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I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
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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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
Thanks for the chance, Ray (and for the awesome travels and adventures — and reviews). First race will be likely for the other side of the creek in a New Year’s Day polar bear swim….. or a local cyclocross race later in Jan.
Snowman Shuffle 5k. Carterville Illinois. Jan 5th
My 1st race of the season is a local 10k on January 1st – not a real race but more a gettogether with friends with do already for a couple of years
Pat’s Run for sure but maybe the Spartan Race. First time in my life I’m planning for races! Lost 70+Lbs and 40 more to go, you site has been a great tool. Thanks!
Chico Stage race Apr 12-14 Chico, CA
no race just biking with felt and running with ambit
Started with running in August and want to run my first 10 km in January 2013. Goal is a half marathon by the end of the new year.
Challenge at Mountwood!
Shanghai Marathon – Tomorrow!
The King Cake 5k!
ill be racing the tel aviv marathon
I’m going for a century ride around the Dead Sea next weekend.
And I have a bike marathon early February.
If I win the watch It’ll give me a great reason to start running again.
My first race of the year will be the HM of Rockanje (Netherlands) – january 6th
I will be doing the BMO 10k as my first ever race
I’m training for my first 10K.
The race is coming up in January.
It wil be great to have a running watch to help with my training.
New baby delay.
First planned race is the Rotorua Marathon in May.
2 x10ks soon
Virgin London Triathlon July 2013.
I’m training for 10k next saturday
My first race May 2013 Latvia
Hard to say. It would probably be this one: link to maratoninaportofino.it
Ironman 70.3 Mallorca, should be fun.
My first race will be the Hellfire Gozo ULTRA Trail on 6th April.
Imperial Winter Series – every Saturday to Feb
I will have a 10km race on January 1st to sober up after New Year’s Day Party
My first race will be the Kerzers lauf (switzerland) in march.
Good luck guy !
Ultra trail marathon at Borneo jungle :)
Sabah Adventure Challenge
link to sabahadventurechallenge.com
“Spring Hill” triathlon, April 2013.
A winter trail in the alps
Antwerp 10 Miles on april 21, trying to finish in the top 500 this year, so I will get a special invitation and starting spot the year after :)
My first race of 2013 will be the Bulgarian Cross-Country National Championship.
The first race of 2013 that I will take part in is an orienteering race and it is called Begun Cup.
9Km XC on the 20th January, start the year off as I mean to go on.
Looking forward to a good 2013
Ocean Isle Bridge -Run for Food. Ocean isle beach NC!
Green Corridor run, it is a 10k in Singapore. The Malaysian government have just handed back the railway track that starts in Singapore and runs north to the Singapore government who have converted it to wild space. As you pointed out in your recent post about Run Happy, we will all be running in our event t-shirts….
Ironman 70.3 Mallorca
Tassuralli in March.
I am coming back from a long injury, so it won’t be until Trieste Half-Marathon on 5th May :-(
Richmond Park – 5K Park Run on 5th January!!!
Vitosha 100km
Yokota 1/2 marathon.
No races ever.
“Only” daily running, road biking and yoga :-)
Colchester Half Marathon
I dont race, but I do enter challenges. First one of the year will be the BUPA Challenge on 25th Jan, part of the Tour Down Under. Going to try to maintain >35km/h as an average speed across the 120km.
Rotterdam Marathon 14-04-2013
Egmond halve marathon
Cracovia Marathon @ the end of April
If I get past my current knee problems, the half-marathon in Gothenburg, in May =).
Falmouth Freezer Half Marathon in February. I like running in cold weather :)
My first race of the season should be a local 10k on the third of February : the Ravensberg in France.
Not much of a racer, something to work towards though.
My first race in 2013 will be a 5k in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on New Year’s Day already. However, my first goal race will be the Tralee marathon in beautiful Kerry in March.
I need to send a hint to my better half regarding that reindeer sweater.
I probably won’t be racing until a TT in April.. unless I convince myself to HTFU and do a masters swim meet this winter!!
Marine Corps 17.75K in March.
My goal is the Rotterdam Marathon in April.
The race to lose 5 pounds! Then the Rocketman Triathlon in Titusville, FL in May. International+ distance!!
Going for the Sydney morning herald Half marathon in may 2013
I think I’ll race my 15 month old around the dining table when she’s in a mood not to eat.It’s a nightly occurrence so it shouldn’t be any different on Jan 1st.
