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!
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 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.
Sat 70k cycling, 10k run
Sun 30k run, 5k warmup, 5x5k 4:10/km. Final long run preparing the Santiago Marathon in 3 weeks
Plan was for a 5 mile run and 20 mile bike, but looks like I will need snow shoes, because I just woke 10 inchs of snow. New plan… Sledding with the kids.
Really hoped to get a run in as the weather has finally turned. Ended up the main exercise of the weekend was chasing a two year old around the park. Probably more fun though :)
9 Miler on Saturday, 2000yds in the pool today.
On Saturday I plan to bike around 40-60km and on Sunday I’ll run 10k.
Friday: rest
Saturday: football match with my local team
Sunday: 5k slow run (yeah, I’m in bad shape!)
60 min weight training
10km treadmill run (hey I’m in Canada! It’s still ice and snow!)
Weekend just gone was to rest ;) did 9 miles cycling as part of a Cycling Leadership Training Award and 9 mile hilly walk on Sunday. Next weekend a 5 mile hilly run to kick start training for South Downs Half Marathon in 9 weeks :)
Doing back-to-back-to-back trail runs in prep for my first real ultra; a challenging Kansas (not an oxymoron) 50 miler.
Sat. Bike: 4h hilly course
Sun. Bike: 5h with 2X20′ @ 85% & 1X20 @ 80%
House moving, unfortunately no workout this and next weekend…
Sunday – half marathon
Mon – fri – 1 hour crossfit session
Wed – 6 mile run
Fri – 20 mile run
All in preparation for 3 marathons in the space of 14 days
Managed a hill run Saturday evening, stood in the cold for a few hours serving hydration to 5K racers and then knocked out my own run in the afternoon.
[Friday] Hot Yoga
[Saturday] 3 hours and 17 minutes of Trail Running (since 3/17 is St. Patrick’s Day)
[Sunday] 15 Mile Trail Run + 60 mins of cycling
Is this still on?
47mi road race Sat,
30mi easy spin Sun.
22 Mile Long Run on Sunday – last long run in preparation for the Brighton Marathon in 3 weeks time. All hopefully on course for a Good For Age time for London and Boston.
The 68 mile Georgia Death Race (in 21:05) this past weekend. This weekend will be volunteering at the Double Top 100 mile trail race (and maybe a little pacing)
Knocked out a 3.5 hour ride some with teammates, some solo. My Garmin 510 bricked and lost all data…another story for another day. Then due to terrible weather Sunday was an 1:15 trainer session.
Saturday – 10am: LSD run 2pm: Les Mills Body Pump 4pm: Dance Central 3 showdown (with daughter)
Sunday – 10am: 20 laps swim 12 onwards: Rest and Recovery
11 mile run followed by a 20 ride. Gotta enjoy this 40F weather while it lasts!
Sat 5 miler at pace
Sun hill repeats
I am going to get a fast 10km in, then drink myself into oblivion.
Fri: 95 k bike ride
Sat: travel day
Sun: 1:15:00 16k run + 1:00:00 easy spin
Friday Rest, Saturday mountain biking in the woods for a couple hours. Sunday 40 minute run.
Recovering from a 900km training camp in Tenerife!
Sat 12k bike
Sun easy 5k trail run
Sat: 2hours golf training and 5k easy run
Sun: 5k stears climing event in Eindhoven, netherlands. Just for fun.
Short run and now….snow shoveling in DC….wonderful.
Saturday – easy 5k run
Sunday – long run 21k
this past weekend:
Sat: 8k easy run
Sun: Barcelona Marathon, including personal best on the distance!
:)
Hey,
Saturday morning will be walking the dog for an hour, then a 65 mile endurance cycle followed by 10min easy run with the dog. Then a walk along the beach with the dog again.
Sunday will be 3,000m endurance swim in the morning followed by breakfast/lunch. Then 13 mile run with the dog along the river.
Training for Ironman (City to Summit) in Scotland, and following a simple 20week plan. The girl signed up for it first (oh man I didn’t realise what I was letting myself in for…) I normally just do Half’s!
Sat – 2 hour road ride (finally not on a trainer)
Sun – Endurance swim and an hour run
This past weekend:
4 miles Saturday
18 miles on the course of the NYC Half Marathon on Sunday
Heading out for a long run Saturday – probably 8-10 miles.
Sunday will just be an easy run/rest – just a couple miles.
Training for my tenth half-marathon, with a specific goal time in mind.
