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!
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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.
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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.
Always nice give aways!
That is very simple. While I have to stay at home 2 weeks after returning back from the travel, the only option for me is to make workouts at home. This is 100% social distance guarantee. So it is a simple push-ups, squads and some stretching, etc. But i miss my morning running in the park.
A Zwift meetup with a few other South African riders from a local forum. Riding easy together seems more difficult than simply going hard :)
I’m burning my tires on the home trainer …
Did an easy ride on my cyclo today, was a bit cold, but nice to get out.
I did a double on the Zwift tour of watopia B ride – half an hour of the first one, then cut short to join (and finish) the next one…so the workout was mainly getting the timings right to maximise those lovely double XPs!
Approached them as loose intervals – each of the kickers got me standing and spinning a bit harder, and the rest in Z2-3…but hey, it’s Zwift, so I got suckered into bridging the next group and then pushing for that finish line :)
1 hour Sufferfest ride on my Kickr
Have to keep in shape, a trainer at home would be great!
Just finished the first self created meetup in Zwift with a friend who just bought a new trainer 500km from here.
A brisk walk round the fields near me, jumping in and out of hedges to maintain social distancing
Tried phased training session for the first time.
I became a victim of covid19 on Monday and lost my job. Yesterday I had to return my company laptop, mobile and credit card so I decided to cycle to the office. I haven’t cycled for months as I was marathon training but the 20 miles each way went pretty well although I’d count it as exercise and not training.
Relaxing 90 minutes of Endurance on the trainer. Recovery weeks rock!
10k Solo run outside
Walking my dogs before work
A nice ride passing 3 pyrenees climns that you can still do when its snowing!
I rode the Ventoux and even managed to keep enough distance in the virtual world of RGT.
We are on day 10 of our lockdown here in Malaysia. The lockdown includes not going outside for any reason. So no outdoor running or riding. The first floor of our apartment is sort of an open mezzanine like area. So I’ve literally been running in circles for the past few days. Don’t know how far bc the GPS on my phone can’t really track.
If I win I’ll buy and a trainer. Been wanting one for a while but money is tight.
Good luck to everyone and please stay safe and healthy!
Last night I made stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia on Zwift a hard on for me and achived a new allt time high FTP value. Hurray :-)
Dropped my Garmin FR935, now having a comma between the last two digits ? this giveaway will help me getting a replacement watch. Stay safe!
Stage 5 Tour of Watopia. I planned to go easy on the flat and then push hard on the climb. Didn’t want to be dropped from any group so raced flat out from start to finish.
A short 5k run around the block
Went mountainbiking with a friend and couldn’t keep his pace, so we got a good social distance between us :)
A nice run around Maastricht of 13k on my new shoes
Gym session 1hr 45min, like the last 3 weeks. Here in Italy this is the mandatory trend…
Garden circuits and TRX with the kids!
Easy 40km recovery spin making use of my 1 exercise a day!
An easy ride on the trainer post pneumonia and corona virus testing… (negative thank goodness)
3x4min vo2 intervals on the tacx neo 2
Running around in the bushes, as a preparation for completing a half-marathon training plan for the upcoming World Championships (which are not gonna happen).
I’m currently in a recovery week.
And I did plenty of really tough Couchlandrian workouts!
But two days ago it was a 45 min recovery ride on Zwift.
I’m quarantined in my home in Italy, I need a bike trainer!
Did some recovery on Zwift in London!
5000 metres, with stroke rate changes every 1000 metres, on my Concept 2 Rower :)
trainerroad 1hr 15min dade +1
Easy trainer workout.
trainerroad 1hr 15min dade +1
I last rode on a faux zwift ride on my Schwinn exercise bicycle.
easy peasy – sticking to my TrainerRoad indoor training plan
A successful attempt at doing microburst intervals outside – the quiet roads are one positive in this coronavirus nightmare!
trainerroad 1hr 15min dade +1
indoor rowing at home on the balcony
Thank you ray!
I did multiple tour of Watopia stages. Hope you and you’re family are safe
Have a nice day
I rode that Spark RC MTB for two hours this morning and missed the challenge by 67 feet.
Just like everyday another session on my zwift trainingplan – 30k intervals
I did a short 5k run close to my home. At the moment there are other things more important to me as to make sure that my training is efficient. Maybe I can manage a little ride today.
A jog around my village with occasional sprints to avoid other runners, walkers and cyclists. I call it a social distancing Fartlek session.
