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.
-
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.
Recovery and stretching
20km run with some tempo
Friday- short hike with dad Saturday- sprints from going to station to station scarying the crap out of kids in our homemade haunted woods Sunday- weight training & possibly Sufferfest video.
After some hard garden works, relaxing MTB-Ride in the colorful forest.
30 minute walk
Running 16 miles (tapering for last race of the season next weekend!)
NYC Jog around the park
Lots of mountain biking !
This weekend: Brick on Saturday and maybe.. maybe a long(ish) run on Sunday.
FTP test on Sunday! Haven’t done once since February and I’m feeling, even after a summer of riding, that it’s not going to be as high. Makes me sad ;(
A couple of sessions on zwift.
Cycling, Cotter Uriarra loop.
Been sick all week, so just excited to get out again for anything.
Getting a couple of 10k runs done.
Not much, maybe just a jog or walk around the neighborhood
saturday – finish rebuilding two redundant bikes in order to sell, rebuild merckx ti frame as spare bike and install new carbon wheels on main bike.
sunday – 65km 1500m rise ride to test out the new wheels!
Long ride outside Saturday morning with some mates, indoor zwift session Sunday :)
Finally some rest with my family
Missed training this week with a grueling work trip, but back at it now with with medium duration bike and run this weekend.
Mountain biking, hiking and a trail run with my dog.
Training ride and a quick run
Easy paced training runs.
Starting a new training plan!
Just walking and some biking, easy stuff.
Mostly resting. And getting my wife set up on the trainer with her new bike.
Tomorrow running 21k. Countryside.
Just some Zwift time trying to get over an epic cold.
I’ll be racing in a 10-mile ‘pumpkin run’ here in Jacksonville, Fl!
Might get to go for a short run if my 4 day old daughter plays ball!
Nice trainer road workout and brick with the triathlon club tomorrow. I was taking pictures with a selfie stick and my crappy iPhone 4S yesterday. Could really use a gopro2/3/4/5.
Double long runs.
30km easy spin on the friday, 70km saturday club ride, 80km sunday hilly ride
Recovering from last weekend’s 100k trail race. Training involves volunteering at parkrun and a local triathlon, coffee, food and a bit of sailing with the kids.
Store my garage
What ? That’s not athletic standpoint ?
You haven’t seen my garage…
I’ll show you a video when I’ll have the GoPro ;-)
5k race on Saturday (Spooky 5k), and then a 30 mile bike ride on Sunday.
Saterdaymorning; 3k swim, with no camera to record (and improve) my underwater stroke…
Sundaymorning fall bikeride, with no camera to record the beauty of the forest roads..
Let me win the GoPro Hero 5 and I’ll show you my next training sessions!
Regards,
Patrick from The Netherlands
40k round trip for some highly recommended pancakes!! gotta earn em
Rock climbing followed by Christmas Ale
Fartleks today and a nice mtb ride trou the forrest Tomorrow
Sunday the last summer training with the club so now it’s winter training
sleep, bike and run…
Walk, walk, walk. In Vienna for half term with two teenagers, so less biking than normal :-)
Running a half marathon and a duathlon
Rest, needed after half marathon last week. Thanks!
I have to study
Some long reads and anbit learning?
I will have at least a 8km run
My first junior parkrun as run director – and its fancy dress!!
A couple of short, easy runs…
Sweet lactic acid cocktail!… Up up up up
A quick Trainerroad session today and Long Steady Duration tomorrow, followed by Halloween treats as recovery!
5k, 10k.. who knows…
Quick half hour warm-up on Zwift and then a strength set. Followed by a long run on Sunday.
Outing with family on saturday. Mountain biking on sunday.
10k mountain biking around a nearby lake w my twin sons!
Training run!
A 5k with the dog this weekend to support the local doc rescue
A long run 13 mile + (training for my first marathon) and a swim session.
I’ll do a nice freeletics session tomorrow when the kids are in bed ?
A gravel ride to try my new saddle and then some floorball with friends.
Gym some point
Ran 9 miles as a training run, negative split.
I’m running to get a lottery ticket, as more chance of winning the Euro millions than winning a dc rainmaker giveaway these days :p
Planting 300 trees…. plums, apples and pears. Whole body workout!
First ride in weeks following a nasty chest infection. Looking forward to some fresh air in my lungs!
A slooow recovery run. I’ve had a really tough week …
Turbo, turbo and turbo
Recovering from a sinus infection :( training starts again on Monday in the pool
Easy 7k on sunday
Morning skiing and evening Mountainbiking. Fall is great! ;)
Just a quick fartlek on Saturday. Still recovering from a pathetic Amsterdam marathon :-(
If i wasn’t sick, 2 k intervals
20k long slow distance, the last run before the NY Marathon
Sat 70mi bike easy Z3 or group ride
Sun 6mi run Z3
Dublin marathon
5k pre chocolate consumption run.
Another weekend of nice weather… another ride around the nearby lake.
A few runs to finish my first 200km month in over a year!
Weightlifting in the form of moving house and if energy reserves suffice, a jog down to the beach.
Just Core Stability training im afraid.. cant Run at the moment.
Trying to ease the recovery from rolling my ankle last weekend – shouldn’t have played football, my ankles can cope with running, but 5-a-side is too dangerous clearly!
A short bike ride around town is all for me.
A 5k sans a gopro though :/
TrainerRoad for Saturday; Easy outdoor run or ride for Sunday.
Disc golf season’s last tournament.
Running, Running, Running <3
Outdoor cycling and some walking.
Swim and trainer ride
Not much. A couple runs if I’m lucky.
Riding around to various craft, hardware and junk stores to build a few pacman ghost costumes.
easy 10k on Sunday. ;)
Easy run Saturday night to losses up the legs for my long trail run on Sunday.
Hiking in the black forest
Restitution, after a good week of training, one needs some rest.
just some treadmill training and squash this weekend.
Preparation for the NYC marathon next weekend, an 8 mile “shake out the legs” run, with some foam rolling.
I need a Hero!
A 5k for me followed by a 1 mile pumpkin chase with my 6 year old son!
I’ll be running a 5k and trying to get 96 bike miles in so I can celebrate my first born’s 22nd birthday on Halloween and my 52nd the following week.
A scuba diving and nice rest?
Dublin Marathon on Sunday
bike saturday and run sunday