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…
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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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
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Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
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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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
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FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
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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.
Probably the Providence St. Pat’s 5k
Hincapie Spring Series in Feb 2013
Probably going to be Engineers Without Borders River Run in Albuquerque. Mar 2013.
Frozen Ass 50k in Calgary, Alberta Canada in February.
Red Top Rumble – Atlanta, Georgia – 11.5 miles in the first Sunday in February. Can’t wait! And boy, would this help my wife and I pace better :)
My first real race of the 2013 season is the DC Rock n Roll Marathon in March. First marathon!
I would think it will be a 5k run / walk “resolution run” in January 2013
First race that’s booked is in the fall actually as I have a pretty crazy schedule. Gran Fondo Whistler Sept 2013.
Trying to convince wife that we really need to go to Pucon for the 70.3.. I have teh fingers corssed.. And she already has the green FR10.. So I need the bigger one.
Probably a North Face 25km trail run!
The Tahura Trail Run 10K in Bandung! My first trail run!
I’ll be doing the Polar Bear 10k in Redmond, Oregon on Jan. 12th
my first race is ironman 70.3 Auckland nz January 20 2013
Oceanside 70.3 in March
First race, Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon!
my first race in 2013 will be a smaller hungarian event, a mountainbike marathon (Szilvásvárad Maraton) in may.
Vancouver Sun Run with 50,000 others!
Hmm, hard to tell just now, some local road bike race if I can get some training in this winter.
Bribie Tri Series Race #3
Probably the Sfinx Ekiden run in Ghent, Belgium
FIrst race will be on my birthday! Iron Horse Bicycle Classic on May 25th. Just moved to Colorado and it will be a good one.
hi! I plan on doing some small “races” as training runs during winter, but my first real race will be the halfmarathon in Vienna/Austria on march 17 as a preparation/test run for IM 70.3 in St. Pölten/Austria.
good luck to all and have fun training and racing
Im doing the High peak marathon with Neill Barton, 40miles through the night over the Yorkshire Peak District in march
half marathon next week
Willis River 50k in Cumberland, VA on Jan 12th!
gerar on 27 january 2013
My first race of 2013 will be the Ballycotton 10 (mile) in Cork (ireland).
Well done on your new website, it looks great!
The first race I’ve registered for for next year is the Green Bay 1/2 marathon. I’m sure I’ll do something before that though. There’s a Color Run on New Year’s Day I might do with my daughter. Otherwise there’s a valentine’s day run that I do every year. One of those two will probably be my first event for the next year.
Thanks!
the ’10 miles of antwerp’ are traditionally my first race of the year, although it’s only in april. the months before that are mostly filled with snowboard trips and cycle trainings for the ‘tour the flanders’ in March.
I was planning on the Canberra Marathon in April
Hi Ray! My first race of 2013 will be the same as my boyfriend Conor Dolan, ‘The Ballycotton Ten’! It’s a ten mile roadrace in a beautiful town by the sea in East Cork in Ireland. There’s a great atmosphere at this race, it starts every year with a rendition of the race song, “We’re all here again at the Ballycotton Ten…”. Hope you and ‘The Girl’ get to visit Ireland soon. Conor and I would love to run with you guys! All the best.
My first race is going to be the “Cross International de Lausanne” :)
My first is a local 10K, known as the Water Park Race where it starts and ends.
Hilly fun !
Hi Ray, I am basically a Timex guy, but I could defintely use a FR10 for the 20 km of Brussels…. pushing my luck with DC Rainmaker’s giveaways!!
Unfortunately I’m going back to evening school so I don’t have much time to do anything else anymore. Does my first exams in januari count as the first race?
Probably “De hel van het Mergelland”, “The hell of Mergelland” a Dutch tour with some heavy climbing.
My racing year kicks off with the St. Patrick’s Festival 5K in March.
look forward to running this one every year
I have race in April and maybe I will try Vilnius marathon in September !
My first race is going to be a 10K at an air base in Germany. I have never raced before, and only done one 10K in my life, so it should be interesting.
