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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.
Best memory: watching the NBC Kona special about 10 years ago in a hotel room on the night before the Philadelphia Marathon. It was beyond inspiring, and I set my marathon PR the next day!
The first time I watched Kona was last year when a friend (and my swim coach) competed. He was the youngest competitor last year so there was a good probability that he would be featured in one of the tv segments.
Watched it for the first time around 4-5 years ago. Got inspired and started doing triathlons.
Team Hoyt always great to watch!
When I was very young (9 or 10) I remember watching the bike portion and they kept showing people falling down. I thought to myself, man I can ride better than those people, no handed even. And I knew I was faster because every time they would show someone it looked like they were barely moving. TO BE A KID AGAIN.
Four years ago on the interweb and mesmerised by the event. It got me back out training in our winter to start the Tri habit the following summer that I still haven’t lost :)
I remember watching Mark Allen and Dave Scott battling it out.
Riding down queen k this summer made me appreciate what those amazing athletes do
Watching in my PJ’s as a kid with a bowl of cereal, in awe of the athletes.
Really any Kona when you see competitors that have their bodies quit. We all know how hard they’ve all worked, I just want to see everyone make it!
Just watched some for the first time last year.
Years ago as a teenager and I kept thinking how insane those people were-now I’m one of them!
I always remember the old clips from Wide World of Sports. Always thought they were crazy. I’ve only been half crazy so far……
Watching Rinny power through the marathon. The girl can run!!!
I remember seeing it (or a show about it) as a kid (single to early double digits in age) sometime in the late 80’s to early 90’s. I remember thinking those guys are crazy, why would you do something like that. At the same time I kind of thought it was awesome and I was kind of envious too.
My favorite Kona viewing memory is the night before my first Ironman, the inaugural 2010 StG, watching my Kona DVDs in a rented house trying to capture that sense of excitement and transfer my own nervous energy, waiting for my turn to here those four special words – “You are an Ironman!”.
Watching Mirinda Carfrae. She was awesome. That was last year, I think. But all of them are incredible, superhuman! I am happy doing my short aquathlons…
I was in third grade dribbling a basketball in my basement and turned on the TV. I was shocked at how long the participants had been swimming/biking/running. I believe my exact thought was “these people are crazy!”
Watching a video breaking the course record of Vasilis Krommidas. He still holds the record at AG18-24 since 1994!
watching Sian Welch & Wendy Ingraham – The Crawl end….simply amazing
I can’t even remember when I first saw clips from Kona – but I remember being floored not just by the athletes’ performance, but also by the fact that they seemed “normal”. In contrast to bodybuilding competitions (for example), high-level triathletes’ bodies were finely-honed machines, but didn’t seem totally unrealistic. It inspired me to think that almost anyone could complete a tri, through dedication and hard work. Now I’ve lost 75 lbs, have kept it off for a few years, and am in the best shape of my life, and it’s awesome to think back to that inspiration as I keep pushing myself.
About 4 years ago, when a friend signed up for IM Canada and I wanted to find out what that crazy race series was all about :)
mid 90’s when i got my first timex ironman 50 lap crono watch.
Watching the 2011 edition on the web was pretty amazing ! Epic stuff right there !
Until last year, I never watched a full Kona Ironman event, but did watch tons of clips online. My best memory of Kona is when I visited the Big Island of Hawaii in 2009 with my twin sister. We drove / walked around the island checking out parts of the race route. I made sure we took a picture at the “official swim start and run finish ironman triathlon world championship” sign. There is just something about being on the island that gets me excited about triathlons! It’s definitely on my “bucket list” to race in Kona as an age grouper one day!
Years ago on NBC thinking how crazy it was that people could do that … while at the same time, so cool that they are doing that. Now, having one 140.6 under my belt, it’s just cool … My wife still thinks its crazy though
The Julie Moss crawl in a documentary
Watching Chrissie Wellington win in 2011 after her horrible bike crash. What an amazing athlete.
