Big Sports Tech Deals Right Now! The Garmin Epix Gen2 is on sale right now for a staggering $549USD, roughly $300 off, and the Titanium edition just $50 more! And, it also got a big slate of new features this past week. Alongside that, there’s big discounts on the Apple Watch Series 9, Polar, Samsung Galaxy Watch6, and a pile of other Garmin watches including the Forerunner 255, 955, and Instinct 2 series. Full updated list here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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In Depth Product Reviews
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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!
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.
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!
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.
Switching partially to cross-country skiing, otherwise just adapting the clothes for running …
Just more clothes on. And a headlight, as the sun hides earlier.
Spending my time on the trainer
I still run against the wind, the fog, rain and snow.
Living north of 60, this one’s in my wheelhouse. I may put studded tires on the mountain bike for commuting this year … It was a little gnarly without studs last year. I haven’t yet given in to the fat bike craze that has overtaken this city.
I keep telling myself that I’m going to set up the trainer and do some Sufferfest videos to keep on the road bike for the winter, too.
Aside from that, lots and lots of hockey games!
More jogging instead of cycling. Jogging on the snow during the evening is really cool!
I ride indoors and do my runs outside… swimming doesn’t start for another month.
Spend more time at the gym and on the kickr
Keep up the running, and add clothing as needed. No more downhill biking, but increased mushing training with the dogs. More after training saunas.
For running I put on more clothes, and my inov8 when there is snow. Cycling is on the Kick/Trainerroad
I am still running outdoors, but for swimming I am going to pool and for cycling I am using zwift at home.
Warmer clothing!
I switch to more trail and mountain running even in very snowy conditions. It’s a very good strength focused training for all kind of endurance sports.
Started weight training + TrainerRoad sessions.
Improving my swimming skills and doing some indoor workouts on the trainer! Also less running. Winter is my time to cool down a bit and save energy for spring/sommer 😉
Get some warmer clothes and take on wood trails!
Training mode and volume stay the same. Nutrition changes though – more Whisky and less beer.
This winter will include quite some indoor cycling and treadmill running. Normally I would convert to XC skiing, but some complications in a broken ankle after last years ski season keeps me from the siks this year.
Living in The Netherlands, I can most days still run. My home trainer is set up on the balcon.
Spend more time on the kickr
No need to change. Madrid (Spain) is not a really cold place so with proper clothes i can still run, swim (indoors) and bike (maybe this a bit less).
Cheers!
My father in law bought two years ago an elliptical machine that he never uses. Initially I did not like it, but now I am using it more and more during winter, both instead of bikes or runs.
I still run outdoors, just with more clothes and Yaktrax. But in the winter I also do cross country skiing – and other work related training sessions as they tend to be indoors.
The weather is still so warm here in Athens, we not only did 75 km cycling this Sunday, but also sea swimming and … sunbathing!
No real change in training! Tights replace short shorts, and I switch it up to shorter distances for the cross country season!
Biking activities will be relocated to my living room (to my wifes delight) and I’ll focus on improving my non-existent swim capabilities.
More gym sessions to increase core strength. More roller sessions to keep the holiday food weight at bay. More spin classes to keep building fitness.
I always claim that I’m going to ride through winter but November seems to break me every year and I retreat indoors to spin bikes and the gym until Spring arrives!
Bike is in the garage as it is too slippery in Berlin. More running and gym/pool. Hope to run through the whole winter
No major change for the winter period, one supplementary layer perhaps. Anymway, it’s rainy and cold all year long down here 😉
I still run outside as much as possible but other than that my training changes focus onto strength and technique – strength workouts with my PT in the gym, intervals on the Wattbike and technique coaching sessions in the pool – for the most part I actually get more training in over the winter.
as long as it’s not slippery/ice, nothing changes (except for more layers of clothes and more ligths on me to ensure the others can see me)
Australia mate. Winter is long gone, it was a Thursday this year. The trainer got a work out that day.
More running, no biking.
I do not adapt. When it gets below freezing I just put on more clothes.
Some core work and more swimming. Cross country skiing if snow and weather are ok. Turbo trainer only late in winter.
more swimming, less running 😉
Haha, I would like to train at all. Now with our little daughter in our life, training has become a luxury I can’t afford time wise. But a watch like that could maybe give a little hope for the nearest future 😉
As a Swede living in Norway I take the opportunity to explore some new places, running randomly in the deep snow, since you won’t have any use of the existing paths anyway. Put on some Icebug shoes and neoprene socks, run in the soft snow and your legs will have a much-needed break from the asphalt. So all you need is to gear up, and get out: link to i.imgur.com
If I for some reason have to train inside, why just not dress out as Santa when you lead the regular indoor workouts: link to i.imgur.com
However, on a cold and sunny winter’s day, nothing beats a long cross-country skiing-session: link to i.imgur.com
To be able to log all these kinds of activities, a versatile watch as Fenix 3 would be a good choice!
warm clothes!
Things you’ll need:
MTB with bad ass tires
Good pair of gloves
Head lamp
Grippy running shoes
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In other words, bad weather lets you buy more cool stuff 🙂
During winter time More indoor trainer on my kettler racer S (when will you test it?) and run at lunch time to avoid the cold!
The good thing about cold weather is the calories burned to warm up. No shame for an extra dessert 🙂
I lve in spain, but when the weather gets really bad I go to local gym for pool/weights.
It’s 5 degrees outside now in Homer, Alaska and hardly any snow so normally I would be cross country skiing and fat biking. So far TRX indoors and treadmill.
