Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965 at $499, Forerunner 265, the new Instinct 3, and countless other Garmin products. Plus a few Suunto & Apple 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!
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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.
Nice outdoor 5 mile run
Zwift cycling premade interval workout in 4 week FTP booster
Doing my trainer road workouts on my kickr snap. At night I’ll go for a run where there’s no one around. Stay safe everyone!
My last workout was an indoor rowing session.
As the rowing club is likely to remain closed for weeks/months/? Those SUPs would be a very welcome alternative to get on the water by myself.
After 3 weeks on and off with the flu (or you-know-what, who knows), my last ‘workout’ was a 10 km walk in Rotterdam, yesterday. Going to try a very short run today, if I can catch a couple more ZZZZZZs first. Stay Healthy!
A cruise through Belgium in Fulgaz
A run around the local park with deviations around oher people
Ran Stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia group run.
Rode solo by the beach. Disappointed to see some people still riding in groups of 3-4 drafting each other.
Trainerroad 3x16mins Sweetspot on a not-so-intelligent trainer.
Trainer road on my wahoo kickr
Rode on the trainer for 1.5 hours ?
3.5 mile run outside.
Made it through my first trainer ride in the past few years!
increasing social distancing. my jogging partner was going at a faster pace. ;p
lifting some weights. Getting swoll.
Last workout was a 1.5 hour run last Sunday. Been real tough to find motivation to get out and get going with everything going on right now to be honest.
Solo 20 mile lunch ride. Saw a buddy goin the other way and waved, 30 feet apart.
Went for a run through the neighborhood, It’s not fun to be able to see the ocean, but have to stay away because of closed beaches and physical distancing responsibilities. Oh well, Maybe Zwifting indoors will be better!
Day 10 of 14 day quarantine home body work out.
Went for a ride around the neighborhood. Just me and my dog.
I went for a great six mile run this morning on my own. Then I took my dog for a 2-mile walk this evening. I live in a neighborhood that is not over populated so I have beautiful trails and pads perfect for social distancing.
Ran 4 miles from my home.
Right now, “working out” consists of walks around the park in Montreal with the newborn – respecting distances obviously!
Managed five miles today… Longest of this pandemic and furthest I’ve been from my house
Hike on a minimum maintenance road in Hawi. Very remote.
Last workout while social distancing was past weekend, RGT cycling with my brother -Pienza course.
Tour of Watopia Stage 5. 25 miles total.
I’m binge watching Better Call Saul on the trainer
I did my first RGT Cycling ride, Cap Formentor, possibly the last one on my dumb rollers as my reconditioned Kickr arrived today! H/T to DC Rainmaker, that’s where I found out about RGT Cycling’s free premium offering and the reconditioned Kickr sale!
Ran three miles through the neighborhood today.
I rode Zwift in the am and ran for an hour outside.
Today was a 1 hour trainer session in front of my TV. A good 10 minute warm up then 4 – 5 min intervals of ascending and descending cadence work. Finished off with a 20 minute tempo session.. I also threw in 30 minutes of yoga at home for good measure! It was a great Thursday Workout!
John
A couple of hours on empty roads!
I’m riding solo on barren country roads, because suddenly there are a lot of people on the local MUPs. My Garmin radar is a godsend.
Short loop around town, solo!
Went for a 5K around my neighbourhood. Lots of people out for walks and runs, but everyone moving to the side to give each other to pass while maintaining the social distancing.
40 minutes in the Watopia Desert.
Quick 4.5 miles around the neighborhood. Social distanced at 10ft to be safe
Just an easy 5k around the neighborhood, keeping a wide distance from others on the sidewalk.
I finished 1st in C category on Tour of Watopia stage 4. This means I’ll need to train more and move to B.
I tried to use Zwift for the first time. I installed the Zwift app on my AppleTV but could not connect it to my Kickr Core even with all my other devices turn off. The iPhone Zwift app connected fine but I did not want to use the little screen. So I gave up on Zwift for now and did a hard over under workout on trusty old TrainerRoad. Maybe I’ll try Full Gaz for apppletv and see if it will connect.
Bike trainer cadence workout followed by a short core strength workout in my basement pain cave!
5 mile run on empty sidewalks around my neighborhood just before dawn yesterday.
Tacx around Garda lake…
Got a 50 mile solo ride in all while staying within an hour of the hospital (currently on backup call!)
