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.
-
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.
I rode a metric century ride this past Sunday. It was my first of the year. I had been training for an upcoming Gran Fondo event but the event got postponed. In the spirit of “just ride” I saddled up and headed out to do it on my own!
Evening run, where the walkers on the street outnumbered the cars 5x. Everyone stayed 2m away from each other….
Thank you your posts!
Early morning run while nobody is around and did workout at my home gym.
Just did a quick ride in the sun
Ran laps through a local cemetery for 3.5 miles. Nobody around but the already dead.
Oh my, daddy needs a new turbo, can’t get in a proper 40km tt around these prts
A short Zwift ride with friends.
5 mile run outdoors. Fresh air!
Run in the neighborhood
I walked around the block with my kids.
Some body weight exercises and indoor rowing.
Late evening easy 4 miles outside alone. Was a beautiful sunset.
Just did a 40 mile gravel/asphalt ride before the state shits us in. I need a new indoor trainer!
Strength training in my personal garage gym followed by a walk in the empty early morning streets
I did a 45 minute trainer ride between teleconferences.
M4 – Mountain bike starts from Workouts in a Binder
5 mile run in the sun through the streets of my neighbourhood
Trainer Road workout in my basement
Did a pretty sweet 15 mile ride through the hills alone. Very socially distant
I’m doing my usual morning indoor bike ride on my Kickr.
I ran hill repeats this afternoon.
6 mile run
I was able to do a nice (solo) 10K run today, followed by a nicer 5K jog with my daughter. The roads are empty, so no chance to get within 6ft of anyone.
Stage 5 tour of Watopia. Would love to ride with a friend of mine who I know won’t buy a trainer. This would be great!
Running 5 miles for Thai food last night and it was also a Covid19 self-test… no shortness of breath + no loss of appetite = no Coronavirus.
Run down my country road
A hip replacement PT, then strength maintenance, then dryland swim band, then fractured ankle PT all in my basement! All by myself!
5km walk before we go into total lock-down.
I did a nice 4 mile run at lunchtime today. All alone from working at home :D
The first ride of the Cervelo Gravel Rush series in Zwift.
42km solo ride
I ventured out with the “Hugs and Kisses” for a casual ride.
Joined a Zwift group ride today that was organized by my local bike shop. It was a great workout!
Went riding in the neighborhood
Here in Northern Ontario, it’s still snowy and cold so I spent this afternoon doing vo2max repeats on my indoor trainer.
I just a 14k run at marathon pace. It’s nice to get some fresh air after working from home for the last 2weeks.
I did a 30 mile ride around my area. I had to social distance quite a few people that I passed who were al enjoying our abundant south Florida sunshine.
1 Mile run down the road to keep my active run streak alive! 3738 days.
I just did a 27 km easy ride on Zwift! Loving Zwift.
Bike From Bellevue to I90 and back over the 520 – 6 feet apart!
Virtual half marathon 13.1 miles outside solo
Rode my Kurt Kinetic road machine in the garage.
running alone!
25 mile solo tode
Short run in the neighborhood.
10 mile run
Solo 7.8 mile run spelling tri team name to show some spirit.
I did a 4 mile run to the grocery store this morning while on week 2 of working from home.
2 mile run
Tried Zwift for the first time. Can’t say it was particularly life-changing.
Got in a ride while we’re still allowed out!
While participating in a corporate huddle and zwifting!
social Distancing trail running, of course :) thanks in advance
First Swift ride (30km) using a dumb trainer, Wahoo speed / cadence sensor, spare TV, new Apple TV and aluminium road bike. Now set up in my pain cave (garage)! Best fun I’ve had indoors with my clothes on!
I ran 5 miles at conversational pace… obviously I only talked to myself.
Tacx training app – ride around Amsterdam
Sweet Spot Zwift meetup yesterday
Solo bike ride is a win win. Out of the house and distancing.
Long walks with my dogs, some with light running.
Some over/under intervals on Zwift last night. I bit more than what I could chew.
Lots of Zwift training
24km classic ski saw only 8 people in total and never was close enough to say hi
Riding the rollers inside… Trying to stay sane!
6 mile regular road route — not a soul was out.
Mountain biking and trail running. Get outdoors and able to take a breather from everything
Running in The forrest :)
Lifted weights and did push-/sit-ups during a call…
Just walking the dogs around the neighborhood
Biked from San Jose/Cupertino south to Calero Reservoir (which, by the way, looks almost full), and back. Gorgeous Spring day with lots of puffy cumulus clouds.
An hour of interval training while running along my city’s lovely river valley! Went about 10am (on a weekday) with the temperature hovering around freezing so almost no one else out. And we all gave each other plenty of room on the trail.
I’m lucky; where I live is sparse enough that I can still run outside and not get even remotely close to anyone else. So, tonight I went for a run. Saw 5 people the entire time and stayed well more than 6 feet away from all of them.
Nice run around the neighborhood
Lucky enough to be able to run outside and still socially distance myself. My area is not that active.
Zwift, Zwift and more Zwift. With a few dry land exercises thrown in too
Just finished back to back races on zwift.
Out the door and up onto the moors within a hundred yards. Easy to avoid the other runner and 2 walkers I saw!
Hit the sidewalk out front. Ran a bit.
I’m on my CycleOps Magnus (purchased from you!) 4-5 days a week.
VO2 max intervals on the rollers. What could go wrong?
Kettlebell swings and steel mace flow in my garage today
5k run with the wife. Could use a new watch
Solo 43km bike ride on my old blue Trek 1500
TrainerRoad workout and brick run
A simple Zwift ride….
Jumping rope and running outside here in Arlington, VA!
I have managed to get a few runs in in the local park.
Run around the neighborhood crossing the street whenever I see someone coming my way
I did an hour today with 4×6:00 @ at the high end of Z3.
Finished the 5th and last stage of @Zwift Tour of Watopia. I thought it was the group ride but I had actually registered for the race, duh
6 miles of hiking for work, miles from the nearest person
Did a TR workout while also connected to Zwift using the dual Ant USB. Worked great!
6 k running on my treadmill, with 7% incline, such a joy! :)
Oh yea, think I might need a new garmin to help track the dreadmill runs.
I did a T25 workout at home. It was pretty manageable!
I jogged with a garden rake and a flat head shovel. Weirdo know but I got new Clifton’s the same day I promised my wife I would clear out the center island in the yard. My buddy had my rake and shovel hence the jog with garden tools.
Solo 40 mile ride for me
Doing two mile walks on the treadmill for now. Waiting to get back outside.
I’m doing a lot of strength training as I have a pull-up bar, a kB and a slam ball… but what I lack is some cardio! Love to have a Trainer to train for the summer rides ;)
Managed to shake the dust off my shoes for a quick run around my neighborhood last Friday before starting work at home, but the last workout of any kind was jumping rope in the driveway with my daughter for her “lunch recess” during our social distancing work from home/home school day.
Rode the River Mountains Trail in Boulder City NV ?