Heads up! There’s some pretty substantial sales that just started. For watches, the Garmin Epix is down to $499, and the Fenix 7 to $449, with the Pro editions also $200 off! Meanwhile the top-end Edge 1040 cycling GPS is down to $499, and both the Edge 540 & Edge 840 are also on sale. As is Varia radar for $149. Some incredible deals, and ll the deals are 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:
With TPC (The Pro's Closet), you'll save $40 on purchases over $200 with coupon code DCRAIN40 for tech and non-tech purchases!
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 and Equipment 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! 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.
Hopefully a long run and long bike ride this weekend -assuming it doesn’t thunderstorm.
Long ride and swim tomorrow and then Sunday is a short ish ride long run brick. Can’t wait!
Saturday 60 km cycling Road
Sunday 20 km Mtb
An easy swim on Saturday and an easy run on Sunday. Just ran a half marathon last weekend so taking it easy this week before I launch into tri training.
Hoping for sunny weather for the first outdoor ride of the year, otherwise time on the treadmill at home pushing my 5k time.
14 mile training run on Saturday and the St. Patricks Day Dash on Sunday
12 mile run Saturday and either the first outdoor ride of the Spring Sunday, or a 4-5 mile run
Spinups on the trainer tomorrow and a 4 jour LSD on Sunday morning. Top of with training a bunch of 7 year olds in floorball Sunday eve.
13 mile run on treadmill with 6.5 at threshold and 2hrs on the kickr with 1/2 at tempo because we just got hit with 45cm of snow. Blah.
This will sure help cover the cost of my v800 :)
Saturday : 3hrs Karate + sparring training
Sunday : 1hr Interval runs + 2hrs Karate
Then some serious
Saturday rest, Long run Sunday
50 mile bike ride on Saturday and a 5k run on Sunday.
Saturday : 3hrs Karate + sparring training
Sunday : 1hr Interval runs + 2hrs Karate
Then some serious
Short interval on turbo, saturday and a two and a half hour road bike trip with friends from The club
To enter, I give my weekend workout plans.
(getting ready for full triathlon in august)
Friday: 1h road cycling
Saturday: 1h swimming (pool)
Sunday: 1h running
Simple as that!
Simple…endurance miles on the bike all weekend!
I’m running 4 miles on Saturday morning.
Saturday : 3hrs Karate + sparring training
Sunday : 1hr Interval runs + 2hrs Karate
Then some serious
1-2 hours on the KICKR, 1-2 hour run, easy pace
ftp test saturday followed by a short run. track workout planned for sunday
Swimming pool 2km and maybe bike, depends on weather
First ever bike run brick in prep for a first go at a sprint tri
Rock n Roll DC Marathon….
1-2 hours on the bike Saturday/Sunday… hopefully all outside.
Triathlon training: 30 mile bike; 10 mile run.
I’ll be taking part in Parkrun here in the UK tomorrow. It’s an awesome timed 5k event done every Saturday here in the UK. Then I’ll be getting out on the bike hopefully.
Sunday sadly is a totally different story as it’s my first day back at work after a 2 week break so hopefully will be doing something short in the evening but got to see how the first day goes first.
6 miles on Saturday and hill repeats on Sunday!
I am running the Tralee marathon on Sunday, which just happens to be in Ireland and part of the local St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this weekend.
Saturday – managing my last day of taper tantrums
Sunday – Wrightsville Beach, NC half marathon – going hard from the gun!
25km long trail run and at least 60km of road bike
Saturday: 8 mile run
Sunday: 15 mile run
Vacationing in FL and I will run 5 miles Sat and ride for 50 miles Sun. I will really enjoy the warm weather.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Brick 60min Bike – 90min Run
Sunday: Brick 60 min Bike – 40 min Run
Both at the beach! ;)
My workout plan this weekend consists of carrying lots of boxes. We’re packing up getting ready for our move.