Rollers indoors and altitude training
Nice Giveaway
I love to cyclocross with 1500 lm headlight in the darkness.
My winter training is xc ski and xc running.
In winter more indoor training
Put on more clothes or travel somewhere, where it’s warmer.
I set the turbo trainer up in the garage….its still cold but I soon warm up!
Yes, I live in Hawaii, so in the Winter it’s so much nicer (i.e. cooler and better) for long, long runs.
I keep training through the Swedish winter with an extra base layer, wind proof jacket, gloves, hat and spiked icebug shoes.
My workouts are on midday instead of afterwork.
Bay area living doesn’t require too much change. Less swimming (generally only outdoor pools) and more running.
I’m going to do some indoor loops on Watopia and in Richmond, hopefully quickly building up some leg power after a knee injury and surgery.
No cycling in the winter, so more running and some trips to the gym. I like running in winter! Usually I swim a lot too, but an inflammation in the shoulder has set a temporary hold to that!
As the Triathlon season is over in Barcelona and do more running and lot less bike and swimming
Have just put on wintertires with spikes on my bike, just in time for the first snow
Not really winter for now in Paris, just changing my road for a lighted one for running. Swimming doesn’t need any change. As for biking no more long afternoon, just morning bike in the weekend.
I don’t change a lot in winter. I just take the MTB when it’s possible and maybe some more indoor trainings.
I still go out as much as possible (in Belgium it usually gets wet or cold, seldom bot)
Actually, I don’t adjust my training schedule, which is mostly based on running, but i run with a headlamp.
Parce que je le vaux bien, that’s all.
Less run, with “sad” track (no wildtracks into the woods 🙁 ), more layers, lamp on the head.
But still run 😀
Sadly in Toronto we have quite a bit of snow during winter, outdoor sport is almost impossible. So winter is more of an indoor sport time for me – rope jumping instead of running, spinning instead of cycling and the usual strength training.
Winter in the uk means cooler, wetter runs. Intend to run more and MTB a bit less..
Cleaning the bike and my gear after a ride is quite a task.. ?
I am a friend again to indoor trainer and more pool swimming
Just adjust the clothing and carry on.
Set up the indoor biketrainer with Zwift. The runs I will do outside with a warm fancy blue vest.
X-country skiing in Switzerland! 🙂
I switch to cross-country skiing.
Training for Rotterdam Marathon 10th April, 3x week; interval, fartlek and long distance run 🙂
I’ll just change my beloved salomon speedcross for a pair of salomon spike cross. Mountain biking is usually no problem with wintery conditions if you take it slow and indoor bouldering neither. And finally next week I’ll be out for a avalanche awareness and ski tour training camp. I guess that only road cycling has to take a punch during the winter season.
TrainerRoad for cycling, running with more clothes on.
No change…but where I live temperatures never go bellow 1-2 degrees celsius, sometimes there is snow, often there is ice…which only adds to the fun!
Winter is typically one to begin with fundation/base altough speed is not omitted. So,long easy runs in the woods. Speed sessions on the treadmill+turbo+pool. Winter is great anyway.
Completely get off the bike for at least two month. Do a lot of core work instead.
Winter is normally the start of my marathontraining for Rotterdam marathon. With a week of skiing in between. And if possible iceskating when the ice is thick enough. But this year everything wil be different because of the birth of my firts child in january/february.
Layers, layers, layers!
It will be cold and grey, but these are no excuses for skipping training 😉
skiing is the king 🙂
Changing my pair of trainers to a pair of cross country skis.
Just slower.. getting out of bed in the mornings,
Swimming moves to indoors, obviously :).
Due to the lack of an ATB, I move my bike to the TACX, and add some core stability training to the mix
Running workouts won’t change alot, more clothing, and more focus on either high intensity intervals, or really low heartrate longer distance runs
More ice skating, more indoor bike, more beer 😉
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s summer, but when winter hits, nothing changes bar the amount of clothing I wear and usually a headlamp for visibility in the early morning. Thankfully, the indoor pools are heated as well, so I can even continue swimming.
During the winter, I go to the gym and take spinning courses. On weekends, I try to train outside on my bike as much as I can.
No big changes but also not often below -15 Celsius. Spike trainers when icy is a must though, great fun.
Just man up, dress for the elements and get out there – guaranteed you will feel better for doing it!
Spike tires, spike shoes, powerful lights etc.
And of course lot of cross country skiing when the real winter hits.
Canadian winters are tough – no outdoor cycling for me! The bike is already set up on a turbo trainer.
Winter here in Australia is fantastic… We have to carry less water! Nice and mild, perfect running weather.
I am a luckie duckîe ? I work on a cruise ship which sails in the Caribbean for our winter itineraries. So no changes to my running training.
The mountain and cx bikes come out more, and more running in the hills other than nothing except dragging the wife out takes more effort.
I run more but slower in winter. I swim, cycle and climb mostly indoors.
Don’t change – commute by bike all year, and run throughout the winter even in the snow and ice. It’s just the pace and intensity that goes down.
I just keep on running with more clothing and substitute some biking with swimming.
here in sunny asia.. but this time of the year is also our rainy season. so unless winter snowing, we have rain.
but it could be sunny in a min, then down right hell pouring cats and dogs.
so what best? its best to go out for a run!
Mild California weather and a (somewhat) heated pool makes swims tolerable once the sun comes up. A decent base layer keeps the arms and knees warm on rides. Have to be a little more flexible to avoid the extra rain, but it still isn’t common enough to get in the way of rides regularly.