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.
I’m putting in some trainer miles to add some structure after the winter fat biking. So far it’s been a deluge of sufferfests, but Newfoundland weather has cleared up for a nice (cold) road ride today.
Building back up some mileage after some time off due to injury and travel. Hoping to get 8-10 miles in on Sunday if I have time.
On route (cycle) with my sister and father
Woohoo,
one hour on the spinning bike today and a 10k run tomorrow.
would love to have a Power meter on my bike.
My workout plans for this weekend consisted on running a trail saturday morning and emptying the fridge sunday at lunch.
Hopefully get in a decent long run as have an ultra coming up in a fortnight.
My Easter training plans involve riding the local MTB trail, placing tiny easter eggs in strategic places, then taking my Nephew for a ride through and seeing how many he can find :-)
Saturday : 1 hour ride
Sunday : circuit race
I have planned my long run for this weekend
2 short and 1 long on the indoor bike (hey, it’s still winter here!)
Ironman training for the entire weekend end, and eating tons of chocolat for easter and my birthday
Saturday will be spending time with my family. On Sunday I’m planing a small hike and on Monday a 10k run.
A great long MTB session in the Welsh countryside followed by 10 mile trail run the next day
Waiting for the rain to stop…
2 hour bike ride on my new Wahoo trainer, celebrating my husband’s birthday, coco chase with the kids and a 6 km run. Happy Easter to everyone!
I’m still recovering from a light injury, so hopefully I’ll be back in shape for easy runs by the end of the week
Spring cleaning and a decent 20k run and lots of eggs. :)
Run/bike/run.
Then Easter with my mother-in-law.
Please help.
Plans include a trip to the Ozark Mountains and training on some hills.
Happy Easter Everyone!
Saturday was spent with family. Sunday I’m working a 24 hour shift at the fire station and then going for a short run on Monday. Chocolate will be a part of the nutrition requirements for the run.
Weight training Sunday!
Having just done the World Half Marathon Champs at Cardiff I am now concentrating on a 24 hour event in July so am switching training to lots of slow 10-11 minute mile runs building up distance to at least one 50 miler in the months to come – recovery run done today, same again tomorrow, 5 miles in about 58 mins
I did a ride with one of my team group on Saturday and Sunday will stay in bed and will spend morning time with the family.
Using the sound of my bike trainer to try to get my infant daughter to fall asleep..
A long run and easy ride on Saturday and a hard ride and easy run on Sunday.
Running to the lake today.
Hopefully getting some sunshine and a short and easy bike ride.
Hello!
Thanks for the contest! Good Friday saw me in the pool for the first time in ages, then off to an indoor riding session, followed by a massage. Hey, when I get the day off work, I cram as much in as possible. Saturday I met up for a group run of six miles, then took some lady friends out mountain biking. Today I hope my husband and I can pedal road bikes together–he had to work Friday and Saturday.
Thanks again!
Meg
Yesterday was an indoor strength training. Today is Long Run for me!
Quebec is not quite yet suitable for cycling. A trainer would be great! I have Rollers, but so,ehow don’t enjoy them as much as going outside :(. Trainer would let me do some HIIT training and be done with it :D
I have been out with bronchitis and have high hope to put in a few laps in the pool, and possibly some running while on the work trip.
Schedule is a long tempo run for upcoming half in two weeks
After a week in a bike/run training camp in Italy, I’ll have a few recovery days, with easy swims or runs.
Saturday : Strength Training
Sunday : 8 km run
Planning to swim a couple of k’s, and if the weather will allow, it’ll be an OW swim
Easy run for me!
Gonna take it easy with a yoga and piilates this weekend.
Easy 50+- mile ride with my mates
Bake an easter bread, then go for a run, come back and eat the bread to add the burned carbs again…
A long (8 mile) run, for the first time this season I’m going to pass the 10k mark :)
Heading out on the road bike for a longish spin Monday, thankfully missing storm Katie in prep for my cycle with the excellent Stephen Roche training camp in Mallorca next week!
I have 6 days of base building running on the plan, 5 days of stationary bike spinning, and 5 lap swims.
I am building up my base to transition from running to tri’s
14 mile run yesterday recovery ride and cord work today then chocolate!
Plan is to do a 1.5 hour MTB training ride on rolling hill Terran and smash it up one of the hardest steep up hill sections I have ridden on the same ride.
Short easy runs this weekend. Tapering for a race next weekend.
Seven Mile Tempo Run on Sunday
Restated goal is 38km run on Monday morning – postponed from Sunday morning due to colossal “chocolate hangover” from the 3 large eggs foolishly consumed on Saturday night in haste.
Body weight training at home
Training for fitness right now. No races scheduled
Run 18k on Saturday, go for an Easter Hike 26k on Monday.
