Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, and countless other Garmin products. Full list & thoughts 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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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 2024 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.
WOW. I didn’t hit any squirrels, i did run over a snake though.
My last cycling workout was 26 miles out and back on a local trail, averaged 19.3 mph (pretty solid tempo ride for me). I got home just as it was getting dark, good ride.
I’d love to win the giveaway!!!!
Thanks for having awesome giveaways!
My last bike workout was (sadly) indoors, given the LOVELY weather of the past few days in New England. Z2 for an hour was enought to make me feel it.
On another training note, I did have a Squirrel dart across my path on the big descent into Prince William Forest… cut it in half in my spokes, and the whole back of my jersey had blood on it. It was aweful.
Thanks for the giveaway.
-Ben
No squirrels, but lots of deer.
Just finished my 7 mile ride to work through Westport. Slow today, due to rain and general Friday-ish-ness. Took nearly 30 minutes. Didn’t hit any squirrels, but I did get hit by a deer a couple weeks back. Sucker took a chunk out of my tire (you may have seen me tweeting about this…it was quite the incident…)
First in 2+ months this morning. Post Marathon recovery. 1 hour, 19 miles easy spin. 4:40 am. 42 degrees. Was cold!
towed my 2 kids to school in the bike trailer the other day — hauling 50+ pounds of “cargo” must count for an extra hill repeat, I think
Well my last workout was an X-Terra event in South Africa, and this Antelope just blind-sided me and wiped me OUT!
OK, it wasn’t me, and although from Zimbabwe, I now live in Singapore, so nothing except (surprisingly)squirrels, and (not so surprisingly) monkeys on my last workout on Wednesday. 69 km, 2:07
90 minutes including 4*(10 minutes zone3) with 3 minutes easy between.
No squirrels – just acorns!
Wowzers great give away, great blog!
My last ride was my 6mile commute into work this morning in Bristol, UK on a nice autumnal morning. No Squirrels but did see a fox jogging past looking for breakfast! A nice little leg loosener for a 70 mile training rid into Wales tomorrow morning, get in!
Went out and gave my first brick session a go – I’m going to try and give duathlon a go next year in addition to road racing. Queue a solid standard off-season training spin of 40km with interval sprints for all the speed signs, redline efforts on the hills and back to base. Grabbed a bottle, whacked on some runners and got stuck into ‘the run’.
Didn’t want to pick something OTT to begin with so picked a flatish 3km loop near to home. I think I managed to cramp every muscle in first my quads and then my hamstrings within the first km, so it was less a run and more a hobble from there!
How do you multi sport guys do this stuff!! A 160km hammerfest – no problem but a 40km finished with a 3km run and it’s a very different story. Good thing there’s a long off-season to get the kinks ironed out before the 2012 season rolls around!
Took the cross bike across town, rode a ton of singletrack, then rode back home. No squirrels were killed, just my wrists.
Took the cross bike across town, rode a ton of singletrack, then rode back home. No squirrels were killed, just my wrists.
Last ride was 8 days ago. Night mountain bike ride on a familiar loop… clipped a tree with my pinky and dislocated it…. rode home, drove to the ER for relocation… came home and was happy my wife didn’t decapitate me…
biketrevor gmail.com
I did endless (OK, not endless, more like seven :)) loops around Hains Point to test out my new aerobars on Wednesday. No squirrels hit, but they tried their best to the contrary! :)
My last workout was a easy 2hr ride, but I included a steep hill of 2km at 14-15%
No squirrels… just semi frozen puddles! Great last time out as it was my first sprint distance Tri. Great blog, you have a new devoted reader. Thanks for the great reviews and info.
It’s been a while since I did my last bike run (5.9.2011, 15km), but I’ve been working on my project bike 1983 crescent.
Did the Timberman bike part, and did not break any teeth this time !
Last cycling workout..whew…it’s been a long time. But this summer, I took the kids on a nice bike ride up the Chicago Lakefront path to the Museum Campus. The real treat afterward…soft serve ice cream. Call it a workout or not, but that’s what it adds up to.
55km smashfest!
