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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
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.
Saturday was recovery and Sunday was 21km run
Ran a 25k race, as part of fatigue resistance training. As real of racing sim as it gets!
3 hours on trainer with Trainerroad during week-end. Good training!
Took advantage of the long weekend and got in a long run and two bike rides. I should probably go swimming.
Mississippi River Marathon.
Started in Lake Village, Arkansas, went across the Mississippi River into a 10 mph headwind from the north, and finished in Greenville, MS.
My trining log last weekend was Saturday 80min Cycling, Sunday 16k Running
Just finished chemo/radiation so I am building my body back up by walking, stretching, and yoga! Super glad to be on the road to recovery, strength, and peace.
A 10k tester to see if I was good to push at next week’s race but my watch managed to lose the 1k where I pushed hard for a segment!
Also snuck in a bodyweight workout for good measure.
A 19 mile run, part of my marathon training.
20km of cross country skiing on Saturday, rest on sunday
I did a HIIT session on Saturday and some light (recovery) running on Sunday.
11 mile run & a lot of cheering for fellow runners @ the Austin Marathon!!
3 hours on zwift saturday :) followed by 2k swim sunday and a long walk with the dog and her in the evening
Mine included a half marathon race here in Fort Lauderdale (13.1 miles) with my first sub 2 hours PR at 1:57!
Two tempo 5k runs
1km swim on Saturday, and bike ride on Sunday, preparing for my first sprint tri this weekend
It was cycling quality time, 4 trainings sessions, 2 indoors using a smart trainer and 2 outdoors (1 with the MTB and with the road bike).
A 10k easy run on Saturday and a 15k run on Sunday
It’s taper time for the Rock and Roll New Orleans Marathon so my long run was ONLY 13 miles. Never thought those words would ever come out of my mouth!
2 Easy runs leading to the A1A Marathon in Fort Lauderdale. Got a PR and a BQ time!
A rare sleep in Saturday, 2700yd swim Sun (1000 warm up, 500 kick, 5×200 pulls w/paddles, 200 warm down
Bike riding and tempo run, all great weather awesome!
A trip to the hammam :P
Finishing my week with a long run for about 2 hours and an hour-long swim for recovery.
I had a full weekend visiting my family back home, so I hit up the gym before my flight on Friday morning for a 6k run and a strength session. Talk about heaven – gym on a weekday morning! I was feeling the burn all weekend :)
4x 1000m piece, 2 minute recovery
I took the weekend off. Just lazed around, which was nive because my legs have been soar lately.
the Albany marathon was planned, but postponed due to severe weather. a 13 miler on Sat and a 10 mile treamill run was done instead
Missed long ride due to impossibility to find motivation. This is going to be a hard season.. :( I’d need to win this and buy some wearagadget to restore a good, healthy, interest…
45 min cycling indoor at the Y, followed by 30 min non-weight, resistance training.
Last weekend, on sunday, I had my final marathon speed-skating track of the dutch region tour (“6-banentoernee”). I hoped to ride for points this season and I ended up fighting, and winning, for the 20st place in GC. For which I had to get 36 point. Yeah I’m aware nobody who is going to read this understands the personal importance so I’ll stop. Hope I get lucky, though!
Indoor training session, nice and easy.
62 miler training ride on Saturday and on Sunday a brick starting with 7 miler tempo run then straight to an hour on the bike.
Hate to admit: Nothing. Unless moving furniture also counts ;)
Unluckily I was sick, so it was only an easy 60 minutes run for me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel well on the weekend. Therefore, I skipped the two running sessions on those two days.
Couple of hours Zwift and 2 hours skierg at the local gym.
Saturday: 1,5 hour tabata intervalls on trainer as it rained all day,
Sunday: 4,5 hour ride with 5x8min MAX Power at very low candance, at the end 25′ Z3 , + 2×5′ Z4 , total: 110km – 2400m elev
I joined a marathon training group run for a 14 mile excursion around cold, grey London. And didn’t bring my gloves – lesson learned.
rest Saturday
cross fit and short run Sunday
Hill Repeats…
Had a rest after 4 days skiing.
A 4 hour easy ride on Saturday and a 1 hour ride on a rainy Sunday ☺
Austin Marathon. 26.34 miles
A short hike with my dog :)
30 km on Zwift every 2. day, like it!!!
Nice round of cross country skiing in the beautiful weather. Hoping to go again this weekend!
Well I had a brick session, and some strength and conditioning on the planned log. What actually happened is we went on a family weekend to CenterParcs and all that went out the window! But we did have a nice time cycling, swimming, boating, eating and sitting in our lodge Sauna :)
Amongst other things, a 120km bike ride. And it was windy!
Did a 5 mile run on Saturday. Did upper body workout followed by a ride on my trainer on Sunday.
6 mile run… and a bike ride that I slept through… stupid cold…
Swam for 2200 then did some lower body strength work.
Sat: 1:45 Tempo Trainer Ride, Sun: Zone 2 1:15 run
I ran the most beautiful race in the Netherlands: Groet uit Schoorl. Half marathon through forest and dunes. Although the weather was pretty bad, the race was excellent!
