Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $449, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, 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.
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!
5
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.
Riding up Mt. Baldy after the Tour of California race…
Seeing a competitor walk the entire 13.1 miles in the final day of the American Triple T with a broken arm in a makeshift sling from a nasty crash on the bike leg.
More than a decade ago, I was staying just outside of BWI to go to a business meeting the next day. Arrived mid day, nothing to do. Looked around for a path to run, checked a bit, started out with the route parallel to the fences keeping people out of the airport. About 30 minutes in, it started raining. Why bother seeking shelter, why bother running back to the hotel — I was already wet, and would only get wetter during the 30 minutes back. Ended up running around BWI.
A good, easy, know your a runner type of run. In the rain.
Too bad I didn’t have a GPS watch at the time. Maybe you’ll pick me and I’ll get to try again with the FR610 some time.
My entire summer was the best training memory so far as this was the summer I had chosen to do my first triathlons (back-to-back no less!). It was a lot of fun to see the improvements over time, and hopefully I can get to your level someday!
M.A.R.C.
Did my first half Ironman in July and can’t wait for the next one.
Best race this summer was a low key duathlon (swim/run) when my daughters came out to cheer me on. It was their first time coming to a race and they had a lot of fun.
Being able to run for the first time in over a year pain free last spring. Since then every run feels precious.
Yes please!
Summer running means running to get frozen lemon yogurt at a local mom-and-pop ice cream stand.
Pain and suffering in the Alps!
running with my dog during holiday in my home town…best running buddy ever
Running with my husband to train for a half marathon.
Completing my first 104-mile mountain bike relay! (each person rode 26 miles).
Finding a couple new group rides. I’ve been doing the same group rides for a couple years now and they’re great but it was good to try a new ride. In particular because it was a new route around an area I didn’t know which means getting dropped = getting lost so there was extra motivation.
My proudest achievement this summer was to complete the the 106 mile Dartmoor Classic, despite cramping for the last 30 miles. Had to get off the bike several times but felt great when it eventually ended.
Best summer race story: Surf Town Sprint Tri 2010. Had no choice but to pee on the run – masked the effort by pouring water slowly over my head from an aid station. What a liberating experience.
Cheers!
Matt
Racing in a local olympic tri. Nothing epic just set some good times, which bode well for my upcoming A race. Just feels good to set a good time.
Being able to bike after being hit by a car
Crossing the finish line of 2010 Coast to Coast in the (southern hemisphere) 2009/10 summer (Feb 10).
thomash@talkingtech.com
First triathlon.
tanya.upton@clear.net.nz
Being able to bike after being hit by a car
Riding the Triple Crown for Heart here in Vancouver. This is riding up Seymour, Grouse and Cypress in one ride. This ride started last year by Marie Campbell, a pediatric nurse in our club. Last year it was 15 people. This year, 75 with extensive TV coverage.
Funds raised help the pediatric heart unit build and maintain an outdoor patio that the kids and their parents can use to “pay outside”
One committed person can start something big. I expect this ride to become a major feature here.
Running in Colorado: running Pike’s Peak Ascent; shakeout run in the Garden of The Gods; running Manitou Springs Incline w/my cousin and his son, and then flying down The Barr Trail!
Discovering the DC Rainmaker blog :P
And of course to finally get to run again after 3 months of forced rest because of a hip injury.
(eke@albykollektivet.se)
Best training memory this Summer?
Running hills in the wee dark hours of the morning with a headlamp strapped on.
While in a more rural area of my neighborhood, I went around a blind corner only to find cows on my side of the fence.
I very carefully made my way through them without causing a stampede.
Ran my first 5k after having knee surgery! yea!
My favorite race memory is from my first Half Marathon – the Adidas Auckland Half – as I was rounding into the home stretch and saw my finish time 1:52:08, this gave me the biggest smile as I never expected sub 2 hour and my wife’s face was priceless as well – she thought I’d take longer, it has inspired me to continue running, and also return this year in October for a better crack at a decent time…good times.
obtain my classification to the Final of National Championship (but unfortunately I could not participiate because of one of my friends will marry the day of the competition … )
BamaRider
returning to running after a 5 year hiatus, it took me 2 months to do a 6 mile run, but I’m here.
Good to be back.
Great reading! Keep up the good work!
