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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.
I think was 2008 in youtube. I was amazed!
I couldn’t tell you which year it was exactly but probably around 1990 or so… I had never heard of triathlons before and I recall sitting dumbfounded watching the enormity of what these athletes were doing. I couldn’t quite believe a human being could do that – and still blows my mind !
Watching in awe the coverage from 2012 the night before my first triathlon (Olympic) for inspiration.
Watching Im kona multiple times on YouTube
Watching the swim start and the amazing clear water.
I remember especially one snippet from a TV report in German TV in 2006: Faris Al Sultan was interviewed by a German TV crew being in 3rd postition during the bike course and he angrily shouted something like: “Normann (Stadler, current leader and later winner) mustn’t be caught by the Australian (Chris McCormack, who supposedly drafted on the bike course)!”
Seeing Luc van Lierde win in 1996 with a new record, and again in 1999.
When I think of Kona I always have in mind Chrissie Wellington. :)
Same as most people…..that poor athlete falling her way down Ali drive. I was hooked from the start. Haven’t been able to get there yet.
One of my best memories from Kona is from year 1993 when Kiuru, fellow finn, almost beat out Allen. link to youtube.com
watching the 1989 battle between Allen and Scott!!!
Mecca win! Great memories…
When I was a kid and seeing the Ironwar!!!! It totally hook me up to the sport!!!
I watched Kona the first time over a webstream last year. I thought (and I still think) that doing a full Ironman, especially on Hawaii, is unreachable for me =D. It is impressing and inspiring watching it.
watching and thinking to myself… I’m going to be an Ironman one day
Stayed up all night last year, watching on my tablet.
Last year was the first time I watched Kona and was blown away by the dedication and sheer determination of everyone competing, especially in those conditions – unbelievable!
Last year when Mirinda Carfrae ran the 3rd fastest time of the day for the marathon across genders. Crazy fast!
Best memories from Kona is watching Kiuru’s battles
I only watched some interviews and behind the scenes of some editions, never live unfortunately!
When I met my husband in 2001, he was doing triathlons and we caught a but of this event in tv, I was like….you do this??
Seeing the classic Ironman Crawl clip of Sian Welch and Wendy Ingram and having no appreciation of what they’d been through to have that effect on their bodies.
Never been there and watch the live every year.
My best memory is to read the November 1995 220 Mag again and again. It was the last time Mark Allen won battling Thomas Hellriegel for so long. Great year !
I remember watching it about 5 years ago, which caused me to start training for my first tri.
Watching the swim start and thinking that is the sport for me.
Definitely watching Crowie battle horrible craps in the last few kms yet push through to win and set the course record. He is a legend and a class act!
Germany taking all top3 spots
Actually, i just did not know what Kona was before being a compulsive DCRainmaker reader.
Kona was/is for me a High End Mountain Bike distributor :)
My first Ironman on TV memory is from 1997, but boy was that a year – three Germans (guess were I’m from?) in front and then “The Crawl” in the woman’s race. Very intense moments!
Well, I think it was around 3 years ago. I said that I will do it one day. Nothing changed, it is still the main goal. :)
I have seen it for the first time on a tv doc in 2009…
Reading about it in a magazine 2 years ago, when I just started running…
I remember seeing a few seconds of coverage on Wide World of Sports and thinking “thats nuts!”.
no Kona, yes fenix!
not sure but i think my first time was watching two women crawling to the finish line
The Underpants run… Got to do that one day!
Remember me to see this in the daily news, quit some years ago:
link to youtube.com
Just watching Ironman Kona race on Youtube from 2012, got me really motivated!
the 1989 ironwar Scott-Allen
December 1992. Back then they would air the NBC show right before the holidays. I happened to watch it with my youngest brother and we were transfixed. The coverage and music was great and the duel between Christian Bustos and Mark Allen was fantastic. They would re-air it several months later (encore presentation) and we recorded it to VHS. That VHS would be watched and re-watched hundreds of times during trainer sessions for the next 10 years.
The famous Julie Moss video of 1982 on youtube. Amazing.
G’day Ray. Love the site and the content. Please keep up the good work. It’s greatly appreciated.
My first memory of Kona is watching the Wide World of Sports replay in 1989 with Mark and Dave going for it and Welchy coming in third. Been hooked ever since and swore I would do one eventually. I’ve now done 5 and counting
Tracking friends in 2013 and seeing them achieve life ambitions.
Watched IM World Championships the past 20 years and thought no way. Completed IM Canada this year and now I know I can go the distance
First learning about it through magazines, then online films, and now getting ready to watch the live coverage. So inspiring
I only saw the 2013 edition on YouTube
Never seen it live – just internet clips. Would like to go out there one day!
