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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.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
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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.
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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!
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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 live in Eastern NC…So unless it’s rainy and windy, we can generally run and bike outside year-round.
Congrats on the retirement!
DC area here, I add layers for awhile. When it becomes real harsh or overly icy I usually give up and just go back to hitting the weights and wait it out till it thaws.
It is mostly the cycling that changes as it is getting too cold for any serious outdoor cycling. So trainer it is. Otherwise the running stays until it is getting too icy/snowy and the swim / gym really does not change.
I live near the NC coast and our winters aren’t terrible. I can usually run or bicycle outdoors so long as I wear layers.
I will keep on running but exchange bike for ceoss country skiing! Thats what you do in northen Europe.
swimming pool, bike on a trainner and running outddor
More running, less cycling.
Winter means a shift from road biking to mountain biking and adding in hiking. Gotta love the SF Bay area weather.
Swim more, cycle less :)
I keep running outside but move indoor for cycling and swimming. I use Kinnetic Road Machine with TrainerRoad for the bike.
no change, although i add gym work for strength
Indoor pools and plenty of layers for running!
luckily for me, i lives in Malaysia where it is warm all year long.. yeayyy.. finger crossed*
Live in Florida. No real change in training, except to add layers.
Less cycling leaves time for skating and skiing.
Thanks and hope everything is fine with you and The Girl in Paris.
Just add some layers and let the fun continue!
I chop down trees and carry them up and down the snowy mountains.
Alas, the stationary trainer and treadmill have already been dusted off.
How do I adapt my training for winter? I put on more clothes!
No change – just more clothes
In Oslo it will get a bit cold in the next few months, but I always try to run outsider year around. When it comes to the bike I always feel safe with studded tyres.
Warm enough to train the same except move the swimming indoors.
I switch to cyclocross races (40 min) on weekends until January. HIT during week on my trainer plus core and upper body training indoors. Cannot find time for Swimming anymore, unfortunately.
January until March is dedicated to base miles.
Lucky duck living in Brasil, no big changes :)
A nice mix of Zwift and yoga
I put on more and warmer clothe!
Moving most of it indoors to the gym but layer up and head outside when we can.
Lots of trainer/treadmill work. Also not skiing and shoveling than during the Maine summer.
Eat ice cream for a month then use the extra girth for weight training.
Winter is time for skate skiing and maybe winter triathlon this year (link to pentathlondesneiges.com)
i live in florida, so… no winter.
Unfortunately, winter means riding indoors. However, there are some great local classes that make it a little more bearable.
Lucky in SC just add layers
Live in Chicago. I will add studded bike tires and more layers.
More layers, or the treadmill in case of precipitation.
I live in northern Italy and during winter I do a lot of indoor cycling (spinning) and some weight lifting as support. About running…no matter what weather there is, always outdoor :)
rain or sun, i’m out and about. No winter here.
In the winter the bike goes on a trainer and weekday runs go to the treadmilll but outside on the weekends
A little less riding, a little more running (and making use of the gym membership)…Over the years, I’ve found that I can ride comfortably down to 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit, but not if it’s icy out. Running, I’ve done comfortably below 0.
I love the rain, so not so much adaption in my running beyond avoiding super muddy trails in sunny / windy / raining / stormy / oh-wait-its-sunny-again Melbourne. Slightly more indoor swimming as well (going indoors to get wet instead of outdoors, go figure…).
Here in Ohio I’ll switch two of my runs to inside on the treadmill and leave the other two still out on the trails (to maintain my sanity since treadmills are so boring). The only issue is when the snow and ice builds up out on the trails, it seems like for every step you take you slide/slip back half a step. Though this year, I’ll have the new Trek Ascent Vibram shoes to help dig in a bit better. (Unless you run in minimalist/vibram shoes in the winter, you have no idea how cold it can be stepping into an icy puddle!)
Winter is the part of the year that weight lifting becomes a hell of a lot more enjoyable than running. Doing squats, deadlift, ohp, etc while you’re inside and already warm is so nice.
I am living in the northern hemisphere and racing back home with my friends in the southern hemisphere so i just layer up and keep going with the bulk of my training. Can’t wait to get back home to 25+ degrees C and ocean swimming.
I’ll just get colder and wetter :o(
Lots of trainer/treadmill work.
I’m lucky enough to live in Florida but I still do a lot of trainer time for convenience sake.
Well this year I will do lots of gym strength, indoor running and bicycling. Which will be a change from the usual routine which was usually to gain all the fat I then had to loose during the summer.
How do I adapt to winter? Eat more fats and dress up more. The training itself doesn’t change ;)
Living in canada, so we have snow at least 4 months a year, usualy i just go treadmill but this year i m planning more outdoor session !
Looking forward to some snowshoe racing this winter!