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Running 22K from my home to my summer cottage this summer. After 20K I lost a drinking bottle from my belt. It slipped out somehow. I tried to quicly turn back to pick it up, when I heard and saw it hit the ground. But before I knew of it, I was laying on my back, on the ground with a hole in my pants. I guess that two hours of running almost strait, had set the brain on autopilot. Strange feeling, never experienced a thing like that before. But nice run though.
Racing surprisingly well in the heat at Ironman Racine 70.3. It was an awesome race (for me), but miserably hot at the same time.
Racing in the same event with my wife. I finished with my worst time yet in an olympic/international distance tri, but this didn’t matter when I watched my wife cross the finish line to complete her first oly/int tri.
You know you want to give this to me!
just saying hi after getting power back from the storm last weekend. Was a new adventure running my usually route while dodging down power lines and trees in northwest Connecticut
keep up the great post love reading the reviews and info.
I competed in my first off-road triathlon this summer at the age of 48. Can hardly wait for my next one.
Averaging 36 km/h in a bike race. It was the best race that I’ve ever done. Conditions were perfect.
BTW, in New Zealand, 1 Sept is the start of spring and then summer. Yay!!!
This summer I completed my first ever sprint tri, so that was pretty awesome. And then I ate a huge pile of pancakes with peaches, with was equally as awesome. Oh, and the entire day the only time it didn’t rain was during the race, so great!
Running to past the military PT test. The bonus???? getting to stay in for passing!
love this site!!!
want a new 610 to replace my 405 that i gave to my gf to start her running!!!
Loosing 60 lbs and completing the Cowtown 10k in Fort Worth. My 15 year old son never thought I would be able to complete the Race. But He was there with open arms at the finnish. What a Day!!
My best racing memory was in high school when I scored the 5th position for my team, for the first time in my running career, earning my varsity letter in cross country! Oh, and our team score was low enough that we qualified for the state meet. Wow, what a race!
Just got back from 2 hours of soccer, some of the best fun (sports-wise) this summer.
Running my first half marathon waaaaaay too fast and hurting for the 2 weeks afterwards.
running in the rain yesterday was nice and cool break from summer
My fave race memory of was the 2005 Johnson Valley Rally, I know not the kind your looking for. It was my first and only rally race. I spent 2 weeks getting my car ready on the way to the race I hit some stuff on the freeway broke 1 head light ripped off half my bumper. Got to the race late so I could only do 4 of 6 laps. The next week at school I told all my friends about the race and how I got a DNF because I hit something on the cores. *total lie* but I had the damage to back it up.
Definitely the best summer running memory is finishing a 5K Mud Run with 15 obstacles with my wife of seven years. She and I have been running regularly so we can keep up with our two boys as they get older.
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After besting my previous PR for a 10k race after a month of training realizing I dropped over :50 off each mile! Thanks for the awesome giveaways.
One of my friend have bought this and trial it. He said it’s good to have this to monitor your running exercise.
Run fast 8 km in heavy rain, this morning.
That would be last year’s Amtrak Century ride in California. My first century ride. Since then, I’ve done another three.
Finishing my first HIM, Muskoka 70.3, in the pouring rain. Miserable day until crossing the finish line and recalling the day fondly and ready to sign up to do it again!!
My best racing memory was when i got a new PR in Half Marathon last January!!
thanks for this contest!
No great summer highlights this year but im hoping to make one in my last race of the season next weekend!
riding 80 miles of pure bliss around nicasio reservoir.
Me, me, me! Would really love it to give my 405 to my The Girl, and use the 610 for myself instead.
My best summer race memory must be the Copenhagen
Powerade 1/2 marathon. Even if I didn’t get under the 1:38 that was my goal it was a very well organized race following a scenic route in Copenhagen.
I would love to get my hands on that 610, it would look great on my arm :)
Regards and thanks for a great blog
Jacob
Whee!! garrrmin
Last year Jukola relay third leg. Orienteering in Jukola is the best thing in Finnish summer nights. The orienteering was very hard and i managed to go without big mistakes.
Trail racing mainly lately.
Would be a present for my girlfriend…
Hi Ray,
The best run this summer was a 10k run in which I improved my personal best time by a minute!
I am still getting better thanks to lots of interval runs with my old and trusted (and handrepaired) Garmin 305
I look forward to the 610!
Keep up the good blog
Gerard
Finishing IM European Championship w/ PR. Even PROs were struggling hard on race day because of really nasty wet & freezing weather conditions.
