running moment…hmmmmm. I did see a woman that had to squat next to the porta potty – couldn’t wait in line. Funny for me, not for her
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Not really a training run, but the seat post on my mtn bike broke off after landing a hard jump with about a mile left on the course. Needless to say I took it nice and slow that last mile avoiding as many obstacles as I could.
First ever pool workout. Dove in to a crowded lane, lost my goggles, limped to the far end and got out in shame. Never saw the pool again–Tri result…DFLed the swim, but didn’t lose my googles thus the training paid off.
Hi.
(Not training, but falling before the official start line of my first (and only) century. Lots of witnesses, and a loud “oooh” from the “crowd.”)
Scariest equals funniest. I decided to run a little too close to dusk one day after work. On my way back I unexpectedly became blinded by oncoming traffic headlights, I decided to trust that I knew where the sidewalk was (because I’m a genius). The sidewalk zigged, I didn’t. I very nearly ran behind a guardrail into a stream that ran under the road. Fortunately my catlike reflexes saved my life, unfortunately my catlike IQ kept me from slowing down or stopping once I realized I was blinded. I now have a snazzy headlamp for such occasions.
..overdosing on tiger blood, to complement my Adonis dna so that I could be duh, WINNING! (especially this contest :)
As always, thx for all you do Ray!
Looking at my watch to see where I was in the interval and running into a light pole…
Blocked by a cow for ten minutes on road only for bikers :)
Count me for 3
Funniest.. and most painful training/racing moment is running into a parked Park Service Vehicle during the first mile of a Half IM. Broke a rib, had a PR bike split after I got up, DNF’d the run because of difficulty breathing.
Just Sunday, I T-boned into another cyclist who was leaving his driveway without looking for oncoming traffic. It is only funny because no one (including bikes) were hurt!
The funniest moment was when I fell because I stopped but I forgot that
was with clipless pedals ;)
I honestly can not think of a funny story… Would still really like to win! ;-)
THANKS for putting the giveaway together once again!
Funniest moment…..without a doubt unclipping (or attempting too) and taking out three other riders in the process. Did i forget to mention that they were all cat 1-2 riders :)
How about… not being able to train? I was meeting a friend for a ride. We were starting about an hour’s drive away from home, and when I arrived at our meeting point, I realized I forgot my bike! Doh!
Hi
I had a similar experience to Davidson, except mine was with a squirrel. I think the woodland creatures are plotting to take back their territories.
Hi.
New clipless mnt bike pedals so I was practicing in my driveway before going out. Decided everything was good and I would do a few wheelies! About broke both wrists as I went over backwards and couldn’t get my feet out
Small group of us running shirtless on a warm summer morning. A homeless woman having a bad day took one look at us and angrily said, “You look like a bunch of baboons!”
Failing to realize that a champions league game had just ended made my 30 min run a 1h walk in some very crowded streets but with very happy lads,
I tend to run and sing at the same time during shorter workouts, does that count? lol ppl give me the 0.o
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hi ray!
jon in dc
the day i was chased by satan himself… aka a dog… you can read about it here… link to theclydesdale.blogspot.com
Funniest moment was missing the wall on a flip turn and having the dude in the next lane laugh at me. I’m still not very good at flip turns.
Running is serious business; no funny moments allowed.
On reflection, I’m taking this training thing way too serious.
Hi :)
While riding my bike on some sandy hills the road ended suddenly :D
I was riding downhill on sand when I’ve made otb(fly over the board :) ). I had only one thought on my mind “don’t fall on the head”. I felt on my back (had downwards) and had my pants full with sand :D I was laughing afterwards from myself :)
Cheers!
Not securing my bike tight enough on my trainer and falling off. Twice. On 2 different occasions. You’d like I would have learned after the first time.
Hi from the UK :-)
Realizing that the conversation I was having while running behind my friend was both un-PC and very audible to the person he was running behind.
I was stopped by a cop once on my bicycle. He was complaining my bike light was too bright. He made me re-aim it and sent me on my way. (That was the old Cateye Stadium 3). Kudos, Cateye!
Realizing I left my front wheel at home after arriving to a group ride locale!
From Av8rTx jeffnmimi@cableone.net
All my training moments are a comedy of errors, awkwardness and slap stick. Thanks for the contest!
Stopped at a busy intersection and forgot to unclip. Fell over and people started honing their horns.
Halfway through the bike leg of Longhorn 70.3, one of my feet suddenly came loose from the bike… the pedal had come unscrewed from the crank, but it was still clipped to my shoe. I spent 15 minutes on the side of the road trying to screw the pedal back onto the bike with the shoe still attached before figuring out how to pry them apart.