The weekend work out starts tonight right? So first workout is visit at Ikea with my girlfriend. Estimating a 2 hour slow pace run with higher intervals in the kitchen and lighting isles. Ending this session with a run up and down the stairs in our building to carry our purchases home. A good way to start the weekend and demanding strong mental and physical strength.
After a high protein breakfast on Saturday morning, time for a stretching session combined with mounting furniture bought the day before. I have back problems so really need to spend the time stretching. For Saturday afternoon, a long session (4 hours) in the crowded shopping streets of Munich. Height difference of about 200 meters (estimated 4 stories per shop at 4m per story). Then home for a well deserved break.
Sunday: Another high protein breakfast followed by a visit of the in-laws for lunch. Big risk of injury there due to obstacles on the way (think my mother in-law trying to make me trip and funny jokes from my father in-law). I’ll have to be very careful with the terrain and have to wear proper footwear.
In between all that there will a paced run of 40min and an interval session of 30min to prepare for the Andechs Trails next month.
Happy St Patrick and a great weekend to you all!
Nathan
Easy run along the Rock n Roll DC Half course on Saturday to cheer on some friends. Long ride on Sunday.
27 Climbing bike miles tomorrow, then the same route in reverse Sunday!
saturday morning will be an attempt to lower my 5km time down to below 19 mins. after this is a beginner club cycle im leading for our new to tri programme. saturday evening will be a recovery run. sunday morning will be a nice hilly cycle in the wicklow mountains and sunday evening will be a nice long endurance swim set. bank holiday Monday be a tough turbo session and a club swim session! going to be a busy weekend!!
Dreadmill Tonight and Saturday, Long run Sunday if it gets above freezing
Weekend workout plans: 18 mile run on Saturday, 6-8 mile run on Sunday.
2 days of Snowboarding in the Swiss Alps
I will be doing a MAF test tomorrow and then a nice easy run Sunday.
Happy Patties!
Today: weight training, trainer ride plus easy run, swim later then maybe yoga.
Sat: resistance training, tempo run
Sunday: Tempo trainer ride+run
I’m racing a 10k road race on Saturday followed by an 8 mile trail race on Sunday. Busy weekend!
Long run Saturday morning and FitStar.
Saturday morning swim. Afternoon trainer. Sunday long run.
Nothing special. Some drills, easy run (3-4 miles) and swimming tomorrow and a long run (15 miles) on Sunday.
Lifting today, running 5 tomorrow.
3 hour ride followed by 5 mile run Sat
11 mile run Sunday
Friday: 2 hour Trail Ride
Saturday: 15 mile run
Sunday: 3 hour ride/ 1 hour run Brick
playing with my kids…..so endurance training.
Saturday a 12km and Sunday an 8km walk (to lose the extra kcal consumed at mums birthday brunch in the morning)
Looks like it will mostly be WT based since there is meant to be the remains of tropical cyclone Lusi passing overhead this weekend!
Sat – Brick (pool swim/WT session/ then speed based run / bike /run)
Sun – 3 hr ride (hopefully outside)
2hr trainer ride plus 4mi speed brick on Saturday and then a 12mi long run and recovery bike on Sunday. Happy St. Patty’s Day!
March Madness 1/2 marathon Sunday.
2:05 ride followed by a :15 transition run on Saturday and 1:35 run on the books for Sunday
Saturday: Run- 15’Easy + 3 x 10′ Tempo /break 3′ + 15’Easy
Sunday: Run 22km marathon pace
3-5 mile recovery run on saturday and 15 miles on Sunday
hills running tonight,
weights tomorrow morning
long run sunday morning (20kish)
not a ton of workouts but it’s still snowing here!
HIIT training tonight, 60 minute swim class Saturday morning, and 130km – 150km club ride Sunday…!!
Swim and long run on Saturday, hard ride and afternoon run on Sunday!
run tonight and then an indoor training ride tomorrow morning.
Friday Night: 1.75 Hour Trainer Ride 5×15 Aerobic Intervals
Saturday: 2.5 Hour Trainer Ride 20 min Run
Sunday: 45 min AM Trainer Spin 1.5 Hour PM Progressive Run
Woof!