A daily training on St. Gilles Beach, Reunion Island…
Racing my first offroad marathon last year with no training!
My left foot was the size of a melon but I made it round the course (with 2000m of ascent) in a time of 5:30 exactly.
Finishing my first mountain marathon up in Björkliden, Sweden. 50k mountain running with totally 4500 meters uphill and downhill.
My first running in Madrid, in a park full of trees under the rain…
Beat my pb on a 10k run on which I had set out to run fast, but not to set a pb! Realized with about 2k to go that it was within range and hammered it home. Great feeling. Hopefully I can repeat on the Oct. 2 10k I’ve entered.
My best training this Summer went on in Menorca. It was my first trail run and I loved it.
My best training this summer took place up in Finland:
Over two hours out in the Forest being led out nowhere without map contact and then re-orienteering as fast as possible and racing for the next control against 4 others.
see gps-track here: link to guedels.ch
ends up to be something like an off-trail interval training
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My best training memory this year is definitelly running in the morning after the rain. Close to me there is a forest in which I always run. And this memory is not connected to the distance I run but to the smell of the grass and the dusk of the day which made a pretty nice surounding for a morning run.
Cheers
Simon
10 km early morning training run during which the temperature rose steadily from 20C to 30C before the day topped out at 38C.
C’mon Ray, you need to narrow it down some more – every day is summer on the Gold Coast of Australia! So I’ll pick yesterdays MTB ride on a sweet new trail.
Done mine first 13k trial run, after 5 years of doing nothing.
well for us Malaysian, summer is a year long. but my most memorable race for this summer, which happen in July, was my first triathlon. will forever remember that.
Crossing the finish line of the Ironman Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon (well duathlon this year).
I don’t know if it’s a “best” memory, but this summer will be remembered as the summer without running due to Achilles Tendonitis…
Running a great 18 mile long run down on Bayshore and Davis Island in Tampa. Started at a 10 minute pace and finished mile 18 at an 8:37 pace. It was awesome!! I don’t know if it was the perpetuem I was using or I was just having a great day. :) TY
tyoung1122@yahoo.com
My best racing memory is North Shore Half Marathon in June of this year. Perfect weather, and a PR, and I had the whole family there to see it.
The beer after my 1th halfmarathon…
Inspiring my wife and a friend of mine to start running after 3 years of coaxing. My wife is going to join me this year for MCM 2011 for 5 miles( her goal) and my friend is going to join me for Big Sur( First marathon ever for him). I am happy that i am able to inspire in a very small way to their healthy lifestyle.
The hugs my kids gave me after finishing my 2nd 1/2 marathon.
Best training memory. Memorial Park Bricks with the Prosper Training Group.
I wouldn’t say this is my favorite memory but probably my funniest. I was running a lot of 5K’s about 11 years ago and did one in a small town in Michigan where my Dad grew up. It started to rain right as we started and I plodded through just trying to get under 30min. I kind of had to go to the bathroom but didn’t want stop and figured that feeling would pass. It didn’t. At the finish line the need to go was strong, so I just stood there and peed myself. It was raining so I really didn’t care and I doubt anyone else was paying attention or noticed.
Running a trail event for the first time. Seeing people trying to avoid getting dirty on the first of 12km was priceless.
A colleague of mine harassed me to enter the Amsterdam half-marathon. After a month of “you’re crazy, I’m too old and fat for this”, she managed to have me sign-up… I started running again. The first time, I thought I had run 7k and thought I was going to die. It turned out to be only 5.2k and I felt ashamed of the time it took me if I thought about the “good old days”. I almost gave up. That was May. Mid July, I went for a run. Started jogging, easy going under the hot Italian sun at lunch time. I just kept going. Ended up doing 21k, first time in my life, when least expected. Since, I did it another two times, and looking for an end-time in the race under two hours. But the first time I covered the distance just felt special: I had done it.
My favourite summer memories date from the late eighties where I used to train with my friend David. We were teenegers then but it was both hard and fun.
I miss those days
I finished my first triathlon, an Olympic, in the spring…I followed it up would my 2nd Olympic and won my age group 25-29 by a few seconds…and was 9th overall on the bike popping a 25+ avg… thats the highlight so far at least until my first half 70.3 branson in a couple of weeks..
I-man Lake Placid last year: Getting beaten in the swim by Michael Phelps’ sister but coming out of the water feeling like I beat Michael Phelps himself!