Saw scene’s of the last iron man, quite impressive.
Started watching after I got into tris.
Macca vs. Raelert.
That’s how to embrace the suck.
Never seen – would love to.
Last year watching Eneko Llanos!
Watching Dirk Bockel in “Road to Kona”
1996, Dave Scott finishing 5th at the age of 42.
I watched it on ABC’s Wide World of Sports around 1981.
Was blown away first time I saw this race, couldn’t believe folk doing a marathon distance run after a “small” run and a century ride!!
On the couch thinking I could do that, closed followed by “Hell No!”.
Not my first look at the Kona race, but very memorable as a Belgian, was watching Frederik van Lierde win the race. Very inspiring is watching MarcHerremans compete as a wheelchair athelete. Being paralized couldn’t stop him from competing…
My Best moment was watching Chrissie Wellington break the course record. Awesome athlete real inspiration.
Looking forward to my first Kona this year, having discovered triathlon at the London Olympics.
One if my favorite books was Iron War. Fantastic recap of 1989 Kona.
I just enjoying watching the pros and the people who come in at the very end.
Crowie winning of course. Though watching the support for the late finishers is also awesome
Live streaming the 2013 Melbourne Ironman in Australia. Had friends competing in it. Then got tottally hooked and just watch YouTube repeats of any ones I can find.
Watching coverage in the 80s on ABC and thinking I might be able to do that, and surprising myself and others when I finished lake placid 20 years later.
Watching Mark Allen and all the other speedo wearing nut bags blasting across the lava fields in the early 90’s. I thought those guys were crazy, hard and so awesome.
Never viewed a complete but have seen numerous highlight packages.
Iron war still gives me goosebumps
Just pick up running this year at the age of 42 and learned about Kona about a month ago. I’m hooked on tris and became lurkers in various tri forums.
How I wish I’m 10-20 years younger.. Sigh :(
I only thought: how could they do that?
Ciao!
Seeing the belgian van lierde win last year :)
I remember my first time watching since it was so recently. I remember seeing the triathletes on their bicycles in the middle of the desert, and I kept thinking, “Man, what kind of idiot would do that to himself?” Now though, I understand the obsession!
I remember some years ago watching some exerpts re Kona on Tele and felt that, as impressed I was re the human capabilities, I will never be able to do something even closer, like running for 5K or so (was never running at that time). Meanwhile, I managed to prepare myself for half marathon, and dream that some day will be able to do even more. Chris MacCormack’s book as well as Dean Karnazes and Scott Jurek excellent books along with dreaming at Kona, made me see that running and biking is a wonderful feeling.
Just this morning on Youtube! I’ve probably seen it but didn’t recognize it by name.
Haven’t heard about Kona before, but giving it a shot anyway!
1995: when Paula Newby Frazier was hitting the wall… amazing!
The early days of ironman Kona on Wild world of sports on ABC
Sian Welch & Wendy Ingraham – The Crawl – Ironman 1997
The epic battles between Mark Allen and Dave Scott!
YouTube of Julie Moss crossing the line…
The bit that always sticks with me is watching the competitors battle the winds and the heat out on the bikes, it really encapsulates the endurance element of the race.
I first dicovered Kona on You Tube after getting interested in triathlon. Inspiring stuff!
Last years Van Lierde´s won!
A unbelievable battle between McCormack and Raelert at the IM 2010
I remember watching it on TV and thinking that was crazy! Why would you do that?
I just remember thinking that these people are crazy. Now I’m contemplating joining the club :)
Gordon Ramsay … Kona … Enough said :)
A friend gave me a copy of What it takes when I was starting out in Triathlons (years ago). First time I’d seen much about Ironman and got me interested in doing one.
First in 2008 when Eneko LLanos finishes second.
Dave Scott and Mark Allen epic battles of the 80’s.Been watching ever since. Myself only run and bike but someday I tri.
Watching triathlon videos on YouTube when I first starting swimming (I already run and cycle often).
About two years ago when I started running, now only biking, maybe in another two years only swimming? Procedural triathlon :-)
YouTube after reading The Iron Wars: had to see thise races!
Watching Chrissie come back after her flat tire to win. Cool stuff.
I could never do it.
Doron from tel aviv
First watched some years ago on Trans World Sport.
I’m going to try watching it for the first time. I never really understood triathlons until I was talked into one this Summer. Now I am in love with it and we’re starting a large company team for 2015.
Last year i watched some impressions on Youtube.
Great event!
I caught the 1 hour summary telecast a few years back (you know, the once that focuses on special interest stories also). My two outstanding memories were a) how freaking hot the conditions are for the athletes and b) how Natasha B. always smiles when competing.
Witnessing the marvel that is Chrissie Welington. Enough said.