Sat: Fly to Shanghai, do one hour on spin bike when I get there
Sun: Another hour on bike, collapse :)
Saturday: long long shake out run 50 min fartlek with hills
Sunday: 22 mile run with last 10 at goal marathon pace. Cool down on the bike 30 mins. Training for Boston
10 mile TT on the bike!
Some 3′ AE reps on the road + 10-15 second sprints
Sat: 1.5km swim
Sun: 10km tempo run
My weekend workout plans are continued physical therapy, recovering from surgery to reconstruct my femur after a skiing accident in January. Some of this involves outdoor walking, which I’m logging via GPS. Most of it involves indoor work with stretch cords and ankle weights. Muscle atrophy is the pits!
Sat: Easy 5k run in the morning and playing a soccer game in the afternoon.
Sun: Recovery (cycling or running, depending on the weather)
Mon: Long run 32k
40 min 10k tempo run on the treadmill on sat and 7 miles in Sunday. Ready for spring
Saturday: 6 miles on the treadmill at Gold’s Gym, clocking starting at 9:50/mi pace and ending in 9:00/mi pace. Familly went for a nice 1 mile walk around the neighborhood while my son rode his tricycle that his Papa and Grandma gave him last Christmas.
Sunday: 3 mile road run, 9:00/mi pace
Looking at the various responses is overwhemling…so many athletes that put in the time and effort to run, swim, bike, and so forth. I know being a father and husband is challenging enough! My wife and I recently started to build a training regimen this past January. I went to health fair that my school district that I work for was offering and WOW! it me like a ton of bricks. Cholesterol 230’s, pressure high, weight/BMI too high! I new I had let myself develop poor eating habits…affecting my too. She struggles with her weight I really wasn’t a great supporter for her. I was discouraging her…I’d eat the fried stuff while she’s trying to eat lower fat, more wholesome foods. My eating habits and lack of care to my health made her hurdles seem insurmountable.
We go regularly together, we take our son on family walks with our dog and we are making lifestyle changes to benefit our family. The miles may seem a drop in the bucket when you see 35km bike ride, 3km open water swim,…I enjoy the exercise routine I am slowly building. I really enjoy the exhilaration and being free when I run. I feel my mind open up and mood change for the better. I try to use running as a vehicle to think and handle a very hectic life of teaching, graduate school, family, and supporting my wife as she prepares for her PhD program she will be entering in August.
Thank you for the Blog and letting us get to know your adventures, family, and passions.
Blessings.
Easy run 9 miles and maybe ride the bike.
3 Mile tempo and a brisk afternoon of golf in Phoenix.
Sat: broke 10mi for the first time
Sun: 2mi easy jog
Only a few more weeks until my first half!
Cary March Madness Half Marathon, yesterday morning!
Saturday: Load car with 2 wood bunk beds, unload said beds and carry up stairs, assemble, carry other beds up to second floor.
Sunday: 20 x stair repeats until all trash is removed and jobs finished.
Not sure how this will help me with tri season. Ah the joys of a new house.
Monday: Shovel snow. in DC. seriously. Be glad you left for sunny Paris.
Sat 7:00 Cycling indoors 3x8min@280W RI2min
Sun 7:00 Cycling Indoors 60min@250W 13:00 Cyclocros Endurance Easy 2h+
Long then longer rides. Chiberia’s Polar Vortex has had a serious stronghold on us for many months. Road season is coming. Must ramp up base ASAP! Ride long. Ride outside. No matter yo!!
Saturday: Yoga followed by run with my pup.
Sunday: Relax! Training for my first half-marathon starts tomorrow! (So nervous already!!)
nice 9 miler and then time with the family!!!!
Saturday run and Sudany bike!
Saturday: 4 mile Pace. Sunday: 12 mile Long run.
(1st taper weekend for April 6 marathon!)
2.5 hours on the computrainer on Saturday and an 11 mile run on Sunday.
Following your country hopping training, this weekend:
Friday – skiing in Sierra Nevada
Saturday – 90min run around Casa del Campo in Madrid
Sunday – picnic in Retiro park, Madrid
Monday – 90km cycle around Dublin Bay with St Patrick’s Day pint along the way
Morning run and afternoon yoga every day, and also looking forward to getting my bike out this weekend, the snow is almost gone now in Stockholm
Weekend WO Plan:
Saturday: brick session
5h 30 min ride outdoors at zone 2
30 min run at zone 2
Sunday:
2h run at zone 2
1 to 1.5 mile OWS
Skiing Le Pas de Chavanette (The Wall), Portes due Soleil, Swiss Alps. 1km long and 331m vertical drop, classed as too difficult for normal classification. Bring on the fear!
