Heads up! The big Garmin annual spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8 (first sale to date!), $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965 at $499, the Forerunner 265, the new Instinct 3, and countless other Garmin products including inReach Mini 2. Plus the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium is on sale, and some Suunto & Wahoo product deals too. 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.
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 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.
Saturday = run, swim
Sunday = run, bike, megaformer class
All in preparation for more winter weather that will hit DC-area Monday. Ready for spring!
Sat: brick 2,5h ride, 1,5h run
Sun: rest
Saturday – will feel like a tempo day, plan is for a cycle ride by the canal in the morning with the children, then of to the pool again with the children for what will feel like multiple sprints being the sea monster in the pool.
Sunday – 3 hours relaxing on the bike :)
Saturday will be active recup cycling, sunday morning soccer, afternoon maybe some cycling.
A long run as preparation for my half marathon end of this month :)
Saturday: 50k mountainbike ride & 5k run
Sunday: 30/50k mountainbike and some deserved rest!
5 miles today.
6 miles tomorrow.
10 miles Sunday.
Do you call it a resting weekend?
12 hours eorking in the hospital on satursay and 15 miles running on sunday! That ‘s it!
A couple of long “extensive endurance” rides on the trainer with TrainerRoad.
1k swim and 45k bike
two hour bike ride in zones 1-2 today (done!)
50 min easy run tomorrow,
1.4k swim on sunday morning, mix of drills and race pace sets.
Still 7 weeks until tri season start around here, could make it with a new multisport watch ;)
Thanks for your great blog, Ray!!
Just a simple 6 mile run tomorrow Saturday as I am trying to recover from ITBS …
A hike in Muir Woods in Northern California (recently relocated from NYC — it’s beautiful out here!)
Thanks for doing this, Ray! Always appreciated :)
Saturday afternoon between 10 – 15 km run in preparation of half marathon
Friday 8 mile run. Saturday 3.5 mile run. Sunday 10 mile run.
Saturday: Help af friend paint her house (kind of a workout) and before that Core training class in the Gym.
Sunday: 10K Run competition i Aarhus, Denmark, where I’ll try to beat my PR! :-)
Sat: 20k bike ride, 8k easy trail run
Sun: 10-12k easy run on riverside
Saturday 6 miles
Sunday Chocolate 5k for autism
A bike run brick in griffith park for saturday and at least a swim on sunday
The weekend wil be… 2h running, 4,5 h biking in the woods and 1h in the pool….
just given the go ahead by the specialist to have my first run for 3 months after an ongoing battle with ITBS in my right knee. fingers crossed for a pain free run.
Pasadena Tri Saturday, rest Sunday!
Sat – 2.5 hr ride and 2,000 yd swim
Sun – 1.5 hr run
5km new PB on saturday and long run on sunday.
Saturday – 15 km run
Sunday – 25 km run
Saturday: 28 mile bike and a 2 mile transition run. Sunday: A 7-9 mile run depending on how i’m feeling. Thank you
Killed my left foot yesterday, easy recovery run tomorrow.
Will run around the snowy trails of Montreal’s Mount Royal for about 14Km on saturday, then will rest in my couch like a patato over sunday
doing cross fit training on sat
depend on weather will run 10k on sunday. it’s still pretty cold in Toronto.
Treadmill run because it’s freezing in Minneapolis!
Easy run on Saturday, Leprechaun Chase 5K on Sunday!
Saturday will be another day of sports to hopefully fully recover from a strained thigh – and then, on Sunday, I am looking forward to enjoying a nice 16 or so mile long run.
Just 10 miles on sunday morning!
Gee, Brain, what do you want to do this weekend?
The same thing we do every winter weekend, Pinky — ski.
Sat: Backcountry skiing at Mt Rose (Tahoe area), skin up, ski down, repeat.
Sun: More backcountry skiing, or go ski spring corn at Squaw.
Running the mighty Gainsborough 10k on Sunday. Would love to win as would love a multi sports watch and can’t warrant one!
Two Hours on the Stationary Bike at the Hotel, and the following day a 75minute run with about 10mins of Z4.
