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.
Looking forward to the Nova Epic with MORE June 1st. It’ll be my first epic so expectations are lowwwww.
Lisa Wade 5K, July 21, 2014. Goal for race; Return to running 5ks for fitness, fun and finding again my love of running :D
Barn Burner MTB Race in September. Goal? Finish. Knee surgery and knee stress fracture have turned 2014 into a very long recovery year.
Doing the Raleigh 70.3 as the bike leg of a relay team. Goal is to get used to the bike distance in a race in anticipation of doing my first solo half iron race in October.
I do have another race and goal planned for the end of June but I have to tell you about my race yesterday. It was a small race with just around 100 people participating. I ran in the Go Bear 5K trail run (my first trail race) and placed second in my age group. I was ecstatic with my very fist medal ever and am still floating on cloud nine!
Disco 10k in Dallas, TX next Sunday
Because the bling is outrages!
Pfft, ik have a fee months nothing. I subscribed for The paris marathon 2015. Hope to finish. Thats The only objective.
I’m interested in winning $400 for mothers day! My wife would love a Garmin watch.
Next Sunday. 10k < 50min.
My next big race will be the New York City marathon in November. Since it’s my first full the goal is to finish somehow.
Matterhorn Ultraks, August 23 2014.
Under 6 hrs.
Maraton Radenci Slovenija, half marathon, hopefully around 1:41:00
My next race will be the Ultra Trail Vercors in France, 86 km 4500m D+ (www.ultratrailvercors.com) in September. I hope to finish and earn the 3 qualifying points for Ultra Trail Mont Blanc.
20 km TT in Templin, Germany – 29th of May. Less than 30 minutes, hopefully.
My next race is Blenheim tri – I want to beat my first sprint PB from last year, which was 1:24
No race planned in the near future.
Marathon eindhoven ,
october 2014
50 km MTB loop race next Sunday, hoping for nice weather and goal is just to have fun… :-)
10K race in Milwaukee next week
No new races planned yet for the rest of this year. I did the Napa Valley Marathon on March 2nd. Race was just ok; had an injury during training so I had to re-assess my goals. Still broke the 3 hour mark, so that was nice! Disappointed in post-race food spread though.
5k on June 14th in New Jersey. Hope to get 1st in my age group.
I’m running 5km every day for helth and aiming for 10.
June 22 GF Eddy Merckx, my plan is to go faster than last year
I have plans to attend a bike race. Eidsvoll – Oslo 57km, Norway. In later this summer, I have plan to take a bikeride between Oslo-Kristiansand, the ride will be around 375km.
Greenbrier Challenge – XC MTB
My goal is to qualify for XC Nationals (Top 15)
I’ll be running the SF Marathon at the end of July! I would love to go faster than I did in my last marathon and stay injury-free!
After doing a full Ironman last year, my only race so far this year is. . . a 5k the second week of June. Due to a foot injury, I’m having to scale back. . . and I’ve feeling very guilty about it.
my next mini race is on the 22/5 5k glow race, waiting to get sprayed in color :))
Capitol Hill Classic 10k next weekend!
Giro d’Espoo bicycle race in two weeks. Win or go home :)
New Town Sprint Tri
Just wanting to get back into the swing of things.
London Marathon, 2:38. Now to find some more races for the summer
Berlin Marathon on 28th September
23rd of august my first 1/4 triathlon
100k sportive in June but on an Elliptigo rather than a bike.
10k Feira do viño do Rosal, in Galicia, Spain, on 20th July. My goal is 50 minutes or less.
Boise Half Ironman June 7th. First Ironman so I’m looking to finish at 6 hours total. Training has me less than that so, we shall see.
USA Triathlon long course nats in Grand Rapids, MI. Hoping to qualify for worlds!
10k in june. goal 48min
Rock2Rock 10k trail run in Black Mountain NC on May 23. Hoping to better 1:16. Sounds slow but it’s 1500 feet in 3 miles, mostly hike-a-run on the way up, then boulder-dashing on the way down.
Ironman 70.3 UK in mid June this year, hopefully can be on the right side of 6 hours
Next race for me is the World Duathlon Championships in Pontevedra, Spain. Goal is to improve on last years championships held in Canada and enter the top 10.
Every other weekend, ten mile local trail loop against freinds. Last man pays the
tab….
Sub 10h in the IM !!
My next race is the Back to the Beach half a week from Sunday. My goal is just to finish because I’m nursing an injury.
I’ll jump in some road races or crits this year and throw in a sprint tri, but my focus this year is on the NC cx season. Still a ways out.
Lausanne half marathon this October. 2:30 target
planning on 5k in 20 min, but still a long way to go
A 50km fun mid winter ride in June at Okoroire
Working up the courage to do a 5K in July.
My first race of the year will be HITS 70.3 at Hauge, NY on the 21st of June. My plan is to finish faster than last year’s 5:41. Looking forward to the tough hill climbs, and challenging run.
Next race prob 10k or longer next week in preperation for the big summer runs
xterra greece 2014! ticket to hawaii maybe?
Last race was American Discovery Trail Marathon in Co. Springs in September, and I just beat my 3:30 goal. Currently rehabbing from injury, so sadly no races planned for this year. . .
A run-bike-run-bike at the end of May. Hopefully will get around to starting as I’m really busy with other things ;)
Up next is Ironman 70.3 Hawaii on 5/31! My goal is to finish in 5:45.