On saturday a 16k run in 5.00min/k and on sunday hopefully a 60k maiden voyage on my new Wilier Gt-R (to be delivered this week!) Or else i’ll hop on the Orbea Ora time trial bike.
Taking advantage of the beautiful weather for running!
Rode up the mountains in north Georgia!
Saturday: the last long run before the taper for Vienna Marathon: 38k…
It was a long cycle ride where I strategically set out into the headwind…so I could get the tailwind home.
Except, it never works like that, does it?
No. The wind is always a headwind, even when you turn round…. :-)
90 mins Trainer Sat
90 mins MTB and 120 mins rolling hills on the road!
Saturday: Pool baby discovery with my little Arthur (2 years old) & Wife
Sunday: Run ~5 miles around the beautiful Enghien Lake, France (95),and Wed/Fri/etc.. :-)
Cheers,
Going to set up my new FLO wheels on my Madone. Then heading out for a spring warmup on Saturday. Sunday I’ll then be pushing hard by vineyards here on Long Island, NY. Then taking a break to finish my first new borns crib.
Sat: usual couch lounging
Sun: 5mi of escalator sprints
Mon: DFW Dash
1.5 mile run up hill to get to car to rescue wife with twisted ankle.
1:00 h zone 2 bike on trainer followed by
LSD 1:30 h run on Sunday
My weekend plans were nice and easy compared to most with it being a cutback week. I had a run about an hour each day, took an hour bike ride on saturday and went for a hike on sunday.
Sat: 2h Tempo Ride @ 70%-90% FTP 90-95rpm
Sun: 45m Recovery Ride @ 55% FTP
Sun: 8mi Tempo Run @ 6:50 pace
Rehab…….
I ran the Rock and Roll Half on Saturday, then did some 12oz curls on Sunday.
Friday: 45-60 min fartleks over lunch
Saturday: skiing and a short hills run
Sunday: early morning LSD then evening yoga
Friday: 10m in the cold
Sat: Nothing
Sun: 16 miles in the rain (rained the entire time)
Friday – Rest
Saturday – CrossFit Open 14.3 (Deadlifts and Box Jumps)
Sunday – Softball Practice
Monday – Shovel :(
Run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon (#5)!
Run around ALL OVER Washington, DC cheering on my wife at the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon!
Friday: Rest & Recovery
Saturday: 1:55 run including 2 x 2.5 mile MAF test (I skipped the 65 minute low intensity trainer ride that was to have followed).
Sunday: 2:15 coached trainer session followed by a 40 minute brick run in the bitter cold wind (9 degrees with the windchill yesterday).
Last iceskating was friday, saturday Joop Zoetemelk classic (150km bike) sunday 12km run to the beach and back.
It was a great weekend, hope it was for everyone!
I just want to get outside and ride now that the weather is nice.
2 x indoor swimming routine, nice and easy considering rainy weather
13 mile Run
8 @ 8:01
Masters swim Saturday morning.
Long ride on Sunday
One day I do long run (2h+) or bike (3-4h in winter, whole day in summer – depending on light and not wanting to wake up too early when I needn’t). The other day running to swimming and back. Optimally + some basic body weight training as usual. Or if there’s a race day, I like to ride bike after for recovery and relax :-)
Easy weekend: lifting and swimming friday, step back 12 miler on saturday, and short bicycle trainer session on Sunday.
35 bike ride on Saturday and a 3 mile trail run on Sunday.
10km easy from my home to the beach :)
Snow on the ground => long [1.5 – 2 hour] XC-ski
No snow => long [2 – 2.5 hour] road bike
Mostly easy with some interval-ish periods mixed in
5 mi intervals x2 then Sunday 30 mi computrainer ride
Cancelling a long-standing plan to ride a hilly 100km on Saturday, and running a local off-road 5km on Sunday.
5 mile run on Saturday, 6 on Sunday…and tagging along with my wife on Saturday afternoon for her first ever run over 3 miles!
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 2h15 turbo session
We still have a lot of snow in Spain so.. Ski!
Hey Ray!
Happy St Patricks day !
For me it was, swim 2km friday night, 20km running on saturday and then Bike/Run on sunday (40km+5km). Now, it’s a week break.
weekend plans; get back to the gym and start strength training.
Sking on Saturday
Horse riding on sunday
sunbathing both !
Because it’s still freezing here I have to train using sufferfest with trainerroad this weekend. I’ve developed cabin fever. Please help me relieve this never ending indoor trainer pain with a new toy. Thanx so much.