Rode the 17 miles Four Mile Run-WOD-Custis-Mount Vernon loop you have previewed here before. In between all the awful rain this week. No squirrels, but quite dark to start and some scary patches of leaves, especially on Custis.
Last cycling workout was a nice 7.5m moderate pace ride through the Bike Trails of Minneapolis. Getting back in shape with the goal to try my first triathlon in the spring next year has been a blast and not caused any squirrel casualties yet.
Thanks for writing such an awesome blog! Your reviews are both entertaining and informative and it’s awesome to read about someone who has a “real job” and still makes time not only to train but to put so much awesome info on the web!
Doing an Olympic tomorrow, could have really used that Garmin during training.
Riding to and from hot yoga on my 36 lbs cruiser with a milk crate to hold my yoga mat and accessories. Not much of a workout, only .5 miles, but the 90 min hot yoga was the real reason I enjoyed the ride. No squirrels were killed during this trip.
Last saturday went out for a ride with a friend of mine.
We both were riding brand new bikes.
We tarted fooling around pushing shoulder against shoulder.
One time i pushed to hard and he felt, hopefully nothing bad happened just a broken helmet.
Cross training ride on my favorite trail. Lots of bunnies and fortunately none were injured or harmed.
The last one was unfortunately inside on the training bike. So no squirrels were hurt.
Last workout on the bike was the bike leg of http://www.kingdomtriathlon.org , that’s 19m rolling hills.
since then I have taken some time off :-)
Not much excitement on the last workout. Nightly interval training trying to get back in the groove now that the weather is getting cold in South Dakota.
Went for a 2 hour ride in the sunshine. Was a hilly rolling course and gave ist to me on the climbs just for the fun of it :)
Another beautiful autumn ride this year!
Last cycling workout was a 2 hr mountain bike ride in the Double Lake recreation area outside of Houston. First time there and was very enjoyable. Sadly you could walk across the lakes due to the TX drought.
My last ride was a quick jaunt on the trainer to try out my new cadence/speed sensor. No squirrels, but that cat was mighty intrigued…
Last ride was on the drainer to test out my new powertap! But unfortunately i am now on the recover from some tendinitus!
Last cycling workout was on the trainer I just bought. I went about 20 miles and watched an episode of Jersey Shore. Not possible to hit anything (unless the bird that managed to get in my house two months ago snuck back in) but I did spill a water bottle twice.
Last cycling workout was my normal Wednesday night ride, intervals with my team in preparation for IM Cozumel!
Just an one hour mtb ride after three weeks of annoying cold. No squirrels, but a lot of slippery leeves!
Last cycling workout was an easy 30 mile taper ride for my oly tri. This was my last ride before the race this weekend. I was stubborn so I was in full tri gear and it was cold for Tucson standards. I froze, but it was a good ride.
My last bike ride was last night, 2:40 of night-time cruising. Had to break out the big lights for the first time this year!
Last cycle workout was last night, indoors at the gym, with a bootcamp type instructor named Walter who yells “push, push, push”. He really kicks our butt, lots of sitting and standing hills. Last road workout was on the Greenway in Alpharetta, Ga. We headed out a litte later than we should have and was in the dark on our way back. Nothing like ridiing in the dark to motivate a person to ride faster. Love your site!
Thought I would get off the road and went night MTBing in a Kingley Vale (UK). Amazing night – full moon, deer everywhere and owls hooting constantly. No squirrels but one or two slugs might have been clipped.
link to connect.garmin.com
last bike was a lunch ride. got in about 14 miles in 30mph winds with gusts up to 40! i did manage to avg almost 18 though. no animals (or people) were harmed in the making of that ride.
-chad
yesterday, 40 min full throttle mtb singletrack in the autumn sunset in Denmark:-)
Have a great weekend in Chicago. Looking forward to your upcoming reviews this month!
Computrainer. Ironman NYC course created from a .gpx file downloaded from Garmin Connect from someone who drove the course. Technology is a wonderful thing.
I rode my bike to work last Tuesday, it didn’t rain much. That is the closest thing to a bike workout I could think of. Thanks.
