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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!
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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.
Just started triathlons this past year so I actually haven’t watched any ironmans before. Going to be watching my first one tomorrow and then racing my first olympic distance triathlon on Sunday.
My mom said “that can’t be good for you.”
Mama needs a new pair of shoes
Recalled: The 1993 Hawaii Ironman Pauli Kiuru
Erin Baker winning in 1990. We’re only little in NZ, so her win was a big deal.
Watching on TV during the middle of winter.
First time I watched it was a few years ago, but now, after living with a triathlete, I consider my first year if truly watching and understanding the level of commitment and discipline it takes to compete at this level is so inspirational!
My most memorable moment will be the first time I get to see it. Since I have no cable, I’m not holding my breath.
Jon Blais 2005. Amazing and still inspiring.
The Julie Moss year. Think I was 14. At that time I sd I would do that one day. Only took me 23 yrs to do one.
I love the last hour stories and the drama of the age group athletes.
I watched last year’s live stream.
Last year sports news about 2013. I was amazed when I heard how much distance winner traveled in ~8 hours. Normal work day for me. Since then I have been thinking of completing triathlon. I have been running regurally last 2 years. biking last 5 months and ocassionally swimming.This summer did a 700m swim, 40km bike and 11km run in one day just to see how it is. Liked it very much.
Have been thinking of buying a some kind of triathon watch but they are pretty expensive. It would be very cool to win a Garmin FR920XT
Mart
Getting up super excited 3:30am to watch the live start online from AUS then following the race all day. Wishing I could be there in person.
Chris McCormack in 2002
Watched Pete Jacobs in2012. Was inactive and sluggish until then. Now i am training to do my first ironman. The 920 would really help.
watching the crawl and being inspired
Seeing Chrissie Wellington get a flat yet still win the race with a big smile. Then she got sick the year after that and didn’t start and then retired early. I think this woman could have taken them all.
MIRANDA on last year !!! She is amazing
NBC got the ball rolling for me. But soon after discovering Kona and getting into Tri, I developed friendships with people I would see crossing the finish line. This took Kona from a mythical land of the superhuman, to an feat accessible to those willing to commit and work their butt off.
Most liked moment of watching Kona on TV was 2009, when Chrissie 3-peat and Chris Lieto biked like a mad man to hang on desperately to the lead until the final few miles. After seeing that, I knew I was hooked!
No particular race – too many to remember that were shown on ABC back in the days of rabbit ears on our TV.
I love the stories and wish the most recent airings showed more.
Watching Chrissie Wellington race and win a week after her very painful bike crash was my favorite. I think my new favorite memories will be made tomorrow when I race Kona for the first time!!!
Loved watching Wellington in her final Kona having the race of her life to come back and win on the run. Inspirational. So many iconic landmarks in this race, so honoured to have the chance to cover the same ground tomorrow
Watched Craig Alexander in 2008… a machine he was!
Julie moss crawling
Kona??!! What’s Kona?
Sitting on my couch drinking a beer and eating nachos while watching it on tv.
In the 80’s on wide world of sports when all of the triathletes wore the giant oakleys!
Greg Welch’s win in 1994 – I remember him jumping around in celebration when I was exhausted just watching him!
Gotta be Julie Moss on NBC’s Wide World of Sports….:-)
Watching Wide World of Sports and thinking how is it possible people can do this?
kona athletes have been a great motivation for me to start running marathons
Macca finally winning. Fun reading his book years later. Looking forward to this year since 70.3 was very interesting to follow.
My best memory of Kona is last year watching my mate compete via the online competitor tracker. Very intense having to wait for him to pass each checkpoint for the web to upload with how he was going.
I would love to win this. Need a new tri watch. Thanks Ray!
Watching Rinny explode the field by running a 2:50 marathon last year.
the first memories of Kona were watching it on TV, coming across it by accident but instantly knowing what it was. I was fascinated to learn about why it was there and the story behind the race. I was in pure amazement at the effort required to swim, bike and run those distances. I was only a 10km runner at that point. But years later I was lucky enough to end up on the Big Island in October. It is always a special place to visit at any time of the year.
Watching it in HS and getting tears in my eyes from the stories and saying I want to go there one day.
The awesome power that Mirinda Carfrae exhibited last year during the marathon segment…
Julie moss crawling.. then standing..and crawling again…such spirit!
Loved the transitions. Enthralling
Watching on youtube Julie Moss crawling at the finish line.
Both Iron wars
Chrissie Wellington in zoom mode after having a flat tire on Kona 2008!!!
don’t know Much about kona… Will look for info on Julie Moss.
Watching Chrissie run to the finish on the NBC special in 2009. Winning looked like a breeze, and smiling all the way :)
Watching my old boss compete. PreRetry much got me into the sport.
Great bikes!
I love “the catch” when a strong biker makes up for any time lost in the water
first on ABC WW sports- now on FB, wishing I was there
The sheer determination and willpower Julie Moss showed crawling to the finish line.
Comments are working again!