Zwift Cervelo Gravel Race #1!
1 hour walk around the lake in 33f weather assuring no one else would want to be around.
My last training was a criterium race on Zwift!
Went for a ride with my 2 sons around our local lake. No drafting allowed, social distancing of two bike lengths adhered to.
Social distant workouts are difficult. With children and remote working my time is eaten up. I used to go to the gym but now that is closed. Would love a Garmin 945 or fenix 6 to track outdoor exercise. I still need to get outside at least one time a day.
Need to get outside at least one time a day even though the corona got us in lockdown. Some new tech to exercise with would be nice
53km gravel ride in beautiful Colorado!
I have been harvesting 2x XP on Zwift riding Tour of Waptopia events. I could use a decent direct drive trainer !!
Did a treadmill run on Zwift
Cycling around on the empty roads. It’s quite nice when there’s not so much traffic these days, but miss training with others.
Got in a couple runs and a bike ride. Training for the Memphis 70.3 my first!!! What a fun time to train!
Some indoor crossfit exercises with jugs of water, chairs, etc etc ?
Thankfully for zwif, I was able to do a 2×15 ftp workout just tonight.
Took a short run around the exterior of my apartment building. After eating some donuts. Oof.
Ronestad workout on my old tacx vortex by myself in the garage
Well, nothing unusual here in Bavaria since we are allowed to do our outdoor workouts as usual as long as we are not in groups. So I just grabbed my shoes and did a short run as every other day.
2 mile run as I rehab a hamstring injury.
Just did a trainerroad ride in the pain cave. Would love to have a smart trainer. But I know I won’t be the lucky one. Thanks anyways.
Solo 26 mile roadie ride.
Did a 30-minute workout with my bike using the Tacx NEO & Trainer Road.
Short run in the neighborhood with both kids in the double wide stroller.
Indoor ride on my CT while I wait for the Tacx Flux S to arrive. When it does, the wife and I can ride together.
My first outdoor ride of the year only came then I was told to socially distance! Strange incentive…..
a run outside while avoiding people
Managed an urban forest trail run/walk with my son in his stroller in still-snowy Canada. Saw only two other runners who stayed an appropriate number of meters from us.
went to a short mtb ride, at the very early morning.
started at around sunrise.
ps. 27th of March, is my birthday, so I’d like to get some birthday gift :)
30 mile outside ride
Did Alpe D’Huez on FulGaz 2 days ago to try out the new app. Great new app!
My first 10km row on my new Concept2 rower!
Last work out was a run back through the neighbor hood here in Turkey where I live. Periodically there are a few folks walking around my same loop, but thankfully the road allows for “socially acceptable distancing” on the fly by!
Ran a 10km route along the river, not a human obstacle in sight!
Tried RGT instead of Zwift because…these are weird times.
Last workout on zwift threshold efforts ?
I’ve been walking around the neighborhood several times each day.
Rode 50 miles solo, climbing ~3500′. I wish I could have had company!
Tour of Watopia Stage 4
ride the peloton as much as possible
Used a toolbox as a weight for strength training after a cruise on the Zwift. Trying to stay strong as I work as a Registered Nurse!
I have the pain cave all setup for running, biking and cross training. All that’s missing is a swimming pool!
Did my latest trainerroad workout!
The last workout I did while social distancing was Stage 5 – Tour of Watopia Long Route with an out of state veteran friend from Team RWB.
A socially distant 2hr bike ride down to the riverfront and back.
I would just like to have a trainer at home so that I can continue cycling at home too !!
Just finished 2 hours on the trainer while watching a Leadville 100 documentary.
Pushup crunches squats and bentover rows!
Thanks
Did a booty building workout in my living room, a combination of squats, lunges, bridges and then topped off with a planks and bicep dips.
Trail run after doing a few hours of “cross fit” work prepping the local mountain bike trail to open for the season.
I came off my bike first weekend of March and fractured my hip so have been social distancing like a pro… or recovering. The closest thing I’ve done to a workout is physio at home – but $500 credit to put towards a trainer would set me up for rehab and to come back stronger
Indoor trainer road action. Sweet sweet spot!
warm up / 6x (Fartlecks/3min Z1) / cool down
Road tempo run. Training for some unknown race in the distant future.
Rode 4,5 hours on Watopia.
Night run with the dog on an empty Mall and Peloton core challenge.
Running in the morning before anyone else is awake, basically normal training.