In the cold. In DCA. Not what the Las Vegas native is used to running in!
I’m training for my marathon this weekend
I will be getting in a 6 mile run (at least) on Saturday, and go for a a ride on Sunday. Nice and simple!
Easy ride Saturday and long ride Sunday in between Cyclone Lusi which is about to hit New Zealand! If the weather is too bad some hiding in some trails running is on the cards.
Running the NYC Half Marathon Sunday so no workout Saturday.
90 (probably) indoor bike. The weather will break eventually. Then maybe buying a new tri bike
I plan on riding a 35 mile training ride today, tomorrow I will take a leisurely ride followed by a T-25 workout, and Sunday will be a 50 miler.
Hosting the first St. Patricks Day Race in Monument, Colorado – Four Miles For Kenya!
Had to bump my weekend long run up to this morning, and it was pretty sweet.
Dealing with New England weather, and it’s schizophrenic tendencies… Spinning today ’cause it’s freezing, running tomorrow (8-10 miles) when it’ll be close to 60’s out there, then swimming on Sunday when it’ll likely be cold and wet again!
Saturday: A 3-hr Computrainer ride (ErgVideo!) at the International House of Pain
Sunday: An easy recovery ride (probably on the Computrainer again — it’s still cold and snowy here).
on the bike: 100km hilly ride with SST focus climbs + endurance ride on sunday
15 mile run today, easy couple miles and lifting tomorrow, and rest day on Sunday!
A recent spate of sunny English weather will make my weekend running a touch more pleasant than usual. A run along the southbank of the Thames I think. Passing The Globe theatre, St. Paul’s cathedral. Wonderful.
Hockey followed by a 10k run on Sunday!
5 miler pushing my co-pilot/16 month old son.
Just had a stomach bug wipe me out for four more days after it had wiped me out for two days the weekend before so we’re putting in easy time this weekend. Today had a just concluded easy 5 miler, consisting of a couple times around the currently drained reflecting pool in front of Lincoln. Soccer practice for my U-9 boys tonight. Saturday is a 2500 meter swim and an hour-long easy bike before a doubleheader of coaching rec league boys soccer (week 1) and basketball (last week). Sunday we have the MCRRC long run (which will be judiciously shortened to an hour or so) and a 90-120 minute ride consisting of a few times up the Ridge Road and Grant Road climbs as the bread to sandwich coaching the U-9’s indoor game. I plan to be liberal with cancelling/shortening workouts as necessary because sometimes rest is the best training.
Saturday: CrossFit WOD
Sunday: 4 mile run.
Saturday: 30M ride with a friend, semi-brick trail run (1:00 or so). Sunday: 60M ride with friends, hopefully a swim in the afternoon.
Sat: 16 mile road run in incredible spring weather in Park City. Sure different than last month in snowy cold coastal NH
Sun: a snow hike and may be 5 miles easy to finish a 40 mile week
Long ride, short run on Saturday. Long run on Sunday.
6 mile run on Saturday, 4 miles on Sunday + 20 mins elliptical
two family walks with the pup!
happy weekend!
Go for the first 100k bike ride.
A 28k run@4:45-pace on Saturday
On Sunday: 3 hrs bike (on trainer, since it snows in Sweden…) followed by a 10k run.
And in the evening: a hard 1,5 hrs swim-class.
My guess is that my coach hates me, want to ruin my marriage and steal my wife…
Running the Spectrum Health Irish Jig Saturday in East Grand Rapids Michigan in 25 degree weather,- a heat wave for here!
Saturday bike and 10k easy cross run in zone II and on Sunday 20km run (11km till the end every kilometer is faster by 10 seconds) :)
Saturday – Easy run (an hour or so, depending on what I can squeeze in)
Sunday – Most likely another easy run and a short session on the rollers to get used to riding with aerobars (in the basement, which is only notable because I might have a few rats cheering me on)
(I seem to be unable to fit a long run in – again… which is a shame since that is my favourite workout of the week. Also a bit of a luxury workout though, as my aerobic endurance is most certainly not a limiter at this time, and my long interval sessions end up being longer than any races I have planned for the next half year or so).
