Heads up!!! Here’s your massive holiday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Epix for just $419, the Apple AirTag 4-Pack for just $69, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $249, (or the brand new Hero 13 or $299!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals 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.
4
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 2024 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.
Completing my first triathlon this past summer with my entire family at the finish line. Truly an amazing accomplishment and I will cherish it forever!
Thanks
Adam
Hi Ray,
hello from France, where I spent few weeks enjoying Running in the Alps and Tour de France Stages (Alps)
no Hurricane here !!
A bientot
Best training was a block of cycling-running: 4 times a 1hour/30k bike ride 30’/7k run. I remember starting with the sun a bit after sunrise and finishing just before sunset.
A bloody long day !
It’s gotta be when I completed my first ultramarathon in June. A trail 50K in NW Arkansas. I learned an awful lot. Like “don’t go out too fast”, and “don’t do a 50K in June”. The FR610 would be a great companion to my FR305!
Finishing my second IM 7 years after the first with my wife and daughter watching. Hopefully the next one is a little sooner…
Running in the mountains
I got lost on the run of a Sprint in Manassas. Normally I’m not close enough to the front to get lost, so that was a bassackward accomplishment in itself. Despite the buffonery I won my age group
Reaching my first ‘total km in a year’ goal of 1,000km in early December 2010 (which is early summer for us in NZ). It felt like such an achievement! On track for 1,500km in 2011 :)
Hi..
Im new here, but reading and learning a lot with your blog. Thanks!
My best summer training was a week ago…
this year we did not had summer in Portugal..so, I had just bought my bike, was all excited about it…but no sun :(…
I decided rididng the bike from my city to the beach with some friends, have lunch there and return..its about 60 km ride…and still there was no sun :(
When we get to the beach all the clouds dissapear, the sea looked like a swiming pool, and it turned out to be the best day of summer we had….the sun was on..but the swimsuit was at home…Good Training but no beach… :)
well we cant have everything, can we??
Best regards from Portugal,
Miguel Paixao
My wife recently moved 3/4 of the way across the country for an internship for 4 months and before she left, she would wake up early with me (4:30 am) and ride her bike while I ran with the dog tethered to me.
I miss the family runs!
My wife recently moved 3/4 of the way across the country for an internship for 4 months. Before she left she would wake up at 4:30 am with me and ride her bike with me while I ran and I’d have the dog tethered to me.
I miss my family runs!
Showing up to a race 2 hours away after carrying my bike with me across the country for 5 weeks, only to find out the race was “canceled” because there weren’t enough people registerd (<15)
I would be glad to give it a home in Norway, and retire my old RS300X
I am training for my first marathon as a 40 year old. I am thinking of making a t-shirt that reads “40 year old virgin marathoner”. I think that this would be very funny.
My favorite training run so far was running along the south rim of the grand canyon on my vacation.
It was only 3 miles, but hay I ran along the rim of the grand canyon!.
my email address is danjeon@yahoo.com
40 year old virgin marathoner.
I restarted doing Triathlons after almost 20 years off. The best part of my return is the emergence of the new technologies from Timing Chips to on-line training and information blogs (DCR) to the Garmin(610) all of which add a depth of interest that was nonexistent in the late 1980’s
thanks,
JR in Milwaukee
I always wanted to ask you. Why don’t you do a post about your training plan. I plan to a half ironman and would greatly benefit if you tell us what your training plan was.
Just this morning, running along a kms long beach, in southern Portugal’s Algarve… Unfortunately I’m already back home, will be cycling tomorrow, but no beach ;)
Thanks for the great entertainment of reading your thoughts, well written and always funny.
Just last week, I am running a faster pace at training than I did during some of my races last summer. I’ve only been at it for a year, but that feels like a significant hurdle.
Signing up for my first Half Ironman (Ironman Taiwan 70.3), and doing all the training with two of my best buddies. Race is in November, and I can’t wait!
My 13-mile training run earlier this week was awesome, not only did the weather cooperate, but it was all around a great sight-seeing tour of DC: Arlington Cemetery, Netherlands Carillon, Iwo Jima, Lincoln, Jefferson, and FDR Memorials, Washington Monument, the Mall, the Capitol, the Ellipse, and …. home.
