Deals Still On This Weekend! A huge number of the Amazon deals are still going! This includes the Garmin Epix for just $459, and the Fenix 8 for $150 off. The Apple Watch Series 10 for $279, the GoPro Hero 13 Black for $329, smart trainers, drones, action cams, and plenty more! Go check out the full 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.
You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here!
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.While I don't partner with many companies, there's a few that I love, and support the site. Full details!
Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
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!
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/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!
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 plans are quite simple. On Saturday morning a bike workout with some intervals (1 hour 10 minutes duration), on afternoon 12 km run + some core stability. On Sunday a nice 18 km cross run in the woods :D
I’ll be spending Easter in family, running and hiking on our favorite trail!
Start again slowly to prepare for my HM in two weeks – after being out sick for 10 days
And of course: Easter egg hunting with my kids.
Running around the Kloentalersee, hope not to find too much snow, around 30km, just enough km to stay on top of the strava Club “swiss Ultratrail community”
A short run on saturday
More sessions on the trainer. FTP tested up from last time so interesting to see if I can still hang.
I’ll be doing a weekend tri. Swimming and running today, followed by a 65mile road cycler tomorrow. Legs up on Sunday!
Saturday a 40km MTB ride, Sunday a 10km trailrun and Monday recovery with chocolate eggs :-)
I’ll be heading out the front door for a 6-8 mile run later today, followed by a rest day with exercises tomorrow, and then another 6-8 mile run on Sunday!
I’m doing a long run and a long bike. Maybe even a swim if my shoulder is feeling better.
This year at Savitaipale, Finland, it’s skiing on the still frozen Lake Kuolimo, running in the silent forests around the lake, finding chocolate eggs with the kids outside in the snowy garden and trying to be able to do all that with all that delicious food and desserts in the fridge.
Friday evening: Core & Stability training
Saturday: Fun with the Kids
Sunday: Cycling (about 85km)
Monday: Short ride & brunch
65km bunch rude and a 16km tempo run, plus a sneaky HC hill climb if I find the time
The plan is short tempo run 8 x 800 meters.
A short test run saturday to see if the pain in my knee has improved…. Two weeks until my first ultra, so fingers crossed that the knee is more runnable than last weekend…
I’am going to have 2 easy swimming workouts and 3 moderate runs. I don’t eat sweets so it will be easy for me :-)
My training plan are an interval session with 10 x 400m repeats on friday, saterday easy long run 80min, sunday 40min easy run, monday a half marathon in marathon race pace. All in all preparations for Marathon of Rotterdam of 10APR16.
Fun weekend ahead: first sprint of the season on Saturday followed by a 2 hour ride Sunday morning!
My weekend goal is to rest and ride 170km on Eater Monday
Should be running a 5K on the weekend, and then chocolate.
Crossfit WOD followed by a lot of chocolate
I’m running in the IAAF/Cardiff University worlds half marathon
parkrun in Poole on Saturday and a longish run on Sunday :-)
Working out indoors after 8inches of spring snow fell.
– Repeat the FTP Test
– Two 200km days back to back with a friend crossing the country bikepacking
– Zwift to recover and pre-streching
Quite busy weekend – two 4k swims, two long runs and hopefully a coffee ride :)
To enjoy the first outdoor cycling training as the spring finally arrived to Estonia. :)
20km run and 2h on the bike.
FTP test today followed by a long day climbing. It’s my birthday ride. Maybe a short ride tomorrow. Pie on Sunday.
Just need to get in one tempo run over the weekend and I’ll be happy.
HOP, on the bike and go for a 40 miler. Recovery run on Saturday. -Happy Easter!
Family time and some running.
Also, continuing to test out the Moto 360 Sport. Just received an Android Wear update last night that I am hoping solves the stuttering bluetooth music problem when jogging with the Plantronics BackBeat Fit headphones (btw, these headphones work perfectly when running with the Sony SmartWatch 3)
tempo run saturday and long sunday
50k lake Lahore ride. Egg hunting with the monsters and recover with 12k run the Monday
10k in Central Park
watching college basketball and eating pizza.
Already done a 10km run and 50 km bike.. Work for two days then an “underground” Half-Marathon on Monday.
Easter Eggs are the finishing prizes for the 21km !
TTs followed by chocolate pizza
A comeback run or two with a couple of rides thrown in just for the fun of it.
That should be 1 hour easy on Saturday, with 10′ tempo, and 1h30 on Sunday. Oh … and chocolate of course.
My plan is a 12 mile run on Saturday morning, followed by eating a lot of candy on Sunday morning.
i’m going to practice butterfly swimming in a pool
This weekend is base miles.
My plan is to chase my daughter around and eat. I have charged up my garmin watch so maybe I’ll actually use it?
Long Run with quality
planing some interval training for the half marathon I’m racing next month.
I have to do a yard work triathlon this week. Lawn, beds, and general clean up. If I wake up early enough I can squeeze in a ride.
Tabata session on Saturday. Long, early run on Easter morning.
Well, that eating chocolate eggs thing sounds good to me. I think I’ll try that. Right between the morning and the afternoon runs this weekend.
Long group run Saturday morning followed by a bike ride with the kids. Sunday is a day of rest.