I’ve seen Kona first time in 2010, but only last year I’ve jumped online to watch the live coverage. Was a bit tricky and cost me some sleepless hours due to timezone differences. The “you are an ironmaaaaaan!” when an athlete crossed the finish line is the best part I’ve witnessed so far.
Watching Julie Moss in 1982. Wow…I was 12.
Watching people realize their dreams.
Seeing Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham crawling in ’97. Still watch it from time to time.
I was there last year, cheering for a mate! Best memory: sitting on the pier wall looking at the athletes in the water, breathtaking!
Watching in YouTube in 2012
late 80’s on Wide World of Sports and thinking those people are C.R.A.Z.Y…will participate in my first ever race this Dec. 1/2 distance TRI…and I’m only swimming…but it’s a start!
Seeing the determinaton of all the auper-fit competitors as they head out arounbd the course
My best memory of watching IronMan Kona was 3 years ago and it was seeing the athletes that were barely making it to the finish line very close to the cut of time, I am not very sentimental but watching the effort these athletes were putting and hearing their stories I felt a knot in my throught…. Actually and after years of suffering from lower back pain and not being able to run for even 5 minutes, this is what inspired me to try doing triathlons and guess what back pain is gone, this year I did a few half iron distance races and now I am considering doing a full IronMan distance next year!!
The effort and determination of all athletes from pros to age groups
I recall watching ironman world championships about 5 years ago, thinking it was something I could never do. This year I am now an ironman- IMWI 2014 finisher with a smile for 15:30 !!! Proud to be one!!!!
Watching chrissie wellington and the bikes!
Macca winning his last title
one of best souvenir
First time I watched it in 2012, got me into triathlons. Hopefully one day, I can compete in kona, or at least see it live.
2008 best Hungarian female result of Erika Csomor ; 9h:24min was good for the 4th place
Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham finish crawl for the 4th/5th place at the 1997 race. I’ve seen it years ago when I didn’t really know from where it was. Now I refound it and checked, and it was indeed from the Kona triathlon, so I guess it counts as my first memory from watching it.
looking for The first time The race throughout livestreaming ans supporter for Stefanie Adam, my neigjbours sister, having so much respect for The race and how fantastic she finished: fastest belgian female and not being a pro!!!
Mid-1980’s on a Sunday afternoon when I was 10-12. I had no idea what I was watching but I knew I wanted to do it.
ive watched a few but watching Gordon Ramsay on his “armchair” Guru bike… I’m sure sitting that far up isn’t good :-)
The first time I watched Ironman on TV I got very emotional listening and watching the stories of the age groupers and could not stop crying….
The crawl to the end
Watch youtube videos and read all about Chrissie’s Kona wins.
The first time I watched kona was in 2009 when I came to the island with this guy I’d been dating for 6 months – he was doing his 5th IMWC that year. Now he is my husband and we are back in kona for the third time together, IM#20, and kona #7. The first IM I ever watched first hand was kona. Love this race!
Two favorites- Julie Moss crawling to the finish on Wide World of Sports & Chrissie Wellington crushing the field.
Macca and Andreas running side by side punishing eachother for the last few miles of the run.
Julie Moss finish or maybe Mark Allen’s races?? Not sure which was first. It was a long time ago…
Chrisse winning a couple of years ago despite injury. Incredible
Watchin chrissies do her thing a few years back, awesome!
Sorry to say that it was this week…..I’m new to triathlon. I have always been a cross country runner!
As a kid before I had any idea what IM or triathlon was. I couldn’t fathom the amount of time it would take to finish a race like that.
Watched..awesome athletes
Not sure when I started watching, but in 2005 watching Jon Blais roll across the finish line inspired me to start my ironman journey. I’ve since finished 2 ironmans and still look forward to toeing the line in Kona
Watching Macca vs Raelert in 2010! :-)
Watching Dave Scott and mark Allen battle in the ironwar.
Watching the crawl – Sian Welch & Wend Ingraham
First memory is watching Finnish triathlete Pauli Kiuru doing an Ironman in Kona from TV. Actually I thought it as competition similar to strong man competitions due to the name and thereby did record the program. What a surprise when I saw swimming, cycling & running.
Julie Moss crawling when I was a kid and thinking “what’s wrong with that lady?”
Watch Chrissie’s on youtube videos assomme athlète.
Watching Lior (our Israeli representative) to 3rd in his age group last year was wonderful to watch.
Watching the finish in 1992, when I was supposed to be racing and was sick. I vowed then and there to get back somehow, someday and do the race!
Watching a lady walk the run in an orthopedic boot! That’s perseverance.
It was a few years ago, but I remember watching the old guy literally stumbling his way to the finish line at the last minute. Tough old guy!
I love watching Rinnie wind it up on the run. Amazing.
My first memory of watching Kona was on Wide World of Sports in the mid-80’s. It would come on Saturday morning and they’d show snippets of the race. I’ve been mesmerized ever since.
Favourite so far was watching Mirinda Carfrae run that astonishing marathon last year.