I completed my first triathlon last week – a sprint distance. i enjoyed it so much i have entered another next week – sadly this will be the last available this year. Roll on next year.
you are the best, ray!
Thanks for the great updates. I’m a novice runner from Zimbabwe, looking to run my first Comrades Ultra marathon in South Africa in 2012. No great stories yet, but with the mileage I need to put in between now and then, I’m sure to lose the plot at some point and produce a noteworthy effort.
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Getting used to SPDs for the first time, doing great until I feel over onto the front garden on when I finished ! At least I got a soft ‘landing’.
Cheers, Martin
mabooth_uk@hotmail.com
1 year ago to the day I ran 20 miles before work. That was a great feeling.
In the summer of 1968, long before the days of ipods, gps, monster motion-control fat-tire shoes, wicking technical fabrics, gel carbohydrate supplements, and Internet training logs and blogs, a college classmate introduced me to the joy of running. Simply running. In cotton shorts and shirt, no socks, and “track shoes” with a flat sole no more than 1/4 inch thick, so that you naturally ran “naturally” with a midfoot/forefoot strike. Life was truly simple and good then.
My best summer training run is often whatever I just did — nothing beats getting in 6 miles on the beautiful island of Nantucket with blustery cooling winds and a big fat ocean to cool off in at the end.
Summer! After spending 3 months in the brutal heat of Madurai (southern) India, I am glad to be on home turf, running beautiful loops in the neighborhoods of Belmont, MA. My favorite run is to go do some shady loops around Fresh Pond in Cambridge.
I think when my wife surprised me with gatorade at the half way point of one of my long runs. The small things she does during my training program makes it all a vary positive experience! See you in Philly!
Third try, maybe this time?
Arno
Local tuesday night race serie : 5$ + one beer included!!!
M THORNTON
Back to long runs every Sunday. Nothing feels better than enjoying a nice cup of coffee at 10am after a good 15+ mile run.
I’m in
Best training run was when I went out to add some miles before a group run but didn’t quite make it out early enough to add on all the miles I wanted. Then after the group run, managed to convince others they wanted to do a lap around the track with me. Running with people sometimes makes everything better.
Since I am a relatively new runner most of my accomplishments are memorable but my absolute favorite was running my first Trail Race. The people, rain, mud, vegetation, running down the middle of a stream, and even swallowing a few bugs touched upon all of the senses and made it truly memorable.
No funny stories just a recurring issue with me forgetting to charge my watch and it dying during tempo runs.
Finishing my first HIM, being the Rev3 at Quassy. Besides finishing itself, a fond memory I have is of my kids falling in love with some stray kittens at the park. They wanted to take one home and name it Quassy!
Wow – it would be cool to own 610!
Wow – it would be cool to own a 610!
Finishing my first triathlon 10 minutes faster than my goal!!!
Completing my first ever cycling stage race in scenic Vermont!
I truly Enjoy running in the rain when it is very hot outside
Keep the good work Ray
My first ever 10-miler, run by the Charles in Boston as the sun was setting. Amazing views of the city and the sky, and the Red Sox were in town, so some buzz down by Fenway. Priceless.
Running in a 5K weekly series this summer and getting a PR twice, when I didn’t think I had anything left to give!
Finishing my first marathon. Couldn’t believe I’d done it. Looking forward to getting the same feeling at an Ironman.
best summer race memory: only getting passes by one person at my hometown’s tri. best fall race memory is going to be ironman florida!
Best training memory: a great weekend visiting a good friend down in the Columbia Gorge. We did a 90 mile ride on butter smooth Eastern Washington roads the first day, followed by a 14 mile trail run the second, with several visits to the brew pub to shore things up.
End of summer means the beginning of fall: my favorite time to run.
Brian in Little Rock
I did my first olympic this year. Trained like a madman and then found out I can’t swim straight. Oh well, still got 2nd in my age group.
I realized in my first oly that i can’t swim straight. Ended up swimming 1.25 miles. It’s a learning process.
going sub-50 at the Callaway Gardens super sprint this year was sweet. Wasn’t even trying. Just trying hard ;-)
Running my best pace of the summer while at the beach on vacation and being able to celebrate with an afternoon on the beach with a book and a cooler of beer.
Finally beating my mtb buddy up “the climb” after three years of riding together!
Running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in Florida – so fun to have Mickey and Minnie (and so many other characters) cheering you on!
