Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list 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 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.
Rode a century and topped it off with a 60 mile recovery ride… OUTSIDE!!!!
Monday: 12,5K of Running (4,46 min/km)
Wednesday: 5 min. Plank and 300 atomic situps
Friday: 3K of Running (4,00 min/km)
Saturday: 15K of Running (4,58 min/km)
Took my 9 year old son for a bike ride completing 2 laps of the local Lake Tuggeranong loop (14 kms) before rewarding ourselves with a large frozen coke each from Maccas.
Saturday was final day of our team training camp in Tucson, AZ. 180km through the desert following the Shootout Ride route, with a detour up Madera Canyon for a 25-minute threshold effort. Sunday was a (sore!) travel day
Long run and a swim, well swimming lessons with my little one
Saturday was a rest day & Sunday 13.5 mile run mix of road & light trail.
Nothing says Happy Valentines like a 7 mile run.
Used TrainerRoad to keep on track with my winter cycling goals! Completed 25km ramp training this past week.
Zwift watopia ride, plus some Valentine’s Day wine.
Last week I tried acro gym.
3 mile run outside Saturday and 10 miles split between track and treadmill Sunday. Those -20 F temps killed any long outdoor workouts…
Just a slow 5km parkrun, life got in the way of anything else
Saturday and Sunday were both off, lots of homework and studying to do. Had a nice brick workout on Monday though, 8×2 min intervals on the trainer was the base of the workout and cruised a mile and a bit afterwards I’m an evening run.
Last Sunday ran the Austin Marathon. So Saturday was a rest day.
trainerroad pallisades + 18k fartlek run on sunday (had to work all sat). I think i would buy the gopro…
Sadly, absolutely diddly squat as we were at a friends’ wedding at an overseas destination. I did manage to take my 17 month old daughter swimming, though she wasn’t terribly keen on it!
Long ride on the bike with 15 minute efforts and some short low HR runs.
I went out on the mountain bike trails Saturday and sunday for 2 hours each day
Communting and intervals
Saturday morning I completed a track set (12×400), followed by an easy 60 minute spin on the turbo, then an afternoon 1,500 m recovery swim.
Sunday morning I paced the wife to a 1:28 a half marathon and did 30 minutes on the turbo after (attempted swim, but pool was over capacity).
Had 14 easy on my schedule for Sat (did 13), and 6 with tempo on Sun.
Oh I had plans for last weekend… It was supposed to be the coldest this winter here in Boston, so I was planning on a brave trail run in the Blue hills… The flu kept me running from the living room to bed and back…
2 hour moderate paced jog, 2500 ladder set swim. Thanks!
I went out for my first run in ages. Hurt my knee real bad just before christmas and been stuck with rehab ever since. Managed to log 3km before I had to stop (It’s not much but for me it was heaven). Some new gear would really help with motivation now that I have to start from scratch with my training!
Saturday was 6 miles at about 20 degrees Farenheit. Sunday was 90 minutes on the trainer followed by 30 minutes running in 15 degree F temps. Brrr!
Saturday: 2h ride, middle 30 minutes 20w below TFP
Sunday: 1:20 run, low z3, hilly
Wow! Last week was crazy. Wrapped up with the Austin Half Marathon (yes, I know, I lost). Leading up to that, Tuesday was six miles with four sets of 60 second pickups tossed in. Wednesday was five miles, easy pace, followed up with a chest and triceps workout along with core. Thursday was six miles easy. Just filling the tank for Sunday’s race. Friday was three miles easy folllowed up with a back and biceps workout along with core. Saturday was a rest day. I just tried to stay off my feet after going through the expo and packet pickup. Sunday was the Austin Half and then, since it was Valentine’s Day, Sunday night capped it off with dinner with my sweetie.
My wife and I are tapering for a Feb.28 marathon and it worked out that a 15K race on Saturday was the right distance. It was freezing cold but it was a fun, not trying to PR, race that we ran together!
