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.
Lifting some heavy ass weights!!
Just a morning run followed up by the rest of the day doing yard work. My Polar M400 says 28,000 steps worth.
“Enjoying” 3.5 hour trainer ride this weekend… hiding from the cold and rain.
10k run and 60k bike sandwiched in between shopping and other weekend chores.
Seattle is going to hit 70 degrees for the first time since last fall! Hitting the bike trails with a buddy who got just got his first bike as a adult lol! Can’t wait!
Running the BolderBOULDER, and then up to Glacier to bike the Going to the Sun Road before it opens to cars!
I’d like to say I went for nice runs since the weather is great, but a sinus infection meant the only thing running was the snot from my nose.
Armchair mountaineering by reading Mount Everest blogs!
I’ll be running some hills in prep for a 100 miler coming up. :)
The weekend is filled with recovery hike up some steep mountain and loads of carbo loading for no particular reason :)
Doing what I can on the Kickr!
Did some swimming this weekend.
Enjoying being outdoors this weekend with a nice LSD run and some lumberjack “cross training” (tree felling).
Shoveling for new propane line and mowing the lawn :)
After being in a car accident in the Fall, I was back on the bike. It was great to get back out there. I’ve already signed up for a 10K, so I’ll start training for that this weekend. Finding my groove again.
Just some push ups :)
Excellent weekend biking with friends, working at a wildlife rehab, and running. All getting ready for Eagleman 70.3.
1st long run after injury. Slow and steady. Finish strong!
Summit Mt Diablo… = done
Long run on Saturday morning, long ride on Sunday. Exploring my new home in Boise, ID!
100 km bike ride
Running and yard work.
Saturday would be rowing and Sunday would be grueling squash!
Went for my last long run over my 18 week training period in preparation for my first full marathon. Can’t wait until next weekend! Wore my garmin (of course)
Easy taper weekend. Light bike riding
A couple short runs just taking it easy before training for another 70.3 starts up.
Swimming Saturday and couch surfing Sunday. I may or may not have fractured my foot and am having to stay off it til I can get x-rays Monday.
Olympic Triathlon in Bintan, Indonesia, in prep for my first Ironman. A power meter would be really helpful for execution of my bike leg..
A run around the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.
Kids Soccer, My Soccer & 2 Birthday parties (Parents will know how must “Athleticism is involved here!”)
I ran the Brooklyn Half and then a Recovery run after a day of traveling to Kanab Utah (from sea level to 5K’).
Road and trail running. Beautiful weather so some cycling too.
Family bike tour up the Coeur d’Alene river. Great fun to kick off summer.
After hanging out at the kids swim meet I will be slogging through an afternoon run in the heat of South Texas.
Training ride and baptism.
First OW swim of the season, followed by some good biking and running. Good wether finally here in the North East US!!
Sleeping in and resting my Achilles this the only athletic adventure I was up to this weekend. Hopefully everything will be healed up for my half marathon next weekend.
Gearing up – so to speak – for a Duathlon! Then off to Colorado for a Tri.
Just completed my first tough mudder this weekend.
Will be doing a trail run in Jasper Park, Alberta
couple runs with the dog and the new Tuff Mutt leash
Watching my daughter compete in the Houston Texans Kids Triathlon at NRG Stadium.
8 mile hill run on roads Saturday (trails are snowed in) and 50 mile groad ride on Sunday.
Bike on saturday
2 long rides, preparing for Granfondo Vermont….
Went to first over Sacramento Open Street event. Included a free fun run put on by a local running club and brewery. Fun day!
Plan to ride my bike to the trail, run 10 miles then bike to the pool and back home
Long run out to Creve Coeur lake through the St Louis triathlon.
15k Run-to-Beer Toronto!
Tapering this week because of a half marathon next weekend. Nice easy 10K today!
Squeezed a short run into a small gap in an otherwise very busy weekend.
My athletic adventures for the weekend have been very easy: a few rides with my son on his tag along bike, and my daughter on her MounTain Bike
Stair workouts. Training for World Trade Center stair climb!
A couple quick runs and a whole lot of yard work this weekend!
I’m going to enjoy my new Fluid Rower from First Degree!
