Heads up! The Garmin Enduro 3 is down to $829, some $70 off. That’s the lowest price to date on this new device. The Enduro 3 is notable though because it’s basically a Fenix 8 Solar minus the dive/voice features (and the Fenix 8 Solar/MIP starts at $1,099). Everything else is there, and it gets all Fenix 8 software features (and, insane battery life). Meanwhile, the Fenix 7 down to $429! Or Epix at $429. There’s a bunch more sports tech deals listed here too!
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.
Tomorrow I have a 2k pool swim followed a 2hr trainer session – then the GA TECH
VS FSU football game. GO JACKETS!! – Sting em!!!!
An 35km early morning ride tomorrow at 6am (Madrid) followed by a 5km tempo later that evening.
I hope to start exercising again after a long break. Maybe try a 7 minute app or something. Maybe a short run. Quite nervous after such a long break
I’ll be run a fun run 5k tomorrow before running Hellgate 100++ next week! 66 miles on the mountains, in December, starting at 12:01AM…I THINK YES!
Got a Zwift invite in the mail today, so I’ll be checking that out tomorrow!
biking tomorrow under the snow in Munich!
Despite the cold I still plan on going running multiple times a week. Even after the end of the year ;)
I’m planning the Resolution Run Race on New Years Eve this year again. Would be great with some new gear.
1 hour ride on a trainer. Z 2 HR – Base 1 training building up some fitness for the GFNY ;-)
2mi fun run/walk next weekend
Half on the potomac :)
After doing interval swims for the past few years, next week I’m going to switch to long swims. First one coming up!
20 mile long run next weekend
Several loops of the proposed site of the road cycling race for Chicago’s 2016 Olympic Bid (in Blue Mounds, WI).
I want to compare training zones from different fitness tests over the holidays, so one of my cycling workouts will be a MAP ramp test. Start at an easy 150W, and increase by 10W every minute. (Some also suggest 20W increments – that could be another test!)
I plan to attend an annual race held on Christmas Day here in our small village. 2 km long (two laps) around the block, that’s all. The best race of the year — not really about competing, more about getting together and feel Christmas-ish.
6x1km Tempo with one minute rests in between. Just maintaining fitness at the moment.
Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic 10K, with blueberry pancakes to follow. Mmmmmmm. :D
14 Mile bike commute to work and 14 Mile bike Commute home Monday/Wednesday for the next 2 weeks.
2 hr easy run on Saturday
12ks of Christmas Kirkland, Washington
Saturday: Warmup – Arc traversing 25min, Main – Hangboard #3 – 9grips, 6reps each, 10s on 5 off, 3min rest. Add 2 Supplemental Exercises: 1. Leg lifts – 3sets, 5reps; 3min rest; 2. Lock offs – 3sets, 1rep, 3min rest. Go figure! :D
4 X 1 km uphill trail repeats – an absolute lung buster.
Boxing Day 10k In Leyland UK!!!
2 sweet spot workouts twice a week until base begins in February.
Riding a century later this month with my cycling club, Team Evesham!
Going for a relaxed 10K run after a stressful work week. I’d much rather roll on a kickr :)
Hitting the pool 4 times a week after a 22 mile EACH WAY commute 5 times a week.
Killer or what :)
Most weekdays before Christmas I’ll doing the 5km run around the lake with my workmates.
I plan on breaking people in my spin and bootcamp classes.
A 45 minute ride on my rollers on the next school night.
Sunday (Dec 7) – 1 hour training run with HR < 150. First training for preparation to loose weight (~30 kg) and run 30 km on birthday( November 10), when ill be 30 years old. (1 km for 1 year).
I’ve got my first continuous mile swim workout scheduled for before the end of the year.
Part of the training program over the ho-ho-holidays includes a 10 mile road race (running) in Hamilton, Ontario.
6 kilometer run in my hometown, along ‘De Vliet’
dec. 20th – arrival in the alps
dec. 21st – skinning 900 vertical meters in the morning + skiing with kids rest of the day + running 700 vertical meters in the evening
repeat for two weeks :)
Reindeer romp 5k with my 8 yo son!
Street marathon. Starting point; my driveway. End point; my driveway.
We Run Rome, 31th December 10 km with my girlfriend and my Friends
60mile ride from Jupiter to Vero Beach Florida on December 29. Hopefully this will get me ready for 125 miles on the same route on December the 10th. No hills but enough pedaling to get the winter rust off.
Another winter ride or two on the trails here with the cross bike before the snow sets in too deep (Newfoundland), and Sufferfest: ISLAGIATT and Blender back to back to start prepping for a KoS attempt.
I’m running a 13.1 tomorrow (not an official race, just trying to keep in shape). It’s a hilly course that I’ve run at least a dozen times before. I’m hoping to break 1:53:00, but really I’m not pushing for a PR on this one.
Ridge line trail out and back – 14.5 miles – 3000ft elevation gain. Lots of fun!
Hitting the slopes for some “cross training”.
5k swim.
Marathon distance on trails the week before Christmas to celebrate the end of a good season.