3rd place age group finish in small local 10K. My first running award of any kind. Felt like I’d medaled in the Olympics.
Began running this year and worked mt way up from never having run a mile without stopping to finishing a half marathon in 1:47!
love your blog, read every post and show it to tons of people at work.
Count me in.
My best training story…how about my epic weekend with a Saturday brick of 100 miles on the bike, then 6 miles on the run which was followed on Sunday with criterium that I thought I would get blown out of the water. I rode with all I had, and took 2nd!
My favourite day this summer was participating in my first Half-Ironman – Steelhead. Sadly, the swim was cancelled and it was a bike-run but I shattered what both me and my coach thought I could do timewise. Best. Day. Ever.
I found a free monthly adventure race near work sponsored by road runner sports. You get an hour to get as many tickets are you can (around town at different check points) and at the end of the race, there’s a raffle (free shoes, gift cards, starbuck coffee, etc). I had a blast collecting tickets and exploring the town… AND i won a pair of compression sock. FTW!
Another GREAT giveaway, Ray is way too good to us. This summer has been so hot that I can’t say I have many fond Marathon training experiences to draw from. But I am looking forward to completing the Hartford, CT Marathon with my closest friend and Brother-In-Law. This is his first and I have not done the 26.2 dance for 26 years so it is going to be great to experience now that I am a grandfather. Thanks again Ray for the great giveaways!
I ran my first trail race, a 15k with 2400 feet elevation gain, it was brutal!!! I finished and that is what’s important.
A week of training runs in the mountains around Park City, with some hikes along the same trails. Our first family vacation in years, and my boys did some of the runs with me!
Best memory: the first time I did a 20-mile loop on my new Trek road bike this summer…truly epic (for me)! :)
Doing the C-Ville Tri last year where the run was a “trail run” in 100 degree heat. I thought “trail run” meant a nice dirt trail around the lake. Instead it was a mountain bike trail that was up and down with roots and rocks. Not the surprise I was looking for.
6th place at a night time trail race, first time running with a headlamp. It was fun and the best I’ve done in a race.
Seeing my fiance smash her 10k PR on the fourth of July, immediately after I set my own 10k PR.
Thanks for the giveaway!
After we had finished a one mile open water swim practice with our local tri club, some of us were standing around talking and realized that a few members were still swimming. We went down to cheer them on, and encourage them as they finished. The very last man out of the water that day came out smiling and joking. I had never met this man before, and we chatted a bit afterward. We have since grown very close.
I am grateful that sometimes nice guys finish last, otherwise I would never have met one of the nicest guys there is.
Wanna Be Iron Mommy
This is easy. HS x-country camp in the mountains of WV. We’re running down a fairly desolate road and come around a corner and there are two kids standing at the edge of their driveway, waving little American flags, cheering us on. I felt like I was running for the USA in a world event.
While I was in Lake Placid for my marathon and looking at the triathletes over there training, telling myself I should be here for an Ironman instead!
Thanks for the give away! My best training this summer: A great week of biking with two buddies in Lozere, France. Amazing times, and wonderful landscape.
My favorite memory? It would be a toss up between the first long ride I did, which was sort of spur of the moment and I had to drive the route after to see how far it was. Only 20 miles but hey, that was a long ride for me at the time.
The other is every time I can sleep through the night first after getting the inevitable chigger infestation after doing my favorite long trail, 8 miles of heavy woods…and unfortunately chiggers…
Finishing my first triathlon. Thanks for doing these giveaways.
Watching my wife finish Irongirl this summer with my four kids just 2 months after the youngest was born and with almost no training.
I completed my first 70.3 in Boulder!
my favorite is this year due to finishing my first half-iornman.
Doing the Luray Double. Two years after my 1st sprint tri, which I thought would be my last, and I am hooked on the triathlon lifestyle.
Running my first duathlon, and finishing fourth overall!
Entering my first sprint triathlon and placing 2nd in my age group and placing 4th in my second triathlon… Now I’m addicted.
Recently setting a pr….