5-mile trail race in hot and humid Florida.
Worst training event of the year was a high speed bike accident on Mother’s Day which resulted in a broken clavicle, six broken ribs, a cerebrel hemorrhage and a hemothorax. After three months of recovery, my best training experience of the year was over the past weeekend when I got out and ran, biked and swam without any pain or limitation. Of course, good things don’t last long as I crashed again this past Sunday due to a mechanical failure (rear brake) and wound up back in the hospital trauma unit. Looking forward to a smart recovery and a great 2012. Thanks for the very informative reviews. I look forward to your report from Interbike.
Simply this: Training for my first Marathon, Chicago 2009. Feeling the joy of improvement week-on-week and then busting out a 16miler last weekend, and feeling great at the end. That’s 10 miles more than I’d ever ran before taking on this challenge!
Here’s to commitment, dedication, and perseverance!
ok
i only run in winters,
so best memory this summer must be,,,,,,getting up after reading about the giveaway and running for ten minutes,,,,,to be considered for the giveaway….. :)
Watching my average pace getting better and better week by week, at the same time as the discomfort of my shin splints / compartment syndrome steadily subsided.
That FR610 would be just the thing for my wife.
Can I win this one?
I need it! please send it to me!
I need it! Please send it to me!
IN a small rural town we don’t have a large running group, but on this particular day we had a somewhat larger group (6!!!) That day we felt we might could even take on the cars on the road!!! As we were out on the road however, as we came around a corner we came across a line of dogs, staring us down like a sherrif and his posse! We stopped for a moment and starred them down like at the OK corral. Unfortunately they won – we turned tail and went another way. So much for the brave large group!
Finishing my first marathon two weeks ago after never having run further than 5km this May. It was also a trail marathon, finished in 6hours. Woohoo!
Closing in on the leader after 3 miles of a 5k in a high school cross country race. Then I passed out, ran into a tree, and dnf’ed in sight of the finish line. Gotta love the heat and humidity in the south.
Prepping for Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3 and having a breakthrough ride in the pouring rain, for 3 hours. Nothing better than being on the bike, even better when it is a kick ass ride that builds confidence.
Running on the mountains in Ireland.. the peaks were all covered in fog and the views of the Irish green landscape were incredible.
My favourite summer training story isn’t about intense efforts or anything like that.
A couple of years ago, having got my partner into cycling she bought a brand new road bike at the beginning of summer.
As a first ride on it, we decided to take to the popular Norton Summit climb here in Adelaide, South Australia. The pure enjoyment of her new bike was plain for all to see though an enormous beaming smile throughout the ride.
Definitely a training ride to remember :)
I love my 305 but 610 would be better. Thanks for your product reviews.
Been awhile since I’ve been active, so I thought I’d start out with a bike ride to Bocce-ball and hopefully make it a reoccuring thing. Made it 2 miles in before the chain jumped off the big gear in the back, locking up the back wheel.
Fast forward 2 weeks, and I just received new rear-end parts and hopefully I’ll get the bike together again this weekend.
Oh, and we also had to forfeit our Bocce game because I never made it to the park :)
Its summer all year round in Asia, the good thing is there are more upcoming races held in the evenings where the weather is much cooler..
Workign on an offshore drilling rig does in West Africa does not make triathlon training easy. Despite this I worked hard and prepared myself for the season. But my best memory from this summer is from 120 km road race. I knew that I would be strong on the bike this year but did not expect that strong, which paid off later in the season.
As I compete mainly in non drafting races I did not have much experiece in peleton cycling and my decission was to stay in the front of a pack.
From early in the race I felt that the pace was not as good as I would like it to be and I tried to speed up the group. On 70th kilometer I felt that I can no longer ride this way and I decided to push it as hard as I can and have 50 km TT. Only to others followed me. I kept on pushing harder and harder but they were more experienced, wiser and better than me. All the time they stayed behind me and allowed me to do my TT.
I was 100% suer that a few km before finish line the pack will catch up with us but in the end it did not happen.
My ecsape mates easily overtook me on the finish (not much of a sprinter I am) but I finished 3rd! That was my best cycling performance ever!
Although I managed to set my PR on half-ironman later in the summer this road race was my greatest succes of the year.
What I love about summer training is that it involved getting out with a group of people from work, get rid of our work day roles and enjoy the ride together. I’ve also appreciated the many times that they’ve waited for me, as they’re all super fit and I’m still working on it!