I’ll be doing the Dorset Costal Trail Series (“very long”) Half marathon in the UK. 16 miles and 3500 ft of ascent :P
10x 1 mile repeats
Swim 1k freestyle. Running and biking are no problem at all, but swimming….
Ride 100 miles per week until the end of time!
I’m not going crazy–just doing the running streak with Runner’s World and eventually segueing that into half marathon training.
Besides some trainig, I have a very short XMas race scheduled, only 3KM, to do it as fast as possible!
A Christmas 5K somewhere local
1st marathon coming up in two days, Let’s rock’n roll in CIM.
13 km “long run” tomorrow … had some foot issues, so this is going to be longest run since SF half marathon on Oct 19! I am so glad I can run again! When you get injured and side lined, that makes you really appreciate running so much more :)
Fat Chucks Revenge MTB Marathon, Smithville TX
A brick of a 15 mile bike ride followed by a 5 mile run in the lovely Bellingham, WA wet weather on Saturday
Looking forward to IM Chattanooga, and the training to get there. I volunteered last year and its an amazing venue!
7 km streetrace, in Jessheim on dec 27th.
A 22 mile run tomorrow to get ready for the Walt Disney World Marathon.
No races, just training sessions. tomorrow I will do a easy 10k run.
Just two easy swims of 2.000 meters each at 47 minutes.
Climbing Mauna Kea on my upcoming Christmas vacation to Hawaii.
Parkrun 5k every Saturday and Christmas Pudding race on 21st in Santa Outfit! Always good fun!
Will do a nice 15km slow run with a lot of friends on every sunday morning until the end of the year.
I am impressed how many people are also running in winter :-)
Regards
Jörg
I’d like to get a few 5-10k runs in once I recover from a mild concussion
15 mile run on Sunday
Interval trainING on the soft sand of the Western Cape beaches in South Africa and long runs building up to 3 km before my first marathon of the season end of Jan!
A 5 mi. trail run with my dog
CIM on Sunday!
Going to beat my longest run to date. Going to go for 15km this week. 12.7 is the furthest I’ve gone to date. Had problems with a nasty ingrown toenail that got infected, but now it’s healed up, I’m itching to hit the road and up the mileage for a goal I’ve got for q3 2015.
Cross at the Kiln – 40 minute cyclocross race mid December in Allentown, PA
40 mile bike on Saturday the 6th.
freestyle swim: 500yd warm-up, 20x50yd repeats at 0:45 with 1:15 rest, 500yd cool-down
I’m looking forward to the 12Ks of Christmas, done (weather permitting) Dec. 25th.
2k swim in my local pool
A six mile run Saturday. Thanks for this opportunity!
Next Friday I have a hill repeat (running workout) 4×5 min at 10% grade. Good fun.
Masters swim MWF. Rinse and repeat.
Pyramid workout on the nearest track – 400 – 800 – 1200 – 1600 – 1200 – 800 – 400. Pure evil.
An upcoming race on my bucket list of life: the sprint triathlon in Buffalo, bring it onnnn
going to have some treadmill exercises at my gym – its far too cold outside..
Hoping to get back in the pool soon. Other than that I’m training for a 10K. I’ve been reading your blog since 2009…it’s time I win!
One 15-miler along the Lake Shore trail in frigid Chicago before the trip back home for the holidays!
I’m running a fun run with my husband, sister, and brother-in-law on Christmas Eve in Blacksburg, VA called the Frosty 5k!
Heading out now for my last swim before the pool closes for the year!
10k Cable Bridge Run
The Nike Dubai 10k Run
800 choice
8×50 build to best sustainable pace
400 EZ pull
Boom.
Oh my gosh, I need a new trainer SO bad.
Today, I had a 90 minute cadence pyramid that was pretty rough (blaming the trainer of course) and tomorrow I have an 80 minute MAF progression. Spending lots of time on the trainer…and learning flip turns!!
A swim in the ocean off the east coast of Mexico during vacation.
My upcoming race is Hawaii 70.3
Ironman Mont Tremblant in August…really looking forward to a race in such a beautiful setting, and going for IM finish #6!
Was supposed to travel to key west to race a sprint tri this Saturday but emergency illness with my dog so staying in chilly Chicago.
Xmas day egg nog tri: Drink 16 oz of spiked holiday egg nog, run up to 2/3 of a 5K outdoors, 1K walk to nearest public bathroom
Ironman is not a Cult? video: link to youtube.com
I will end the year with a 5 mile outdoor run here in northern Illinois with my typical mid-winter pace of around 10:30. My fun this winter is for the first time I am training with an optical HRM (Mio Link) instead of the difficult to use in winter straps of the last 8 years. Thanks Ray for everything you do, Happy Holidays!
Went, today, for a 16km (10 miles) run keeping heart rate under 161bpm.
Looks like rain tomorrow, so I think it’s going to be a Trainer Road workout and a (hopefully) interesting podcast of my choosing. Haven’t really planned beyond tomorrow. :)
21km to end the year
a four-mile run around the “block” at my parents house over christmas