Running in peace on the Trans Canada Trail while on vacation in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia.
i dont race, but my husband does, and seeing him run in the same race as his ex-girlfriend was interesting. we didnt know she was in the race, and because of wave starts, they actually crossed the finish line around the same time.
love the giveaways
Running a local 5K with my son. I took 5th overall and he took 12th. It was a small race.
Used to live in CO. I ended the summer with a 10 day road trip to revisit some of the epic mountain bike trails I used to bike…Crested Butte, Telluride, Loma, and Grand Junction…good times.
A few times out this summer getting major sunburns, enjoyed every minute though! Watch would come in handy!
man that watch is sweet!
Completing a sprint triathlon five months after surgery and beating my time in all disciplines from two years ago.
Not a lot of summer highlights for me — mostly just a lot of sweating…
I completed my first half marathon run in Singapore last year. The first half of the route was amazing as we ran through the Universal Studio Theme Park with Shrek and Jurassic dinosaurs making the run refreshing and interesting.
Feeling like I was running downhill during the last sprint tri of the summer. Knowing that a PR was assured 5 minutes into the 5k.
doing my first triathlon and actually having fun during the ow swim!
Running my first 20 mile training run ever preparing for the Chicago Marathon!
Have an awesome weekend!
Moonlight fun run, ended with every participant getting a free movie ticket to a local theater!
the first time i ran over 2 hours straight and felt like i could keep going – i’ll never forget the feeling.
beating my BHAG time by 3 minutes in a tri this July – pissed off at first that i left time on the course, but then realizing what i achieved.
Wow! Holy cow – lots of great stories to choose from Ray. Good luck with all that. Well here goes: My best memory from summer racing was watching my daughter compete and place 2nd in her first (kids) triathlon this summer. She is 7 years old and my little rockstar. Was so proud.
So I’ve lived in Houston all my life but I’ve never run a race in the summer until Memorial Day weekend where I took part in my first 5K. The heat was oppressive (we are in a heat wave after all) but I made it….cannot wait till the fall so that I can run after 8 in the morning;)
Well, I have not run a race yet but I have dropped 45lbs since march and as my polar Watch is about to die, I have bee looking at the garmin 305 due to the review on the site. I am running the Philly rock and roll 1/2 marathon on 9/18 and would love to retire the arm band that I keep my iPhone in for gps / pace measuring
And most importantly, my brother just coffee up for the 610, for me to get this would anno him.
Thanks for the great blog
I did my first ever bike marathon this year. It was the run to Conquer Cancer, a 2 day bike run from Repentigny to Donnaconna in Quebec.
Joe
Avoiding a rattlesnake and getting rained on twice as two thunderstorms passed through while hiking the nation’s largest man-made forest.
Taking 19 minutes off my marathon time from #1 to #2 – can’t wait ti register for my first Boston Marathon on 9/14!
Running through rustic wine region villages in southern Spain in early August.
Back to back hard days. I know, not a good training plan. I rode a hard 2 hrs on the bike (80% hr sustained at 95 revs per/min for 2 hrs) then ran 5 miles hard the next day on a hilly course. 8 home made pancakes each morning helped a lot.
Getting my hands on my first road bike and training on the beach at Ft. Pickens in Pensacola.
First triathlon soon, can’t wait!
Running along Lake Washington in Seattle during one of our beautiful summer days. This, by far, is my favorite summer training memory. It makes the wet, gray days (all 300+ of them) seem like a distant place.
This year I completed my first marathon … I am very happy! I hope to run many more! Thanks for your blog!
Best training experience was taking an early morning bike workout in the summer with the mist rising while the sun was rising. Makes you appreciate life!
Had the most awesome ride up Fraser Hill with my wife and some mates. 40 km gradual climb up on beautiful roads and sights in near perfect weather, plus great brunch at the summit. The descent back was awesomely
fast and scary!!
Racing in the SF marathon, and having a lady cheering on the side saying you’re on the flat make up some time, if only she realized that I make all my time running up and down hills.
Count me in! Best training moment is completing a winter of training in London, and then moving back to the southern hemisphere summer for an IM race being fitter than ever (despite the lower volume).
