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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.
My community is not very “athlete friendly”, so I have started running in the local hospital parking lot since it gets dark so early in the winter. As a bonus, most of the people who drive in the hospital parking lot are more considerate than the average redneck who tries to run me off the road in the summertime. =)
Kickr sets for the bike, swimming to indoors with no outdoor sets, running – continue running through rain or snow, just have to be careful not to slip and pack on the layers.
Grab the kickr if it’s too wet or just wear a few extra layers and still ride / run
Living in Calgary I tend to ski more in the winter but will need to adapt in order to train for my first Boston in April.
Winter is ski season for me! There is no best feeling then gliding on the snow!
I altered by training program this year by moving from Toronto to the Gold Coast in Australia. Winter problem solved!
This winter I changed sports altogether by enjoying them vicariously through the magical power of YouTube and Hulu.
I will be doing alot of swimming as it is my weakest of three disciplines. Try to build base miles indoors (on bike) and running. Never running on a treadmill. The treadmill is the devil!
Not Hawaii, but north Florida, so winter is the best time to train. Mostly an extra layer and planning to run in the dark. Easy-peas, compared to living up north!
Like last year, try running outside when I can and mix in strength workouts and the trainer the other days at home.
I might look into swim lessons though to better myself for tri’s next year as this year I did my first three pool sprints and loved it.
Winter = more gym time and cycling on the trainer
Still run and try to get outside as much as I can. If its too icy you’ll find me inside on the treadmill.
Boston weather – teach 2 spin classes followed by pool swim per week. Kickr ride every Thursday, treadmill interval training twice per wk, 2 outdoor long runs +30, treadmill/kicker/pool twice per wk temp -30. McDonalds once per week.
With the darkness coming so early, time to hit the trainer for weeknight riding. Until the snow comes, running is a mostly outside, but I hate running in snow so I’ll be in the treadmill a lot more when it gets here.
The winter also means the grandparents are in Florida, so babysitting is harder to come by and my wife and I have to trade off workouts on the weekend.
In San Diego it’s always summer :D
More indoor training. A lot more. More weights less running. All the pools here in El Paso are indoors so that doesn’t change.
Swim and bike move indoors and I “suck it up buttercup” for the runs. I’m in a short window called “between seasons” that I add additional strength training and some functional fitness.
I mostly swim on an inside pool, so there is no change there. But I have no opportunity to do some open water during winter, that’s the only change.
More swimming, use the treadmill a bit, focus on strengthening my weaknesses in the weight room.
More running less biking.
I adapt by going to the pub a little less. I feel the summer months much preferred for a nice cold ale in the Sydney sun.
Winter, the trainer comes out of storage and a few less ocean swims. The bar does call, but sitting inside just doesn’t have the same appeal and the photos don’t look quite as good as you glote to your international friends.
@thebeerselfie
I’ll use the trainer
No change to sport, just more layers.
I switch to alpine and cross country skiing!
No training plan scheduled. My wife just had a baby today and here I am checking dcr before bed. Please Fenix 3 for Baby #3!
I have all the running gear I’ll ever need, so I run outside unless it’s below 0 degrees F. I do all of my riding in the trainer because its too icy to ride outside and I replace some run workouts with swims.
I usually back off running and biking and lift hard in the winter. This year I’ll be at the gym a lot to train clients, so I make sure to get at least one good high intensity workout in for cardio. I pack on a bunch of muscle and then try to sustain some during spring and summer.
Switch from intensity to base. If surface gets too bad, run on the treadmill. Sadly, my biking really takes a hit.
I try to do more cross training in the winter. I love nothing more than a long run, but it often isn’t possible with the less than ideal running conditions and shorter days to get things done in. I have also found that the my need to push into challenges with friends during the cold months helps give me the gusto to get out there and do…well…something. And something is better than nothing.
More hours spent on the trainer and in the climbing gym!
Still run outside for the most part but stick to the trainer when it’s cold.
