Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
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.
Next week I’m going to run and train for my yearly holiday to Malta in August, I always make a good run overthere and it’s nice to have done some training before running there.
Nice little 3800 yd practice for tommorrow morning
WU 400 Swim and 4 x 50 IM order 25 drill/25 swim on 1:00
50 EZ
3 times thru 3 x round1) 50, round2) 100, round3) 200 1:20/100 pace
1 x round1) 100, round2) 200, round3) 300 1:30/100 pace
2 x 50 fly 1:00
50 EZ
4 times thru 1 x 75 continuous IM 1:15 1:fl/bk/br, 2:fr/fl/bk, etc
2 x 50 fly 1:00
50 EZ
4 x 25 fly 1):35,2):30,3):25,4):20
CD 200 EZ
1 hour of cool running with cool music and dreaming about my next race Eco trail of Paris 80 Km in 15 days
Spring’s here. First outdoor run of the year woot woot!!
Hoping I can last 10K on hills
2 hours hike for sunday early morning.
I didn’t run since 2 weeks, after pain in my ankle during my first marathon.
I just want to come back to running slowly, and run pain-free as soon as possible.
:)
fast finish long run – 16 miles with last 6 at race pace
Going tomorrow for a 95 min. run at speed 5:00 min./km.
I’m training for a half marathon end of march.
Next week some speedwork like 6 * 1000 meters and some other interval training.
I would like a FR910 XT ;-)
Cycling training with 50km Hills session on Sunday. Targets are 1500 meter of total ascendt in One day.
WU: 300
12×25 on the 30″
3×150… 50 swim, 50 drill, 50 swim
MS: 20×100 on 1’50”
CD: 200
60 mins 1 minute on one minute off on the bike
not training for anything specific at the moment so the plan for Saturday is to just get out and run somewhere in the region of 10K in something like 60mins.
Saturday run 13 miles, LSD pace, its only second week of marathon training, so this run is more about the social fun of the group for me (I’ve done 12-16 mile long runs thru the whole winter)
Sufferfest’s new Blender video (1:40:00) — on my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine trainer; hopefully sync’d up to Trainer Road.
Interval Session
3km warmup
Three sets of:
5 x (300m hard then 100m jog)
400m jog
2km coldown
My first outdoor ride of the year should be this weekend as sun and temperatures above freezing are predicted for southern Germany. No strict plan–just get a feel for the road, climb some hills, and pass a tractor or two (always a goal). Look out Roth!
run
One EPIC (HIIT) series from Guy Thibault
10 Min warmup
3x8x15/15sec with 1min rest between series
2x7x15/15sec with 1m30 rest between series
1x6x15/15sec
Cool down
30min of pain
40 mile ride first 20 miles intervals every 2 minutes. Sprint recover for 1:30. Repeat. last 20 miles HR over 1
Long-run this weekend with some marathon pace thrown in…
18mi total with 12mi at marathon pace
Building for Boston!
15 k running in the morning sun and the snow
Breakfast
800m Swimming
Lunch
50k Cycling
Falling into bed
One of my favorite bike workouts:
5-145
2-270
5-110
15-285
5-100
15-285
5-100
15-285
10 minute warm down.
Thanks.
Richard C.
just one training in one week, it was 7km at a 7min/km pace :-( .Hate the flu.
Long run of 5 miles – nice and easy. Building distance back up after injury.
10 minutes unstructured
10 min at tempo
3 min rest
2×20 @ .95-1.0 FTP on 4 min rest
10 min break
1×15 @ FTP
Cool down
25 min @ half-iron pace.
whoops. That’s 25 min run between M and .5M pace, not iron pace.
On Sunday I will run 16 miles on / off, on at 6:25 /mile, off at 7:15 /mile. I will add 4 easy run miles to finish with total of 20.
Perfect timing! Monday I start my 1/2 Marathon training.
1 mi. warm up
2x 1600’s with 800 recovery
1 mi. cool down
Trainer Road Angels ride followed by 1 hr easy running.
– join quarter marathon on Sunday.
– do my first longest run ever at 25 Km on Wednesday.
– there is no plan yet for other 5 days left. It depends on my work load.
on saterday 50 minutes run
on sunday 120 minutes run outdoor in the spring
I want the Garmin FR910XT or the Edge. ;-)
70 mile group ride on Saturday
Start slowly, couple of light intervals in the first 20 miles, store stop for a Coke at 35, pick it up starting back in, and hammer the last 10 miles dropping people like flies. All out sprint at the end.
Spin back to the parking lot for the second part, talking about the ride.
My goal is to run 15 miles and hopefully be able to walk the next day. That will be a new record long run for me!
Swim fun on Friday: endurance and tech!
400m w-u
4x75m scull/kick side/swim 15″ rest
12x50m desc 1-4 on 1’00”
800m continuous pyramid: 25 fast 25 easy/ 50fast/ 50easy/ 75fast/ 75easy/ 100fast/ 100easy/ 75fast/ 75easy/ 50fast/50easy/25fast/25easy…1 minute rest
3x200m on 3’30” negative split
300m kick as 75 free/25choice
300m c-d
90 min Z3 steady state on the trainer
… Just as soon as my back stops killing me from digging out from the back to back midwest snowpocalyses (snowpocalypsi?)
