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.
The good ol’ long run.
And lots of food!
3.5 hr bike with 45 min run on Sat and Sun 1.5hr run tempo
I’ll be running 20km into the local beach town, where I’ll be buying Easter egg for the kids!
Fri – week 8 knee rehab exercises
Sat – same as Friday with 20+ pool laps
Sun – same as Friday
Mon – same as Saturday
Just did a lovely 113km hilly ride Good Friday, swim and progression run tomorrow then off to Portugal Sunday for a weeks training camp with some friends ????
Saturday: 2 hr run
Sunday: 2.5k swim
I’m strength training tonight and going on a longish mountain bike ride tomorrow. Then eating too much on Easter.
This is a long-run weekend trying to convince myself to enter a marathon this year. Also need to get out on the bike, went for a mtb last weekend and have felt it all week!
My plans involve breaking in my new cycling shoes around the Cotswolds in the UK.
I’ll be racing in a Sprint Triathlon on Sunday. Pool swim, closed bike course, 5k run. Lots of hills, though.
As I did a long run today my knee will probably scream for some resting tomorrow. Maybe I will do some little gymnastics or just rest.
Group ride with our local multi-sport group. One hour out – one hour back, then a potluck and microbrew adult beverages. Hopefully the rain will stay away.
I intend to take it easy this weekend.because the shins are hurting
56 miles on the tri-bike!
Moving house while eating chocolate to keep energy up!
I have a 10km run and also going for a 60km ride. Nutrition to be a small egg every 45-60 mins with a bunny for recovery! :-)
I’m running a 10k on Saturday and riding my bike 32 miles to the beach. That is about all I have the energy for these days.
Planning a 100km MTB orienteering around Madrid with a few friends. Crossing my fingers for a win. I’d love to get a real GPS for my bike. I have a V650 and today’s 80km didn’t go too well.
I’m doing a swim at the gym on Saturday and a run on Sunda!
Weekend will involve 2.5k club swim friday morning followed by steak and normandie cider with some pals friday eve. A hill run Sat with the dog flowed by family Dinner.
If the weather improves a 90k club spin on Sun and regular club swim on Monday with bank holiday breakfast at the local cafe. So mostly eating with some excercise thrown in!
XC ski + run + bike ride, the sequence depends on the weather (no cycling in the wet below +10C ;-)
We finally have a sunny weekend so I plan a 40-60 mile ride, with 3,500-5,000 ft of climbing for Saturday, chilling on Sunday..
I will be racing in a sprint Triathlon. trying to break my PR.
Run 13k friday, 25k saturday and 7k sunday
I’m taking my two year old swimming in the morning, and hoping he will sleep long enough for a 90 minute ride in the afternoon (it normally tires him out pretty well). Then hoping to get in a couple of hours on the bike on Sunday morning before we all head off to my parents to eat and drink too much!
Long Ride tomorrow then probably a short run on Sunday before the feast.
Go for a run if time, get ready for the first big half marathon!
Hi Everyone,
Thanks DCRM and CT for another giveaway. That’s really pretty awesome of you guys. My weekend training plan is to do my long run towards the goal of charity running the Berlin marathon–my first ever. The long run is still pretty short at the moment–15km.
Thanks!
Not much probably as I’ve already done 170 kilometres of skiing this week… But maybe a calm 10k just to get back in the running business.
A 10k race for a local charity on Saturday (that I haven’t trained for at all) and if I’m able to walk after that a 90k bike race on Sunday morning through Connemara in Ireland.
I plan to do a push-up for every jelly bean I eat in addition to hiking and running.
Friday = Easy 60 minute Bike in Fasted State
Saturday = 1 hr Run
Sunday = 2 hr Bike
Monday = Swim & Bike
Easter weekend just kicked in with a nice and easy Good Friday 5k. 40-50k ride on Saturday and Sunday – yeah, Sunday is all about the chocolate eggs and bunnies
Swim bike fun! Doing PT for a run injury…
I own a small group gym in San Diego, and amazingly, everyone wants to take a Kickboxing class on Easter Sunday, so I’ll have the gloves on for an hour, preceded by an indoor cycling class (we have Schwinn bikes, so I can’t say Sp_nning).
30k of Nordic skiing tomorrow and a ride on Sunday (after gorging on Lindt chocolate and Cadbury mini eggs that I just picked up at Target).
Yoga on Saturday and then hopefully an easy ride on Sunday…working on getting my knee back in running shape so next year I’ll be able to beat my kids at the egg hunt!
The weather forecast is more Autumn than Easter, but 50-miles on the bike tomorrow morning and then a long run in the forest on Easter Sunday just on the outskirts of London.
This weekend I’ll be running 5km then following it up with a 40km cycle around the beautiful Cheshire countryside.
A short 8k run. Getting back from into shape after flu..
First 5K of the year!! Woop
It’s going to be an inside ride today – wife with broken hip and collarbone on the sofa, I can’t go far
Saturday ..a run of 20 kilometers and one hour Swim indoors , Sunday 75 km bike ride , Monday family time..
Watching the US men’s national soccer team take on Guatemala. 5k race for a PR and then resting up!