Winter biking on the NH coast (if the sun is shining)
I am not living in Hawaii, but very close weather condition. Not that cold and still could manage the outdoor sessions.
Training stays the same. Complaining increases exponentially.
basement on the trainer.
I live in a hot and sticky area where winter is the prime training season and we train in the cold AC during the summer months. So now is the time to hit running intervals and long cycling on the weekends!
Started running this spring, and planning to keep running as the temperature drops below freezing. Definitely more treadmill as it gets colder, all the way down to forty below for the nasty cold snaps.
Hit the trainer with sufferfest videos and run in the Seattle rain with a headlamp!
I stay inside on the trainer
when the winter season hits my training normally heads inside all winter unless theres a race or its really good weather. during these winter months my training is really just about keeping fitness up and no more really, i then get the progress going again when it warms up again.
Kickr and Zwift and Perfpro and Sufferfest and strength work
Getting more of that Skins White compression gear. Winters are so incredibly hot here in Australia… +36 today!
I move it to indoors.
Lucky to live in Hong Kong where I can train year round, in fact winter is welcome as humidity drops and I don’t have to bring gallons of water for a decent ride or run.
Luck me lives in Sydney – what winter……WHen it rains I am on the Kickr.
I’m those lucky guys who happen in a sunny- summer- year long city. Although is not like Hawaii (Medellín, located in Colombia, has no sea but tons of mountains) the city is perfect for running (mountain running to change the routine a bit if you like) flat and uphill cycling and pools everywhere!
So I guess I’m one of those lucky guys!
I don’t really change much for the winter. I wear more clothes, obviously, but I stick to an outdoor training schedule year-round.
More running. Less (*cough* No) cycling. Ugh!
Netflix and hills turn into Netflix and chill.
Spin classes at the gym. Still mostly run outside but an occasional dreadmill run. More yoga and a little less swimming.
I do more kettle bell workouts mixing in Insanity workouts
Wait, what’s this thing you call training? If it involves moving a beer/cheese curd to mouth then hell I train hardcore all year long.
Surely this Time…
More indoor time.
I am not lucky enough to live in Hawaii but Arizona is not too bad. When winter arrives my running group and I rejoice because that means the start time for our morning long runs gets moved back 2 hours. I no longer have to rise at 4 am to beat the summer heat.
I spend a lot more time running on the treadmill since my neighborhood is not well lit.
My winter training involves shifting gears from a focus on running to a focus on Taekwon-Do. I do both sports year round but late spring, thru fall I concentrate most of my time in running. My problem is I can’t run in the dark (eyesight not good enough to run with just a light) & I hate Dreadmills with a passion. So I shift to one long run a week (10 to 20K) and focus on Core Strength & Taekwon-Do classes.
I am by no means an expert on any of this, but I do work my butt off to be the best version of myself that I can be. I’m 51 and only started running 6 years ago. The TKD started just a few years ago.
Love the website & the indepth info you provide!
All summer here Down Under
I normally train indoors during the winter. I also bust out my Yak Trax if I run when there is ice/snow.
running in -30 Celsius woohooo!!!
Don’t change the routine. Just add an extra layer.
Just focus on consistency indoors and get out when weather allows
Well, it was -8ºC this morning on the ride to work. I hope to get in another couple of weeks until I put the bike away. After that, I will switch to spinning and the treadmill at the gym and hopefully hitting the slopes a bit more this winter.
I switch to indoor cycling and have been using Zwift, it’s awesome.
More treadmill, more racquetball, run on the opportune days.
Winter training for me consists of cyclocross and hand up training!
Yup, switch from cycling to running, skiing, and hiking in Adk.
More layers…time on the trainer….and faster walking in the parking lot of the gym to get to the pool.
Winter training shifts to grabbing a flash light and running in the dark. Riding shifts from the road to the trainer in the garage during week days.
I’ve been Zwifting during the colder months! It’s a ton of fun!