35KM ATB ride in the Forrest
6KM run with my daughter (Age 13)
11KM run with a goal in 50min
And would like to use a Viiiiva
Going for a 2hr XC MTB ride in the local hills – and not having to rely on my iPhone in my pocket for distance, speed, route etc.
10k of speed work (running):
* 2 x easy
* 1 x hard, 1 x easy (x4)
Thanks!
Going for a 2hr XC MTB ride in the local hills and not having to rely on my iPhone in my pocket for distance, speed, route etc.
I plan on a 15 LSD Bike with a 5 mile LSD run Brick
7 mile run, hopefully outdoors but will settle for the treadmill if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Either way, gotta get the 7 miles in.
Swim workout!
WU:
500 swim easy.
8 x 50 done as 25 drill and 25 swim.
MS:
7 x 100 (20”) #1 is easy. Descending time for each interval.
Rest 1-2 minutes.
3 x 100 (20”) each same pace as #7 of first set.
300 kick steady effort.
CD: 200 easy swim.
Total: 2400
Working my way back from an injury. Goal is to run 2 miles twice in the next two weeks plus some cross-training in the gym.
Tomorrow I am running 4 miles at a 9min pace, then whatever I have left at the end I will push hard and leave nothing.
7 mile run in the dark! Finish as the sun comes up.
15 mile LSD; Eugene Marathon is getting oh so close….
Saturday’s workout – 1.5 hr trail run at a local park, Haw Ridge, in preparation for a trail half marathon next month.
trainingscamp (swim & run)
saterday 1h30min run and 1-2h swim
sunday 45min run before breakfast and 1-2h swim
Garmin FR910XT or Suunto Ambit
I’ve begun taking the train a fair bit away and then run back home. This Sunday it will be 26 km.
2 fartlek workouts in the next week – first 12 x 30s @ 5k pace or faster then 12 x 1min @ 5k pace or faster. Starting to build towards a PR attemtp at 5k in April
5 mile run followed by a 15 mile mt bike ride
Fatbikes rule! 12 miles in the snow was awesome!
Heres tonights interval session!
45 minutes total on the treadmill. 10 minute warm up at 7.5mph, then five 2 minute intervals starting at 9.3mph and stepping up .2 each interval with a 5 minute recovery in between. By the end I’m diving into the puddle on the floor to cool down!!
Run 16km on Sat!
6 mile easy
last 6 miles at tempo pace
drink beer
Casual speed workout to sharpen for upcoming marathon. 1.5 miles easy to warm up, 3 miles at around 7:30mpm, cooldown.
Heart rate stays zone 2 and below at all times.
Spin-Up Set: 8 X 2 minutes as 1 minute high cadence, 1 minute easy spin.
HR stays zone 2 and below at all times.
One Leg Pedaling Set: 8 X 3 minutes as 1 minute
right leg only at 60 rpm, 1 minute left leg only at 60 rpm, 1 minute both legs at 95 rpm. HR
stays zone 2 and below at all times.
10 minutes easy cool down.
A 15km long run on Sunday afternoon in preparation for that is being held on March 24th.
As some others I’m also back from few week illness. This saturday I’ll do the following swim training:
600m easy warm up
6x50m drills (three different)
100m on back legs butterfly with fins
100m on back legs freestyle with fins
2x200m freestyle 1.9km pace
200m on back with fins the same as above
2x200m freestyle 1.9km pace
300m cool down
Recovery on the bike trainer i the morning after epic run sesh:
5min turn legs over in easy gear
10min @ cadence 90 in easy gear
Stretch and relax
Hard swim set in the evening.
I have a 10K tomorrow and a Half Marathon two weeks later, so I’m mostly going to be recovering and taking it easy. I’m using the 10K as more of a speed test, so I’ll consider that my next workout
Just got in my new Concept2 Rower this afternoon, so my first “workout” will be carrying the rower into my house and moving it into the basement.
Second half of the workout will be doing 4 Sets of 1000 meter sprints on the Rower to get the hang of everything.
I’m going to do a take-it-easy run for about 5kms after having been down with a knee injury for about 6 weeks..
Planning a easy to moderate 8 mile run Saturday. I hope March brings warmer weather so I’m not freezing or stuck on the treadmill.
Lotta people entering this SOB :)
2:00 Z2
4×30″ strides w/ 1:30″ rest in between
:05 cool down
run to get some strength: 2km warmup 10x500m uphill 2km cooldown
Next workout, on monday
1. 150km bike ride (hehe, Motorobike actually)
2. 5 min warm-up on treadmill
Do a Push routine (of the Push/Pull variety) as below
Bench Press – 3x 8-10 (2 mins rest)
Incline Bench press – 3 x 8-10 (2 mins rest)
Incline DB Flyes – 3 x 10-12 (2 mins rest)
Military Press (aka Barbell Press) – 3 x 6-8 (2 mins rest)
Upright row – 3 x 6-8 (2 mins rest)
DB Lat raises – 3 x 10-12 (2-3 mins rest)
Close grip bench press – 3 x 8-10 (2 mins rest)
Triceps press down – 3 x 10-12 (2 mins rest)
Overhead extension – 3 x 8-10 (2-3 mins rest)
3. 30 min easy run on the treadmill (with my new FR910XT and footpod)
Well training hard for my a half marathon in 2 weeks, so my next workout is a 5k park run on Sat where I will be running at race pace and hoping to get my first sub 25min time :) Rob
my workout for Saturday – Cooper test – run as far as you can in 12 minutes.