2012 on TV. Pete Jacson performance was terrific.
Followed the results when my cousin was racing it probably ~10 years ago.
Kona is the reason I got into biking in the first place. Growing up, my Dad always watched the race on TV. Years into our annual viewing party (and still at the point where Pops paid for things…) I raised the question of getting into the sport. My curiosity led to a road bike. Years (and many bikes) later, we still watch the race. Thanks Dad!
I don’t remember which year it was, but the TV coverage featured a pro athlete from Europe (dressed in white from head to toe) who completely fell apart during the bike. He struggled on and eventually finished after walking the entire marathon. When they interviewed him post race and asked him why he didn’t drop out, he said he was a pro and as a pro, he needed to set a good example for the age groupers. He felt that having a bad day was no excuse for quitting. Doing so was a disservice to the age groupers that looked up to the pros and that were out there having the same struggles that he was.
Watching Dick and Rick Hoyt making the finish line, most impressive by a great father…..
Kona Wars replay in 2000, just before Olympic Games in Australia. I love Triathlon since then.
When getting into tri about 18 months ago, I kept seeing this “Kona” thing get mentioned. Googled it and started watching a few videos about the event. Came across this one… link to youtube.com
Pretty inspirational stuff, ignoring all the “mystique”/Holy Grail reputation of the event.
So lo and behold, the same guy ends up coming to London, and joining the sports team I only just retired from (the same injury that caused me to take up tri) as part of their media team. I’ve spent a number of hours this summer listening to Kyle commentate on some of my old playing buddies. (link to mixlr.com)
A small world no doubt, but the initial video has always stuck with me as my father competing in the British Transplant Games many years ago, so determination to overcome adversity and achieve success has always held weight with me.
watched it with my dad while he was training for a marathon trying to get motivated
I saw the ironman on wide world of sports years ago. I was in High School. Maybe 16 years old? 19802? I thought “that looks awesome, i want to do something like that someday”
40 years later I did my first sprint :) This year i did my first HIM @ 50 years old !
2007 Chrissy Wellington’s first IM win.
Watching NBC’s coverage on my laptop!
Watched my first on with my roommate in college.
Watching that woman craw across the finish line.
Dave Scott beating Scott Tinley by 33 seconds on 1983
Macca’s first win 2007.
When the 80 year old people finish.
First time i knew of it was before receiving the RLV download from Tacx to ride against opponents on Tacx trainers. Its Awesome!
Paula Newby-Frazier hitting the wall in 1995 Ironman. True grit!
So much… underwear.
It’s awe-inspiring the whole thing, from the superb scenery to the fitness of each of the athletes taking part. Those crystal blue waters of the swim though sure stick in the mind. Bring it on!
I remember watching about five or six years ago for the first time – I remember the magic that it had for me then (magic like Christmas for a kid) the thought of doing an Ironman and especially in those conditions! The cool bikes, the amazing fitness & physique of the pro athletes – all incredible.
Now that I have done an IM or two, it’s still magic…just not just quite as much.
Watching Chrissie Wellington on youtube
I could never do that, but some people can!
Watching coverage of the Scott vs Allen battles and of course the crawl.
watching on ABC when the networks were good
Chrissie Wellington in 2009. Damn.
Watched Rinny run to the win… passing everyone.
Seeing Julie Moss crawl, I think on World Wide Sports in the early 80’s.
First one that I watched on the same day, not the delayed broadcast on NBC, was Pete Jacobs win in 2012
Can’t remember which one it was cause I was a little kid, but man I road my bike like crazy after that pretending I was there.
Thinking to myself…these people are INSANE.
Almost getting another IronWar with Macca and Raelert battling it out in the final miles of the 2010 race
Loved to see the age groupers close to the 17h cutoff. Very inspirational!
Watching the horrible NBC coverage that gets worse every year….
Watching Macca wait for Raelert then drop him coming out of the aid station.
