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.
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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!
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.
Plan on a 40 mile ride on Saturday with some hill repeats on Sunday.
Half Marathon Training: 12 Friday, 8 Saturday, 17 Sunday
Just arrived home from 5 days in Taiwan (with only walking the city as exercise) I planting run 5k on Saturday and probably longer on Monday.
I’m tapering this weekend. With a dozen hot cross buns.
I’ll be taking my new bike for a ride. Hoping the snow will melt soon.
Planning on finishing up my training for the Rasputitsa gravel race here in Vermont. Probably a TrainerRoad session.
Long ride on trainer road tomorrow then a nice rest day
The weekend is looking like this for training. Friday night easy indoor ride. Saturday 40ish mile out door ride, and Sunday 25ish outdoor ride. training is coming to an end; it’s time to ride outside :-)
Long run and speedwork this weekend. 1st duathlon at the end of April, so I’m getting more specific about training…
Saturday, shopping tour. Sunday, Easter walk. Monday, bike ride together with the family.
I will rest all the weekend. I’m tired.
Sorry if this is a repost- strength training for Good Friday, spinning class on Holy Saturday, worship then dinner with friends for Easter!
Plan to do a 10 mile ride today, 5k run tomorrow, rest Sunday, and 5 mile run Monday (hooray for a four day weekend!)
Saturday hoping to get log a long bike ride in the cold weather and Sunday get a 10k run in so I can indulge on all the good home cooked food.
Cycle today before the rain comes tomorrow – roll on summer! Turbo sessions thereafter.
Saturday is long trainer ride and egg coloring. Sunday is egg salad time (best part of the holiday, imo).
Runs outside – 8 miles on Saturday and 4 miles Sunday
Big bike ride today, followed by some easy recovery tomorrow.. Then relaxing with the family
Swimming/Cycling on Saturday. Long ride Sunday morning, stuffing my face Sunday afternoon.
Bike ride on Saturday, color Easter eggs with my family, and then hunt for Easter eggs on Sunday!
Going for a 65 mile ride today, std. 50 mile group ride tomorrow, and we will see what sunday brings :)
Going to spend Saturday and Sunday on long bike rides as the family is away on holiday!
Due to 3 more inches of wonderful white stuff, I’ll be doing an hour long run and finishing it up with a 10 minute tempo run at the end to make things interested. Then eating candy.
I’ll be swimming at 3k the YMCA on Saturday, and then trail running on Sunday.
Strength train early a.m. on Saturday, followed by “run” of chasing my toddler around at the neighbor’s Easter Egg hunt. Stuff my face at brunch on Sunday and back to the plan on Monday.
Friday: 1hr trial run
Saturday: 3hr bike ride (80-90km)
Sunday: 4-5hr (120-130km)
Monday: Open-end bike ride w/ mate.
6 mile run, followed by some weight lifting
6 miles running today, then assorted holisy miles over the weekend, fuelled by Brisket, brownies and beer…
Hopefully I will resume half marathon training with a 3 and 7 mile run. Assuming I can breathe since all the pollens have come out and decided to settle in my sinus cavities.
Going to do 2 runs, 6k and 10k. All the chocolate has to be burned somehow…
an easy run or two
Hi Ray, my plan for the weekend is to ride indoors for hopefully the last time this season! Can’t wait to start riding outside.
For this weekend I’ll be going for a long ride and a speed work run. Both of these will be followed by my extremely painful relationship with my new foam roller.
Getting over being sick, plan to do a recovery style run on Saturday then enjoying family time on Sunday.
Planned are a ride on Sunday and a run on Monday.
Intervals between easter eggs with my daughter!
Finally the summer in Perth, WA seems to be coming to an end, no more 40c days, and the rain has started, so like a fool, i’m planning to ride tomorrow with 50mm of rain forecasted, got me an ass saver, so shall be ok.
Disclaimer: I’m English!
Nothing much for the weekend, enjoying the holiday! Too much turkey and chocolate I’m sure. But skiing next week, if that counts?
After a long week, it’s a double rest day!
I didn’t really have much in the way of an actual plan, but all this talk about chocolate, and SPAM has me hungry now, so I guess I’ll have to run at least as far as the supermarket.
I plan on doing a 10k on Saturday and doing some tennis cross training on Sunday.
Lazy weekend with family, maybe a run or 2
hour and a half bike ride to finish week 4 of a training plan
In preparation for IM 70.3 Texas (Galveston) I’ll be laying some bricks on Sat, riding 3hrs and running 6miles. Then running 13miles on Sunday.
Hoping to go for a ride if the weather isn’t too awful
A tempo run on sundy and some core/strength training tomorrow
10 mile run followed by a peanut butter egg.
I’m heading to NY to visit my mom for Easter, so I’m planning some beach/boardwalk runs!
An hour run on Saturday, and a 18 mile run on Sunday followed by a lot of chocolate.
I’ll be taking it easy with a nice bike ride around Hains Point to catch some cherry blossoms, and a long run up Rock Creek while the weather is perfect.
I’m heading off on holidays with my family so my training plan consists of lugging 3 suitcases, 1 two year old and, one pregnant wife to and from airports (with a 9hr flight in between) and from one side of Tokyo to the other.
I am doing a 54 mile ride through farm country in western Connecticut and eastern New York (this has been the light at the end of my tunnel all work week) on Saturday. On Sunday, while I am in the neighborhood, I am hoping to spot the Oly run course for the upcoming REV3 Quassy.
