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.
hill repeats at ftp, 3 min recovery between.
Saturday: just shy of 3 hour trainer ride, with a 4 mile transition run
Sunday: 12 miles easy on the dread mill and then trainer threshold fun
Fitness and recovery WE : BodyPump on saturday and playing in the snow with the kids on sunday ;-)
Riding on the trainer indoors, wishing I had more daylight to ride, and that it wasn’t so cold here, in Alabama. Fell way short of my weekly mileage goal… again!
I’m continuing my schedule of doing 45 minutes every week day morning on the bike trainer. Weekends are for the longer outdoor (weather permitting) riding sessions.
Ray,
It was too cold for the X-Country ski session – so I did only a basement bike session.
Take care
Jurgen
A long-run on saturday followed by a short one on sunday.
1 hour cycling without pain after 2 week without trainng due to problems in my knees
I’m coming off a stress fracture. Saturday was a “rest day” and Sunday was time in the pool with 2 x 800 M swims.
Some self loathing for not toughening up to run in 0°F weather outside, and instead enjoying an IPA. Made up for it this week, though…
Did an 8 mile climb up and down Grandeur Peak just outside of Salt Lake City, and then a 20 mile run on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake!
A timed 5km Park Run on the Saturday (very popular in the UK) and a nice long walk with the GF and the dog followed by coffee and cake on Sunday.
A sprint distance brick Monday, Wed indoor brick, Friday 3000 yds in the pool. Hopefully hit a long distance run tomorrow.
Did some hard intervalls on a 40k Road Ride and a nice, slow and steady ride for about 3hours!
Last weekend I did 60k in a group ride on Saturday and on Sunday I did another 60k with my brother.
Sidelined currently with a broken toe.
Swimming championships on Saturday and trail running (27k) on Sunday! BOOYA!!!!
As My Always Routine for weekend, Morning running for 1 Hour and Boxing for 20 minutes and at last Yoga for 45 Minutes Before Sleep For Saturday and Sunday.
Basketball training on Tuesday, basketball training on Thursday, easy stroll in the woods for weekend.
A little over 7 miles of winter trail running (14 degrees F before windchill) on Saturday followed by a nice recovery day Sunday. Gotta love those trail transitions from gravel to ice :)
It snowed, so I took a day off and settled for the trainer on Sunday. I’m looking forward to being in the outdoors this weekend.
8 mile run on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. It was very cold outside so unfortunately all treadmill.
No training for me. Recovering from foot surgery and hoping to be back to running by summer.
Saturday 12k slow run.
a fun 12k trail run (a bit muddy!) and a nice walk in the hills with the other half and border pup ;)
7 mile run on the Yorktown Battlefields and then taking the dog on a 3 mile trail hike.
Back to back 25k step days at Disney parks count as a workout, right? No? Well, then completing the beer world tour around the Epcot World Showcase certainly must.
Easy trainer ride, 13 mile run, and then rest, Pistachio Crusted Salmon, and wine.
Been in hospital but worked my walker!
Indoor training with PowerWatts
PW 2015-2016. 16C. Throwing in a Punch
Duration
01:00:00
CP20
263
XWatts
171
NWatts
217
XW/Kg
2.03
NW/Kg
2.59
IF
0.8
TSS
68.5
KMs
26.1
Calories
930
A short run on Saturday and a short ride on Sunday.
Icehockey, floorball and cycling in the swedish snow. <3
Spinning, spinning, spinning!
polar temperature in NYC limited me to a good old trainerRoad 90min intervals session
2hrs on the bike trainer on Saturday, and another 2hrs 15min on Sunday. Love the Carmichael Time Crunched Cyclist program!
Did a core and strength training at the gym on saturday, a 40k bike ride on sunday mixing road and gravel.
Work out a: 10mile run last 5M @ 6:44m/m
B: 8 x 800m @ 5:50m/m + 6M
C: 3 x 13min @ 6:25 + 3M
Sidelined once. Ore by new parent duties, but high hopes to embrace some warm weather outside this weekend!
Last week’s training is still during my base training, even though I think I need more base mileage in all areas… Monday was a 5k on the treadmill at a slightly faster pace than my long run pace.
Tuesday was weight training with my trainer…(free at work, thankgoodness) he surprised me with a HIIT workout- I am really not much of a fan of HIIT, give me a structured workout and I will do it with a smile and slight complaining… give me a HIIT all you hear are complaints and me trying to catch my breath.
Wednesday was a trainer ride with a friend racing through sufferlandria (it sucked, hard, there was lots of suffering)
Thursday was another weight training day with the trainer, we focused on abs and arms. Building up the muscle for ironman training.
Friday was a rest day.
Saturday and Sunday were also unexpected rest days with lifting lots of valentines day candies to my mouth ;).
Saturday was a 1 hour 45 minute Z2 bike ride
Sunday was a 1 hour and 15 minute Z2 run
Just a couple of quick runs.
23kms within 2:30mins in Z02, lactate treshold % calcilation. Was a slow long distance in a marathon trainingprogram.
I got a bike tune-up and clean up on the cervelo…haven’t been on it in a couple years. Also my son challenged me to see who could run the longest on our treadmill at 12mph. He’s 15, I’m 42. If your 15 yr old does that to you, punch him in the face…it will hurt you less. Finished off the week with crossfit in the garage. Torn between wanting to get back into Triathlons and putting the weights down for CF…
OK, last weekend consisted of 2,5K of swimming. On weekends I usually don’t go for a run; instead of it I visit a pool!
I did two rides near St-François in Guadeloupe. Not too bad to get away from the cold and snow in Canada ;-) !
Been running pretty regularly, did 15 with the last 4 at HM pace. Spending 2 hours on a treadmill stinks!!