Making it through a Summer of 100+ degree days and still choosing to train. :)
Hands down my best training memory was my first long run around a lake that we have a cabin at. The twenty mile run at 7,000ft was so scenic and helped my training, I started doing all my long runs there. Including one this weekend!
Sign me up – love your reviews – keep up the fantastic work!
Outdoor run in New Orleans…95 degrees + humidity 109 heat index. Managed to bring 2L of water in a camelbak and still fainted when I stopped to get more water. Huge fail. But really pick me!!
Doing gold sprints at the expo for the USA PCC Stage 6 immediately after polishing off a giant burrito. That was a mistake.
Best memory was the last mile of a marathon I ran last May. Another runner encouraged me to keep pushing myself despite my pain and being exhausted. We eventually helped each other all the way to the finish line. He graciously allowed me to finish ahead of him. This my my first marathon. Thanks for the give aways.
My best training day was a few weeks back when I put in an unplanned 90 miles on my bike “unsupported” and realizing I didn’t need “support”. Organized century rides are fun, but discovering equally difficult rides for oneself can be even better.
It was running a half-marathon in the Colorado mountains this summer and seeing a moose running in the trees just a few hundred feet off the dirt road where we were. Winning second place in my age division in that race didn’t hurt either!
Two weeks of running in Victoria BC followed by a not so great two weeks in Bahrain.
Got flagged for drafting in my last triathlon while suffering up a steep hill at 10mi/hr. if I’m going to get called for drafting at least let me take advantage of it…
Finished my first 70.3 and now looking at a full Ironman for 2012.
Finished IM Canada this past Sunday. During a pre race short training ride along the bike course was stung on the lip. Was pissed off and laughing at the same time as I remembered your run in with the stinging guys two years in a row at the same venue. Fortunately I had no incidents during the race. My first time at Canada – a pretty special experience.
Everything hurts…..need rest but I just want to keep training. What’s wrong with me?
Tough one between finishing my first half marathon and coming in only about 6 minutes after my much-more-running-experienced-boyfriend, or riding my favorite bike route along the Mississippi River on beautiful Saturday mornings.
Have been training all summer for my first triathlon coming up in a few weeks.
Had been fearing the swim, but have slowly been gaining confidence with each swim.
This Garmin 610 will certainly help with my negative split practice.
My favorite summer training memory is learning how much I love riding my bikes outside. I get to enjoy the great landscape and appreciate all the intricacies of nature that you can’t enjoy riding by in a car.
I raced “That Dam Night Run” 5k in Arkansas and enjoyed ice cold watermelon at the finish.
A 2.5-hour run last weekend that was like a nice expedition from my workplace to my home. When commuting I never pay much attention to the locations between the two, so it was exciting to see all those neighborhoods.
Before hitting the trails in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, decided to go for a run by the beach in Puerto Natales, and was rewarded by running and watchin penguins. Ah, it was 55F – nice sumer, eh?
Started training towards my first full marathon in Vibram Five Fingers
Running a Half Marathon every month, I hit my personal best (PB) of 1:50:37 on a hilly course with continuous rains. Awesome!
Favorite moment this year – bested my previous Oly time by 9 minutes!
finishing my only one half ironman for this year?
beated my record with only pleasure for all the race
Love your reviews man. I’m running My first half in October and My first tri early next year. I need that 610 lol
A PR on both 10K and 5K. But my most important race was the rally to get my wife on time to the hospital to give birth to our second lovely baby.
Last summer, my family ran together on several fun runs!
My favourite summer race memory is last years Longest Day 10K… the race was great, and the food was wonderful – and even better at the end they were giving it away… we walked off with a few days worth of food!
I’ve only ever done 1 race, and it was in winter :P
Running and Completing 15k of 1k repeats in a blistering hail storm last week… Felt like superman for completing albeit the splits were no good….
I climbed a 1900 m peak in Norway in fog and was not prepared for the magnificent view we were awarded at the top when all the fog suddenly disappeared. The most stunning view I’ve ever seen!
The first rime I did a ride with “real” cyclists and knew that I was going to be ok…
Best summer run moment? A race across a racetrack (the car kind), dunes and beach. That was a summer back though as this summer has been the wettest since 1906 here in Holland.
