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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.
All biking is done on a trainer using Trainer Road and Sufferfest. Shorter runs during the week are on treadmill. Longer runs on a weekends are outside.
Increased training load during daylight hours is how I adjust my training in the winter. South Florida is great for training when its not 98 degrees with %100 humidity.
Mostly the same training wise. It doesn’t get too cold here in Perth, Australia. A few more sessions on the trainer rather than outdoors and a few more pool swims rather than open water.
the trick is to hibernate
Zwift this winter!
Living in Sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia we dont get much of a winter though sometimes it drops down to 2 degrees centigrade. That doesn’t stop the training however – just a chance to wear some pants instead of shorts all the time!
A few years ago I would have said no change, but then we bought a treadmill for my wife for when she was pregnant. Now when it gets cold, or God forbid there is a drop of rain, I go straight to the machine. I think I’m getting soft. On another note though, it would be great to have a Fenix 3 so I can track my runs indoors without having to put them in manually, and to have some better running dynamics!
Yak trad while running, bike goes on a trainer, and swims move to the gym pool.
In the winter I wrap all of my hard-gotten gains by shrouding my precious internals with a cozy cushion of warming, protective adipose tissue.
We go outside in California. ;)
Pretty much stick to the gym/pool during the winter (sadly).
Weights and bike trainer (Kurt Kinetic, thinking about buying the power pod).
I change training to indoor calisthenics and indoor cycling on my Kickr
Winter time in North Carolina means indoor trainer rides, pool swims (that are luckily covered & heated in a big bubble) & runs outside in the brisk winter air! Sure it’s NC…how cold can it be? But you live here long enough & your blood gets thinner where you can’t handle to cold anymore!
I’m getting off the bike and dusting off my running shoes. Wanting to stay in the Garmin family!
Move it indoors to a trainer, treadmill and weights. Adding swimming this year. Wish I was in Hawaii!
Frequency stays the same, but adaptions are made in the form of extra layers – Arm / leg / head / nech and extra base layers.
Except if it rains – brain says nope.
Run and ride outside when I can and then use a treadmill or turbo trainer when it’s crappy outside!
No need to adapt for these Los Angeles winters.
Time to get your pump on and hit the gym, but in all reality it just means more time running and in the gym.
Awesome looking watch. More indoor swimming, less cycling, same running with more layers. It’s nearly summer here in Melbourne Australia.
I’m in Arizona, we put on arm warmers and stick to heated pools. ?
Hawaii?! Not a chance…Colorado has plenty of sunshine that at this altitude feels great even on 20 or 30 degree F days. With a couple of layers, maybe some Yaktrax if there’s some snow/ice on the ground, and the workouts just stay the same.
No worries.. I live in paradise Costa Rica!!
Despite what a fellow NW FL poster said, it does get significantly cold in the Panhandle. I do more base training in the winter than any other time. Good time to reset everything and get ready for next year.
Winter is the only time I get to train with a wetsuit in Houston.
I live in San Diego, pretty much ride, run and swim year round!!!
Bike goes on the trainer. Hello TrainerRoad! Layer up to run or head to the gym for a treadmill indoor track workout. Stroke work in the tri masters swim class.
They say Summer bodies are made in Winter – I’ve personally never achieved the Summer body, but I definitely step up the km’s spent outside running, as well as the number of laps on Zwift.
I bike less and run more.
My running intensifies! I love running this time of year; I’ll go to -20C. My swimming moves indoors, since I’m able to open water swim all summer.
Under 50 degrees I mostly do running, cycling is not that much fun any more. I wear thermal, would never run indoors. Swimming goes indoors
Living in Australia, training in winter is usually fine, so some warmers and it’s all good.
However sometimes the motivation is more of a limiting factor than the weather!
I live in Seattle so can run all year long !!
I obsessively watch the weather for my winter runs as I hate the treadmill and if it calls for bad weather I go spinning on my trainer instead
I live in Brazil and the lower temperature we get here is around 60°F (15°C), so nothing special, just a little colder. And in december it’s summer for us, fortunately. :)
Being in the South, winter doesn’t influence my training as much as the change in available daytime hours. Finding time to train is the biggest hurdle. With the cold temperatures, trails and path free up as your casual walkers/runners head back to the house for the season. Runs and bike rides are still pleasant through most of the winter with a simple added layer of clothing. Any swim time strictly goes indoors until late March early April.
Wahoo KICKR time
I just add layers and more waterproofing!
I will clamp my bike to the trainer and turn on zwift. I also plan to up the visits of the gym to lift more weights and spend some time on the treadmill.
Snow in abq, made for a fun run
Winter – get warmer clothes.
I’m also lucky to live near a super big indoor track (six laps = 1 mile)
Winter..in Australia…no need to adapt – maybe add one base layer for the really cold mornings and out you go. At best – maybe a good reason to splurge on a new pair of runners …just to funk things up a bit when hitting the pavements on a dark morning.
I hibernate. It’s more effective than you’d think
Spending more time on swimming and signing up for long distance runs in spring as motivation for keeping up run training during the dull winter months. cheers
Winter means time to go to the Pain Cave
Living in Sydney Australia my training doesn’t change at all. Winter offers perfect running conditions.
I love running in winter! The cold is invigorating and the trails and roads look so beautiful covered in their white sheen of an early frost or resilient snow. I rarely have to change my schedule as I travel a lot and my schedule has to adapt on the fly as I’m sure you have had to deal with too!