I’m in taper mode for the Berlin HM next weekend, but I’ve got 6 planned today (Friday), 10 tomorrow, and then 5 easy Sunday.
Some training runs and chasing after my 2 kids!
Long run with my brother tomorrow, which we rarely get to do because we live far apart, so yay to that. And a ridiculously long trainer ride on sunday.
Some speed work on Sunday in preparation for an upcoming 8k.
Swim, Run and a long Bike. Oh yeah
Just a short bike ride 3-5 km.
My plan is to be lazy over the weekend, then a few shorter runs next week. Maybe hit some cals in there as well
Whatever I can fit in considering I am working 12 hour shifts every day this weekend. Boo!
If the baby allows me, I’ll go out on the trail here for a quick 2hr ride. Can’t wait to get back to proper training!
Fri 2×5000 @ 4.55 recover 3min
Sat 70min @ 5.20
Sun 24km @ 5.15
Training plans for the weekend are actually more on the resting side than anything. I’m aiming to visit a few places to get some walking in, otherwise, it’s more or less a recovery weekend from the week’s training for me.
I wonder if chocolate bunnies walk, not just hop?
We’re supposed to get a lot of rain, so I’ll probably spend too much time on the treadmill. If weather permits, I’ll be running trails to get ready for my 50K next month.
A pool swim and a turbonsession.
A little swim and eating chocolate bunny ears
I’m in the final stages of recovering from a calf injury, so a run/walk session on a treadmill today, hopefully followed by a 10k run later in the weekend.
50+mi both Sat/Sun with a lot of climbing. Spring has arrived!
An easy bike, followers by a birthday party.
90 minute swim with the group on Sat; 1 mile time trial run to establish new VO2max value for spring training
A good long sleep
Saturday outdoor ride followed by some prime rib on Sunday!
My coach has me doing some crazy Zone 5 Pace repeats for 2 hours. Then I’ll go recover at a nice restaurant for Easter brunch.
The easter will be my test weekend.
Performed a 1500m swim test Thursday.
Saturday will be a 5k running test.
At last a ftp test on the bike on Monday.
Wish me luck!!
I haven’t fully planned out my weekend training yet. But I’m considering running to sunrise service in Easter morning (and back home) for a total of 12 miles.
I plan to go do a few short runs to avoid my inlaws.
Probably 3 X 40 minutes.
I’m accidentally sprained my ankle, so I will resting most time in weekend. May be short bicycle ride.
Indoors – treadmill and Zwift climbing. Pollen is streaming outside.
This weekend is my kickoff training for my next marathon! Pretty excited about it! Also, first time I will not be running my age on my birthday in about 5 years – gotta switch over to metric at some point anyway! :)
It looks like a nice weekend ahead, so i’ll probably head out on the bike. Oh, and yard work.. that counts as training, right?
A 12k run along the flat canals of Kildare – ideal training for a 21k mountain run in Colombia!
3 hours trainer session and 2 hour treadmill during the weekend.
Planning a 10km run and some Zwift new Watopia mountain climb …. without the bunny !
15k running today, and 2 hours Kickr Saturday !
This weekend is all about taking advantage of a) the time off work and b) beautiful autumn weather here in Australia.
So;
Friday – Fast 70km ride – along the coast and then looping back. Then a 10km slow run along the river in the evening
Saturday – 40km ride, including a couple of hard efforts up some 5 – 8%hills. Then to the pool in the afternoon for a 2.5km steady state, easy swim
Sunday – A long ride up into the hills; the cafe will be closed so it’ll be BYO this time around :(
Monday – Nice long run, taking in some hills; aiming for 1.5 hours.
Oh and did I mention the awesome weather? So lots of outdoor cooking!
Tuesday is back to work and a couple of days off training…
I should do a simple easy run on Saturday followed by a long run Sunday… But I might do the long run on Saturday and spend Sunday eating chocolate eggs actually…
Just finished a spin workout this morning and tomorrow have a 5 mile run on the calendar. Sunday is my rest day. Thanks, would love the Forerunner 630!
I’m going to workout my rest muscle as hard as I possibly can.
Ich werde am Wochenende relaxen und maximal meine Langschlaffähigkeiten trainieren.
Following a modified daniels plan currently, so 2E + 4M + 2E Saturday and church, family, food on Sunday.
I’ll be in my basement with trainer road and Daredevil in Netflix!
I’ll be taking the bike out for a hill ride with a friend along the Nakasendo old post road. Hopefully we will be coming back as well.
Short recovery run tomorrow and 20km run with fast finish on Sunday. Happy holidays!
Cycling 115k to get to a nice beach destination, and just hang out with friends there!
Twenty mile run around the local reservoir.
Running 8 miles on Saturday and lifting weights, and then going for an easy 4 mile run on Sunday.
To start my training for a 14K-trailrun, I will run a 12 minute cooper-test on Easter day to test my current fitness level.
16 mile run as part of my Marathon preparation.
I’ve got 2 bike rides, a brick, a long run and half an hour on the vasa over the next three days.
I spend on holidays and will train my ability for recreation.
Bike/run brick on Saturday and 2.5hr ride with hill repeats on Sunday followed by some dark chocolate for special recovery nutrition!
Gonna ride, ride, ride the bike!