Wow, so much comments… i guess i will never win with this one but:
My best “training” was long time ago and over a longer period. its not that spectacular… i was inline skating everyday. 1 hour high speed. it was fun. i lost 20kg. now im back over the old weight again. no time for sport. but it may change soon and what would be better than a new gadget to start over again?
Thanks.
I’ve got already one!! Ahah but I like to make a present!
My best race memory is a 10k race in Rotterdam (Netherlands). This day everything felt right and I managed to stay under 40 minutes. This was however some time ago, to get close to this time I really need to train more, the Forerunner would come in very handy here….
I just finished my first Ironman, Louisville, this past Sunday. I came across the finish line at the exact same time with my wife, also her first. Best day of our lives! (including the wedding :) )
If eating and resting is part of training, my Summer training is usually great. I limit such intense training to August, though.
Best moment this year was running a marathon with my better half .. awesome
Finished a long run in the rain. Cool.
Finish my first ½ iron-distance competition 1 hour 3 minuttes faster than expected…
Warm yoghurt drink right after a 6,5k race in 30C. Sounds less appealing than it actually was.
My first summer race is going to be this Saturday and I might forget to post afterwards. So the best summer training memory was when I went out for a hot run in my running skirt, hot pink compression socks and bra top and I fell on the trail so I continued my second part of run partly covered with soil and mud :D I got lot of weird looks, but was proud of myself for being able to get up immediately and continue at my higher effort pace planned for the workout.
Thank you for the great giveaway Ray!
Running and completing AXA moutain marathon 43 km and 1800m positive altitude meters in the mountains of Sweden. Almost didn’t make it due to lack of energy and cramp in my legs but reached the final peak where they served coffe, coca-cola and candy which basicly saved my life :). Best run ever!
Cheers
Patrik
For me this summer: Training Course in the French Ardennes forest.
In the early morning encounter with a deer a few feet. So I made a long pause of some seconds (magic!)
Just completed a trail run in Saint- Antonin-Noble-Val. Fantastic scenery, good company and the night time downhill section to finish was fantastic (unplanned but we were having so much fun….).
I accidentally showed up to what I thought was a charity bike ride but was actually the local pro 4-hour tune-up ride. I had no idea where I was after about 1 hour so I clinging on to dear life just to hang in the back. Thankfully I never had to pull (Brent Bookwalter did most of it) and I made it back to town, albeit in multiple pieces. Great confidence booster!
First tri–ever and first I did this year, my shorts ripped,–duck taped— the numbers that peel off to stick on bike would not stick–duck tape and wetsuit ripped, the freaking murphys law trifecta–I did finish and enjoyed it– rule of thumb–when in doubt–make sure you have duck tape in your carry bag!
Hi, thanks for another give away. How but some give away information on a new garmin triathlon watch ;-)
MO
My best summer run was definitely a marathon in Braga (I reside in Portugal). It was the finishing line of a year long project of mine, and it really does feel like I’ve been reborn.
About a year ago I weighed 264 pounds, and the best I could achieve was a 5 minute slow run, then I had to walk as I was completely out of breath. Exercise was pretty much non existent, and I didn’t bother doing anything about it til then because I had become used to hating the way I looked.
Had this sort of epiphany and decided to radically change the way I went about my life, intent on actually liking myself. At first the idea was to just lose weight, but by the time I went down to 168 pounds (about 5 months ago), I was sick of just watching the years go by and not have anything I could truly be proud of. That’s when the idea to run a marathon came up.
It looked like something that’d take years to even think of attempting, but it was only then that I realised I had started my training long ago, as soon as I decided to start losing weight by actually moving my fat behind!
And so it was, I couldn’t afford a proper sports watch to help me train, so I had to resort to training using my phone for timing and google maps’ general idea of distance to measure my progress. Wasn’t ideal by any means, but it certainly is possible!
The run itself was all I could’ve expected, had friends cheering me up at every 5km mark, along with my whole family at the finishing line, and while the body had given up a long time ago, in my mind I knew I had to prove it to myself and all my friends and family that I could do this. In the end mind did triumph over matter and I couldn’t be more proud of myself.