Just signed up for it — Naples Daily News Half Marathon on January 20, on a shady, flat-flat-flat (like, probably a total of 3 feet of variance throughout the whole course!) gulfshore loop course in Naples Florida.
I am going to run from DC to Maryland and back to DC.
Very likely Foulées du 8ème in Paris.
And here is the link to the race : link to topchrono.biz
Probable the Omloop van het Nieuwsblad in February. Tx.
My first race of 2013 will be Peasantman triathlon.
My first race will be at the gym on the 2nd when all the people with new year’s resolutions show up. That one can get violent; good luck to all…
Around the Bay in March
My first race of the year will be trying to beat my hubby to bed. After that i’m sure i’ll find a good one.
Right now my plan is to race the first Rails to Trails 25k run on January 12 in savannah, ga
Boston Marathon 2013 here we come!!
The Columbia Triathlon.
Not sure of the date, but this watch would help get me to the starting line since my TIMEX GPS takes about six months to acquire GPS satellites…
Great website!
Probably Rotterdam Marathon…
Georgetown 10 miler (3/9) is first on my list.
hopefully New Years Day 5k! depending on how NYE goes….
Doh, posted the first time under Post #1. Hoping to kick off 2013 with the Potomac River Running’s New Year’s Day 5K in Reston, VA.
Just starting to get back into running! My first race will be Run Your Heart Out 5k on Feb 10 :-)
Atlanta Hot Chocolate 15k!
Hot Chocolate 5K in Atlanta
My first race of the year will be the 8ος International Marathon “ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ” (21 April 2013)
Every day’s a race! Jan 1st morning run.
Rock n Roll USA Half Marathon in DC in March
Hoping to do my first triathlon ever this year. Looks like the event called “My First Triathlon” at Lake Lanier Islands, GA might be appropriate….
Dear Ray!
As for me, I started running february (30pounds overweight) and nailed my first marathon in october (Budapest Intl Matrathon) with a time of 04:18:36.
I’m looking forward to a next race, but I’ve overdid my joints a bit…
To maintain my fitness levels I’m “Tacxing” on a daily base.
There are these monthly challanges on the bikenet (tacxvr), so I’m gonna start hitting them!
Actually, I’mm really looking forward to get back to running after some break, hopfully with a new Garmin Forerunner! :) ;)
TRI hard!
Yours
Gergo
The PoHo Hot Cocoa 8k Run/5k Walk in January 12, 2013. Looking forward to start strong 2013 and eating plenty of chocolate.
Tour of Flanders
Hi Ray – since you do not specify WHAT kind of race, my first will be the Seeley Hills Classic (XC ski) on January 12 in Seeley, WI. If you limit us to running, then the local “Freeze Your Gizzard Blizzard Run” on Jan 19 here in good little International Falls, MN ….thanks.
I am planning to run a 25K trail run in march.
I am planning to run a 10K road race in March.
My first race of the year will be the Anthem 5k, First leg of the Louisville Triple crown of running.
First Race? Knoxville Marathon, April 7. First Tri? Rev3 Knoxville, May 5. Busy few weeks in my home town.
Marathon de Paris, April the 7th. Maybe we’ll meet there, it would be a pleasure for me! :-)
Scotia Bank Half Marathon April 28th, 2013. Most of it happens on the F1 racetrack in Montreal, very flat and fast course. Good way to kick off the “summer”. First Tri will most likely be half Ironman in Tremblant late June…I might try to find an Olympic to do in May, but who knows.
Azalea Trail Run in Mobile, AL on March 24th. I would love these for me and my wife. My Garmin 210 face cracked and I need a replacement. Woohoo!
I will be participating in the CAST A SHADOW 6 HOUR SNOWSHOE RELAY February 2, 2013.
January 1st 5k Resolution Run, followed by a chilly dip in the Atlantic Ocean for the Polar Bear Swim in Charleston, SC (where the water temp will be a brisk 50 degrees, cold for Charleston standards) and a detox bike ride to complete the New Years Triathlon.
My first (confirmed) race is Xterra Panther Creek in July. But I’m planning on doing several others before then!
London marathon, woop!
St Poelten 70.3 in Austria in May!
I really enjoy the blog. Keep it up!
The first race of 2013 will be Copenhagen Marathon in May. Hopefully there will be others before that but none that I have signed up to, yet.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Hi, my first 2013 race will be the Udine thriathlon. Cheers and happy 2013 to you
Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in DC