Went hiking with our kids to the mountain. Only issue was some dirt bikes and atvs forced us to go out of the trail!
just had my first virtual run for 5km last sunday.
Cycling, mountains, and a lot of it….
50 mile bike ride with a 5k uphill time trial thrown in, followed by a 25 min run off. Sunday will include an 80 min run with 2x 3 miles @ 6:40 min/mile pace, just to keep it interesting!
“Long” run…coming back from injury. Again.
Blowing a brand new bike tire on a fast descent! Sad panda :-(
Spent the weekend catching up on training missed from being sick
Fri – Zwift mountain
Sat – Group Hammer
Sun – Zwift mountain
Mon – Solo 50 + 50K training a friend for Cancer Ride
All followed by 30 min run OTB
local Parkrun, at least one game of 20/20 cricket, mowing the lawns and probably chasing our loan dog around.
Feed, burp and diaper change repeat.. Pretty much grounded..
Just a training run on the trails!
My athletic adventure of the weekend was recovering (still) from a Wednesday, intense handcycle effort. (I’m a cyclist turned paraplegic 19 months back thanks to a distracted driver).
Probably just some city riding. Would like to go mountain biking but it is raining all weekend.
I was able to get some good training in this weekend. A couple of runs, a good bike trainer session today, and some solid weight training to go with it.
Road ride that unexpectedly was part groad ride.
I was up in a hilly race… and didnt got dropped like 2 years ago! :D
An FTP test on Saturday (they always hurt) followed by a longish ride on Sunday with some tempo hill climbing intervals.
Ran 10 miles
Ice skated
Walked the dog several times
Pull carpet and padding out for four hours
In preparation for my wife and myself’s second overseas marathon race, our weekend itinerary consists of the usual Sunday LSD run just around the vilage…but having the Saturday as a rest day schedule leaves me no choice but to grab the opportunity for a cross training ride to the mountains! :)
Picking up my specialised and taking her for a spin. Have been waiting around a month now to purchase it.
Finally!
Just a couple of runs through central park!
On Friday I did a brick in 90 degree weather – it was hard! Saturday I did a swim workout and today I did a 63 mile bike ride through the hills of Marin. I am getting ready for my upcoming triathlon, the HIM at Kona on June 3rd.
I got to stand on the sideline for a change and support my son on Saturday morning and my wife on Sunday morning… I did squeeze in 2 rides and a gym session though..
The local trail has been closed due wet conditions but opened this weekend so I did lots of single track trail exploration.
Soccer with my 3 boys. Early morning bike rides and runs training for my first 70.3.
long ride & long run
Dreadmilling it due to bad weather all week.
Finishing my second ever Triathlon a sprint Saturday morning
Oak Mountain Xterra Regional Championships Olympic distance off-road triathlon in Pelham, Alabama. It was my first Olympic distance Triathlon. We traveled from Indiana for the weekend. It was an Amazing adventure, so many great people. 21st of 35 AG 40-44. My 4th tri ever.
Mountain biking on the local trails… before the rains come.
For me its a 15k trail run and a 2k swim on Sunday night.
Kayaking Deep Cove
Long bike ride! Whew!
Marathon training begins!!! Sunday 10 miler planned
Running a LSD run with friends, bike riding to get groceries and then a hike with my fiancé on the nearby mountains!
Recovery weekend / easy run
Trail run early morning Friday or Saturday, still trying to beat plantar fasciitis so taking it easy.
Long TrainerRoad workout indoors!
Long hilly bike ride for training. Riding the RAIL next month. East to west across Illinois using the Trans Am bike race route. My Garmin died on me last week from heat exhaustion! Had to use a phone app argh!! Need a replacement :)
Getting back into riding this season after a winter/spring off the bike due to injuries. Upcoming long weekend should be a nice jumpstart.
Long run Saturday and sleeping in on a rainy Sunday morning.
42 mile ride with an 8 mile run afterward
After a long wedding weekend getting back out to a couple of group rides and maybe a CRIT race
Just completed the Wild Goose Chase running festival Ducks Nuts event in the Avon Valley of Western Australia. 3 days, 19km, 106km, 53km with approx 6500m of elevation on some technical terrain (add in some heavy rain for fun)
Had an awesome time.
Hiking in Yosemite!