Going from being exhausted after a 5 minute jog to running a marathon truly feels like a 180 degree turn, and I definitely won’t be looking back ever again :)
Running in a local 5k that was also the anniversary of a local pub…the two events worked perfectly together!
Best summer running memory – our local club’s 4 trail-race “Summer League” – placed third after a tough uphill last race battle with my competitor for the prize shoes.
Running the Tremblant Half-Marathon under 1h 40 mins! I was really happy with my time considering that the course was very hilly!
Now aiming at 1:30 on a flat course!
While doing our 100 mile run, see link to 100milesforswisher.com , we stopped at mile 50 to eat pizza and refuel. It was the best and worst pizza I’d ever had. On one hand it tasted great…but it didn’t sit in my stomach that well. Coincidentally, we have McDonald’s cheeseburgers at our mile 61 aid station. They tasted awesome and set well with me.
Jim
Got two books for myself which have completely different approaches. “Heart Rate Training” by Roy Benson and Declan Connolly. The other one preaches “pace” : Run Less Run Faster from FIRST (Furman Institute). I am excited about both, and now executing HM plan from HR Training. Will be tackling RLRF pace after that!
Watching the sun rise as I head to the pool or gym.
Camping out at Clinton Lake for the KS 70.3 race and then dropping 5 minutes off of my half-Ironman time the next morning.
My highlight has to be finishing my first Ironman in PE, South Africa in April and having my wife hand me my medal – she had been volunteering all day and patiently waited for me to finish. Awesome stuff…
My first Ironman!
Ironman Austria 2011.
11:49
:-)
Count me in…great blog it has helped me a lot!
New tennis lesson after many years I didn’t play at all.
My first road race!
While running the Dublin marathon, there were little Irish children cheering and handing out gummy candies to runners and yelling, “Jellies! Jellies for you!” Very cute.
Completing my first 10km run as a amateur runner with my bunch of friends.
Yes please! I just got a 305, but this would be epic!
I ran for 1 hours together with my friend in Urbana, Illinois and explored the area around the University. It was the first time that I done this leisure ran just for exploration and it was fun!
I was at mile 70 of a 95 mile bike ride and stopped for a burger at Tommy’s Tradingpost Bait and Tackle shop. I was the only person they had ever seen in full cycling gear. Many a stare from the fishermen in the store.
My favorite training memory was a training ride from Hood River, OR, to Rowena and back. The scenery along the Columbia River was spectacular, and the roads were quiet and comfortable to ride on, parts of the route was even closed to cars. Four days later I did the Portland Rev3 half ironman, but the highlight of the trip was definitely the ride.
i ran my first half marathon this summer and it was surprisingly cold and rainy! but i loved every second of it and it actually put me around 30 seconds/mile faster than what i was anticipating!
Monster hard 10km finish. Puke at the end.
Awesome.
Back in high school, running the 3000 meter steeplechase for the first time. Unaware of why the other runners were stepping onto and over the hurdles, I leaped over each one like a sprinter. Needless to say this was less than ideal for getting over the hurdle in front of the water pit. I got soaked and almost fell completely in.
Got up at 5 in the morning for a run, drove to the track.
At the track it started raining so i decided to take a quick nap in the car while it stopped. Fell a sleep for almost 2 hours with a horrible back pain
Running with my 8 year old son as he gets ready for an Ironkids tri in Des Moines.
Ahhh, the number of posts a competition thread gets – this should be comment 950 (ish).
Summer training – call it cross training in this case. A day in the Blue Mountains in Sydney with my brother and a mate visiting from the UK heading out to do a grade 5 canyon and finishing way early and deciding that we might as well just add another canyon (only grade 4 this time) to top the day off. Absolutely brilliant day with lots of aerobic work done!
My best summer memory was at the DC Tri when my roommate (doing his first tri ever and not remotely prepared for the swim) asked if I thought anyone would mind if he smoked a cigarette in transition before the race. I doubt he’ll be doing another one.
