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.
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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.
My 25 mile zwift ride today on the Neo2 counts even though my avatar was definitely not social distancing.
-Guillermo
6k running on a loop like a hamster.
Team Ireland meetup on Zwift!
Been riding ?-solo from before they introduced restrictions.
I am really lazy to do strength workouts, but that is the last one I did in isolation…can’t go cycle so might as well.
Went for my first bike ride outside as one of my allowed outsides daily exercises.
It is down to pilates, stretches and body weights. Try to do a 15/20′ routine daily and a longer routine two or three times a week.
6k run, just me, myself and I. Happy because finally able to run again after injury.
Jon’s mix in Zwift
yesterday alone for a short 5k run near my house as allowed,. a trainer would be very welcome for my veranta-spinning solo sessions.live strong everybody good luck to all
I finally re-started my Garmin half-marathon training plan and completed the scheduled 20 minute run through the neighborhood.
Sprint intervals on the treadmill before going in for the night shift
Puhh, I did a short steady effort session on my rusty old dumb turbo trainer and was was bored as… after a few minutes already. Need something smart! But turbos are harder to get by than toilet paper these days…
An outdoor ride, on almost empty roads, with the good lady.
TTT bike ride in Zwift
Yoga video with my 16 year old daughter. We are now restricted to stay within 1km of our house so our usual runs are no longer allowed. But I am lucky to have an in house workout partner in my daughter!
“thanks” to the lockdown, I was able to do my 1st run outside near my home with… my dad! Slow 7km because it was his 1st time he was running with me :)
My last workout was an indoor ride with TrainerRoad, Lamarck to be precise. It consists of 4×10 minutes at 100% FTP, so it steels your mind. Being an indoor ride, I was at a safe distance from anyone else.
Plus, my team has suspended all group rides and for the foreseeable time we won’t participate in any races. Most races have been canceled anyway.
One hour on my trainer.
Trainerroad workout In the attic, high and dry
Running in the outdoors
I haven’t managed any properly distanced workout. Even leaving early didn’t help, my area seems to be much to busy.
Last workout was a 55k easy ride
30 minute row on my cheap indoor rower, no idea how far I went because it doesn’t do distance but I finished at the same place I started, just a little warmer!
Sadly my last was using Peloton (new to our house). Positives… quiet and has Christian Vandervelde on it. Negatives… it doesn’t work. The WiFi receiver claims an internet speed one quarter of what my phone gets while sitting on the bike. Bad WiFi card was a stupid little cost save.
Mountainbikeing alone in the forest
Fitspark training from Polar
Just been for a 30 min spin on an old tacx inagic.
Cycle commute everyday this week to get ready for a multi-day charity ride event optimistically scheduled in the near future. This to avoid the subways! Tokyo isn’t in a lockdown yet, we’ll know more in 20 minutes from this post!
I did a interval run workout at my local gym, to maintain social distancing they required to empty treadmills between each person.
Went for a run with the wife (we normally work out in separate groups).
Trying to stay in shape with some cycling, running and indoor exercises
An hour of intervals on the turbo trainer in the garden.
Just a hike in the woods with my dog.
I did a 30 km training on Zwift yersterday (Road to Ruins). I am also one of those who is training more than ever in this special time.
7,5km, fourth day of Corvid-19-streakrunning. No problems with physical distancing (social distancing is – imho – a misnomer). #govegan
Relaxing one hour turbo trainer session.
We could Zwift together
Run 17K in the forest near by.
Ran a late night 10k, met 3 moving cars and 2 other runners on the other side of the road. :-)
Did the Sufferfest 4DP test then signed up for a multi-week training plan!
Did a Zwift workout on my trusted Neo. Able to jump on the trainer directly after work when working from home – instead of waiting till the evening after dinner. :)
Went for 45 mins easy, 15min moderate on a morning run, all social distances were kept, a lot more people running than usual!
Mountainbiking with a friend of mine, bit he is not quick enough to keep up?.
So maybe he should be the one to win this?
Solo 36km on the time trial bike!
35k ride on quiet streets
My yesterday’s indoor ride on Wahoo KICKR Core.
There would still be some gadgets from Wahoo to make my pain cave complete. ;)
Home workout today:
Warmup
15x Pushups
3* (14 plank Knees to Elbow + 20 Supermen + 14 Bicycle Crunches)
30 Lunges
30 Burpees
30 Leg Raises
Cooldown
Zwift with me, myself and I
Hi Ray,
My last workout was a HIT training on my Elite Suito which I bought after a lot of reading on dcrainmaker!
I still really need a lot of gear for my homegym for example a new sport watch since mine died on me a couple of weeks ago and I used it almost every day since 2014!