Fly home Sat. Run to stretch out the legs on Sunday and burn off an Easter brunch.
two big runs w/ my tireless Vizsla
A ride a swim a ride a run
I’ve got an 8 mile training run on my schedule for the weekend. Followed by lots of sitting on the couch.
Morning swim followed by a 2 hour bike ride.
Last weekend without the family…no Easter bunny, but at least three large training rides planned.
A nice run along the Chicago lakeshore… where bunnies will indeed be hopping.
Hill repeats until I hurl. (I heard it was a thing.) ;-)
Ciao Ray,
Short run on saturday (6km) and ride on sunday (50km)
Friday = 60 minute Orange Theory
Saturday = 60 min Upper Body Workout
Sunday = 60 min Lower Body Workout
Kayaking friday, run sat and Sunday at in laws house. They have some great trails in their backyard!
Just moved to a new flat, so likely to have a spin around to discover new routes
Fresh snow today to telemark in, tomorrow I’ll do a backcountry skin/ski, and probably a nordic skate ski on Sunday
I’m borrowing a demo Diverge at the moment. Fitted CX tyres to it yesterday, so I’m going to be doing some trips to the woods!
Tomorrow I’m cycling from Malaga to Osuna in Spain. 1400m along 116km, nothing too crazy
Sat will be easy, only to try making the Sunday group ride hard :)
I have a road race on Saturday and our hammerfest coffee ride on Sunday.
a session running on a treadmill + strength training and 70 km road cycling
I’m running 3 miles to see the cherry blossoms! Sunday I’m doing a track workout!
25 miles on the bike today (Good Friday), intervals on the rollers tomorrow, cake-eating for my mums birthday on Sunday, then LSD on the rollers on Monday!
First spring ride out at 7am tomorrow with a good friend in the Kent (UK) countryside.
Long 100 ride on saturday and 4k ride + 10k run on Monday.
happy easter!
Mountain Biking in Vallée de Chevreuse (43 km from Paris)
Long and slow is on the menu
no training for me, just resting my broken back
Saturday trail run with friends
Sunday-Sunrise Easter service at the Riverfront Park on the banks of the Arkansas River as it flows through downtown Little Rock, then last long run of 20 through the city trail system before winding down mileage for #Boston2016! Hallelujah
I did my long ride today, so rest is what I have ahead
2 hours on the bike trainer each day over the long weekend.
At least 2 runs and possibly a bike.
Saturday free, sunday 10K run and monday 30min indoorcycling.
100 km bike ride planned
Trainer road on my kickr.
Saturday plan is for a 3000mt swim training folowed by sunday 3hrs bike ride plus 45minutes easy run…chocolate eggs to fnish the day…
12-16k runs on Saturday and Sunday, 80k ride on Monday
Eating a lot of chocolate eggs last days. Long run this weekend in preparation for the marathon in 2 more weeks.
Long club ride tomorrow and on Sunday the same again! If I can stomach it, this will be followed up with a shorter one on Monday.
Planning to hit the trails on Saturday and run 10K Sunday. Happy Easter!
Easy run Saturday morning. Quiet day with the kids on Sunday
MAF test on Saturday and a long run on Sunday.
Starting Saturday at 6am… Swim, bike, sleep, chocolate… Repeat until Monday.
Easy 4 miles – hopefully a long run Sunday
100km ride on Sat and a trail run on Sunday
Short 8-10k along the canal. Just enough to assuage the guilt of eating too many chocolate eggs.
Weekend training and activity
Friday night commutish ride – 18 miles with a likely beer stop in the middle
Saturday – Hash run in the hils, beer to follow
Sunday – Probably a MTB ride in the hills, usually ends with a beer.
Sense a theme?
I’ll swim sat then on a plane for Mexico!
Since it’s the last training day of my triathlon camp, we’ll do a hilly 80 km trip tomorrow, Sunday is recovery traveling.
Planning to go out on a 50 mile shop ride and Saturday and then probably a 60 mile ride around a dam on Sunday. Seems like a fun plan most definitely.
Today: Medium-easy 12k, tomorrow: long run (20+ k), sunday: rest :-)
Just a 14 km run for training, to be prepared for a 28 km run on the following Sunday.
I plan to swim until either I can’t anymore or the Easter Bunny comes and kicks me out of the pool. I also plan to force myself to endure a 10km run. Happy Easter!!
Back in the pool Saturday, gonna push for three miles, and some hiking on Sunday.
Friday- 2 hour fasted z2 cycle
Saturday – strength
Sunday- Full day skiing :)
Planning to run 10k in the stadium nearby at Saturday and Sunday maybe some weight lifting.
This week-end, training for iron man 70.3, with 2400m swimming alternating fast pace and technique. A 10 km run, and core training.
I won’t be eating much chocolate or spam, but I will be getting in a 5 mile run on Sunday.
Coming back from surgery so ramping back up and hope to get an 8-mile run tomorrow, a strength workout and some biking in on Sunday.
Sounds great, thanks Ray!
Well it’s a difficult choice between Fenix3 HR and the Hawaiian underwear…
I plan a gentle run tomorrow after my tai-chi class, a double-gentle one on Sunday w/ maybe some km at marathon pace and a long run on Monday. With all that, heavy load of magnesium–ok black chocolate you got me.
Cheers