I love this time of year – training in the a.m. with the cool weather. Leaves are still on the trees and you get to slowly watch the sun rise while running. The weather is cool but not cold so no hat or clothes are required…
best,
t
While going up a hill on the bike portion of a tri in the rain I look to my left and see a skunk crossing the road. Not sure who was more surprised, me or him…
ryans (MN)
Riding into Canada in the RSVP this year was great. I’ve never ridden in another country, so it was pretty awesome.
Thanks Ray.
Ready for my first 1/2 IM
Ignacio
Thanks Ray
Best experience was at the Madison Quarter Marathon…but wasn’t with my running. It was seeing my 3 year old daughter run her first race, a 1k, seeing her fall – not getting hurt at all – getting up and running even faster. After the race saying she fell, but that didn’t matter because she got up and ran as hard as she could because it was a race. Hope she keeps the passion.
The best so far was my first try-a-tri. Did pretty well too!
Placing in a 5k!
Running in 100 degree heat around 10pm at night, after it cools down from 109 in Texas is just awful. When I’m sucking it up, I recall happier running days – the time when I bought my second pair of VFFs, going out for a run, having a light rain over me to keep everything cool, and I felt like a kid again – out getting dirty, wet, and muddy. That’s when I rediscovered the love of the run.
That first ride of the season up in New England is always special. Leaves are coming in, birds are chirping, chipmunks playing chicken with you. It’s awesome.
Highlight was completing my first Olympic Distance Triathlon at the Lough Neagh Tri in Northern Ireland. The water was brown from the Peat in the area but I still smoked my swim, blasted the bike and just held on for grim death on the run to beat my projected “delighted” time by nearly 10 minutes. I was well chuffed!
Running is a brand new thing for me. I have only been doing it since July — but my husband and I run together (he painfully slows himself to my speed) I have a new favorite thing now… I love the freedom and the energy I feel after the run is done.
Learning more about running and how to pace myself is a great accomplishment, and I can say I have enjoyed every minute.
Riding the Novi Colle Gran Fondo for the third time. This is a 210 km, 9 mountain, 4200 m of ascent gran fondo with 12000 riders. In particular, at the base of one of the toughest climbs in the race, the local villagers stand at the side and offer the riders homemade sausages, limoncello and grappa! Just what you need to get to the top of a 12% climb!!
I have to say that my favorite summer training was when my little girl who is 4 years old would want to go running with me in the mornings. We actually didn’t end up running very much, but rather went exploring to see all the animals near by.
A couple of times of the Mont Royal in Montreal, one of the days when it was ridiculously hot and humid!
I hate running in the heat; however, my 1/2 Mary PR was set on a blistering hot Summer Day. I’ve not come close to topping that time since.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Doing my first race on my new tri bike and being surprised how not awkward it felt to be racing on it.
Two race highlights this summer: Crossing the finish line with my 4 year old daughter at Quassy and getting my finisher medal from Chrissy Wellington at Timberman.
Running my first 20 in July while training for Twin Cities Marathon.
My best summer training memory has to be going on a mountain bike ride with my dad when I was 14.
We were on holiday so didn’t know the area and got lost, it was well over 100 degrees of simply scorching heat and we only had one bottle of water because we were planning a short ride.
After an all day epic we finally found a familiar road back to where we staying and came across a fenced off canal. It took us all of two seconds to decide to jump over the fence and get in and cool off. We couldn’t risk drinking the water, but it did give us enough relief to make it the rest of the way home, at which point I was so dehydrated that my throat had started to swell up, a very weird feeling. Nothing tasted better than that first sip of ice cold water once we had made it back!
completing the first ironman race is something to remember. imagine the scenery…Challenge Roth, two world records shattered, 5500 participants, tons of beer, fireworks and a crowd that lives for the race! A MUST do race Ray! Consider it
My town has a Father’s Day run hosting a 1mi, 5K, and 10k event, or you can run all three consecutively. I ran “the triple” as they call it and got to see my wife and kids cheering for me in their “go dadda go” shirts my wife made. It was my longest run I’d ever done and having the kids watch made it a real pleasure to share.