Yoga session with some YouTube yoga trainer.
Climbed a mountain round the corner from me.
Long run following the canal in Ghent
In Spain outdoor sports are now banned so my last activity was some kind of bodyweight trying to copy the movements of a fitness app. :(
Solo bike trip through almost deserted streets and fields.
A solid stairs workout with my best pal before a short core session.
Great time !
TrainerRoad: Matthes +1 (3 Mins at 115% x9 with 4 mins rest in between) while constantly cursing the guy who designed the workout…
Got a small dip station and did 4 sets on that as well as some weights in my conservatory.
A slow spin in the sunshine. First ride of the year with bare knees!
My last workout was a 4.5 mile run. I’m trying to run or cycle every other day to make sure I get out!
1h30 indoor trainer ride on an old Tacx Satori with 3×15′ tempo.
Ironically an hour Wattbike session at the gym 2 days ago before the South African lock-down due to Covid 19.
Baxter on TrainerRoad and Zwift last night. Have the feeling I’m going to get to know Baxter very well.
A cruise around London hills on Zwift. No goals or targets…just stretching out the legs for the weekend’s Zwift races.
Just the normal morning Run
An early morning bike ride along the Ronde Hoep.
I spent 45 minutes doing the 5th session of exercices propose by Bob Tahri on l’équipe Web site.
Thanks Ray !
Went for a 30 min ride on my TACX trainer. Couldn’t do more. Too boring. Will try Zwift next time… Also my TACX Flow wheel on trainer isn’t the best, so I know pretty clear on what to spent that clevertraining bonus.
Thanks Ray, stay healthy
Watopia 30k
A 15k run to train for my cancelled race
I just did a 1h Zwift ride, doing the Greatest London Loop
Run in the forest with my dog. No people around ;)
Joe Wicks – YouTube workout with the kids – a million streamers cant be wrong! ;-)
Wattbike session with my husband.
Today I finally learned how to properly stretch before working out because I have all this free time and space… For the actual workout I did arms and chest. I still only got to 2 pushups but I feel like any day now the could be a third! It might seem funny, but I’m super excited about it!
Just commuting
Outside run, away from people…
128km solo ride between two European partner cities (Borne-NL – Rheine-D) and back.
I have a good tacx only need a edge 830 to control it (as i really dislike the expensive subscriptions on apps). So Now i try a daily 45min cycling exercise and a 5 to 10k run in the forest next door.
Interval session 4 x 5 mins + 2 mins rec. No-one else about!
Stay safe.
99,9% of my rides are solo rides, so social distancing is not a problem for me
A solo 12k easy run.
7km running in the forest near my place.
Three hours chopping and sawing wood for the stove, for that upper body workout. Never sweated so much in my life
It may be spring, but the weather in the UK has taken a turn for the colder.
Shame, as the weather is ideal for a long cycle; superb sunny days, no wind, no cloud. Just can’t use it
Easy, it was the 5K run that I did day before yesterday (Wednesday). It was late, and I ran alone (as usual) so apart from the odd car I did basically not see anyone. So physically distancing for sure!!
I took my son on his 14K bike ride route. First day he managed all the hills so social isolation is definitely helping his fitness
Bit of mashed together BRIC workout on my old £50 turbo trainer and the cross trainer in the garage!
Indoor workout, better than nothing
5 x 1mile on some hilly roads! So quiet!
No total lockdown yet, so I did a solo ride outside
I Zwifted away for an hour :)
A solo bike ride in the glorious sunshine. Empty roads! Just 26 miles after work.
Every lockdown had a car free silver lining.
Short 8km run at sunset, while trying to avoid other runners and cyclists.
My last workout was a gentle walk along the beach in Qatar.
A solo 7.2k easy run.
Living in Spain so not allowed to leave the house.
Managed to buy an used trainer one day before lockdown was enforced…
Been racking the kms in there.
a 11 km ride, to get a ❄️??, with my daughter to explore never ridden roads in my home town. Doing some earth wandring.
30 minutes of hill repeats on the hill my house is on.
Indoor 60 min bike ride mostly sweet spot on TrainerRoad
I’ve done a Zwift TT workout which is part of my training plan
Chasing kids around the house is the best I’ve been able to manage so far!!
Commuting to work @ 4 A.M.
My compliance to my trainer road plan has never been better. Carson +1 was most recent.