Running with work colleagues in a corporate running event with 4 races spread out over 8 weeks. Great runs and great excuse to get out of the office and talk about something other than work.
Running with work colleagues in a corporate running event. 4 races spread out over 8 weeks. Great runs and great excuse to get out of the office and talk about something other than work.
My best memory: finished the race for the first time, even though I was almost the last one to do so.
Half the features would probably be wasted on me; but I’d take it anyway!
I haven’t run all summer… Awesome.
Thanks for all the great posts and giveaways… Even if I never win.
Watching the dawn rise as I approached the finish line of the Vermont 100 mile running race, knowing that I had been running since the prior sunrise :-)
Watching the glow of the early morning dawn as I approached the finish line of the Vermont 100 mile running race, knowing that I had been running since the prior sunrise :-)
Knocking 1h12min minutes off of my HI distance PR and rewarded 6th place in national champs :)
Running throught the national park in driving rain and fog, couldn’t see 5 meters infront of you!
My best memory is a few days old: biking the “Col du petit saint-bernard” in France, to cross in Italy around LaThuile.
The steak after my first road race in Hannover Germany this year!
The steak after my first road race in Hannover Germany this year!
training in Laussane in switzerland, running by the lake with a view of amazing mountains
Winning the 610 was definitely the highlight winks.
My best memory would have to be from the second duathlon I did; after being unable to keep up with the main field the first time round, a few months of training later I wasn’t only keeping up, but managed to pass a lot of people who where faster than me last time. I always remind myself of this race when I feel that my training progress is slow.
finished a half-distance-IM in PB although it was very!!!! hot. think training pays off.
greetings from vienna and thanks for your blogs
Herbert
60km roller ski session in the swiss alps. yeah!
Training through the hottest summer in 50 years in preparation for my first Ironman, IMLou 2010. Discovering that IM training makes one adaptable to any circumstance. This newly discovered life-skill manifested itself the day of the race, which turned out to be one of the most grueling weather-days for any IM event, ever. With an attrition rate near 20%, rather than the usual 6-7%, I was amazed to find the resiliency within myself to have been one of e few to finish that day. For that, I will always be amazed…..and proud.
My best run was going for an evening run just after moving into the countryside after living in the city for years and seeing deer, pheasant, rabbits and lots of other wildlife.
Ray, last week I run 2h30 minutes on treadmill in a Johannesburg hotel. Technically in South Africa, it was still winter, but I really believe that running 30k in the gym was my best memory for this summer. Take care. Massi, from Milan, Italy
It was lonely midnight mtb-ride here in Finland! 6h and no lights needed.
My memories of this summer will be the lack of summer weather, hopefully the winter will be better for training.
As we didn’t have a real summer in northern germany, I really don’t have summer memories. Most fun was doing the triathlon relay with my colleagues during the hamburg triathlon.
The best time was undoubtedly the two weeks of altitude training in St. Moritz during the month of July. We had the nose in the snow, but the freshness has allowed us to collect the much greater workload. I wish you a beautiful autumn to you all.
AFAF( à froid à fond!) Denis
Well Rainmaker, I DNF’ed at the Louisville Ironman last weekend, my first DNF ever. I had a very rough Marathon in July trying to qualify for Boston and cramped up in both legs for the final 6 mile shuffle but I’ve had a great summer of support from family and friends that keeps me running and I will take what I’ve learned and tie it into my shoes…next Marathon Sep 18
Thanks for your great giveaway!
After training hard during spring time to run another marathon I was injured for a while with a slipped disk. Since some weeks I try hard to come back with success, even with more fun during each training session. Learned a lot about myself, my body and how to deal with each training.
My favorite racing moment was finishing Ironman Canada hand-in-hand with my best friend, training partner, and love of my life, David.
Running, and completing, my first half-marathon.
I’ve had a lot of great training experiences this summer. One of the most interesting was during a run just outside of Mitchell, SD. I saw a young whitetail deer standing just off the road, but he did not bolt away as I ran past. Then he started running behind me, with me, for a short distance until a car turns onto the same road, when he does run away.
It hadn’t rained in 60 days in Dallas, and it was HOT. Then I woke up one morning to cool rain. I ran outside to look, barefooted and not all the way dressed (don’t ask). I was so happy that I just kept running and running, in the rain, barefooted, and celebrating.
j_salani
did a warrior dash this past summer… lots of fun.
