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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
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.
Riding first sportive with my wife since her chemotherapy
I do not know yet, will run today but it would be better with 600$ gadget.
I rode my bike this morning. Another ride tomorrow. Light swimming on Sunday.
A 120 km LSD-ride to really kick of the biking season
Jogging around near home to check the status of cherry blossom in Tokyo.
10km running on Saturday and 50km ride on Sunday
Pretty quite weekend as on a rest week – hour run on Saturday, probably a swim and maybe a run on Monday.
A (slow) ride followed by a (slower) run.
Going As far as possible the weekend, depending on the weather…. Go go go
Oh, indoor intervals and lots of swimming for the weekend again :)
A short run, 2 Freeletics workouts and hopefully a 40 km bike ride if the weather is ok-ish.
I am hosting a party and expecting about 40 people with little kids to show up. Eating and talking would be the main event.
I do plan to run a 5 mile either the same day or the next day to burn off the calories that I consumed.
Hopefully I can finish running.
First ride on bike of this season, it should be sunshine in the Czech republic fortunately
Hoping to get a 50 mile ride in!
Clean bike and climbing session
Ok originally i had planned to bring the bike to my parents, so it wouldn’t all be eating and i might actually get senior out in the sun once or twice. However i had a wrong lift in a deadlift session, so my back is now killing me, and i’m out for at least a week.
Making use of clocks going forward and getting an evening ride in
Have a 3hour ride followed by a 45minute run planned in the schedule Saturday and a long run planned for Sunday. Perhaps I will fuel in between the long bike and run with some chocolate easter bunnies!
Hiking some mountains in the region. That’s all I got for this weekend.
My goal is a 12k run on sunday. I am training for a spring half marathon.
50min easy run on saturday. If the weather will be ok a short bike ride on sunday.
This week-end, the first ride of The year !
Running in a 5k on Saturday.
A short wet windy one today followed by a long wet windy one on Monday, and a bit of cycling too!! ?
ParkRun 5k with my dog and hopefully 75km on the bike.
Park run smash Saturday, Ely to Cambridge long run with Cambridge Tri Sunday!
I’m going back to my home town, so nice 15km run around the old places would do.
Juste a smooth 10 miles run on saturday. Then the same on sunday (with of course a lot of chocolate refueling in between).
Long runs around Munich where we travelled for the weekend!
Moving lots of sheep between some paddocks a few k’s apart and a long run!
25km+ long run on Saturday, recovery run on Monday.
Dandenongs; 1,000 steps running. Aerobicness. Good times.
150 2day
100 2morrow
monday….. tbc rain
After some hard (but ultimately unsuccessful) racing at the GB Olympic rowing trials, it’s two weeks until the World Championships trials. I’ve got an ergometer test to complete tomorrow and then a quiet recovery day I think!
Weekend starts with a 56miles bike ride in beautiful California.
I’m training for my first triathlon, and still a lot to do on the swimming leg, so I am planning to sessions in the pool and some running.
Hope to get over my man flu, then burn off some eggs on the road bike
Well I did a moderately hard interval ride yesterday when the sun was out but as the rest of the weekend is gale force winds & torrential rain I’m going to be forced to sit inside & eat chocolate eggs.
As a matter of fact I am almost already off forra easy 10k morning run. Some core exercises tomo and a long run on Monday are planned further on.
30km trail run, with 3 cups of ice cream after that.
A short run to check if I’m able to run after a Injury and a TRX training.
Going for some long walks with the children and helping one of them learn to ride a bike, which is certainly an interval session for me!!
Saturday trainerroad session Trojan and Sunday a group ride of 2.5 hours
I will be focussed on eating chocolate first and then go for long bike ride on Monday to burn calories
Going for a century ride on Saturday. Than feasting on Sunday and an other century on Monday morning.
Hopefully I can choose a new gadget soon ;)
Heading out to battle Storm Katie and the wind and rain on a 40 miler in Ashdown Forest.
After some weeks with injuries I ll try to hit the 10k again today. Hoping for good weather conditions on Monday to get on my bike.