Last Sat. 26 miles. 1.5 hrs. 1st ride in 2 months due to a torn MCL. No squirrels were injured in the riding of this out-and-back.
Last cycling workout…hmmm…let’s see…I guess that would be in June when I couldn’t run. Nothing fancy, other than some hill repeats, but it did start raining just as I was pulling into my house, so bonus points on the timing of that.
Did a session on my Tacx Bushido trainer for 1 hour.
Last cycling workout was on a beautiful fall afternoon in St. Louis a few weeks ago.
Did a 60m training on my Tax Bushido.
Greetz,
StevenV
last Sunday did 20 miles – 10 out and 10 back on a leaf covered trail. nice lunch at the turnaround point
90 minutes, 33 miles, steady tempo effort. Decided to ride out in the country. Almost got killed by a truck who decided to left-turn, cut the corner, and turn STRAIGHT into me. (This is why I typically ride the trainer!) Aside from this it was a PERFECT afternoon to be in the saddle.
Spin class with my training group this morning!
32k in about 59min, just because I began the workout later than planned – to get home before darkness I had to make it a little bit shorter and a little bit faster than usually …
Last bike workout was following my girl on a training run. Managed to avoid the squirrels, but did snap the rear derailleur hanger as I moronically shifted and threw the chain on the list hill in the dark. Brilliant, I know. Thanks as always!
Squeezed in a short 20k ride between work and dinner on the 6th..gorgeous fall day, road kill free.
Hey Ray,
Recently move to Charlotte, went out for a ride on the Booty Loop named after the women that ride the loop.
The loop has now been established as the route for 24 Hours of Booty, meaning there are always cyclists and runner out there (which I’m sure annoys the owners of the homes there, but makes for a great location where drivers are familiar with cyclists on the road).
Brett
Last real cycling workout was a local sprint duathlon, riding the old-school Schwinn (only 20k, just over 30min). No squirrels on the road, but I saw three deer (nope–no moose in Florida!) during the first run portion of the du.
Cape Henlopen sprint… 14 miles as fast as possible!
Trainer ride in the basement…getting ready for Hilly Hundred tour this weekend. No squirrels in the basement (I hope)
My last cycling workout was a long lunch break at work. ‘Bout 40 km total with 5*5 min intervals. I did the ride with a coworker. No squirrels we harmed in the making of this comment.
Last cycling session was part of quick weekend duathlon. No wrecks, no malfunctions equals good workout.
My last cycling workout was the season’s last night racing at the velodrome. No squirrels, but some squirrely riders…
Last workout — Olympic Tri last weekend. No squirrels, but a couple of gel wrappers.
Just got back from Maui… Last ride was Haleakala. Can’t lose them all!
You had me at the shirt! I didn’t hit any squirrels the last ride – I seem to be having more of an issue with Deer jumping out at me lately than the squirrels, but the last ride was thankfully animal free ;)
I just sold my road bike so I have been riding my TT (Felt B16) for my training rides. My last ride was a 4 hour endurance/tempo ride. Oh the fun of spending four hours in an aggressive TT position!
It has been a while, but my last bike workout was a 20 miler.
Nice, mellow ride from Longmont towards Carter Lake Res.
My last cycling workout was as the bike leg of a relay team for the Whitewater Late Bird Tri. It was 12 miles in the pouring rain and our tea took first place relay :)
Last workout was an event ride – the Norton Cancer Center Bike to Beat Cancer. Did my first century (106.2 to be exact) and had a great ride in rainy, (relatively) cold conditions. Very fun day.
Indoor trainer workout:
10min easy spin warm up
3x(3 min steady in hard gear-3 min steady in moderate gear)
5x(5 min spin fast in easy gear-2 min spin normal in easy gear)
10min steady tempo spin.
Fun times
12km down the hill with bike – and walking back with half a beer bottle worth glass stored deep inside the tires.
40 miler along Chicago lakefront during our unusually sunny and warm October day.
Thanksgiving day or 2010 was my last training session on the bike…..sad I know. Looking to start concentrating more on running and swimming this winter in preparation for a tri next season. You have inspired me DC.