2km in the pool followed by 60 min run if achilles tendon holds up! If not, then a core session at the gym.
Just had foot surgery due to years pounding the payment in the US Army. 30 min road bike ride on my trainer in snowy Kansas.
A 15km long run in preparation for Run for the Kids – a local fun run being held on March 24th to raise money for the Melbourne Children’s Hospital.
I have a 7km circuit planned for cycling training which is pretty hilly and has one flat stretch. 1st lap = hammer the hills, and pace myself on the flat, second lap pace myself on the hills and hammer the flat. Rinse and repeat according to planned time or mileage on the bike.
Running this Sat while my 4 yr old ride his tricycle.
Saturday 22k at 5:00 min/km pace.
20 mile run, easy pace. (strava marathon training challenge)
Run 50min MS: 1×1/2 mile (3′), 2×1 mile (4′) all @ TP/Z4/ Hard
Running this Sat with my 4 yr old son who will be riding his tricycle.
Warm-Up
1 X 300 Freestyle Easy
2 X 100 Freestyle Kick w/ Fins & Board Rest 0:10sec
1 X 200 Freestyle with Pull Bouy
Build Up
4 X 50 Free .Fast Down …Easy Back Rest 0:10sec
6 X 75 Kick – Pull – Swim rest 0;10sec
Core
6 X 100 Freestyle ON 2:00MIN
1 x 500 Freestyle – Every 4th Length FAST
8 X 50 Stroke Down…. Free back Rest 0:10sec
If all Free Moderate down Fast Back
10 X 25 Breath Control Rest 0:05sec
1. 4 strokes…. breathe
2. 3 strokes…..breathe
3. 2 strokes …breathe
4. 1 strokes…. breathe
5. Swim 1 Length …. NO Breaths !!!
{ REPEAT }
Warm Down
1 X 200…. Easy Freestyle
Total Yards = 3200
Run 1 hour and swim about 1km :)
On Saturday, 7.5 mile trail run 8:00min/mile. Finish with 0.5 mile hill at 13% average. Training for the Enchanted Rock Extreme Duathlon.
I’ve got a time trial this weekend. I’m a runner, and this is my first bike only event, so it should be a giddy mix of fun and fear. Looking forward to it. In the mean time I’ve got an 8 mile tempo run planned for friday.
on Sat I’ll be
running 90min in HRZ2 on a treadmill
and
swimming 45min with focus on breathing
20 miler race specific training. 2.5 miles flat 15 miles single track mountain trails 2.5 miles flat.
Tonights Track Workout
2x400M, 100M recovery
3x1600M, 400M recovery
2x400M, 200M recovery
10k pace
This weekends long run will somewhere between three and a half and four hours of trail running.
Running a 16k mountain run at the end of the Motatapu triathlon, going to be epic and oh so scenic… shouldu probably do some training as well next week but not thought about that yet.
I’m on a skiing holiday atm, so my workouts consist of skiing every day and hopefully find some time to do an easy run or three while I’m here.
Just getting back into shape and trying to train for a 10K, so my goal is to run for 5-6 miles, moderate pace, this Saturday.
Considering that I got hit by a car about a month ago while cycling the only work-out I have is Physical Therapy. Plan to do some stretching and other basic exercises to get better. Would rather be swimming, cycling, or running but I will live for now. Watch out when I am 100% because I am coming for blood this season!
10 mile tempo run in preparation for the NYC half in 2 weeks (and a 50K the week after!)
20 km run through the organic vegetable farms and up through the hill.
I’m going to do a longer ride on my bike. After that I work on my riding skills. :)
I want to run as slow as I can (it´s difficult to run slowly lol) for 2 hours.. tha´s my plan for this sunday!
Tapering for a 100km ultramarathon in 2 weeks time. Tomorrows session will be a moderately easy 21km road run; aiming to negative split the second half.
Lunchtime hill workout: bike. Flat warm up then up a cat5 climb with a cool down back to the office.
40 mile cycling with a hard fast mile each 5 miles
Tapering for a 100km ultramarathon in 2 weeks time. Tomorrows session will be a moderately easy 21km road run. Aiming to negative split the second half.
Coaching a 5K/10K class this Saturday morning which consists of ~35 minutes of walk/run.
5 miles easy running through the woods on Sunday – mud, trees, more mud and coffee at the end.
45 minutes on the bike-trainer. Every 5 minutes I crank up the gears and hill-climb, counting each pedal stroke until I hit 100. Killer on the quads, but great if you’re short on time and need to get some intensity in there.
I have several workouts plan, but I do have a 16 mile hard run coming up on Sunday. Should be fun if the weather holds true.