No training for me, too much rain here ;-)
My plan was actually a 4 day riding in the mountains, but looks it turns into 4 day stay in bed with a flu. No bunnies seen there so far :)
Weather is mild in Pennsylvania, so hopefully I can squeeze in an outdoor recovery ride. Otherwise, will be back on the trainer at least once, prepping for my first-ever cycling race in April.
Swimming drills this morning, 1:45 run on Saturday, 2:00ish ride Sunday morning, then chocolate and beer repeats in the afternoon.
Planning on a 130mi California coast ride on Saturday. Then an easier 90ish mi ride on Sunday.
On the backend of a knee injury, so probably a couple shorter test runs and possibly break the MTB out.
Some biking/rowing on Saturday and then a long run on Sunday (13-14 miles). Training for my first marathon!
I’ve got a short trainer session Saturday morning (probably about an hour), and then a 5 mile run after Easter dinner on Sunday.
Intervals on saturday. Swimming on sunday !
10 mile run on Saturday in prep for candy on Sunday.
Planning to go hard on my Kickr with TrainerRoad. Recently upped my FTP after my strongest test ever so the next two weeks should be painfull.
Probably ride 1hr today, 1 hr tomorrow, 1.5 on Sunday then a recovery 2 hrs on Monday.
I’ll try and steer clear of the Easter chocolates but with 3 kids I doubt it will happen…
Planning to get an early bike ride in Saturday then yard work the rest of the day…Sunday will be a long run day after Easter festivities of course!
I am going to be doing a metric century on Saturday, and then a trainer road workout on Sunday.
Flying down to Florida and then long runs around Sanibel Island!
Just an easy 10k on sunday afternoon.
Family gathering over the weekend will possibly rule out an outdoor ride but, if all else fails I still have the Pro Form bike!
Chasing my son finding Easter eggs in the lawn!
Going for a 6 mile tempo on Saturday with our training group, followed by a large group social run on Sunday of about 10 miles!
25 mile long run on Saturday and a 15 mile run on Sunday with a sprinkling of yoga.
starting the long weekend with Maidenhead East 10 (10miles), then it’s parkrun tomorrow (5K – I’ll be taking it slow), and a LSR on Sunday (maybe another 10 miles if my legs have recovered)
Sneaking in any time on the bike I can fit on Saturday. Run on Sunday before Easter dinner festivities.
My plans are to get in a long bike and a decent run.
I’ll be hitting the roads for a 5k Easter Run. And I’ll be hitting the weights. Have Squats 5×5 (190lbs), Overhead Press 5×5 (72.5lb) and Deadlifts 1×5 (230lb).
I’m planning to do a LS run on Saturday.
Sunday will be a lazy one.
And Monday is not yet decided.
Friday – 5 mile run
Saturday – 9 mile run
Sunday – 4 mile run
0 miles! Wrapping up my recovery, so I can start my training plan for my next event healthy!
6 mile run on Saturday and possibly some cross training on Sunday. I injured my hamstring last fall, so this will be the longest run I’ve done since the summer!
Long ride on Sunday outside and not on my trainer!
I’ll be doing some short ‘shake the legs out’ rides in the Easter weekend sunshine – and putting together my new Kickr Snap for the rainy days yet to come.
Long mountain bike (50-60km ; +1000m) ride in south of Paris (Meudon, Velizy, etc) to get ready for the Jean Racine ride.
Hoping to do a 9 mile run tomorrow, and a short 3 mile run before church on Easter Sunday.
3 hr mtn bike on Saturday and running on Sunday.
Try to stay warm while riding in the mid west spring weather
Planning on squeezing a bike ride into a boozy WE!
I am going to take a nice 5 hour bike ride to my parents house to meet up with my wife and son for an Easter egg hunt on Saturday and start running home after for my wife to pick me up and head to our grandparents for Easter dinner.
My plan is to get a 50 minute trainer ride in on Friday, a 7 Mile run on Saturday, and another trainer ride on Sunday. Or maybe the Friday ride won’t happen and I’ll do the trainer on Saturday and a run on Sunday. We’ll see how the motivation is after work!
I’m in recovery mode post-marathon, so I’ll run 2 miles and try to get in a swim.
Just got off trainer. 60min at biggest gear, 23mph, then 30mph for 1 min every 5 min. Ride every day for 1h. Other days I’ll stand on pedals during a 1 min interval every 5 min, or ride at higher cadence/speed, or drop to lower gear and very high cadence. Getting ready for La Marmotte in July; 4 big peaks, 120m, 16K feet, finishing with Alp d’Huez. Whoopie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wish I could bike outside but it just snowed here.
Happy Easter! I’ll be out on my roadie both Saturday and Sunday.
Long weekend, so a 10k today, bike ride tomorrow, and maybe run or swim Sunday. All to offset the cinnamon rolls I just made…
Having a famiky weekend so mostly chasing or carrying a 2 year old around parks and playgrounds
Taking the holiday lite, starting to taper so plan on logging a couple easy 6 milers and enjoying some jelly beans.
Run 5 miles Saturday and go biking (or play golf) Sunday!
Cardio and strength training at the gym Friday. Spin class on Saturday.
I plan on walking a lot all over seattle and hopefully get to the gym in my hotel to do some cycling. Real training on layovers is always a puzzle.
And the eat a lot of Belgian chocolate when I finally get back home.
3h.30′ bike today, 12km run + 2000mt swim tomorrow and 60km bike sunday, that’s it!
I am doing a 35 mile ride over 3 mountains in North Georgia on Saturday, and then I’ll probably do 30 or so easy miles on Sunday for recovery. Might throw in a 3 mile run either this evening, or on Sunday if the legs feel good.