Hard week, so only 3 hours walking :o(
Saturday was gym time. Sunday a recovery run in the cold but sunny morning.
last week was a good week
D1- 15mile Bike 6mile cross Training Run (.5 Mile run 2 min exercise repeat 12x)
D2- 10 Mille Run Tempo
D3- 15mile Bike 20Mile long run
D4-15mile Bike 10 Mile Tempo Run
D5 15mile Bike 5 mile Treadmill Hill Run
D6- 22 Mile Long run
D7 – 5K race 4 mile cooldown
Tempo training on the bike on Saturday (50km) and hilly road on Sunday
I had a 7.5 mile snowy and hilly run with Falkland Trail Runners in Fife, Scotland.
1.5hrs x-country skiing and 1hr on the trainer.
8 hours of nordic skiing (123 kms) with 2312 meters of elevation gain. Add to that two weight training sessions, a swing dance class as well as a Lindy Hop dance class.
Recovery days for me, so a family swim and ride.
I did some power training focusing on FTP for race season!
I got up at 5:55 am on Sunday and went for a 9k morning run. While running, I saw two rabbits chasing each other (way faster than me) and spotted a squirrel. Actually, it was the first time I was early enough to hear the cock in the nearby zoo crow :-)
Last weekend? The only thing I worked out was my stomach: prime rib dinner, and chocolate fondue with berries dessert!
On saturday I swam 2 km and on sunday I just chilled out :) I need a Fenix 3 HR to track my training ;)
My wife gave birth to a new baby, so there’s that.
First time on the road training in 3 month. I have been doing a lot of indoor training on my Kickr and was getting tired of doing the indoor training.
Went on a 90 K ride with my club in about minus 2 degrees. The legs was ok but it is not same as the Kickr. After 90 minutes I was done so the last 90 minutes was hard…..
Good thing that there is still some time until the season starts :-)
Friday play soccer for 2 hours and saturday ran 15km but unfortunately I sprained my ankle so I’m recovering for the moment :(
2hr ride Saturday and Sunday
Long 55 mile round the hilly Peak District
Two 45 minute recovery runs and two Z4 work/Z2 rest interval sessions in preparation for 10K.
Nothing on training log. Too fat. Too out of shape- a new $600 goodie will be the kick in the pants I need.
An 18 mile Tempo Threshold run to get ready for the upcoming 50k I signed up for.
Skiing in the French Alps
Running, jumping and having fun :-)
Plenty of swimming, and a little bit of running!
Psyched up and did 90min on the kikr with trainer road at 110-120ftp. Followed by 10k run
Stupid move the run as the sun went down earlier than expected and I’ve twisted the ankle. Was on a mountain bike trail.
A turbo session and a core session
Still can’t run
Twice my 6.2 mile route and three times my 5 mile route. Plus a few errands on the bike~
I carried my son on a 6km hike in and then out of the mountains both saturday and sunday. Somehow I strained a muscle on the back of my leg!
I went for a 5 mile trail run on Saturday (18 degrees F, windy, ice on the trails), and played a pick-up game of football on Sunday.
Eat!
Had a 5k run to a swimingpool on Sat and a short swim drill. Sun as usual a longer run in the morning
Last “long” run before this weekend’s 50k.
Started Friday afternoon with a rather cold Stryd test.. Then Sunday was a lovely 16kn with my better half..
not too much as the weather was not cooperating – a morning shopping walk (put on the backpack, walk 8 miles, shop the backpack full, walk 8 miles home) on saturday; and an easy 10 mile run on sunday in the company of the usual suspects called friends and rain ;-) I was aiming for an afternoon on saturday as well, but the walk indicated mud up to halfway the calves, so no passing through even with a mountainbike.
Away at son’s hockey tournament but still managed a couple of 45 min runs on the treadmill at the hotel.
I had uphill running set at Zurich Uetliberg.
90 minutes of spin class and a treadmill run
3 hour rides every day w intervals and climbing, 6 hours on Saturday.