Zwift group rides both days, lots of fun!
Saturday 15km run (easy) followed by cross session on Sunday.
I completed rubber glove FTP threshold test.
Four 10km runs leading up to a half marathon on Saturday.
Just 2 5km runs last week.
Have not really been able to ride just had carpal tunnel surgery. I did 30 min on Thursday and 40 today. Hand is still pretty sore.
Easy run on Saturday. Long run on Sunday.
Saturday – stoller run intervals 6 miles, 3 day weekend, so Monday – stroller trail run 11 miles.
Ugh. This week was bad… as i had the influenza virus. I only logged one 45 min class on tuesday. After that, the sickness struck and no training for me. I am jittery and depressed because I need my training and my runs. Therefore the giveaway win would be something nice in this bad week.
on friday evening i did a 25k run on easy pace
on sunday evening in the rain i did a 5k as fast as i could followed by another 5k as kind of recovery/easier pace
Absolutely nothing, stuck in a rut and need something to get me going again.
30 miles total, split into 4+ mile daily mile runs
Ran 12km in the sunshine :)
Anaerobic Capacity intervals on Saturday and VO2Max Intervals on Sunday. Both on my Kickr.
A nice weekend recovery…
My biggest event was a 800 meter/1600 meter run regression test.
I had a long bike day on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. Both went great!
A 10k pace run for a half marathon race in the next weekend.
I ran 23 km on saturday and 52 km ride on sunday.
12 miles mixed tempos on Sat followed by easy recovery 3 miles Sunday.
Continuing prep for the Spring TT races: Friday was 6×4 Intervals for 1:30. Saturday was 2 hours at a building pace. Monday was 20×1 Power Intervals – Ouch. More fun planned for the week.
Just getting over a bout of winter manflu, so it was a steady tempo road and trail 10k route, far flatter than I’d normally do. A gentle return to marathon training
I run 17km on Saturday in neighbouring Austria to 200m high hill Konigswarte with my five friends, but 4km uphill was through wild boars closed area. Almost on Hill we met about 40 of them only some 100m in front of us crossing our way. Then back to Slovakia.
On Sunday I was running 14k with my two other friends searching for race course for Gaia Run to be held at last Saturday of April in Forest close to Danube.
And finally on Monday 12. 5 km indoor track sesdion – 5k warmup, then accelerated 3-2-1k, 1k for 3:42 a 10min final jog
Very muddy and cold and wet and hilly 10k run on Saturday; travelling on Sunday
2 hours on Zwift doing workouts on SST and easy ride after. Next day, trip to beach and no biking.
Had a 6K slowish run on the books, but had to move it to next week because of early spring cleaning in the basement.
Being in the Pacific NW it will be a long wet ride for me.
I did two krashed sessions on My tacx i-Vortex while watching Old episodes of 24 from Netflix on My chromecast
I did an open water SCUBA class, so about 3 hours a day in the pool. Activities included simulated 400 yard ocean swim, tired swimmer tow, free diving practice, and in general a lot of fin swimming.
A relatively quiet weekend for me last week. Went out with my local bike shop on Saturday and did 53km, then on Sunday did my club group ride for 82km.
A 55km ride to Box Hill and back that ended with me doing a forward flip and having a buckled front wheel to repair!
As many of your readers Trainerroad sessions was on my schedule.
Saturday – warm and sunny bike ride – 16 miles. Sunday – cool and sunny trail run – 8.4 miles.
Run – Recovery week at 3 / 2.5 / 3 / 4.5 / 3 / 4 / 9 miles (each day listed)
Swim – ST’s GC modded to 3000yds, WO1, 2, 4
Bike – failed attempt at learning roller early in the week. Patching drywall later in the week.
Trainer would be nice.
A trip to the south of Argentina (my home country) to run in the mountains of Villa La Angostura (Neuquen). Did a nice 27k trek on Friday to enjoy the scenery and then run a couple of 12k on different trails on Sat and Sun.
Great being out on the trails for a change! (I live in Buenos Aires, big big city).
Running with my puppy on the beach. =)
100km trail race in 13 weeks, so last Saturday was 4 hours of up and down hills… Nice 34 degC too!
Leg openers on Saturday, Sunday’s training race ended up being cancelled due to the cold, so I did over/under threshold intervals on the trainer instead.
Long ride and a short backpacking trip.
56 mile bike ride without passing out…
-10 degrees F in my neighborhood so lots and lots of computrainer time. Couldn’t bring myself to run on the treadmill though…
Hilly Bike 150:
Repeat the following 3x:
Set 1: 30min Z1 @ 90 RPM
Set 2: 20min Z2 @ 75 RPM
I got my FIRST carbon wheel ever, hail to the wind tunnel, can’t wait for my first competition!
I had a recovery 10k bike ride all the while watching ski jumping.
Thank you for doing this!
Nothing,
a cold stopped me.
Got in a 2 hour run on Sunday before the rain came back. Up to lazy B and down to soup factory in two loops. No UAVs in pursuit, or at least not detected. ;-)