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.
Feb 7, 13,5 run back from swimming pool home (enjoying the swimming pool with my kids)
Feb 8, Crosssfit becoming my new addiction
Feb 11, Crossfit again
Feb 13, Tacx 1 hour, 30k ride
This weekend? On holiday at Curacao. So just renting a mtb and discover the island.
Base miles and some intervals on the bike with some gym/weight work.
Great news :)
super
Down with the lurgy and still waiting for it to clear. Hoping to get something done this weekend though!
My husband and I flew back home from Palm Springs on Saturday so no time for a workout then, but I ran 8 miles with our local running group on Sunday.
I was traveling in Norway , north of Oslo, in a cabin in the woods , Saturday and Sunday sessions country skiing with stretches at night. I also built an igloo that counts.
link to es.wikiloc.com
Unfortunately, not much more than few walks with family come visiting us…
Hiking in the jungles of Costa Rica, did manage to get a run in.
Worked all weekend but managed to squeeze in 30+ miles of running with my dog and some swimming with my son.
Did an session on TR only managed to do 11.8km or like 30 min.
Since my Thyroid cancer and removal last november 2015.
I Struggle to do even little sessions like this.
Nothing on Saturday. 15k race in the “Hammer Winterlaufserie” on Sunday.
I did a flat 100k ride, of which first 1/2 was fast & furious. Sunday was a rest day.
On my training plan for last weekend was a 14 mile run. I did that by running across lake Winnebago :) My first time running across the frozen lake.
1 hour running on the treadmill everyday.
Eight mile run on the treadmill (because it was too cold to run outside!).
I received and used my new Tacx Vortex Trainer and did several workouts through Trainerroad (Epic Vermont and Slide Mountain).
Just an easy run in the Pyrenees
Scheduled was a moderate (10mi) hike Saturday and a snowshoe race Sunday. Actual execution was laying curled up in a ball on the couch with excruciating gut pain.
I did about 4 miles of running in the snow and two snowy rides on my fat bike. You need to find ways to get outside, despite lake effect snow.
I had an easy run. 6 miles in the company of family and friends on Valentine’s Day .
5k run Friday, rest Saturday, 10k run Sunday
It was my 3rd weekend of following the Hansons plan for a marathon in May. 7 miles on Friday, 6 on Saturday, 10 on Sunday. All on the treadmill because it was around 0 degrees in Michigan!
I ran the LA Marathon with 20,000 friends
I was a bad triathlete this weekend! Celebrated my birthday (and move to a new AG) and slacked on my workouts. Back at it this week and happy that beautiful weather is in the forecast for this weekend. Thanks for the chance!
An 8 km hike with 2 geocaches thrown in for good measure and a one-hour group weight training ;)
After a week of road biking in central Florida, I had to sit in a car for 18 hours for the drive back home!
Saturday run on the beach and long bike ride on Sunday with friends
5k on Saturday with a high altitude training mask, because I hate myself. Then an easy 5k on Sunday with no mask.
I did a 3 hour ride on the trainer on saturday and ran a half marathon on sunday. 5 loops around a park plus an out-and-back–brutal!
Did some ring training. Can’t wait to run again though.
I went to the gym for my training session.
I ran a 5 k on Monday Wednesday and some intervals on Tuesday and Thursday. Or at least that’s what I wanted to do. $600 would get me motivated to work out!
I was training intervals on my bike in “La Cuchilla” Hill (11.2Km at 3250mts on finish line) near Bogota, Colombia. Preparing training for GFNY Colombia.
Cross-training with gym sessions.
Weight training Saturday. 45min indoor cardio Sunday.
I have been training to run (as opposed to run-walk) a half marathon. This weekend I ran 13.1 miles without stopping for the first time! Sunday, I did some light jogging and rowing to recover.
Zwift sweet spot session and a 70km ride with friends. Cake stop included :)
Steady tempo spins for 4 days and a hard brick session on Sunday!
53.2km ride on Saturday, it was cold and windy so I had a burrito after.
100k-Rain-Ride
Watching a movie on the bike trainer. Two birds with one stone.
last weekend was 20’threshold followed with 20’easy on pretty windy day.
I had some treadmill runs, a run in the snow, and some calisthenics last week.
Last stage of “2016 Tour of Sufferlandria” (link to thesufferfest.com), which consists of two Sufferfest videos (with TrainerRoad, Wahoo Kickr). Took 2 hours. Had to do “Power Station” and “Violator”. Power Station is okay but Violator afterwards is heavy :-)
Got back on the horse after some time off from a cold, so an 1.5 hrs on the bike and the same amt. running. The running hurt a bit.
Nice relaxing weekend watching the rugby, with a run on Sunday. Got the TomTom Spark working properly for the first time.
10k indoor run followed by a 30 minute intense core workout in prep for busy running days ahead.
I’m preparing a 10K race in April so my here was my training log:
Monday: tempo running; 30 min.
Wednesday: intervalls: 1 min tempo, 2 min threshold, 10 times.
Friday: intervalls: 1 min easy; 20 sec sprint; 10 times.
Saturday: 45 min tempo.
Note that each running workout starts and ends with a 10 min warm-up / cool-down step.