Next race is team up for teammates race with my wife, end of June. Only race I can get her to run with me.
IM CdA. 11:54, PR!!
Mountain running CH championship in Augus :-)
NeXT race, Paris Marathon 2015! I just want to finish iT…
Vineman 70.3. Hoping to go under 5 hours 30 minutes. Fingers crossed! Thanks!
Cracovia Marathon on 18th of May (in a week, yay!), I plan to finish under 3 hours 30 minutes.
I”ll be hitting up Ironman Mont-Tremblant 70.3 on June 22, aiming for sub-4:30!
AF Half-Marathon, shooting for a 1:22
Honu Half IM on Big Island of Hawaii in just a few weeks! Goal? 4:40…Boom! Let’s get it on!
Last race was the Rarotonga International Triathlon. Pretty much to plan in the swim and bike, but suffered in the run with the heat.
Last race was boston marathon, great experience , time 3:20, a tough run for me and disappointed with my time. Thanks for the great blog Ray.
Nothing else than than a ride through hell: Rad am Ring, 75km, max 2h30m.
Eagleman 70.3 will be the first main objective of my season. The race will take place on June 8th in Cambridge, MD. I have unfinished business there where the heat consumed me 3 miles into the run. It’s flat course is very misleading. It is a very difficult race, but I had to sign up again! Despite the rough race last year, I had a blast…kinda contradicting ideas here! I will go there with the objective of doing better in all 3 disciplines, and more importantly, having fun there.
Brisbane half marathon in August. Gunning for a sub 1hr30 PB! We’ll see….
I ran a half marathon and missed my goal of sub 2:00 by 30 seconds :(
I do not race so I have no races coming up. I commute from my town 25 miles to work every day and then the same back home via bicycle. I found your website and enjoy the read.
Next race for me is actually next weekend, May 18th, the HITS triathlon series in Grand Junction, CO (olympic distance). My goal for the race is to set a baseline for my 70.3 Ironman in June!
Local 5k trail run at end of May to benefit a summer camp for disadvantaged kids. Hope to finish top 10 in my age group.
Next race is the old Firecracker 5K in downtown Pleasant Hill, CA on 4th of July. Should be fun.
Next competition: Buenos Aires 1/2 Marathon (Nike) early June.
Last competition? B’Aires 1/2 Marathon (first one) completing it in 1h 47mins, hope I can beat the previous one…
Next race is QuarterMax international distance race 6/28/14 at Innsbrook, Missouri. The “goal” is to run a 2:15-2:20. Lots of hills and always very warm !!
I raced to catch the train this evening. I lost. :(
My last race was the 2013 Gasparilla Half Marathon on a warm day. Since it’s been a while, I’m looking to run some shorter and stress-free distances this fall.
My next big race is probably the Akron Half or Full Marathon at the end of September. If its the half, I’d like to PR, if its the full, I’d just aim to go under five hours!
I am planning to run next may 25th a 5km race. I will try to complete it in 25 minutes. OK not much but I am beginning on this… :) oh! It will be here in my hometown Brasília – Brazil.
Racing 800 meters in the Virginia Senior Olympics on Saturday in Newport News, VA. Going to wear my Western States finishers shirt from last year.
My next race is unknown. I injured my back in March and basically have to start from scratch on the training aspect. My last race was my first Half Marathon in Feb. 2014 and I didn’t do as well as I wanted to due to a knee injury. Future goals include being able to do a sub 2:30 for a half marathon. :)
I’ll be racing Tour das Frankenmuth in Mighigan as a CAT4.
Don’t have any plan yet. Last race was Hunter-Greene Spring Classic, DNF because flat tire.
August 2nd … Rocky Mountain Half-Marathon. Maybe this Kansas boy will be used to the altitude by then.
My wife decided that she wants to do a 5K, so she signed us up for the Color Run. It’s a little under a month away.
Was supposed to do the Around the Bay race in March. The plan is to do it in 2015 now.
First race ever will be a 10K in September. Goal is to finish it. Secret time goal: 1:10:00, which would be awesome since I’m running 14 min/mi at this point. Still time to train!
Apple Du in Minnesota on May 25. Hoping to grab a top 3 in my AG.
Memphis in May sprint, my first triathlon. Goal is to finish standing up!
Ironman 70.3 Brasília (Brazil) raced on April, 8th. Finished my first Ironman every with a fair 6h and 10min.
My next race is a 10k trail race near DC as part of the North Face series – I’m running it with my boyfriend – and my goal is to beat him!
last race, my first marathon in Pittsburgh on Sunday; just missed out on my target time by 3 minutes. Next race entered the Tobay Tri in August, but might try and do a consolation half. Great blog!
North Face Endurance Challenge DC, half marathon, June 8th, it’s my first trail race so I’m just looking to finish without breaking anything!
June 29 – Lake Montclair Sprint Triathlon in VA. I want to actually do my first race of the season prepared for once!
Cream City Cycle Club Century in Wisconsin. Tour is in August. Goal is to finish!
Next Race: Glencoe Grand Prix (crit). Hoping to crack the top ten.
My next race will be the Speights West Coaster 40km trail run in Auckland, New Zealand, Early November. I hope just to finish what some say is the hardest marathon length run in New Zealand.
I plan to run the 10K RunMelbourne charity run at July this year.