Wintertime is KICKR + Sufferfest. I also tried one of their treadmill workouts and I’m impressed with that as well. This should be a good winter!
I adapt by first catching a cold, over-stressing and taking a long period of walking with no running or heavy workouts. After some weeks of exhaustion, I slowly adapt to workouts that don’t make me ill ;)
I suck it up and run through the winter outside, although I sometimes do speed work on the treadmill for safety reasons.
Like others, I simply layer up in the winter. I grew up in a Alaska and now live in NC, so winter running is much more pleasant here!
Here in Oklahoma, if it’s too cold to run today, I’ll just wait until tomorrow.
Move into leggings for running, and the spinning studio for cycling (I hate cold toes).
Another aussie here, and from Queensland so really winter is easier – means you dont have to carry 4L of water!
Be bold, start cold.
My training stays the same, just with more layers. And Yaktrax. And a sense of despair.
Living close to Barcelona, not many changes need to be made for winter training. Just adapting to shorter days and having to wear a couple more of clothes, specially when biking
Walking with the baby stroller :-)
Rollers in the garage
Training doesn’t really start in earnest until winter – nothing like winter ultras in the upper Midwestern US! Sometimes that means busting out the running snowshoes/Nordic skis; best time of the training calendar!
Turn to longtrack speedskating, same muscles as bicycle, but even better training for that low aero stance.
Bring on the training tights and continue as normal!
Training stays pretty much the same. Trail running in spring, summer, fall and winter is all great. As the Swedish winter approaches, the only difference is more clothes and carbide tip studs ;-)
Spend more time running outdoors and biking on the trainer indoors.
I continue to ride all winter. With studded snow tires, electrically heated insoles, and electrically heated gloves. I also do some running for cross training.
Same training, just with a pair of gloves on!
Here in northern Europe, the only thing you adjust is the amount of layers you put on before training. Oh, and the amount of steel in the tyres offcourse. And under the shoes. As for the swimming part, it’s never warm in the water anyways, so it doesn’t really matter.
Drink lots of hot chocolate!
I play hockey and will be cycling indoors on Zwift!
Slovenia is here. Today Strenght training.
My primary sport is running, but if the snow hits hard I’ll opt for the dreadmill indoors or put my ridley on the turbo trainer and watch some GOT or walking dead.
Mostly just more layers of clothing. We have summers with high heat and High humidity, a nice moderate winter is actually Much better for training!
Thank you!
Start to run, swim with my girls, cycle on my kickr and try to ski in the beautiful France Alps
Just putting on some more layers. If it gets too cold, then I will shorten my training. And if it gets way too cold, I will enjoy a hot chocolate at home.
Tear up a little and move indoors
I keep running through the winter, but swap cycling for xc skiing.
I adapt to the cold by adding several pounds to my body with eggnog, deviled eggs, and pies. After successfully ruining my summer figure, I re-motivate myself and hit the dreadmill and weights in my garage with the heating rolling.
Not much changes during winter in Florida. I just have to brace myself for the chilly run from the pool to the locker room. Thanks for the chance to win!
My training schedule is lighter to get a break from the season, and I have to add layers for outdoor workouts.
I live in sunny Abu Dhabi so the weather becomes ideal for all sorts of outdoor workouts!
Winter just brings more time on the treadmill and gym, and less outside.
Spin Class and yak traks
I pull back running from 50mi a week to about 20, then 2-3 trainer rides per week on zwift. I also go into “metabolic winter” where I essentially drop my food intake drastically since my training is much less and my hunger is greatly reduced. when I get back in January I have my motivation back (since it starts to fade in oct, nov, dec)
Living in Wisconsin, our winters are long and cold. I will still continue to run outside because I hate treadmills. Just have to bundle up and get out the door.
I just ordered some Yaktrax!
Still stick with running outdoors!
My training schedule remains the same. The only difference is more cold weather clothing, and choosing routes with better lighting for those dark nasty winter mornings
I use the local gym which has a pool and all the treadmills I need for winter training, and hook my bike at home to the trainer.
I keep indoors for the winter and stay on the trainer or lift a few weights in the garage. It gets really cold here in Texas.
Winter training plan:
– running
– healthy eating plan
– cycling
– brazilian Juijistu
And compet in April !!!!!
Everything goes indoors as I hate riding and running in the cold, treadmills, trainers, pools + steam Room!
Since I live in the land of snow, ice and cold, I move to an indoor track.
Winter is the best time to run in sunny Brisbane, Australia!
I pretty much just run in Winter. I start to cycle on the weekends in the new year, but I will tough out the cold and dark runs untill it gets icy, then I will head to the gym and use the treadmill.
Layer up and watch out for the ice.
Living in the south of France, winter here is a joke. People were bathing in the sea yesterday :) So i still walk and bike , maybe with a sweater…..
Run more, bike less (and in the afternoon instead of morning, or on the trainer inside).