Ray, what an awesome giveaway! Last cycling ride was 30 miles last Saturday, along the bike path in town. No squirrels, but did see the largest pancaked bull frog ever! Wish I would have had my camera! Thanks.
Last cycling workout was yesterday. It was a trainer workout 1×20′ followed by 1×10 @ 90% FTP. Was dead from the track work.
My last ride was on Sept 18th the day before my spinal fusion surgery,my brother in law and I rode 45 miles around Lexington and Concord Mass. Could sure use a power system to help me get back in race shape.
sign me posttoasty
Last Sunday 78 miles in the glorious Surrey Hills just a couple of minutes outside the gold standard for that Sportive at 4hrs 53 minutes. A really good workout.
No squirrels were harmed during this ride.
Did some interval work this morning for about an hour. Unfortunately, it was so early that the squirrels were still asleep…lucky dogs.
Last cycling workout was yesterday. It was a trainer workout 1×20′ followed by 1×10 @ 90% FTP. Was dead from the track work.
Biked to the track to do a workout.
16 miles last weekend, in a triathlon in rural Mississippi. Took 57:20 — flatlander me was not used to the hills. Hit no squirrels, so I had to settle for pizza for lunch. Brett Favre was there, but he didn’t race. Puddin’.
My last bike workout was Saturday and all I was trying to do was get a nice 22 mile ride in and enjoy the 80 degree day. I actually ended up getting hit by a car 15 miles in, luckily for me I was hit by the mirror and my bike took the brunt of the damage and I only received road rash from hitting the deck at 18mph.
Last ride was a 45 mile ride across Manhattan, up the West-side bike path, across the GW bridge and then up the beautiful rolling Henry Hudson Drive. Weather was amazing.
LOVE your posts- thanks for the awesome reviews (and giveaway!!)
Last cycling workout, was a 5:30 am 1.25 hr ride on my trainer, not very exciting, but the only time I had to ride that day, and safer than riding in the dark!!
This makes me really sad to say, but my last cycling workout was three years ago. I sold my bike when I moved to DC. I’ll be buying a new one soon though, so I could still use that 500 :-)
Last cycling workout was up in scenic mid-coast Maine. Rode 35 miles thru Liberty, Appleton, etc. Easy pace allowed me to enjoy the foliage. Didn’t bring HR strap nor did I check the speed at all during the ride.
My last bike workout was 3 hours on the rollers watching a movie. My brain and butt hurt after that. no animal sightings.
Well, last cycling workout was in the Desierto de los Leones road in Mexico City. Translated “Desert of Lions” which neither is a dessert neither have any lions. Nice road for roadies and a lot trail for MTB. Here squirrels avoid cyclist as much as possible, running only over electric cables and jumping form tree to tree. Almost two hours, fall is here but was sunny and not too cold, really nice.
Thursday – inside on a computrainer for 2:20 at 4:30 in the morning.
I did bunny hop over a squirrel last week on a ride outside though. First time that happened to me in years of riding the same route.
Count me in – last workout was a 60 minute spin class at a 24 hour fitness gym that needs some major updating.
It’s been a couple months since I’ve done anything besides ride to work – spent the last half of the summer focusing on a couple 5ks.
Doing a long ride tomorrow (Saturday) though! Shouldn’t have to worry too much about squirrel, maybe quail though.
One hour ride on the trainer using the Trainer Road beta you posted about a couple weeks ago. Trainer Road is awesome… my power numbers, not so much.
My last cycling workout was yesterday on the spin bike – 1 hour of VO2 max workout using the spinervals Tough Love dvd.
about 3wks ago, before my first half. 25mi. No squirrels but did hit a rock that left a pinch flat.
My last cycling workout was biking to the coffee shop for a latte!! I’m on a 4 week rest after coaching my team of 50 youth triathletes from March – October. We’re getting the bikes out again this weekend!
Last ride was about a 20-miler with my 9yr old who is hoping to race next year. No squirrels but at the very end of the ride we found a turtle. It was far from any natural habitat so we kept an eye on it and got some info. Turns out it was a protected species so we released it back into a wooded area (which this species prefers).
25 miles, no squirrels were harmed in the production of my sweat.