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.
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!
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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.
Saturday morning run at Macritchie Reservoir.
220k ride from my home to my parents’ home. Scheduled: when its warm and sunny :)
Hill reps ! and lots of them ! There is a perfect 0.2 mile steep hill about 1.5 miles from where I work. Perfect warmup distance, 6 reps as hard as I can, then warmdown back. Its a killer, but perfect early prep for spring marathon training.
2hr endurance ride with some over/unders in the middle. Merry Christmas.
Weekend runs to and around Larsen Lake in WA
I have a 2.5 hour LSD run on Sunday. Also, DC you are the man!
I’ll be doing a 3 hour pain session on the trainer Sunday.
Hits marathon
Bike/run brick workout to prepare for my first sprint tri in the spring!
Just recovering from shoulder surgery so lots or runs and rides scheduled. But my main pre Christmas goal is a 2 mile swim. First pool visit this weekend so we’ll see how that looks
Tel-Aviv Marathon
I’ve been hurt all season and salivating about the time when I can start marathon training again. Hopefully for Christmas Santa fixes me so I can start putting in long runs again. I’ve got 16 km planned for boxing day. Come on Santa don’t let me down!
4 mile slow jog today! Pick Me!
Resolution Run 10 Mile Trail Run December 27th
15k trail run in Mourne Mountains, Ireland
I’ll be racing round 4 of the Fixx Supercross cyclocross cup in Ireland on the 21st!
5km race on Dec 31, first race after double knee surgery las December :)
The run of the Bridges, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, december 7th
15 km run.
Clonakilty Ireland half marathon Saturday December 6th
I don’t have any races scheduled, but I’ll be on my trainer for 1-2 hours at 90 rmp every day until the new year.
Either the Mistletoe Half Marathon tomorrow morning (haven’t entered yet), or a training run of equivalent distance. Either way will be running 13.1 on Saturday morning.
1.5 hour one to one session at calshot velodrome.
15km run in the snow this sunday
Tomorrow 50km in track at local sport hall by TT-bike
Training for a sub 4 h marathon in April …… then maybe a 1/2 Iron in fall ???
the north face endurance challenge marathon relay, in san francisco, CA on december 6!
Running 9 miles today, easy pace.
My own wedding next Saturday. That’s going to be tough…
Marathon training for the derby marathon starts in 2 weeks. This time I am doing the 18-70 plan rather than Higdons advanced we will see if that helps me get that elusive sub 3:05!
A 5K easy run later today (5th of December) in Muscat, Oman.
My workout is 3 one hour shifts during a 24 hour trainer race to help raise money to buy local kids bikes!
I plan to Ride 80km next Sunday!
10km run in the Dandenong Hills on 27th December, Australia – just need to get there from London!
2 hour (of a possible 4 hour) indoor cycling/spinning session to raise money for GOTR!
11km run in Thailand – just now
Saturday 6th, off road running training session for 90mins with technical developments as part of the Fleet Feet Triathlete club, including cycling there and back circa 6 miles each way.
after making the jump this year from 1 marathon, to completing 2 full marathons and four 50k Ultras. The only thing I have scheduled is a Holiday Monkey Fist Shuffle 30k, this is to do the final prep for my buddies Goofy Challenge in January. I would like to pix the Fenix 2 as my choice.
Blue back mitten run 5k, first race I ever broke 30, 25, 22.. Hoping for breaking 20 this year
This Saturday December 6. Event/training run: Donut Day 25k. Local fun group run(aka free) that tours local donut shops as pit stops along the route. Donuts and running = fun saturday morning!
Trainer session… The Sufferfest: Angels!
Today, ~10 miles at 7:30-8:00 minute pace with a 1.1 mile, 550 foot elevation climb/sort of sprint in the middle.
Next race it the Chiller Challenge in February, a local 8k. But this weekend I’ve got an easy 7 miler planned.
I’m trying to get to 4w/kg FTP this year for the gulf coast half iron. leading up to my 20 min test I have been doing a w/up that’s builds on 2 mins increase 10% w/min for 10 min rest then 30x(30 sec on 30 sec off @325 watts) need a new trainer bad!
I am just about to try out my virb and the 920 with a 30 minute run in the woods. All good fun!
25k Enipeas trail race in Mt. Olympus Greece with +1700m on 12.14
Nyrr 15k on Dec. 9th
And a whole lot of TrainerRoad workouts through the end of the year
December 21. There will be New Year foot race around the Central Park at Yelagin island (5km – one lap and 10km – two laps) in St.Petersburg, Russia. Every participant is going to wear Red-White cover (hat) like the Santa Claus. I am going to join 10km race.
I made a tradition running on December 25th last year :) This time it’s gonna be 25k long steady distance with the 5min/km pace, probably from south Vienna -> Baden. Also gonna try interval runs training before the year’s over!
It’s time for the Jingle Bell Run. Great fun run and dressing up like santa is always fun too.