1km indoor ‘hike’ with vacuum cleaner on saturday, 1km easter egg hunt with the kids in the garden on sunday &
hopefully 10km nightrun when they are asleep.
Trying to find time to do an indoor 90 trainer ride. Provided I have energy and willing muscles after spending all day Saturday and most of Sunday moving my parents from a house to an apartment. Dealing with my work commitments, errands, etc. It is one of those weekends.
Rode 68 miles on Saturday. Sunday going to be with family.
Doing a 2hr trainer ride followed by Easter brunch with the fam
A weekend of carb (and chocolate) loading followed by a week of regret and long runs to recover.
Eating, drinking, watching batman/superman, biking, eating and drinking
60 min Zwift ride on my Kickr on Saturday, followed by 100 minutes bikram yoga on Sunday :)
Since its raining, I’ll be heading to the gym.
This weekend I made some core workout and went for a easy run. I also eat a little bit of “folar”, “bola de carne” and of course some chocolate eggs. :P
With this weekend snowfalls, I will not get on my bike, but I’ll run a nice 10k + train with power on my trainer.
Saturday: Training with the family, 5x(1m run, 1m walk), and a fast 10k
Sunday: try not to eat too much
Monday: try to run again…
Active recovery!
Getting back on the bike after being sick with the flu!
Continued training for my half marathon at the gym yesterday, today is more casual with taking my dog for a long walk through the countryside and spring cleaning
Cleaned my bike in the sunshine on Friday it was pefect riding weather. I hoped to get out a couple of times but the weather turned and my plans have changed, one session on the turbo yesterday and one tomorrow.
Going for the first club ride of the season, soooo looking forward to it.
Ride with the best friend, even though he is a bit slow these days :)
Legs are sore from a long run but plan on getting 6 miles in on Sunday if the weather allows
I am going to use the spin bike this weekend as I try to recover from shoulder surgery, no running or bunnies for this guy!
This weekend will be a little slack due to family holiday but still plan a mountain bike training ride
Going to take a swim this weekend and then eat chocolate. Simple.
Running. Then a beer!
6 mile run Friday.
Hour on trainer Saturday.
Hour run Sunday after church.
Lots of candy.
Went for a 6.5 mile run on Saturday and followed that up with a 6×150 meter strides. Finished off the day with some lifting at the gym and Sunday will be a good old rest day (thanks coach).
Run 10K, take a Body Pump class and swim 2K. Then a grill with family
Easter is the off weekend, according to my coach. I shall just take it easy, have some walks and rides with the wife and eat lots of chocolate.
I’ve got a 13 mile run this weekend that I have to fit in between a child’s birthday and Easter.
Yes I too will be eating chocolate eggs with my 2 year old son, and going to the gym!
I want to run enough to decide whether to enter in an 8-mile run in a couple of weeks — and whether I can handle the two-hour bike ride before and after…
Hopefully a short run tonight after work then trainer ride tomorrow morning
This weekend is a recovery weekend, if you call yard work recovery. Most of my running happens mid week.
This weekend will be a mixture of recovery rides on the trainer mixed with some spring skiing!!
Starting the taper for my marathon in 2 weeks. One 18 mile run with some marathon-paced miles, taking it easy for the other days.
A slow and peaceful 10k on Saturday, and some miles on the bike on Monday, if the weather will be good!
It’s all about climbing for me.
– Did some trad routes in the Peak District, UK on Friday
– 1hr fasted running this morning (13.5km – one day I’ll hit 15 :/ )
– Indoor sports climbing tomorrow, with a core workout to finish
eating easter eggs!
Hill repeats with my bike
It is the day of long run training, so, no time for rest, as the race is in four weeks!
3xSwim
3xWeights
1xBike
16 km easy run and 25 km ride with my daughter.
Saturday did a 54km run, Sunday a 80km bike… And now just relaxing on the couch, since recovery seems to be important….
Weather should be decent. Three days of riding outside, 2 – 3 hours per day. Low intensity base miles.
Checking out gyms in my new home city of Edinburgh and a slow and steady post injury 5k run to get things started again!
Long run Saturday and short run Sunday for 50 miler in April.
On Saturday I ran a 50km and today I am preparing an epic Easter Egg hunt for the kids.
First road ride of the season.
I plan on doing a 60k ride and a 40k ride just so I can eat an entire Easter bunny.
6 mile run and 45 mile ride.
Planning to run 3 miles per day and get in one long bike ride! Chocolate bunnies will likely be part of the nutrition picture.
Alone with the kids for Easter so i’m forced to limit my training to night ride on the trainer when the kids sleep.
frist up is a 20k flat sprint followed by a low watt longer ride.
A leisurely 5 mile run today before cooking a turkey dinner.