3 trainer rides, 3 treadmill runs, 2 indoor pool swims… it’s cold in the northeast.
Ran a 15k race Saturday, Sunday was spent weight training with a nice ve easy recovery run!
Had to work this weekend, so it was a combination of small things: indoor rowing piece, running and swimming under the beautiful SoCal sun.
The idea was a long outdoor ride but do the terrible weather it became a nice indoor ride on the tacx
Headache and flu-like bug had me down for the count on an unseasonably warm Sunday/V-Day, so the weekend’s 12-mile run became Monday’s 12-miler.
I was at cycling base camp in Fredericksburg, TX – Hill Country
Saturday 72m, Sunday 60m, Monday 42m
I hoped to add somehills to prep for a 25k but only got 5 miles in.
Just an hour of easy running in order to recover from a calf pain that has been around for a month.
I did a group ride with the local cycling group here in Portland, Oregon, USA!
45 minutes intervals and a 7min type workout using the moov now.
A TrainerRoad session for each day of the weekend!
7-mile run at MAF heart rate. I’m all about MAF these days.
Nothing, actually. Just two walks with the baby. It’s a full-time job – but a very rewarding one. (BTW, congrats on joining the club soon!) :)
We did 10k this afernoon
Bestregards
Indoor cycling on Saturday, weights/machine and jump rope on Sunday.
I had a 1hr run scheduled for Sunday. Ended up doing a trail run with some friends and I’ve forgotten how different it is on your legs when you have to descend 300meters over 2km. I have been sore all week!
I was in swimming pool. 2000 meters. not fast, but with flip-turns!
Time on a spin bike. Still stuck in the snow.
Just a short indoor Sunday ride, with 55 km on a trainer….
Yard work and countless trips up and down the stairs at home carrying boxes and various items as we organize and prepare for a new baby to join the family!
I ran 12km using my Garmin Vivosmart. On Sunday i had a basketball game with my team.
I had en easy 30 mins session on Saturday and a 10 km race tempo running on Sunday. I managed to beat mine 10 km PB.
Completed the Tour of Sufferlandria 2016 and calisthenics training for rock climbing.
It was a litte hard to do the 10km after being sick for 3 weeks.
Got 2 short trail runs in working through melting snow and mud. Trying to get back on the horse after being sick for a couple weeks!
I was working out on indoors the cross trainer, 4 small sessions along the weekend.
After taking part in the Tour Of Sufferlandria, this week was a bit more relaxed. Wattbike intervals, 10km interval run, Sufferfest The Way Out, triathlon club turbo class and a run with my dog Billy.
I ran the LA Marathon! First marathon and I loved it!
My training plan called for 10 and 8 as part of my taper. I did Grandeur Peak on Saturday for 8.5 and rested on Sunday ?
Saturday I did a 40 minute run around my neighborhood, Sunday was a quick ab circuit in the morning.
Tuesday – Downhill 1.25 hour
Wednesday – Intervals (2km + 2min. jogging)
Thursday – Swimming 1 hour
Saturday – Jogging 7 km
Sunday – 2 hours cross-country skiing
couple of runs with one easy 10 mile with HR ave:147.
We were stuck inside due to very bad weather, but I made my boyfriend walk with me a mile or so to the local pub! :-)
Still getting back into running after some time off.
Saturday – Long Swim and Interval Biking
Sunday – Yoga shake out (flexibility and mobility work) and 2 hours of badminton!
I normally am on the Fat Bike on the Snowy Trails here in Bend but last weekend we decided to head down to Sunny Redding, California for:
Saturday 45 mile road ride
Sunday 53 mile road ride
Monday 60 Mile Road
I plan to go skiing over the weekend.
Just a 4 mile run on Saturday. I took Sunday off for a family vacation.
It was a skiing weekend for me
First bike ride of the year! :)
I had a first time trip to Noble Canyon to ride Mountain Bikes on my planner for last weekend. Some nice climbs and really fun decents!
All I could muster was 88min virtual Valentines Date in Zwift Watopia.
Oh the weekend! SAT: 2 mile warm up with strides before a 5K race in beautiful warm weather at Dodgers Stadium (LA’s BIG 5K). Those hills were tough! Followed with 2mile cool-down.
Ran errands blah blah…
Went for run #2 in the afternoon: 7mile easy run at Balboa Park in Encino, CA.
SUN: 8 mile run at Hollywood Lake (was pretty warm – glad I didn’t run the LA Mrthn!).
The END!
Think the best I can look forward to this weekend is some Zwift time on the bike
Mostly rest to spend time with the GF, with some light cadence work and 2 intervals for maintenance purposes.
I did a frosty 45 km ride.
I was at a nice hotel in Nashville with an awesome workout room. Did some variable speed intervals on the treadmill while watching YouTube and tried a suspended ring system for curls; push ups and pull ups.
Training was an easy weekend enjoying some skiing with my kids.
Beautiful day in northern Colorado. Ran 6+ miles with FR235 which I love!
Burpees, core – and nothing more… ok not the best poet, I know :)
Cross-country skiing on Saturday.
There’s quite a bit as I am gearing up for my first triathlon, in 3 months from now in Amsterdam. I ran my first 8 minute mile as part of a 5K run for instance, ran my fastest 5K ever (26 minutes) and managed to squeeze in threee swims and a few indoor training sessions on the bike. All together over 5 hours of training which is also a record btw :)
With the holiday on Monday I made the most of it. 5 mile interval run on Sat. Rest day with the fam on Sunday and a 30 mile Hilly windy ride on Monday.
Building base with two one-hour trainer sessions
Training for the Rotterdam marathon, so long run on Sunday morning. Something around 30K. This week some intervals and fartlek running.