On Tuesday I also did a bit of Kettlebell circuit, as core strength training.
Pretty difficult week as I’m recovering from a flue :-(
small run and rollerskating, it was a relax weekend
Week 2 of P90X2 – still trying to figure out how to do a side arm balance on a stability ball without hitting the deck.
Long-run sandwich: 15M + 8M
Morning run with the housemates Saturday followed by hangover recovery Sunday
I had a split long run on Friday Night/Saturday morning and finished things up with an easy spin on the bike Saturday afternoon. Then on Sunday, it was time for some rest.
Business trip to NYC so thanks to body clock waking up at 4am I was at SoulCycle for the first session of the day, followed up with 20 miles walking the streets.
Resting my knee, would have rather been out on the bike!
Swim camp, 8h swimming!
I was crazy enough to put 10 miles in on the treadmill! No way was I freezing trying to do that outside with -17F windchill!
Saturday Balboa Run in Hungary :)
I did long (as for me) run 14 km in Warsaw along the Wisla river :-)
Friday/Saturday I caught my 2 year old daughters chesty cough, Sunday’s 10k cross country run with the dog was therefore replaced with me on the bike and dog along side!
Was practising fast walking
Done some water aerobics in pool.
105km bike ride on Saturday morning, avoiding Ice and frost most of the way. Had to add a little on to get over the 100km mark and it was then my tube exploded and left my tyre with a nice hole in the side! Bit of a limp home after this!
Sunday was a 1hr 30 min run in my easy heart rate zone, felt like I had never run before and was done in the pitch dark on a footpath that’s around 80cm wide on a busy road in the dark. And my light died. An interesting training weekend!
Did easy, or probably not quite easy 14k of light hills on Saturday. On Sunday I wanted to do a long run of 30k, but ended up at 24k totally exhausted, and called it done. The next days I didn’t quite feel alright. So probably it was a kind of illness.
Back and hands muscle stretching activity in gym
cross country ski, snowshoe, sauna, snowshoe, cross country ski
Easy Jogging after last week’s hard running
Last weekend was a 20 gallon beer brew day, not much distance, but plenty of work. And a 45 minute HIIT in the basement.
A long run and some drills on the pool on Saturday, and a 3 hour ride on the trainer on Sunday while watching a movie.
Running in Beskydy mountains, just quick snowy run. Amazing relax!
Long run on Saturday morning, body-weight strength workout Saturday evening, and Sunday was a blessed day of rest!
Tried zumba dance moves together with my girlfriend
Last weekend I ran the A1A Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon…..First race back after breaking my ankle in an unfortunate skateboard accident 2.5 months ago.
Active yoga stretching in local gym
Ice hockey with my pals
Run sprinting sessions outside
A great strength work out, it should have been crosscountry skiing, but not enough snow. .
Currently I am still in Wintertraining-Mode. Meaning that Mo/Tue and Thur/Fri I have 90min gym sessions, mostly weight training. Wednesday and Saturday I go on 45min runs or 90min swim session depending on the weather. Last week was mostly sunny so went running twice. Bike is still tucked away under winter blanket.
Crossfit – enough said :) Hard stuff!
My training log for the weekend:
Saturday: Swimming 10x50m, 10x200m, 5x400m. Running 90min in Z2.
Sunday: Swimming 2x(100-200-400-800-400-200-100) Cycling 150min Z2 with 3x10min in Z4.
I did a strength workout.
Indoor volleyball for 3 hours
Active ice skating with my friends
Just a little cardio and kicking soccer ball around with my 12 year old
Did two easy runs Friday and Saturday. Raced a 5k and pr’ed by 24 seconds!
Bad weather subsitute eg. Shoveling snow for hours… :)
It was hard and dirty
3k swim, 2h trainer, 2h running, 1h body strength
Table tennis and some weight lifting in gym
Planned to run a 20k trail… too much rain.
Shift to the kitchen I made some “frittelle” venetian style filled with “Zabaione”, do you know them?
Very satisfacting workout! :D
I did a tempo run (3x15min w/ 3min rec.) on Saturday morning, an easy 12km run on Saturday afternoon, a 15km run on Sunday morning and a slow cruise around the neighborhood on Sunday evening to wrap up the week. It was a solid weekend!
I hiked and ran along the seafront in Cape Town… not looking forward to heading back to cold and wet London…
Hot Chocolate 15K Nashville road race on Saturday and a 3 mile hike with my girl and dog on Sunday.
Actually I just ran a short 10km on Saturday night but I transfered my long run to Monday night as I was sick and tired on Sunday…
My wife and I both love to run (used to do triathlons before the kids were born). This Valentines weekend we got out for a rare easy run together.
The snow has fallen heavily this last week in London, Ontario, and this Australian guy has been sent down to the treadmill for many workouts. My major workout this weekend was a 30km treadmill run with 20km @3:39 Marathon Pace. Amazingly I felt strong the whole way through and was glad I had the mental fortitude to run for that long and at that pace.
I hope the definition of “weekend” includes Friday. I took a half-day of vacation to get a long run in, as the rest of the weekend was filled with activities with the family (including state HS swim and diving championships).
Skiing in Dolomites (Italy).
Run + walk +run.
5k and 10k plus riding on a trainer for 20km