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.
A great day of kayaking and hiking…..just what the doctor ordered.
I plan on increasing my cycling base mileage to prepare for the family’s annual bike on /Lake Shire Drive in Chucago next weekend.
I finished planting my garden this weekend. But I did do running intervals on Saturday!!
Catch-up with my club and buds with a nice 50-70k ride after weeks off the bike.
trail race in CT
Return to exercise after a very slight concussion–25 mile road ride.
Unfortunately, I’m recovering from a calf tear. So, a 5km walk, lots of stretching and foam rollering, maybe a bike ride.
Hopefully , I’m not too far away to putting my running shoes back on.
Multiple bike rides!
Walking for hours in a foreign city
I was lazy and merely did a 4 mile and a 3 mile treadmill run. I am still on target to run 1,000 miles this year. However my cycling has taken a hit the past few months.
Did my first ever video swim stroke analysis with the Swim Smooth guys. Amazing to see direct visual feedback of exactly how badly my stroke sucks :D
Trail run in national forest
Been playing with 2 YO in parks, duck ponds, and small curbs around town!
40 mike bike on Sat followed by a 13mi training run Sun.
All sandwiched between baseball and other family ordeals
Vollenteering with the Boise Fire department filling sandbags to help with the flooding rivers from all the snow we’ve had this winter. Sunday I went on a 60 mile bike ride up to Bogus Basin Ski area, it was amazing!!!
Spent the weekend on a mountain bike as a paramedic covering two different trail races, an ultra, and a marathon.
Not much of an adventure but running 9000km far from home (Rome) in Dallas
Ran the MCM Half. Beat my target time by a whopping 2 seconds!
I’m doing a TrainerRoad workout and a long ride
Lots of speed work
Hopefully a run tonight and Crossfit in the morning
Thanks You
Ice baths and ibuprofen … torn ligament :(
Focus on strength training, Sunday is for long run.
Btw need to fix my Rapide cycle for cross training..
State Time Trial Championships, both Individual and Team. Love me some TT’ing!
Started the weekend with my sisters wedding and lots of dancing. Ended with a long ride and some hiking.
Climbing hills on the bike on Saturday, volunteering at a 5k and running a tough 15 miler on Sunday.
Biking and running. And cleaning the pool.
Just wanted to get a run in.
I did half marathon without proper preparation in a very humid weather in Bangkok, Thailand. It rained the night before the race.
On the race day, my feel were soaking wet at KM 8; and I could barely run afterward.
I got my PB for 10 KM, but not for 21 KM.
A 50k trail run/walk then a rest day for kids =)
Lucky that I can still catch this after the weekend… sweet!
More seat time in prep for a 135 mile, 15000 ft ride to Tahoe in a month!
Was on call at the hospital. So cycled 50 miles around the hospital
A weekend is not complete unless I get at least 100 miles in on the bike with at least 6,000 feet of climbing. A 4 to 6 mile brick run after the Sunday ride will cap off the perfect weekend.
A MTB ride, some tennis, yard work, and a little yoga to recover.
Race and avoiding GFNY
This weekend? Training wise, I have a short, easy bike ride (two and a half hours), and a fifty minute run. Other than that, I’ll be doing my usual finger lifts – that counts, right? (Think of what you do as you move your fingers from one key to the next on the keyboard…)
CX racing this weekend
Saturday enjoying storm, Sunday having a beautiful lonely solo 50k bike ride
50mi bike and 3 mi brick run on Saturday and 12 mi trail run on Sunday.
I got a solid 2 hr ride in before the baby got up. That is a win these days! Time to set some PR’s as a dad now.
Recovery, wait for med visit @ Vanderbilt. My hips know a guy… Unfortunately that guy will have two long needles…
Broke my ankle on Tuesday. Had an MRI Saturday morning. Going to see the orthopedic surgeon Monday. Was supposed to do Eagleman 70.3 in a couple weeks. :P
I’ll be biking and running this weekend! No matter the activity, I could always use new gadgetry!
Swimming in Kitsilano pool, Vancouver Canada. 137m of salty goodness. Plus a track running workout, 80k bike practicing Aero position, and a 5k brick after.