My swim workout for tommorow
W/U
200m FREE
2 x 200m (50 FREE, 100 KICK, 50 FREE) RI:20
SET
300, 200, 100m Z2 RI:20
200, 100, 50m N/S RI:25
200m FAST RI:30
200m FAST RI:30
6 x 100m PULL RI:25
C/D
200m FREE
A 60-70 km skate on my longboard.
Schedule permitting, I’m doing the Brasstown Bald Buster 5K — “…a little ol’ 5K run with just one hill”
5K race to the top of the highest peak in Georgia, Sunday Dec 21st.
link to active.com
Olimpic Triathlon @ Quepos, Costa Rica on Sunday 7th.
Olympic distance Toronto triathlon in June 2015!
I’ll be running the Celtic Solstice in Baltimore this weekend.
10 mile run this weekend. Thanks!
3/4 mile hill repeats this morning for total 4.88 miles
the upcoming workout is a full marathon race this weekend… bit scared already :)
I’m almost five months pregnant so I’m pretty much stuck with walking and swimming and pregnant lady yoga. I’m going to swim on Monday when my new suit arrives in the mail!
A long group ride with my buddies Saturday morning.
Annual birthday workout based on age. 45 lap swim, 45 mile bike and 45 min run. Looking back, I sure miss my 30s. It’s not getting any easier getting older.
8 mile run on the beautiful Farmington Trail in CT!!
No race, but this is Saturday’s bike workout: 30-minute warm-up, 10x (1:00 @ 260w + 1:00 easy), 10-minute cool down.
i’m going to swim a mile straight.
Training on the Tacx Ironman 70.3 Mallorca.
The Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday May 3, 2015. This will be my second marathon and first coming back from injury last year.
December 7th: 90 minutes easy run with 10 strides at the end. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
A 3 hour turbo session on Sunday, preparing for the gran Fondo of the dead sea, wish me luck :)
Simple 5 mile recovery run this weekend.
5 mile run scheduled for this weekend!
Fairfax 4 miler on New Year’s Eve. Had a huge 61-min PR at JFK 50 miler a couple weeks ago, so mostly light workouts until January and then back to marathon and tri training.
freestyle stroke lesson….
sufferfest fight club on the trainer.
Rapha Festive 500
500Kms Cycling between Xmas Eve and New Years Eve
Short Triathlon on December 21st, here in La Plata, Argentina
Century ride on my B-day week after next
Would love a Garmin Fr920xt to log my try on the Rapha 500 festive. (500km on bike between Christmas and new year)
Pyramid intervals on the erg! Really like the erg for training for cycling, it’s a great core workout!
TrainerRoad + the Sufferfest is peppered throughout my training calendar well into the spring.
2014 final fondo 80+ miles 10,000′ total climbing summiting Skyuka & Hogback Mtns.
The Mór Fir Run 5km charity event. Small town in Hungary
Sunday a 5k with the kids, this will be my first “run” since my marathon. hoping the legs still move in the same direction.
a long and cold bike ride this weekend
6 days of workouts per week
I’ve got a community 10K tomorrow morning. I’m looking to break 40 minutes, which, based on last year’s results, would put me winning it.
An easy 10 or 15k run around the local roads tomorrow. Looks like it will be rather cold.
Long run this weekend, at least 9 miles.
Jingle Bell Half Marathon tomorrow… my first.
base 3 and some Cross for the fun
Rainy week-end, then it will be 2hours swim session for my part.
Celtic Solstice 5 Miler followed up with a Beermile on December 13th!
Strava 500 Holiday Challenge. 500 kms between Dec 24th and 31st, always a great way to end the year.
Cheers!
13.1 in 1:31!
no race scheduled but just received my new 910XT at very low price and will be trying it out in the pool today and running on Saturday and Sunday. Looking at getting rid of my FR220 and Edge 500 after deciding on a sprint tri this coming summer. A very addictive web site you have Ray!!! 2 years ago I couldn’t even run a mile, cycle for more than 30 minutes and I won’t even mention my incapacity to swim!!! Read your blog as my morning newspaper. Went over the 910XT review more times then anything else I’ve ever read
TrainerRoad FTP test. Always a good time.
10k Pudding Run 7/12/14 located in Bromham a small town in Wiltshire Uk. Aiming for sub 39mins
Im Wirkung Okt through a training plan to pass the test for becoming a professional fire fighter. It’s poorly paid, but awesome work. Would be nice to find some support.
The first bike ride, this sunday, with my new baby, a brand new canyon!
I am in my first week of base training for Ironman 70.3 Steelhead on August 9th. This will be my first long course race!
Training for climbing Mt. Whitney, so by the last weekend of the year I need to be up to a pack weight of 65lbs while doing 4-5hrs alternating between the stair climber and 30° treadmill. Typical session go as 1hr on with intervals, 15min water/food break and repeat.