Treadmill, Trainer with Zwift, some trails, and many laps in the pool. Audio books make it tolerable.
As a trail runner, the only change I make in the winter is to add more clothing layers and put sheet metal screws in the soles of my shoes (for traction). No need to change sports or schedule. The trails are beautiful in the winter!
Winter? What winter?
Continue running and try the bike trainer.
Ray, in the past I have did spin classes and weights in the gym. This past year I have bought a rower, the Concept 2 and I plan on training with that on the cold and rainy days. I live in Southwest Louisiana, so hopefully there will not be a lot. On the warm days, I’m out riding my mountain bike or my motorcycle. Thanks for the contest and good luck to everyone.
My training picks up in the winter! With the right gear, winter running is so much more enjoyable than the heat and humidity of the summertime.
I’m in Wisconsin, so lots of running on 1/8 mile indoor tracks (yuk), indoor biking (bleh), and 25yd indoor swimming (chlorinated catastrophe). Looking forward to relocating to a warmer climate next year and this watch would be a good way to kick off the move.
I am living in the Japanese Hawaii so no changes needed :-) Just keep on going…
I switch from cycling to running for the winter adding in occasional rides when I get brave. Easier to stay warm!
I start Nordic skiing, the harder question is how to adapt my training for summer. We’ll see if I can finally get into racing bikes in the spring, but it’s hot wax and spandex until then!
I’m fortunate enough to live in San Diego, so my morning runs are just a little brisk.
When in Canada: I keep it real with some indoor trainer action, Bosu ball and TRX core workouts but more importantly I then supplement that boringness with a little fat biking, a little snow shoeing, some cross country skiing, some snowboarding, building snowmen with the kids and shovelling the looooong driveway.
When in California: Well…what can you say…life’s good in the Sunshine State. Would be still turning the cranks on the Bianchi(s). Maybe the odd MTB session. Oh…surfing, more surfing and maybe a little more surfing. Off road electric skateboarding on the Fiik skateboard is actually a surprising good workout for me and the dogs. And again playing with the kids is the ultimate full-body workout.
More layers or treadmill if it’s too cold.
get used to running/riding in dark, cold and wet. Wear reflective and lights, even for a run! Mixed in mountain biking.
Planning to buy a trainer to ride indoor. I have not decided between the KICKR SNAP or the Vortex. For now enjoying 85 degrees temp until i get back home (US).
I mostly switch to running and let the cycling legs rest for a month.
Trainerroad during the week. Road on weekends. Runs scattered About…
I live in the Deep South so my training doesn’t change much?
Winter cycling in Upstate NY = not fun, so it’s the basement trainer for me.
High 30s in Sydney this week – getting to the pool is the best option!
Fortunately I live in Phoenix so the only adjustment I have to make is leaving the house a bit later when the sun is up and things have warmed up
Actually, I don’t change much except putting more layers. Keep running outside!
Unless it’s very icy or -30C!
Focus on swimming
Living in the southern US a little less cycling but increased running
I swim indoor, use the kickr and run outside!
From outdoor runs and soccer to treadmill and indoor soccer
Ya right, Hawaii, how about Winterpeg (Winnipeg, Canada), the coldest big city on earth! The winter for me is the bike trainer, and XC skis when it’s not colder than -20C. Below that, skiing is not much fun.
Here in Indonesia is entering Rainy seasons, everyday mostly rain at the evening, so either run in the gym or hit the road for running in the early morning.
I plan also to swimming again this months … I dunno, maybe try a mini triathlon next 2 months in Jakarta.
Keep the spirits,
Well living in Houston means the winters are pretty good. I’ll go from short to long rides on the bike and everything else stays the same
Run focus! Bike when I can, swim when it doesn’t make me itch all over.
Just adjust the locations. Pool vs open water. WT classes vs road rides during the week. Luckily I can still ride outside in the winter (albeit in the cold and wet – but no snow) so still get out on the bike once a week.