Watching a kona live stream which motivated me to pick up running! I would go for 920xt yay and thanks!
First time I saw it was over 20 years ago and I thought, those people are crazy.
Kona, a perfect place to race but also to rest after the effort! I have fond memories of the warm water.
Love seeing people push to hit the time cut… ultra inspirational!
Kona was the reason I’m on triathlon. I remember watching washed color videos on the 80’s when I lived in Madrid my hometown, and triathletes wore two pieces suits…..
Since then I’m mentally connected with that island.
watching Hines Ward train and compete.
Watching Julie Moss on Wide World of Sports. I hope you don’t have to be unique to win!
Gabe
I first watched Kona on TV about 5 years ago. That was right around the time I started getting back into shape and it was definitely an inspiration.
I remember in 1982, when I was a 10, watching crazy people running in Hawaii on TV and wondering what channel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was on.
I’ll admit the first thought I had was of coffee, and that’s clearly not right.
Many impacting images to remember, unfortunately over tv only.. But the best and most recent one; Mr. Raña doing an incredible finishing after running like hell!! He gave everything.
Lots of good memories…but the one I will remember was some age grouper that got hit by one of the tv camera motorcycles…completely broke his bike…then walked his bike for 7 miles in bike shoes before he ran his marathon….real perseverance! Happened somewhere between 2004-2006
I remember watching Peter Reid win while i was on a small base in the antarctic in 2003 in 8:22. Must have been 30deg in Hawaii but was about -20 where i was then.
No specific year comes to mind, but it is always motivating watching the highlights of Kona.
Watching the Macca and Raelert go toe-to-toe live in 2010, which got me started on joining triathlons.
My first memory of Kona is watching Macca vs. Raelert in the Ironwar II. What a great race that year :)
Best memory is having been into triathlon for a few years and watching Kona and being awestruck by the event – the grit, drive, competiveness and endurance.
i love it all! can’t pick a best!
I remember seeing Julie Moss crawl across our television screen, and my mother being in total shock someone would actually do that to themselves…
I remember watching my man Starky destroy it last year despite puking twice on the bike, but last time we hung out he stole one of my chicken tenders so maybe he deserved it. He’s breaking the record this year!
Some of the most inspiring television sports ever.
2013 – watching Rinny win, again, and still having enough energy to jump into Tim’s arms!! Watching her run is always the highlight of the race for me – she is such a strong athlete.
Luc Van Lierde’s first win! Just epic last 15k run….
macca second win!!!
Haven’t watched live, but have watched a bunch of clips on the interwebs…first time prolly about 3 years ago.
Seeing the Belgian Frederik Van Lierde winning in 2013! Nice job, proud to be Belgian!!
Maybe so it before but I have a bad memory… ;)
Watching Julie Moss battle to get to the finish line. I was 9, it sort of scared me, but left it mark on me for sure.
Can’t say I remember their names, but I always like to see the father who takes his disabled son along in the competition. It was heartbreaking to see the last one (I think it was two years ago) where they did not finish the swim and were dnf.
I happened to be there on business and got caught up in it accidentally last year. I must admit I’ve never seen the draw of training and racing in 3 sports (I’m a pure cyclist), but it blew me away the dedication that these people have.
Julie moss doing the crawl without a doubt..
Seeing it for the first time made me go I want to do that.
My favorite memory is from last year and just getting to watch it for the first time as a triathlete. I was also equally humbled and inspired to see the stories of the para triathletes and what they go through just to cross the finish.
Saw footage online. In awe on how much work people have putted into training.
The golden days of ABC sports coverage…..
My first Kona memory was from Craig Alexanders book. It was this mythical thing that he managed to bring alive and appear as the most important thing in the world.
BBC TV coverage in the 80s, commentator not really understanding just how hard Kona is!
Having a Kona trainer party while the pros were on the bike and realizing that I had a lot of training to do before my first Ironman.
2 years ago, never watched it before and fell in love.