Hello,
Switching over to Crossfit Endurance the end of May was definitely a huge move and a good way to start the summer. Since then, a few PB’s later, I know that it works. Finishing my first offroad duathlon that was held in an amazing location was definitely the high point so far. Next up, 2 adventure races.
As always, great job on the blog and gadget device.
Thanks,
David
david@logisticsalliance.com
Running and MTB in the mountains in Cordoba, Argentina. Was for work there, and I used that as preparation for my season.
Realizing I could use my long rides as an excuse to eat jelly babies for 8 hours
Best summer memory (training or not), was running on the beach with my 3 year old daugher. Best of luck to everyone!
An epic 1200Km ride in Alaska complete with moose, caribou and bear sightings!
Started the summer with my first ever fitness competition, Tough Mudder. I had a blast and have continued to run. did a couple of other races and am thinking a half marathon later this year or early next.
My first half marathon, I sprinted the finish to pass someone in the last 5 feet. It felt amazing.
Started out this year with my first ever fitness competition, Tough Mudder. Loved it and it got me running. I’ve done a few more races and duathlons and have plans for a half marathon later this year or early next.
Running my first 10k!
It was an incredible time, and my friends helped to make it special by “interviewing” me on video before and after the race, and by making big signs to cheer me on.
My memory is from when I had just started running, together with my sister. One day my dad decided to join us, so we ran together, with the three of us. Some kind of family event. Somehow that made me really happy inside.
Best summer training moment was my first ride with my tri club. I helped a new friend get her bike back on the road after her derailleur bent and broke a spoke. I was lucky enough to have enough tools to get it sorted. She’s now a super kickass friend of mine.
On the way back in the crazy heat we had one of those hot, humid rainstorms, where you get the crazy heat with that smell, and nearly steam coming off the road. It was perfect.
not racing much this summer… my favorite memory was the cannonball into the Ohio river at the start of IM Louisville.
finished my first 5K last summer. couldn’t run past 400m just a few months prior.
In training for my first sprint triathlon this summer I did my first 10 K run! Awesome!
I’m going the same as the one above…finishing my first 70.3! While not everything I hoped for I was thrilled to have done it!
Thanks for your reviews. I’m trying to find a watch to give my training a little boost. Either the FR610, or the 310XT.
Best summer training memory.. my parents getting me into cycling. I’ve always been a runner and they suggested cycling due to some circumstances that were keeping me from running. I was able to keep moving and I got to spend some more quality time with my parents. win win!!!!
Finnishing my first marathon in Berlin in 2008(3:30:03) when Haile Gebrselassie set the current world reccord (2:03:59)
My runs in Colorado this summer: Running Pike’s Peak Ascent; a shakeout run in The Garden of the Gods, and a run up Manitou Springs Incline w/my cousin and his son. Oh, running down Barr Trail was a blast, too!
Running round the mountains on holiday in Kefalonia. Amazing!
Finishing my first half-marathon in Geneva!
Riding the road-bike stage of the Inferno Team Triathlon, getting to the bottom of the last (1,400 m) climb and, despite the obvious hard work ahead, looking down at my Edge 705, knowing that I would achieve the time I’d been training for.
Riding around Mt. Rainier with a good friend.
Best Summer memory is the 13k loop I could run that started and ended at the place we were camping at. It first went up the hills into the forest, then descended into sunflower fields, passed an old chateau, then up into the forest again, with finally a long trail down the hills through some wineries. The whole loop was a 13k trail, which only intersected small roads in a few places. In the 6 times I ran it, I encountered 1 car. Pure bliss.
That’s very generous of you to be giving away a Forerunner 610.
I have two favorite moments. First is completing my very fisrt HIM and the second is my attempt to summit Mt. Whitney.
I have two great memories this summer. The first is completing my very first Half Ironman distance, and the second was my attempt to summit Mt. Whitney (14,497ft.). I didn’t reach the top, but it was a huge accomplishment just trying to attempt the summit while the mountain was still covered in snow.
nothin` for me…i am not a racer…i usually run alone just for my pleasure…one night though,i went for a run in the park and i ended up being chased by a couple of dogs…you would be surprised how fast and how long a man could run given the right conditions :)))…p.s I WANT THAT WATCH .best regards