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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
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.
well well. Been out today for 10km.
I’ll buy new shoes tomorrow which I plan to testdrive on Sunday morning with an interval training for about 12km.
Sunday afternoon I’ve an appointment for a 2,5km swim training with my buddies
René
7 mile run that will go from road to off road
Thank you for your great work…
Friday – 7mi – Tempo Run
10mi – Recovery Kickr
Sat. – 7mi – Recovery Run (with Wife)
– 45min Intervals on Kickr
Sun. – 2hrs of Soccer Training
– nap for 2hrs
masters swim or run saturday and hopefully a ride sunday
Saturday : rest
Sunday: 10k “Father’s Day Race”, in Porto, Portugal. Will try sub-45min for the first time.
SAT: slow flat run / 10km
SUN: trail run / 18-20km
25-30 on the bike Saturday and an easy 3 trail run for Sunday.
No training, just races – trail half marathon on Saturday, Shamrock Half on Sunday.
Going for the Lepra run 10 Km!
Fri: weights and 20mi biking
Sat: 6 miles
Sun: stretching and yoga!
Swim and Run on Saturday
Long run on Sunday!
Thanks DC
RnR Marathon, son!
I have been out of it lately. I’m starting back my training for a 10K run coming in May. So this week-end, among all the errands for my daughter’s birthday and shoveling, I will go do a 5k run.
Wilderness Park Run for the Bridges marathon. All trail. All awesome. My first full.
Rest today, 3 mile easy run tomorrow morning, half marathon on Sunday!
Running 18 miles tomorrow, 6-8 on Sunday. Boston marathon training.
Me and my son going riding on our two seater bike.
I have to work. So today I’m going on a 6 mile run at hopefully ends up at a 7:30 pace…
Starting my weekend training plans with a pool swim Friday evening. Saturday morning St. Patty Day 5k and afternoon ‘brick’ training. Sunday early morning gym and more afternoon ‘brick’ training and lake swim.
I’m running a 7.77k St. Patrick’s Day race, and then adding about another 9 miles to make it an even 14-mile long run. There may be a bike ride on Sunday, depending on the weather.
I have one of two options for a long run this weekend here in sunny California, and they will be decided by fate.
Today, Friday, I am on the wait list for InsideTrail’s 50 mile, 11,000ft up (and same in down) Marin Headlands challenge. I find out tonight if I get to/have to show up for a 6am start tomorrow.
If that’s a no-go, then I’m going to do a run I’ve been eying for while: Link a trail run from Sam McDonald -> Pescadero->Portola->Big Basin… and then back. Looks like something between 30 and 45 miles; I won’t really know until I finish.
I’d love your $400 credit, but either way, I win.
Saturday 1h recovery ride and heading to san diego for sunday’s superseal Olympic triathlon!
Get out and do some riding if time allows… normally I have something very structured but at this point I’m planning my next big thing and just doing what I feel like if time allows.
Given it is going to be a windy, rainy, cold weekend, I will just rest, or maybe go to the gym.
As I’m still struggeling with plantair fascitiis I’m only going to do a 30K bike ride or 7.5K run.
I’ll be cheering on my girl who’s racing a half on Sunday. I’ll probably get in a little run myself
2 hour ride – 3m run brick Saturday. 7m run Sunday. Sunday afternoon – Brew beer.
The wife told me I’ve got a 5 mile run with the dog tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn now the weather is starting to get warmer in the midwest. I’d prefer slow, but with our Weimaraner it’ll be a tempo!
Saturday – 12 mile run, followed by a very short bike ride.
Sunday – Light weight training.
Cactus Classic trail half marathon tomorrow! Yes, we have cactus in Illinois.
saturday, sober wakeup ride,
sunday, morning group ride, afternoon exam study
Friday : skiing
Sunday : 50 miles ride
Some hills repeat on the bike then running on saturday and a 3-4h ride on sunday !
A 100k bike ride east of the city (Gothenburg, Sweden) tomorrow, hoping that tonights storm has passed by then.
Perhaps a light recovery spin on Sunday as well :)
I’m on the injured recovery list, but I am volunteering at a local 10k race this weekend in Winter Park, FL. Does that count? LOL
Well on Saturday I planned a 10km run before heading to the pool for a Speed Swim Workout. Then in the afternoon I’ll probably cycle a bit, a Time Trial workout for an hour and a half.
Then on Sunday I’ll go for a 100km ride in the evening.
For Saturday an easy bike ride of 90 min..
And for Sunday a 2.5 hour trail-run..!!
90 min Z2 run on Saturday
60 min Z1 ride on Sunday
Saturday: 5k cross country skiing on Campo dell’Osso Rome
Sunday: 10k Run “La corsa dei Giardini” Ladispoli Roma
Unfortunately, only doing a 5mi St. Pat’s race. Still working on a nagging injury suffered during cold weather training.
Swim Sat
1/2 Marathon (race) Sun
I’ve got a 6 mile interval scheduled for Saturday
A long swim today, Sat a 21k run, Sun another 15k, that’s the plan.
3 hours on the Madone Saturday.
13.1 miles of jogging Sunday.
Thats it
Running the Marathon of Rome in a week time, hence tapering and 13 easy miles Sunday morning.
Support Crew for my wife’s 15 mile training run (first 26.2 in 30 days), then I’ll run 16 miles and swim 3800 yds the next day
Build Run tonight, steady swim tomorrow morning and then off to a duathlon on Sunday…then St. Patricks day off work so off to the gym and a cycle…then a snooze :)
Swim 1000 yard free for first time ever (I’m a sprinter) at new england masters swim meet.