Cycling 100 miles with over 10,000ft of climbing in 95F+ heat and returning home to cold beer and a beautiful woman.
I love my new 310XT, but my jealous wife now needs a 610!
salivating over that Garmin.
let’s see my favorite summer memory would actually be the crazy sweaty run I had during a business trip to St. Louis. Everyone was complaining about the heat and I was excited to be running under the arch and seeing new places
I was running in the Poconos and I saw a bear in the distance coming my way. Lets just say I turned around and absolutely bolted out of there.
My best summer racing memory was finishing my first Ironman at Lake Placid after suffering for 12.5hrs. The road to Ironman is hard and the training is real but once you cross the finish line with all the people screaming at you, you forget about all the hard work and suffering and enjoy the bliss of the moment.
Getting my 7yr old son out of the house, away from viedo games/tv. He used to just walk/hike with me but I decided to get him into doing more this summer. He runs at a local track with me on short distance (2-3/under miles) days and bikes on longer runs. He’s constantly asking to go out running now.
Have been training all summer getting ready for my first triathlon in a few weeks. Living in Vegas, Triathlon season seems to be September thru November.
Nik
Well, this has been my first full year of training, and I’m hoping that tomorrow will be the highlight of my summer, with my first 20-mile run ever! Preparing for Chicago Marathon in October.
After June 24, 2012, I hope to report that my highlight will be completing IM CdA!
This year, my highlight was running 18 miles in the middle of Nebraska with my girlfriend in the middle of our trip moving from Arizona to Chicago!
Eating half a litre of tiramisu ice creams to celebrate my 10k PB. Cant do much about it, i just love ice creams :)
I’ve only been running since the back end of last summer, so actually it was yesterday 5 miles around the countryside at work. Back from injury, an absolutely beautifully sunny Friday lunchtime, body and breathing ticking over like clockwork. It’s been too long since I felt that great all the way through a run. Brilliant.
Training run of halfmarathon on very very hot weather with only few dl of water.After run thirsty to death…Need to think before run:-)
My best summer training memories are being able to run with my wife. We are going to run the San Jose Rock n Roll half!
Running on the beach at Topsail Island and listening to the waves crash against the beach along the way.
My best summer racing memory is probably my first half marathon, in 07. That was my first distance over 5k, and I was pleasantly surprised with my time.
Thanks for your tips and reviews
DC, my best run so far, was a 10k on the beach between playacar and further down at Playa Del Carmen at sunset. With a cool breeze (March) it was a defining moment for me.
Thanks for your reviews
JF
The sense of achievement/relief following a 60km chase back onto the group after a puncture at a 200km in June: HTFUing, channelling your in Jens and going into the back of the pain cave – works
After 12 years of running, my wife finaly took the leap and ran her first 13.1. I ran the 5k and then met her at mile 10 to finish up. It was awesome just to see the smile on her face. She’s really hooked now!
Being swept out to sea during this swim last weekend. See link to dailymail.co.uk
Managed to get back to shore without being rescued. Will never forget the feeling of going nowhere quick!
Ged
First Cross Country Meet of the season I got a new PR! 18:32! Would love a new 610 to help with training.
We had a great trip to Idaho for some warm weather relaxation.
My first Triathlon @ the NYRR Sprint Triathlon in Queens, NY. It was brutally hot and when they said they might exclude the run from the results, my first thought, was nooooo. As it turned out they kept the run in and it was hot but even so crossing that finish line was amazing….
First summer of triathlons and survived
First every Olympic race and I forgot to take my earplugs out after the swim. Ended up half way through the bike course before I realized that I still had them!
My most unique experience this summer was running my first 20km run ever. I’ve always been a good cyclist, but until last year never did much of running. However since my dad has been diagnosed with cancer last year and his fighting for his life, I decided to begin running and this 20km run end of may was my ultimate goal. It was also kind of a fight for me to get there in the right physical condition, but that’s what had to be, I wanted to motivate my dad to don’t give up his fight.
In the race self I got cramps after 13km and couldn’t barely run anymore. I didn’t want to give up, and even though i felt a lot of pain in my legs I walked to the finish line at a pace of 7,5min/km. And it felt like a victory i could finish the race. My dad was also very proud of me and It helped him a lot to continue his fight. I couldn’t run for 2 weeks after because of my muscle getting injured after the cramps, but still… it was my very best running experience this summer!