15k race…. Which I won my age group and was 20 overall!!! Then a 45 minute strength training on Sunday…
Long Sweet Spot Interval on Zwift and a pyramid interval run on the treadmill
110 km bike ride and sufferfest indoor workout
Nothing. Rest for the whole weekend, and training/way-too-long commute again on Monday.
Saturday — a 5km Valentine’s-themed fun run with hot chocolate afterwards. Sunday…was supposed to be a long run with my running group but it was super-cold outside and I’d forgotten my extra bottom layer and I bailed after 6km. Shame.
I ran my last longish run before Ragnar Del Sol this coming weekend.
I did a killer interval workout on Trainer Road and a nice fat bike ride in the woods.
Still way early in the season for me, so just an easy ride around the neighborhood.
I finished the Tour of Sufferlandria!
2,000 yard Swim and 12 oz curls!
On Saturday 1,5 km swimming and on Sunday 7 km running with my wife and then 11 km alone.
Last weekend I had a 2 hour Zone 2 ride on Saturday and an hour run on Sunday with 15 X 1 minute hard intervals followed by a 4km swim.
I went for an hour of swimming.
Long weekend for me…
5K tempo run Saturday, Swim plus push/pull workout Sunday, 10K run Monday.
5 miles run outside turned into a 5 mile run on the treadmill because I couldn’t take the freezing temps!
Satuday: 35km of mountain biking
Sunday: 60km of road cycling
This past weekend was the Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona. I did poorly in the TT but I was happy with my performance in the road race. The crit was where I was expecting to do well but I didn’t have the legs in the last lap. I did manage to avoid several crashes in the race so that’s always a win.
Scheduled on Saturday was a swim/bike brick (1600m in the pool with 50 minutes of intervals on the spin bike), and Sunday was strength training (core and legs). Due to weekend family obligations both workouts got shifted to Thursday and Friday, but they did get done…the pool is quieter at 5 am anyway.
A beautiful hike in the snow-covered woods with my husband.
Recovery week – Saturday 4 1/2 mile run and Sunday an Hour and ten minutes zone two on the trainer.
25 mile bike ride Saturday. Shopping around for a power meter
TrainerRoad session on Saturday (it was raining!) and 3hr club ride with university on Sunday :)
Saturday was a training run day, sunday was race day.
Morning downhill skiing, afternoon hike with mother-in-law, evening fatbike ride. Not a bad day in the snow.
Second week of training for Salt Lake marathon, or 4th week of recovery from Maui Oceanfront depending on a look forward or look back perspective! Continued run streak for the year now at 47 days. 35 miles running total including 1 Yasso based interval session and LSR/marathon pace 12 miler on Sunday.
Slow jogging after surgery
Sunday, social mountain bike ride with friends in the afternoon swim laps with kids, Monday hill repeats on road bike Tuesday long flat ride Wednesday to kilometre swim Thursday yoga Friday intervals on trainer Saturday watch kids play sport.
120 km ride with 2200 m climbing in prep for a gran fondo about double that 3 weeks from now…. And a little 1 km swim
stretching and resting/ recovery from injury
I did a nordic skiing session (15km) and then I did an afternoon run with another 15km. Same on Sunday but with 10km each.
An attempt at cross-country skiing. Gave up after 2k – sick.
3.5 hours on the train followed by a 12 mile run. Slowly.
Saturday was my Birthday, so 3.5 hours out on the IMTX course followed by a 3K in the pool. Wife none to happy about all that. Scheduled to do a 2 hour run on Sunday and was warned I better be done and have her coffee ready before she got up, so it was an early start to Valentine’s day, but I succeeded in doing all the workouts and even more importantly, didn’t piss off the wife on Valentine’s day.
Chest and back workout on Saturday followed by Camelback Mountain run on Sunday. Thanks, Ray!
Due to a damn flu, my weekend training consisted of sitting on the couch binge watching X-files.