3 orienteering races with my 8yr old son.
I just completed the Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon! My fourth triathlon and had a blast with all my Santa Cruz tri club teammates.
A Super Heroes triathlon that was held after we raced earlier in the day. Nothing beats being down on the aerobars on your TT with your Wonder Woman cape flying out behind you.
10 mile run.
This week I’m hoping to run along the San Antonio river walk while I’m here for work, but once back home, I’m doing some cave exploring at Mammoth Cave.
Visit a wedding ceremony and took a 15km run.
I’ve been biking my butt off all weekend on the trails of South oc.
Ran the Cellcomm Green Bay Half Marathon.
Half marathon Saturday morning, easy 4-mile recovery run Sunday morning with my dog and easy 6-mile leisure ride in the evening!
Long run with group, and Sunday walk with my wife and son.
Running with my 4 years old son for his first run !:)
Sadly, nothing. Pulled my hamstring last week, so I’m mainly hobbling around trying not to reinjure it.
This weekend I ran 10 miles in the morning and then walked around Helen, GA drinking wine and eating. A perfect outdoor adventure day. ?
Getting back of on the bike
Triathlon training camp for ironman Canada
I plan on a late Monday afternoon ride on my gravel bike in the rain in Gatineau Park.
I’ll be trying to stay dry (from the rain, not my sweat) while doing some climbing intervals :)
I will trail run with my friends, a training run in preparation for our upcoming race this June 11. -Soon to be unemployed 22years old from Philippines
Planning on biking and hiking.
Just some gentle walking around as recovering from surgery.
Sleepathon!
Biking and running, and playing with the kids
A couple of runs one being a trail run.
First open water swim of the season
Track season starts at Lehigh County Velodrome on Saturday! Time to go fast and turn left!
Already rode yesterday
Spin on the trainer today
Either run or ride tomorrow
Back from travel, I resume training on monday…
First longer ride of the season. Finally some good weather here in the northeast usa
Just a run followed by a day at the beach.
Saturday- open water swim series
Sunday-indoor trainer session due to weather
Recovery- Summer brews…Prost!
Bike ride with the family after fixing the kids’ flats.
Getting about 24,000 steps / day at Disneyland.
100km ride and recovery with DQ Blizzard.
Trail run in preparation for a tough mudder. Having done ~10 miles on Thursday for the first time in a long while it was a sore affair…
I’m doing a long run on the weekend..;)
Run. Just run
Between shopping for flowers to plant, a sore foot, and rain…not much, unfortunately.
Ran the CellCom half marathon in Green Bay, WI. It was my first half.
Just the regular stuff saturday biking, running, and repeat on Sunday biking, running!!!
Preparation run for my first marathon:)
Just some ordinary training bike rides against killer winds through farmland near my home. I also swam for an hour testing out some new goggles and tri kit to see whether I will switch from last years
I plan to hit Trainer Road hard and work in some runs on the off days.
This weekend I got in a run, a nice long bike ride (first of the season!), and a short hike. I’m looking forward to the pool opening this coming weekend!
Jemez Mountain 50k yesterday, followed by a 17 mile mountain run today.
Gentle heart based recovery run through a nearby national park.
1.5 masters pool swimming and enjoying a Canadian long weekend!
An easy 5k as I try to get back into regular training…
I ran the Harpoon 5 miler!
80k ride yesterday, rest today, and 10k tempo run tomorrow, with family fun rides with baby trailer in the afternoon!
A little cycling and a lot of helping my girlfriend buy a dress. (Its a sport, trust me)
Zwifting with some sweet spot training was on the menu this weekend.
Road biking for an upcoming 60 mile ride, plus running for an upcoming 5 mile local race. Next week begins open water swims, if the water is warm enough …
Some road biking and Squash!
Took a break from my bicycle this weekend and took hiking back up with the wife.
I’ll bike from NYC Midtown East to Piermont, NY and back
I have 3 months to train for a local crit. My goal is to finish on the lead lap. This weekend was a short ride with hard short intervals at high RPM.
On Saturday will do a Brick (bike-run) and on Sunday get to do MTB on awesome trails, country back roads and through a river stretch of more than 2 miles!!!