This weekend starts off with a 3,5k swim Friday. Saturday, I will join 60 Club-buddies from Bergen Triathlon Club (Norway) in the last Nissemann(norwegian for Santa)- triathlon this winter; 1hour swim (indoor), 2.5 hours of indoor cycling, and a 12km run. Sunday is family time, and we’ll climb a local mountain, of course with hot chocolate and lunch in the rucksack.
1 hour spin class today (Sat) then splitting firewood. Long slow run tomorrow.
Easy 10 k run (65% MHR) on Saturday morning.
(Probably) 2 * 9 * 45”/30” (R: 1’30) on Sunday morning.
9 mile run and 90 minute bike ride. Fun!
2.5h on the kickr at 70% (it’s still winter here in Montreal!)
15km run outside
Saturday: 5k cross-country skiing
Sunday: 10k run
Saturday: test race 20K
Sunday: swimming
Three hour computrainer ride.
chilly 40 miles today, recovery spin on rollers on Saturday, Computrainer on Sunday.
9 mile run on Saturday, rest on Sunday.
7 trail miles on Saturday. 14 W&OD miles on Sunday. Tapering for a marathon in 2 weeks.
Strength training Saturday. Running on Sunday.
Propably I’ll do nothing. I wish, but gonna stay at work :)
Fly back home, run for an hour Friday night. Wake up early to bike down to the Irish pub to watch football (soccer), then out for a long ride since the snow is finally melting. Follow up with a strength session and another run on Sunday before flying back out for work.
No workouts, running the Tobacco Road half on Sunday.
Saturday will see me running loose a bit, very easy on forested track to prepare for the next day (that and spending the rest of the day at work as they will do a power cut and somebody needs to watch so mister stupid does not get electrocuted – will see plenty of stairs as the elevator might be risky on emergency power only). Sunday morning you can find me at the Urban trial race in Antwerp, Belgium – a nice 12k race in the center of the City and not only passing very nice buildings, but you actually get to run through them for once!
I will be doing a 5-miler followed by a yoga class tomorrow, then the Madison Shamrock Shuffle 10 km on Sunday!
Sat: 10 km Z1-Z2 recovery trailrun
San: Day off with greecy tasty food delight
Hoping the snow is melted enough for a St. Patrick’s Days training run.
Saturday: long run
Sunday: ride around the park if the rain stays away, turbo trainer otherwise.
60km bike spin with local club on Saturday morning. An easy 5k run on Sunday. Maybe a hike or scenic hill walk on Monday if weather permits (it’s a long weekend for us Irish :D )
Saturday 13k run and Sunday 45K Mountainbike (Singletrail)
On saterday I’m going for a short run, 15x200m (0:38min.). And then on sunday I’m going to run a 10km race with my girlfriend en father in law. Hopefully they let me out sunday afternoon to get some road cycling action aswell.
A 10-mile run (at least) on saturday and probably home-trainer on sunday :)
Half-marathon on Sunday
Working more than I should but will find time for a post marathon shake-down run. The next weekend? That’s when it gonna get real!
Saturday : rest
Sunday : Monaco Run Riviera Classic, beautiful 24k through Italy, France and Monaco (http://www.monacorun.org)… No target, just for fun…
Saturday – 10km run
Sunday – 29km run
:)
Run 10km Sat & 10km Sun, then spend 8+ hours each day working on my house! New subfloor & paint in kitchen, LR, DR plus new kitchen cabinets
I will be doing a long run on Saturday and a long bike ride on Sunday.
Training for my first ever triathlon. Swim, bike run. All weekend long.
14km run and a very long walk just for fun.
On call, so rockin the hospital gym Friday / Sunday with a Kickr sufferfest session Saturday!
This weekend
– sat 7km easy 6min/km run
– sun 12km easy 6:20min/km run
Next
1st half marathon – objective sub 2hours
Saturday: 3500 yards in the pool followed by 3.1 mile run
Sunday: 1 hour on the indoor trainer
hopefully 100km bike ride
HIIT workout today and a much needed rest day tomorrow. Sunday back at it with my morning lap swim at the Y.
Cheers!
100 miles on the tri bike Saturday then a tri swimming class and 1 hour easy z1 ride Sunday.
Leaving work soon to drive up to the Eastbay(CA) to visit family. Tomorrow I with ride Mt. Diablo on what looks to be a beautiful day. Sunday on the way home I will stop off at Lake San Antonio to run the run course of the Wildflower tri I will be doing in May.
30 mile tempo ride Saturday, 10 mile recovery run Sunday
Friday: strength training
Sat: 2800 y swim
Sun: 2-2.5 hr brick in HR zones 1-2, 3 on hills only
NYC Half Marathon on Sunday!
saturday – CrossFit Antwerp WOD – 15k run and a flight on Sunday from BRU/FRA to Seattle in business … Not sure if that classifies as an endurance workout ;-)
accrue as many bike hours i can handle during this wisconsin march weekend (which includes snow in the forecast)
A doozy…riding the famous Gaps of north Georgia tomorrow and a nice 2 hour trail run at Sweetwater on Sunday. Rain, rain go away, come again some other days………please!
20 miles of trail running as I prepare for my first time to run Boston, 38 days and counting down!!!
Friday, 2 hours on the bike
Saturday, just family time
Sunday, strength and 1,5 hours on the bike
…it’s gonna be a great weekend :)
10km recovery and easy run
Hopefully a long run Saturday morning before celebrating my St. Patrick’s Day b-day with friends Saturday night. Then on Sunday recovering from both!
An hour of intense Krav Maga!
5k run plus some time on the rowing machine
Saturday: RnR half DC; Sunday: Swim clinic; Both: Lots of Bloody Mary and wine.