Realizing that what I was saying while running behind my friend was both clearly heard by the person in front of him and quite embarrassing to me. Whoops.
I hit a patch of mud on the concrete while running and fell. I’m a new runner and it was pretty embarrassing. :)
Hallo!
My funny training stories almost always involve situations where I probably should have been seriously injured, and they’e only really funny because I wasn’t.
I suppose the time I rode 160kms and was late to pick up my now wife and siser-in-law from the airport after she got back from her first marathon would be funny, in a block comedy dort of way, to someone who wasn’t me…
The one incident that springs in mind is one lunchtime run when a school girl whistled after me and shouted “Hey Baby!”
Things is – she was about 15. I was 40!
Crashing bike on a speed bump because I wasn’t paying attention.
Riding my bike a couple of years ago in rural MS, with yellow jersey on, 9AM on a Sunday MORNING, old man sitting on the porch drinking a quart of beer yells to me, “GO LANCE ARMSTRONG”. About fell off the bike laughing, LA has got to be the most famous man on the planet if this dude knows who he is!
Enjoying the comments.
Funniest moment was at my first charity bike ride one week after I had gotten clipless pedals. My team, the Pepsico sponsored Cheesy Riders, was the host and we started up front. The first stop at an intersection I fell over despite a week of no incidents. A rider spotting me on the ground with a jersey featuring Chester Cheetah shouted out, “It ain’t easy being cheesy!”
Whether or not it’s the funniest I’m not certain but it is a recent moment from many, I was running on the treadmill where I have logged more miles this winter than during any winter prior thanks to a cranky 2 year old when that same 2 year old comes into the room; naked. The lack of clothing was really nothing new so my run continued as planned.
I was happily running away amused by the youngest playing with various toys and teasing our playful cat.
The cat had a habit of taking small toys and putting them in “it’s” room aka the laundry room. I can only assume that a stolen toy was the catalyst for the ensuing actions of my 2 year old because I can not figure out any other reason why he would pee on the cat!
Chalk it up to the few; and there are only a few, good reasons to cut a run short.
Hi great blog :)
Hi, Cool giveaway. Linked here from another blog I follow “Make a Run For It”
Look forward to checking your site out, especially as triathalons will hopefully be in my near future after my current marathon training (Big Sur is next).
Went on a “date run” with my now husband. He told me we were going for a short run and we ended up over 6 miles. He wasn’t laughing when I finished with him,
hi !
Hi ;)
count me in pleeeaasse
Yesterday my running friends had a funny moment. After one hour of jogging we were all going for a shower and I went to my car to pick up my bag with dry clothes. As I took out the bag my dry underwear fell out and into a puddle of water………
Once while running down a sidewalk, I was coming close to a couple of Killdeer. One was going out in the street. The other off back behind me into a open field. It was obvious they were trying to get me to follow them. But I needed to stick to the sidewalk. Then suddenly I understood their need to have me go a different direction as I had to quickly tiptoe and dodge their three, young, fuzzy offspring.
My 5c :-)
I got lost along trails not farther than some kilometers from my workplace… i had to look for the highway and follow it until somewhere I knew…
The realization that every step I took on the treadmill was accompanied by a little flatulence.
Almost certainly the time I made a wrong turn, ended up going up a way too steep hill, stalled, then fell over before I could unclip. Right in front of this gal…
Falling over my feet and falling on main street in town. Denise N
At the end of a race last Fall, I had an all-out sprint with a man pushing his son in a stroller. I beat him by :03 seconds. Did I feel guilty? Yeah, a little… especially knowing that he was probably laughing on the inside b/c I could only beat a stroller-toting man by all of :03 seconds.
Maybe a 310XT would help me pace better so I don’t end up seeing him at the finish line THIS fall.
I once left for a long ride with my bike crusing along the canals when I was joined by a fellow cyclist.
I noteced he was not wearing a helmet and tough by myself what a nutcase.
When I was finaly at home and turned up my driveway I noticed my helmet laying on the the table… turned out I totaly forgot putting on mine as well and didn’t even notice….. I felt like a complet jackass.
Caught myself trying to get more “aero” but I was on my trainer.. indoors. My coach said she’d let me borrow her aero helmet next time to cut down on the drag. ;)
Thanks for the chance to win!
Running before dawn and being bitten on the foot by a dog. Not serious but scared the hell out of me and tore my shoe up. The funny part was going back to the house to inform the owners once the sun had risen, only to realize the dog was a yorkie and no bigger than my size 13 runner shoes.
Had to be the time when I was doing hill repeats and a police officer got a report that some guy was passing back and forth in front of a house (it was the base of the hill where I was walking for recovery). Officer drove up as I just started a set and thought I was running from him so he put on the lights and chased me in his car up the hill. About halfway up, I realized what was happening and stopped with my hands in the air. The officer quickly understood what I was doing but not before I yacked 2 feet from his police car.