4 mile run tomorrow morning before the family wakes up.
15 mile bike ride on Sunday followed by immediate 4 mile run so I can test out my new tri shorts I just got.
50 mile ride on Saturday
2000m swim and 10 mile run on Sunday
Hoping the weather cooperates and I can do all this outside, minus the swimming.
It’s 50 degrees outside, which means 10 mile long run time! St. Patricks Day 5k tomorrow, followed by 12 ounce curls in the evening…
Nine mile jog around the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, CA then workout my stomach with a bowl of fruit covered in lime and chili powder sold my man Juan sitting under his rainbow umbrella. Thanks!
Fractured my foot :( so a long swim rather than a run in the sunshine.
EZ 10K on Saturday and the NYC Half on Sunday! Looking for a PR!
Hoping to get a 2+ hour ride in on Saturday (hopefully the first outdoor ride of the season). Then,if my bothersome knee is up for it, a longish run on Sunday.
20 mile easy run on Saturday.
12 mile long run and 6 mile tempo
2 hour hilly run in the park Saturday and 2 hour bike ride with my coach on Sunday. She can finally find out how slow on the bike I am!
The program of the weekend, the first session mountain bike in 2014 and 10 km trail in the forest
It’s going to be a great weekend on the west coast of Canada! Weekend plan is Saturday group ride in the AM 80-100km then eat followed by easy 10km run in the evening. Sunday too many options, run, ride, race, MTB, so maybe one or two of those. :)
Wood chopping for next winter :)
Long run tomorrow morning followed by a beer league hockey game on Sunday!
Saturday st Patricks day 5k. Sunday st Patricks parade in south boston.
Saturday: Strength training
Sunday: Threshold intervals on the Kickr
90-120 minutes on the trainer. It’ll be my first weekend back in a long time so I want to keep it light. And, I may scale some boulders in search of some spring rainbows on the river ;-)
6 hour road bike, 1 hour TT bike.
12-14 mile run Saturday. 1.5-2 hour KICKR ride Sunday and a short run.
3 mile run tomorrow followed by a round of golf. Sunday gets a 50 mile bike ride and possibly more snow in DC!
Friday evening tempo run, Sat morning 2 hr Masters swim and 11 mile training run, Sunday weights and 1 hr Masters swim.
4 hours on the Tacx!
Saturday, I’m going to try to get out on the bike for a slow endurance roll (weather permitting). And Sunday, the plan is for 2×20 min zone 4 intervals with 5 min rest in between.
Bike. Bike. And more bike.
a great full day of skiing at Copper tomorrow, and 1:20 half mary training run on Sunday, I may try to squeeze a bike ride in there too.
Friday : short run , steady.
Saturday : tennis , core training , long run.
Sunday : swim training , bike training
hill repeats
5K Run tomorrow + 30min core workout
Sunday: 100K Road Cycle
My weekend will consist of two rides. 90km road bike ride on Saturday and some mtb action on Sunday. Thanks ray!
I will attend a local 12h race. 12h of going up and down on a local hill. One way is about 1.5 km and about 330 m of altitude gain.
8 miles on the treadmill while watching the final episode of True Detective on Saturday. Ab Ripper X and some freeweights on Sunday.
I’m doing a couple of short, easy runs this weekend…Working through a pesky bit of post-winter shin-splints…
Tonight will be a 10k run. Then an interval session on Sunday.
Track workout tonight. MTB tomorrow!
This weekend I’ll be studying for my exam on wednesday. Plan is to go do 1h of swimming on saturday (long distance) and 1h of interval-running on sunday.
80k @ 5° followed by a very long, hot shower.
St. Pats Day 5 Miler and a 60 mile bike ride
Threshold test with trainer and recovery!
80 mins at half marathon pace (thanks coach!) on Saturday then an easy paced 3hr bike ride on Sunday. Good news is the weather’s looking good for the weekend :-)