Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, and countless other Garmin products. 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.
Biking 2 hours on the trainer and a couple long runs!
Got an end of season halloween pub tour on bikes
A bike Tour and some climbing on Sunday :)
Competitive Halloween candy eating followed by a muddy trails ride and/or Sufferfest
On my quest to 50 states half marathon challenge. 5 down!
heading to portland and bike riding with my wife
This would be great to record our rides!
Skydiving!
No OW swimming now – too cold so a 5k run with the kids and a few hours on the turbo…
Group ride
Just a couple of slow runs to keep myself moving.
5km race with my 11 year old son. He’ll probably kick my butt.
Still summer in Portugal: surf and bike!
Running the Jazz Half Marathon in New Orleans benefiting Children’s Hospital.
I run 20 km in the Forest! On Sunday!
Sat: take son to 5k park run.
Sun: 50 mile endurance ride for me.
70 Mile Charity Ride supporting Meal on Wheels
I’m moving to a different city, time to explore the hills on the bike
Thanks Ray, have a nice day
Just the usual trot around the block.
Proactively ride off as much halloween candy as I can.
Long run of 20 miles scheduled.
the usual…swim bike run and generally avoid cleaning the house
Bike, run, hike, bike, bike! (free on Mo and Tu here in Germany!)
Some road cycling for the last time this outdoor season
Biking and napping – it’s the new endurance sport :-)
Biking! Trainer + a ride
Going to do an FTP test on swift for the first time.
Training my clubmates: a 90k bike ride and specific cornering technique for the roadie bike down hill. Camera would help!
Lots of off season activities centered around Halloween. And a brewery tour by bike.
Training for a half marathon in the beginning of december.
Saturday a will try 15k and then sunday a restday with a small run/walk in the forest.
Running 8 kms in the evening.
Hiking with my two year old
57km Trailrun and then RELAX
Will be running and supporting my in-law during his preparation for the NYC marathon next week!
Weekend athletic plans include levee run through the Everglades and possible open water swim in the ocean…gotta love South Florida in October!
Hill training…
I’ll be running the Beverley Beaver Trail in East Yorkshire, UK
Pulling my daughter in a bike trailer.
Take a spin through always-warm-and-dry Watopia on Saturday, then venture outside for a group ride on Sunday.
Biking in the surrounding area at least 1 hour long.
Winter league crit racing – trying to build up some points before the end of the season!
Parkrun then 16km training run Sunday
Enjoying a bit of post-ultra running season downtime & hitting the woods for some deer hunting.
Rest and recover time – all part of good training!
Long hilly grass tempo Saturday followed by easy miles on Sunday!
Not much, recovering from a hernia from an MTB accident :(
16oz curls
Back up on the Kickr.
A slow semi long Saturday run and a 20-25 minutes intense indoor swim on Sunday.
Running and lots of it. Rebuilding my base endurance.
Giving the new NEO a try and having a look at the Rapha Supercross in Munich…
A nice long run through the forest
Long run of ten miles. No real goal race atm
Cyclocross and roofing!
Run 10 K or so, in minus 3 or 4 C. Maybe with snow. Hope that’s cool by your standards. Swim a couple K, and work on technique with a buddy. Maybe a spin session. Would love one of these cameras for underwater swim technique improvement!
Hopefully will get in a quick run or two between work and family obligations.
Hashing as a zombie. No idea how far, but beer guaranteed!
I’ll be renting a Munich Nextbike :)
I will actually be working on my bike and designing and testing a few 3D printed mounts this weekend, does that count?
5k race, long run home from that, and then those, oh such fun, bike intervals!
Run / swim on Sat and bike on Sun
Last week of the off-season! I’ll go for an easy ride and 90min trail run this weekend.
Double cross race weekend and a night mountain bike ride. Have to get it all in before winter gets here in Canada!
Brookfield, CT 5k race on Sunday.
MOAB for a long mtb week end with friends!!! join me at Slickrock!!
An indoor TR session, and hopefully beating the rain for a nice fall ride Sunday!
A run and swim training are on the program this weekend.
Trying out a short ran after months off with a hamstring tear.
Running across the golden gate bridge to set a new personal record!
Hope I’m not too late! Happy Halloween!
Just finished a run, tomorrow we go for garden labour in the morning, and a hike in the afternoon. Sunday will be run day, while monday just might see me biking if it stays dry.
This weekend will be a calm one, a MTB-ride sunday about 40km.
2h of trainerroad on saturday and a “longish” run on sunday. Nuthin much.
Running a 10miler while tapering down for Oilman Half Iron in Texas.
Some cx riding and racing.
Rain = The Sufferfest’s Power Station
For this weekend I will be doing the local parkrun 5k and then see if what part my road bike need replaced next before winter arrives.
Taking advantage of the cool fall weather here in Utah and riding up some canyons on the road bike
My daughter and i will do a group ride on sat then a endurance ride on sunday then head to the track for sunday afternoon madison training getting ready for Copenhagen mini 6 day
There will be at least one run, some weight training, and I’ll be on the ice as a coach for my son’s youth hockey practice.
Easy run and some catch up my gym routines of this week.
Been down and out for a couple of month with injury. Hoping to get back out this weekend with some easy runs to get moving again.
Swimming swimming and swimming again !
Cycle. Cycle more. Ocean swim, then trail run. Then, cycle more.
Long 1:20 min run on Saturday. Just building up my run base in the offseason to lay the foundation for a big 2017 at Ironman Oceanside 70.3 and Ironman Chattanooga (my first full)! After the run is done heading to New Orleans for a weekend away with the girlfriend and some friends and catching the Saints vs Seahawks at The Superdome!
Some cycling with autumn leaves
Still recovering from ACL knee surgery. Went a little hard yesterday and knee is barking today, so probably just some easy spinning.
Outdoor ride or roller ski.
Some short recovery runs after another session of Freeletics
80 min run and hopefully a 40 mile bike ride.
Intensive waiting of new fatbike. :)
10K on Sunday
Rest day on Saturday and the final club ride on Sunday.
Good weather=70 miles or so around Chicagoland
Bad weather=Zwift in the pain cave
Runs on Saturday 4 miler & Sunday 9 long….enjoying this fall weather in Chicago!
Hill running on Saturday. A group cycle on Sunday. Looking forward to it!
Training to run 10k in less than 1 hour! I’m a newbie runner
gorgeous weather – just finished a 25 mile ride, hike with the dogs on tap this afternoon and a 6 miles in the am.
It depends on when the weekend starts, but if we are talking about Sat. & Sun., then 1.5 hr bike on Sat. and 2K swim on Sun. And some housework.
Dress up like Yukon Cornelius and wander my town hitting up various Halloween events.
This weekend I am planning on going for a run on the old treadmill!