Blacksburg Classic 10miler
The local half marathon in March
3-Königs-Lauf, 6. Jan. 2012, SHA :-)
First planned race is the “New Year’s Resolution Run” on January 1st, 2013, 10am
Marmotte Cyclosportive in the Alps
Cyclocross Nationals in Madison, WI!
Monument Ave 10k in Richmond is first on tap.
I’m not sure what my first race will be. I’m still recovering from last season.
New Year’s Day 5k, Reston VA
I’ll be tapering off for the winter, but not too low. I hope to do the Rochester, NY half marathon at the end of April.
Mid-winter marathon, Februari, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands
No set race scheduled, but race season includes 2 marathons, half IM and full IM, so I’m sure some small prep race in NYC will be my first
VA Beach Shamrock Marathon in March 2013.
Thinking about making my first a jan 8 5k fun run – with an obstacle race to follow.
Kidneyrun@night on 26 of januari. A run in Almere 10km in Holland.
So far only signed up for Copenhagen marathon (may) & Berlin Marathon (September).
Planning on the Monument Ave 10k in Richmond as my first race this year
In Germany
32. Straßenlauf – “Rund um das Bayer-Kreuz” am 03.03.2013
Hot Chocolate on Jan 13
First 2013 race will be the Wash DC RocknRoll Half Marathon on March 16
I am not sure yet but I will start soon
My first race for the year will be the Tiberias Marathon.
My first race of 2013 will be an 8 km run in Bjørkelangen (Norway), on january 5th.
My first significant race of 2013 and first half marathon ever will be the Cooks Forest Half Marathon.
Adam
My first race gonna be in the end of January
The Brown Willy New Years day 2013 run in Cornwall
Bandera 100km Jan 12
A bike-run-bike du in Fergus Falls, MN….yay for bikes! Oh…and it’s in May…
My first race of 2013 well be in ABQ
Feb. 9th Krispy Kreme Challenge
Krispy Kreme Challenge on Feb. 9th
I’ll be doing The Bosque Duo with a friend
will help me to track my runs to reach my goal!
1st Jan 2013
Madison Cyclocross at Herne Hill Velodrome, London
1 Garmin for me and 1 for my partner so we can compare lap times!
I’ll be racing Ironman Texas 70.3 in April as a tune-up for Ironman Texas.
My plan is to start with the “Enchanted Rock Extreme Duathlon” in March. A very cool race in one of the best park in Texas.
Kudus 15km
Gonna be a chilly one – Polar Dash Half Marathon in Chicago on January 12.
If work permits the first mtb race for me will be : Excruciation Exam 2013 Jan. 5, 2013
Warda, TX
Open Altitoy Ternua 2013
Do you dare?
Wildflower Olympic? Need to find one sooner…
Santa Cruz half marathon
1st race may be the LA Marathon
New York Road Runners’ Joe Kleinerman 10k January 5, I think. I haven’t started training, but I figure 5 weeks is enough time to brush up the legs and go for a P.R.
NYRR’s Al Gordon Classic 4 Miler, February 23.
Hmm – haven’t decided yet – might wait for a march 10k
First race of the year will be my first race ever! I think I’ll set a PR. haha
Newport Half Marathon in March
PF Changs Rock & Roll Marathon, Phoenix in January
My first race of 2013 will be my first marathon! I’m doing the Rock-n-Roll New Orleans, and am super excited!
Right after the big new years party and a huge hatful of sleep I will put on my shoes with my loveley husband and go for an run.
I might just hold off racing again until March… don’t want to get injured before the Jerusalem half marathon like I did last year.
Skipton Sprint Tri.
My first race of the year will be against the clock, as long as I win this watch!
Waiheke Wharf 2 Wharf in Jan
After problems with my knee till January 2013 I only support my friends :)
This will be the Rheinenergie Köln Marathon!
Probably my first race will be a 10K “Tutta Dritta di Torino”, Turin – Italy!
Stubbington Green 10k on the 20th January -apparently it’s flat and fast so hoping for a pb
Neujahrslauf SHA, 6. Jan, ’13
Resolution Run in Seattle on Jan 1st!