In the winter I fire up the bike trainer!
I actually teems to decrease ‘miles’ at the beginning of the off season and focus on technique and strength training.
Love this stuff and in need of more!
Lots more time on the trainer, but still love to run outside!
Since I live in central Arizona, I adjust for the winter by running outside at normal hours rather than 4 am.
Warmer clothes
Two seasons where I live, sunny dry and sunny wet.
When its wet, I resort to indoor trainer for quick training session. Too much effort to clean up the gear afterwards when its wet outside.
fl is great
I don’t change the training schedule or activity for the winter, just the gear!
Night rides on the fat bike!
I work out about half the amount as summer. A few trainer rides and dark runs.
The temperatures are nice in Southern California but getting out of work 2 hours after it gets dark is not. New garage pain cave with a Kickr and treadmill for non-weekend/day – off workouts here…
I live in Hong Kong. Winter may be a better training time for me :-)
I turn from an early morning runner to a whenever the weather is best that day runner!
I plan on working out in my basement in the pain cave. It’s where I catch up on tv at 4:30 in the am while a blizzard dumps 3 feet of snow on my town.
I’m doing lots of xc skiing in the winter. Actually it was my main sport as a teenager, the I did a transition to triathlon.
I use the stationary bike in the basement.
Rain gear, fenders, overshoes, gloves and more in the wet NW….
Mostly in-door swimming. When weather is nicer, I hardly do the in-door as open water is easily accessible and many bike rides. Winter time is lap time for me.
I change nothing. Running rain or shine as long as I’m injury free.
I just bought a Wahoo Kickr, so I’ll be riding the bike in the garage a lot.
It doesn’t snow where I live but does get colder. I just bundle up and enjoy off-season riding and trail running with friends. It’s base building without being in training mode.
My winter training plan here in Georgia is just adding a long sleeve shirt and a head lamp. This gives me the warmth and light that I need to run.
I exercise indoors year-round, so no difference.
I tried supporting DCR by ordering a Fenix 3 from CT, but they kept canceling my orders as “riskified” and told me they can’t tell me what the problem is. So if I get one from them for free that would be some nice karma. :)
BTW, you can put “TM” on whatever you want. It’s the circled R that requires registration with the USPTO.
I used to say that during the winter that I went into a hibernation mode. But, a few winters ago, right around the time I was sparked by this site to get the Polar Loop, I moved to doing things during the winter. That’s been outside with biking, and inside with swimming, basketball, and running. I can see similar happening this winter. But, probably a bit more happening with core exercises. And as with a few years ago, Polar will be a great help towards helping me meet my goals.
Dress warmer for the DC cold with some treadmill runs tossed in when the weather is just not cooperating.
I just wear more layers. It’s helpful “adversity” training…
JJ
I get my motivation by running with a local team
Gloves, a hat, and some fancy tight-fitting pants….
There are no rides outside, only trainer sessions or spin classes at the gym. I joined a new gym because of a spin class – on bikes with power meters – geared towards athletes to improve their strength and efficiency over the Winter. Only change with running is to keep my skin from getting frostbite vs a sunburn.
I just run indoors!
I do more workouts indoors
I work on refining my strokes during the winter and do strengthening.
I live in Bangkok. It’s supposed to be “winter” soon but it’s still 30+ / 90+ today. No changes necessary. :P
Treadmill, ergo, and fatbiking!!!
Lots of swimming!
I turn to swim because it’s not so crowded in winter.
I don’t change anything; it’s not much colder.
Weather permitting, I’m out in it running and cycling. A little cold and discomfort makes a stronger athlete, I say. Also hit the pool once open water swimming gets too cold, and weight training indoors to get stronger for the next race(s).
I ride inside. A lot. That and cyclocross.
I usually run indoors or just wear more layers:)
Living in Vietnam I actually dont have to worry about training in winter, which sounds like a luxury but training in 32+ degrees celsius every day with humidity in the high 90s is also not that fun. I will be travelling to Germany in January so will be planning some winter workouts then, I will be wearing tights with jogging pants ontop, and long sleve running shirt with a jacket, i think layers are the most important and to keep your hands warm
How do you adapt your training schedule for winter? Do you change sports altogether, or do you happen to be one of those lucky ducks living in Hawaii?
I am trying to run everyday in 2015 and 2016, this winter in New England was rough, resorted to running long runs around a parking lot in my town. This year I am going to mix it up and buy some snowshoes and get off the roads and onto some snowy trails! #runningforayear #nodaysoff
add extra layers of clothes, or train indoors.
Winter in Minnesota gets pretty cold but as long as the roads aren’t icy I’ll bundle up and get outside for my runs.
Winter in Chicago means short weeknight runs… On the treadmill. And extra days off! Cutting back and enjoying the extra time for friends and family!
More indoor trainer rides, but continue to run outside – Headlamp and warm clothing!
For winter I still try to run outside as long as the temps are above 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. If thats the case I hit the old treadmill or mix in some cross training. I’m also on the market for a bike trainer and i have been reading up on your recommendations for trainers. Its been a huge help.
I keep up with the same running routine throughout the year. the difference between seasons is how i dress
I used to be a trainer-hamster during winter but now I got a fatbike so no more excuses hombre :)
First winter in Missoula. Ran straight through last winter, but on another continent. Hoping to keep up regular trail runs up with spikes. Would love to get some nordic in, too.
I live in Brisbane – we are in Spring, heading into Summer! :D