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.
I’ll run 28km at a very slow pace
12k race between Christmass and New Year in Leuven called the Corrida. Excellent to get rid of some excess party-calories! And with some good planning, that will make 1500k running this year…
Fort Bragg Marathon in March. My first full marathon.
A 14 mile long run in preparation for a marathon.
In the garage in freezing temps on my trainer, cold toes, watching sons of anarchy to pass the hour.
First hill training ever, coming Saturday, with group of Facebook enthousiasts…
The annual winter “Trifecta of Boarding” breaks up the monotony of the training schedule! A half day snowboarding, followed by a frigid surf session and culminating with getting on the 80’s skateboard for a quick skate to the bar. Cross training, from a southern California perspective!
I have a full race schedule this year but, I am most excited about Ironman Oceanside 70.3. Such a fun course!!
I have 6 hill repeats up a half mile long hill in some open space near my house. Hopefully it doesn’t rain.
Tomorrow, 8.5 miles @ 7:23 min/mile pace, ~1100 ft elevation, ~32 degrees F and calling for snow.
Not just one workout; Rapha Festive 500 for me!
Sufferfest Downward Spiral and A Very Dark Place – back to back, next Saturday.
400m warm-up jog
heavy cleans, 4x4x4x4
alternate with 1min jump-roping.
3 mile jog cool-down
40K for the total week!
Tomorrow at 7am, weights and cardio with my trainer.
Two cyclocross races every weekend until Christmas!
1000 m Warm up
Break 3:00
16 * 25m on 0:40 ascending on 4
Break 3:00
8 * 50m on 1:00 ascending on 4
Break 3:00
4 * 100m on 2: Ascending on 4
Break 3:00
2 * 200m on 4:00
Break 3:00
1 * 400m
100 m cool dowm
Tonight I will be on the leg press machine for 10 supersets of leg press, dropping from 50 reps to 10 reps, back to 50 reps. Supersetted with calf raises of the same numbers. Then before I crawl home I will be doing five sets of leg raises to failure…
Blew off my last CX races for the season this weekend. So back to weightlifting and base miles.
Turkey Trot Half Marathon in Keyworth, UK
Get back into IM training routine….a 4km swim followed by a coffee and then a 20km run – used to do it every Saturday. Time to get going again.
Monday: AM – Bike to work. PM – Run home
Tuesday: AM – Run to work. PM – Bike home
Wednesday: AM Bike to work. PM- Run home
Thursday: AM Run to work. PM- Bike Home
Friday: AM & PM Bike to work and back.
Caveat: if it snows, then I am skiing.
Swim, bike, and run — as much as I can possibly do.
2015 Transamerica Chicago Triathlon
Hi, a trainer would be nice in the off season.
A 21k long run on the riverside close home.
Haven’t run a half this year due to injury.
Would love to squeeze one in!
Starting base prep for my first 70.3 next year. With our rainy weather will be doing my first long rides on the trainer.
Doing the Rock N’ Roll Phoenix Half Marathon in January. Get a whole group of friends to run with me this year!
Cold work-around on my MTB in the woods. Cold, dark, but enjoying…
Building my marathon base mileage back up and a holiday 5k with my son to try and get him his PR
Following the preparation of my first Ironman next year, I’ve planned a 120 km bike ride next weekend!
2 x 15 min z4 repeats on the bike, nothing like a good old hard effort to work off the food and drink.
13.1 prep has started. I’ll be interval training with a ladder workout tomorrow…4’ish miles. Cheers!
Half marathon training schedule / track workouts for increased speed. Circuit workouts with emphasis on obstacles for Tough Mudder Gulf Coast in March 2015
Preparing for the Jerusalem Half-Marathon. slowly increasing the length of my runs – by the end of December I hope to get to the 10-mile mark.
one race end of july 50miles—
100 x 100 swim for New Years!
tomorrow evening,10k run at seaside. Black sea ,Turkey.
Mini indoor triathlon by myself – 30min swim, 40 min spin, 30 min run. Get ready for Christmas treats.
A whopping 5 mile training run this Sunday.
Going to NYC for a couple of days. Running the central park loop!
Hitting the gym for some off season weights + core sessions and hopefully injury recovery.
Mt. Dora Half Marathon–12/21/14
aiming for 5-10 miles a week
Sufferfest Revolver with Trainer Road this morning!
My sons’ local elementary school 5K, always fun, and always impressed with the energy that the kids have.
Racing with my girls at Mini Marathon 4.219 km.
Getting my 10k steps in for the day
Get back to 50km/week before January 1st !