I’m heading to the recreation center for some circuit training, then a 20 mile ride.
30 km mountain bike ride with the wife.
Sat long bike, Sun a bit shorter run.
68 km bike ride+15 km easy run.
Just finishing up 2.5 days of skiing in the mountains, so taking it easy this weekend!
Saturday -3hr bike + 1hr run zone3
Sunday- 1 hr trail run +1500swim
I plan on a simple 8 mile run on Saturday and a possible up hill spin on Sunday. Definitely need to enjoy this weekend – 57 degrees on Saturday followed by snow on Monday. Love the swings in weather!
swim 1.6k saturday
run 30+ km on sunday
Saturday :
2:45 h Bike moderate
Sunday:
WU 250 – 2000 moderate – CD 250 swim
1:20h Run moderate
Not much. Relaxing before the busy High School track season that I coach. Get in gear next weekend :)
100 yd pool swim
50 mile ride in hills
Saturday – 3 hours long run
Sunday – 90min easy run
:)
1.5 hrs trainer rides on Saturday and Sunday plus downhill skiing on Sunday.
Short run with the girl saturday, 2 hour swim session and longer run sunday. Simple and most important fun :)
Saturday a short round running with a 10k speed section.
Sunday 30km running. GA1.
And of course out for a walk with my lady. :-)
very generous offer- I will be green with envy if I do not win (Ambit2 R is my desire!)
Saturday: 24mile trail run moderate
Sunday: 12 mile trail run with 8 quarter mile surges to 10K speed
Weekend workout plans include….a lot of sitting around doing nothing waiting for ma back to heal.
Saturday: Speed drills on the track
Sunday: 30 mile bike ride, short run.
A little 30k easy ride on my bike and computrainer!
Short run, Hill Repeats then a bike ride… getting ready for my first 10k
18 mile run on Sunday. Then spend St. Patrick’s Day recovering from my run.
20 km long run incl 8 km race pace
I just got released for training from my chiropractor from severe IT band issues, so my coach is going to SLOWLY introduce me back to training. I may even have a brick – what??? What did I say? A brick? I’m so stinking excited, even if it’s a tiny brick, I’m still loving life right now! My coach hasn’t finished my TP workouts yet since I just got released this morning, but I’m sure it will involve a short bike and run to make sure I don’t overdo anything. Oh and foam rolling, lots and lots of foam rolling and stretching! Would love to win this…really have my eye on power meters but can’t afford them yet. Thanks DC Rainmaker…you’re the best!
Hit the hills on my bike, both on saturday and sunday.
Saturday: swim 1 mile, then run 3 miles, followed by resistance training.
Sunday: swim, rest
Saturday – Tri club swim in am (1 hr), Ride with shop teammates in pm (3 hrs)
Sunday – Short Run (45mins) then off to watch my team win the Scottish League Cup Final. There may be beer.
I’ll be chasing my nephews around all weekend. That will be enough exercise! Thanks Ray!
little bike ride on Sat. little St.Patty’s day race on Sunday. Oh, and green beer?
Sat: easy morning run to pick up newspaper. Maybe mtb ride late afternoon.
Sun: yelling in Tampere to support my daughter in ringette tournament.
Saturday: short preparation run for upcoming race
Sunday: 15km race in Karlsruhe, Germany (hopefully under 58min)
Just a Sunday long run. Hopefully it won’t be raining.
Ride the Bike Trainer – Likely a Sufferfest Video
7 mi tempo run. Trying out a new forest preserve path.
5 mile run @ Race Pace – Saturday, Sunday Brick – 90minute group indoor ride followed by 4 mile run. Testing the vivofit I just got this week from Clever T….. with the DCR 10% discount – thanks Ray
Fat guy Learning how to use a polar heart monitor walking and riding bike.
Supposed to be halfway decent weather this weekend so taking the run outdoors! Probably a short 5K run and some cycling if this weeks snow dump has melted off the road shoulders!
16…not too fast and not too slow
Planning a 60-70 mile road group ride Saturday and depending on the weather another road ride in Sunday.
Sat: 2 hour long run
Sun: 1:45 hour bike with an easy 20 minute run afterwards