Definitely when I fell over at at stop light after failing to unclip because I was distracted by the Porsche that pulled up next to me. Haven’t done that since
Hi! I’m in.
When I first got my bike I didn’t know how to clip out of my pedals. I came to a stop and it was a slow fall to the left. I learned very quickly after that!!!!!
Having to borrow my wife’s 310XT because my 405CX died. Thanks for the contest.
Hi
Last night on a 6 mile run I chased my buddy for a couple blocks calling out his name several times…it wasn’t him.
Having my 405 set to “avg” pace and HR rather than instant at the start of a run. Then using it, rather than how I feel to pace myself… “What? So slow? Such low HR? Push harder…” Took me a good half mile of running faster and faster until I figured it out.
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hi
Hey, I am in on this. :)
Staring at another runner, nearly tripped and fell in front of a group of runners who knew I was staring at the runner..:-).
Funniest moment was Swan diving into the pool… swimming a whole lap under water and realizing that my bathing shorts was still in the other end where i dove in… Embarrassing to say the least ;)
Not being able to unclip fast enough while on my first group ride through Adams Morgan and as a result crashed into some construction materials when a guy ran across the street unexpectedly. Rode the whole way with blood gushing down my leg.
Forgetting to unclip on a ride with friends from work.
Brian from Little Rock
Hi!
Most embarrassing moment – I was just getting used to clipless pedals and totally laid out in the middle of M st. Just so happened to be a Saturday afternoon when the Georgetown Cupcake line was at its peak of about 85 people. Great!
Email: dctri26.2@gmail.com
forgetting to unclip. Not funny till later
Just after I topped a hill while doing my run in an unfamiliar neighborhood I dodged around an overgrown bush. As soon as my foot landed one step beyond that bush a “friendly” dog came barreling at me at top speed! I’ve never been so thankful for invisible radio fencing in my life. The next day, when I ran past the same dog didn’t even lift his head, guess he one giant spike in my HRM was enough!
Can I get it? I’d love that!
Everytime I try to swim…
Just recently, in the second leg of a training duathlon, I tripped, headed towards a faceplant, turned a somersault, popped right back up and kept on running. I had run several steps before I’d even processed what had happened.
Hey-ya!
I always find it pretty funny when I bonk, at least once I recover
During a cycling ride I made a right turn onto a very steep hill and since I wasn’t expecting it I was in the wrong gear. Since I’m a total potty mouth I shouted out a number of curse words and then realized a family with small children were standing on the sidewalk next to me.
Hi
Hi
Hi
Not really a funny or training moment, but when I was in school there was a set of races made up of large loops and small loops. To barrier off the large loop from the small for the people who weren’t running large loops hay bales were laid across the junction where they merged. Watching groups of people come charging down a hill and then leap over hay bales and into a pool of muddy water on the other side kept reminding me of horse races and made me smile!
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I was on a second date with my fiance–a bike ride. I really had to pee so I found a small bush on the side of the road. Well, I didn’t get my pants down all the way and pee’d on half of my shorts. Road back 20 miles with a nice wet spot—I tried to let him lead! = ) HAHA! See what us females have to go through? Every now and again he calls me Pee-Pee-Pants!
This story is more memorable than funny. I once rode up a 45 min climb up Montebello Road to Mount Black, which is in a Palo Alto reserve, but didn’t give myself enough daylight. It got dark, and my headlight ran out of batteries. The descent down the other side on Page Mill does not have streetlights. I would wait 2-3 minutes at a time for a car to come and then would follow the car for 3 or 4 corners until the head and taillights weren’t visible, then wait some more time.
When I got home my wrists were sore from riding my (terrible) cantilever brakes the whole way down.
We were on a midnight run after work. It was pretty cold at the start. I had just purchased a new pair of tights. I didnt realize that I had not tied the draw string. Well, everyone got to see a different moon that night!! Whoops!! I got a phone number or two also!
I wonder how many people are going to say their funniest moment is tipping over at a stop due to unclipping improperly … that would have to be mine (and it has happened on more than one occasion!)
I wonder how many people are going to say their funniest moment is tipping over at a stop due to unclipping improperly … that would have to be mine (and it has happened on more than one occasion!)
…being offered a beer by a bunch of middle aged men playing croquet…water stop style while I was riding my bike by them one lonely afternoon…at which point I decided maybe I had taken too many laps around the same loop…I can’t confirm or deny that I may have taken the beer….
Hi!
Hey, Ray! I don’t really have a very funny story but would like to win the watch! :-)