Running 15 miles/week outside in the cold
My next race will be the “End of the World, 9.10.11.12.13.14” It will be a 9k run, starting at 10:11 pm, on Dec 13, 2014 (hence the 9.10.11.12.13.14 :) ) Fun race put on by Toledo Road Runners Club! But I could definitely use some new gear for next year when I do my first Ironman 70.3!!
2014 Ugly Sweater 5k in Nashville!
10 mile MTB ride while I have off between christmas and new years.
Got a 2 hour long slow run on Sunday. hoping to hit at least 13.1 miles staying under 140 bpm heart rate.
A 12 mile tempo run along Santa Monica beach on December 13
Sure 10km New Years Eve run in Barcelona. It’s happening at 17h so it’s well before 2014 ends!
90 minute Trainer Road workout with 7-9 minutes of isolated leg drills.
To Enter: I will be doing the Brita Resolution Run it’s a 5k run that takes place Dec 28th. ….in good ol Toronto winter weather..
the NOW and gauntlet ride through PCH/Malibu canyons…
As a very mediocre swimmer, I plan to focus on swimming between now and the end of the year. My “big” workout is going to be 35 x 100!
Thanks for the giveaway.
A 10-miler on Friday along the banks of the Clyde on a freezing winter’s morning in Glasgow. Cannae wait!
A long, ice breaking 20km to prepare some room for the festivities.
I’ve a 5k Pinkathon race lined up here in Mumbai on Sunday 14th Decembe, in support of Breast Cancer charities
10 miles on the Natches Trace
TrainerRoad Darwin – tonight
16k every Sunday until end of year
Several early morning three hour trainer sessions to keep building that base for next season.
10k run on Christmas morning. Cold and fresh norwegian morning run.
A 10k on new years eve without ITBS pain would be nice.
10k Forchheimer Silvesterlauf
-15 minutes spin warm up
-Single leg drills (as warm up, keeping each leg at 90 rpms)
-15/5 as 15 min. over gear (low cadence, about 55) to build leg strength, then 5 minutes easy spin (90rpms), then 10/5, and 5/5
-Cool down
Strava Festive 500
Jingle Bell run in Seattle…hoping for snow but will settle for rain.
I’ll be running under a Saturn V rocket as part of the Rocket City Marathon this Saturday in Huntsville, AL.
laufwelt Silvesterabend Halbmarathon Ried
Tomorrow I’m going to do Rubber Glove on Trainerroad to test my FTP.
Jingle Bell 5K on Dec 13, 2014
I have hill work tomorrow, :30 mins easy on Wednesday, speed work on Thursday and weights on Friday. Getting ready for a half marathon at the end of February and the tri season (first race is the end of March).
December 31st is the first scheduled day of training for my Spring Marathon. 6 easy miles. One of the least interesting runs of the month but it’ll need to get done.
Next saturday I will attend a running clinic organised by a friend to up my running pace.
Ran the Navy Classic 5K. Had my 2nd sub-:30 race, and took first in my AG! This weekend is the Jingle Jam 10K.
Any miles that can be squeezed in with a new baby at home.
Going to do a 3-hour endurance ride on the KICKR the Saturday after Christmas. Pretty boring, I know – but Neflix just made available season 3 of American Horror Story so I’ll have something to stare at! Thanks for doing this.
This year I am training for Ironman Texas 140.6. I need all the free stuff I can get to pay for the race. :-)
-Kevin
5km Concept2 Rower & 5km Concept2 SkiErg
Specific Endurance Workout (on the track)
1 mile easy
6 x 1 mile @ 3-5k pace
2 min jog recovery
1 mile easy
Try not to yack :-)
Thanks Ray!!
Volleyball match in 3th league in Switzerland, 2nd league must be ours:)
Resume Builder Criterium Series this coming Sunday. Second time bike racing!
1 hour z2 on rollers
10km run through the mountains near Zug Lake in Switzerland.
I hope to get one last 30 mile bike ride in this year!
i started a 100/100 running goal just before December so lots of short runs.
i’m leaving for a 21km right now!
200-400-800-1200-mile-1200-800-400-200 track workout wednesday
4x1000m @ 10k pace on Thursday
Row workout
6 x 1000m / 3 min easy
Row six 1000 meter pieces. Row for three minutes at light pressure between each 1000
I’ve got a marathon on Saturday, but it’s really just a long run for a 50k on Dec. 31.
Doing a 25 mile Christmas “underwear” bike ride this Sunday. Bring underwear or socks for a local child protection services department. Ride for free with SAG and then donuts at the best donut shop in Georgia
6,5 km cross next Saturday
Run 13 Miles, 8.0 @ 7:03