Entire weekend will be dedicated to hanging up wallpapers and doing some XC-skiing.
80k-ride with father in law :)
Marathon training + some turbo training – then some recovery easter eggs :)
Planning to run twice 10k between eating Easter eggs and chocolates!
Some muscular endurance rides on local hills.
10 mile long run. Slow but building!
Rest
Today, the saturday before Easter, it’ll be a bike-run brick day. 140 km bike followed by 10 km run.
Short bike and run today to ease my legs into a Duathlon on Sunday.
Lomg ride on the weekend -weather permitting!
Half marathon training run on Saturday, hike on Sunday then a good swim on Monday.
Training to eat large in Portugal.
Just some short running and hopefully getting back on the bike
Tapering on the weekend after a long ride yesterday and TT race coming up on Monday.
I did a quick 30 mile ride on (Good) Friday, I’m leading a ~90 mile group ride on Saturday and planning to do the Pretzel loop on Zwift if Sunday’s forecast rain materializes.
Long 3+km sea swim
An early Morning 1-2 hours hike on Sunday. Hopefully i can wake up early ;p
Going for a hard ten k run ready for next weekend’s half mrsthob
On the trainer this weekend!
Today I’ll go for the traditional Swedish easter dinner (same as for cristmast and midsummer) and on Sunday there might be some kind of run ?
Recovery week this week. Light ride for the weekend
Unfortunately only core training for me as my knee is acting up again.
16 mile run along the canal towpath
Heading up to the Ski fields during our summer to trail run some cat tracks
100KM Zwift ride EARLY sSunday morning
13km run
Family get together runs with my two sisters and dad. Just like most public holidays.
Put new tires on my bike and go for an easy ride
I would be running, about 8 km, each day.
The plan is to overindulge – oopsie- carbon-load ;) but also to run a long 2hr 2-3 zone workout on Sunday and hill repeats on Monday.
Just leaving for a week long cycling training camp in the Okanagan Valley in Canada.
Indoor bike training and a 10km run wuith my dog !!!!!
Riding on my rowingbike with a little choco bunny in my rowingbag :-)
Cheers, Joep
My goal is to go on a 60 km ride on Sunday and meet up for Easter Lunch! Monday a good 100 km to digest all the egss and the “colomba” Let’s see if I meet the goal
Will go for a long run tomorrow, plus an easy ride today (since today seems to become the first day that kinda feels a bit like Spring).
I will be heading to gym few times and eating lot’s of chocolate.
A decent length ride on Saturday outdoors and a sweet spot session on the trainer on Sunday.
I’m doing the pretzel on zwift today and then a ride out tomorrow if the weather holds, if not back on Zwift island for the big hills again. I’m training for a 150 mile coast to coast ride in 24 hrs in the Uk in June, so lots of miles and hills needed! Then some chocolate eggs as recovery food ?
10 mile training run with my wife and a good heavy lift for myself!
15k run in the rainy and windy flatlands of Holland.
Because of a sore foot I cannot go running, so unfortunately I’m stuck indoors lifting weights at the gym. However, that’s still fun! :D
Some shorter taper runs and lots of sightseeing in Amsterdam.
I will do some body weight training at home. Since I have problems with my back I have to focus on my abs to be well prepared for my next volleyball match :-)
75Km road bike ride including Draycott Steep (link to strava.com) with the wife on Friday and then the weather here in UK means firing up Zwift for a couple of rides.
Just a big run and bike. A short but hard swim aswell :-)
I plan on taking a nap and not doing a single physical exercise (just opening my mouth to eat and using my fingers to tap on my phone).
Probably bike ride, 35 – 50 km and next day hiking if weather is OK
Saturday – weight session (Back and Biceps) with hour long ride in Afghanistan
Sunday – Day of rest (like every sunday)
18k run for a half marathon preparation
Fri 20Km walk through the countryside
sat rest day
sun 60min slow run
Mon 60min bike
Love long weekends :)
9km swim
I’ll be putting in a 50 mile solo ride before meeting up with my club for a 50 mile group ride. The rest of the weekend will just be relaxing.
30k trailrun on Friday and a 20k run on Sunday.