Really hoping to win! :)
Following a training plan in Sufferfest! My last was a video called “Do as you’re told!” Amazing HIIT session!
My last real ride was a 100K one to the Athens shoreline on a beautiful day!
3 days later the lock down was imposed…
I think it’s time to invest in a smart trainer :)
Need parts for a new bike :)
Some push ups with my 2 year old daughter over me
Just riding and running solo outside as usual! ?
I ran with our double stroller plus kiddos. That thing is so unwieldy, guaranteed distance keeper!
Cycling to the ocean and back while everyone else was working from home.
A walk in the surrounding area.
tour of watopia final stage group ride with andre greipel! turned out to be quite a ride – first 30mins at 48kph till i was dropped!
Early 5K walk keeping a proper distance to others.
1,5 hour Trainerroad workout on the turbotrainer. Not indoor, but in the garden, in the sun, out of the wind, Great!
Core Isolation Exercises
I walked/ran up and down our stairs to the first flow for 15min.
Well… Got laid off from work and have Achilles tendinitis so can’t run (this is my primary sport). Fortunately old bike is still working so I managed a ride last weekend. In the mean time my town got hit and badly damaged in earthquake ?. Now I reduced my outdoors to going once a week to get supplies for my family and elderly.
11k late evening run in the countryside
Riding my bike dodging other riders ??
My favourite indoor workout
12X1/1′ VO2 MAX
CAL
10 min @ 45-65 % of FTP
Ramp down in 6 steps
1 min @ 90 % of FTP
1 min @ 45 % of FTP
1 min @ 105 % of FTP
1 min @ 45 % of FTP
1 min @ 120 % of FTP
5 min @ 45 % of FTP
DIENTE DE SIERRA
Repeat 12 times
BILLAT 1min
1 min @ 110-115 % of FTP
80-90 rpm
50%
1 min @ 55 % of FTP
Cool Down
5 min @ 45 % of FTP
Last proper workout was 5weeks ago. Likely be another 5 while waiting on knee recovering.
Easy home work ride alone with some gooses the cold late winter morning
Trail run, sans mud, with the dog zig zagging around me. Joys of woodland on the doorstep
Attic training, sun, windows open, cycling
A solid 75min run through a hilly forest, social distancing at its best!
Sitting lonely cycling in my garage stairing at the wall…
An easy early 15km through a very quiet town
6km run here in Purmerend, running in the fields to avoid people…
Just a quick 6k run, in may laps arround my block.
2k, looping around my building:’(
A midday mountainbike trip under the hot sun, while enjoying a fresh breeze.
Easy bike session on Zwift to recover from long ride :)
A nice solo bike ride outside.
Social distance running equal an obstacle course….me: run, just run…wait a minute they are getting closer do I speed up or do I slow down…wait they are on the path, I know…run. on the sand …wait people are on the sand run closer to the water, ok now I am in the water with wet feet…damn……a soggy run later I am wishing I had a dread I’ll. :)
I did a 90 minutes endurance workout on TrainerRoad.
As far apart as you can be, but definitely connected and close by: doing stage 5 of TdW with a teammate from the USA.
Cycling with one other guy, could not draft off course :-) would be to close!
Early morning run
Never Give up
7km dog loop run at 6am
Thursday is the TTT day on Zwift! 1m between each rider changing every 30s was the real challenge!
We managed to complete the race safetly.
Escaped from home office and biked to empty office for work, even more social distance than home office ?
Did 30 minutes at FTP on sufferfest.
5 km run along the seafront
4AM run, no issues with social distancing at that time ;-)
Yesterday I was cycling in the Pyrenees. On Wednesday it was a quick ride in the Netherlands. Oh, I should mention that this was all on the TacX app :-)
Not been out riding this year yet … kinda sucks to be honest.
Just completed 1st week of Trainerroad’s SST- High Volume, onto NEXT.
A quick run along the sea front at 5.30am
Sadly a Movie supported indoor ride, containing a warmup ant then 3 times 20min SweetSpot with 10min GA breaks ….
while the sun was shining …
keep your heads up!
a quick 5k run and avoiding people on the sidewalk by occasionally running on the street
I went for an easy run, while my 6 year old son cycled along side me. Was nice to get out in the sun.
Lovely 30K solo ride through the country side. The paths in the city were busier then normal, but once outside the city I saw maybe 2 people who were not in a car (or tractor, quite a lot of those though)
In an attempt to practice for when we’re not allowed to go venture further than 1km from where we live (rumoured next step in Belgium), I ran in circles at a local parking lot. The deliveroo guys hanging out on the edge of it must have thought I was mad.