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.
10k run is planned, hope the weather will be kind to me!
Saturday is a longer Zwift ride and a shorter row, Sunday long row and short Zwift. Unless it becomes decent out, then it’s gravel gravel gravel….
Running marathon in 3 days
Completing some of the Zwift Academy workouts I’m behind on.
a 50k bike at the mountains with a lot of cold weather here in Greece for this weekend
Ramping up the mileage for a marathon that got cancelled. Running a total of almost 4 hours anyway.
Doing some hill repeats with a coworker to build his confidence up for a ride around Lake Tahoe later this month.
Swim, Zwift and run.
No plans this weekend! I study and will watch the European XC mtb
Zwift workout while watching undercover on netflix
Long run and short run
After 6 days of rain, I really hope for o bike ride outside! :)
i plan on a 24 km run
Will start training again today after 20 days and being hospitalized. It will only get better now!
Bike on sat, run on Sunday between rains )
Hopefully escape the city and go for a hike. Too rainy for a bike ride.
Running 10K with the kids out in the fields.
Itamar
After a back injury this week i’ll spend my time walking around to get some moving.
3 hour spin Saturday with a coffee and scone. Then 20km run on Sunday
Ride a bike in the woods.
Hiking and via ferrata
Hi,
Just a long walking in the forest this weekend.?
Jani
My FTP has supposedly dropped by 10% in a year. So Zwift is my new Netflix. That was my plan for yesterday, that’s my plan for today, and tomorrow, and next week, and…
13 km run on Sunday :D
Do long ride mountain biking on Saturday, short ride on Sunday.
MTB and rest are on the plan.
probably a big mtb ride avoiding the smoke in Colorado!
paint the bathroom ceiling and some zwifting.
Road running today, running by rivers then turbo tomorrow
I will hopefully do a bike ride with a broken toe in freezing cold and rainy bavaria on sunday. And maybe not…
I have new mountain bike to test so excited for the weekend.
Container just arrived from the US (moved to Italy) with my family’s bikes so likely a cruise with them today and a swim-run on Sunday.
Just started Garmin coach plan and did ‘easy run’.
I’m riding Zwift Training Academy Workout #3 and the Saturday Team Type 1 Diabetes Ride.
It’s a typical weekend for me with a long ride on TrainerRoad and long run on Sunday. Good times
LSD on Friday nights, beer on Saturdays for recovery (?), Intervals or easy runs on Sundays! Keep it going!
Weekends are for motorcycles, that’s why I cycle in the week ??
Off the couch: Weekly (short) long run (if that makes sense) part of taper week (virtual marathon next Sunday)
On the couch: World Championship half marathon, Ronde van Vlaanderen, 2 Giro stages
hiking with the family
Run outside, cycle inside
10 mile Zwift ITT today as Part of a university study. Then weekends are family time!!
Run on Saturday and hopefully a mtb ride on Sunday.
On Sunday I will do easy run workout in a renewed track near my home
Ride on Saturday
long run sunday
A Covid compliant bike ride with my mates
Swimming, more swimming! Need to enjoy the time in the pool while I still can..
Resting my legs this week, so I’ll be doing some planking.
A Sunday ride with the club.
My workout: just an easy off-season mtb ride on Saturday.
On Saturday 2hrs of wakeboarding. On Sunday first dogtraining and the running 15K with my dog.
Recovery cargo bike ride with the kids
Doing some Zwift Workouts today and hopefully a long outdoor ride on sunday
Saturday I’ll be out for a long bike ride then rest. Sunday I’ll head to beach for bike ride and run followed by time in the sand to even out tan lines. Then watch football.
Group ride on Saturday and a solo mtb ride on Sunday.
I’m starting my offseason with 2 weeks without any trainings. So we are going for hiking in the mountains with my friends :)
Just about to go on a 120ish km ride on the gravel roads surrounding Oslo. The weather has been great all week, and Saturday is the first time this week I’ve got the chance to get outside to ride. Can’t wait!
Still recovering from the London marathon. Back on it next week :)
Preparing for the 2021 season with a solid rest day, and then some Anaerobic testing (At this time of year..!) To round out my power profile and VlaMax, ahead of the winter training.
This weekend it’s
Long run Saturday
Long bike ride Sunday
Ride my bike like every weekend
My weekend workout will running around after my toddler. Does that count as intervals and strength training?
5 km run. 2x3km swims
Continue my 10k program with a longer run today Saturday and then some strength training and stretching tomorrow.
Time for a smart bike trainer.
To meet my intensity minutes goal for the week aiming to do a trail run in the forest and a cycling ride into the mountains.
I had planned a swim and bike workout but Covid cases spiked and I’ll skip the swimming pool for a while. So run and bike it’ll be!
Thank you for the giveaway,
Have a nice weekend
between 10-15km run today and tomorrow (like every day).
One hour TT to test myself before the off-season
Doing a long hike to a mountain peak
Today is rest day with a little stretch session. On sunday my big day is come. I will try beat my 10k time. I want to run it under 45 minutes. My goal i am training for weeks now.
Some hiking on my menu
A short run is planned. Switching car tires and repairing the insulation in the loft.
Easy bike on Sunday with some friends.
The leaves are falling so intense yard work needs my attention before the fun stuff…
Due to minor symptoms of a cold I will mostly self-isolate, cancel my group rides and will likely due some core work and easy bike/run/Skike
Some trail running
25k run in Switzerland
Saturday/Sunday: biceps, back, abs, Zwift Academy and dance on pedals on local climbs.
I’m about to get out for my usual “before the kids wake up” saturday morning ride with a friend. I’ve gort some new gravel tyres to try out so we’ll probably do a local 35 mile gravel loop and be back in time to have breakfast with my daughters.
Just a run
Go for a fall bike ride.
After a couple of months off following the birth of our first child this weekend is my first “long” run back!
Looking very much like a turbo session and a 10k run for me
Do some running and a trip to the nearest forest with my mountainbike friends.
FTP Test, 2 x sunday indoor rides
Saturday just booze and popcorn with friends and Netflix. On Sunday 16k run moderate pace.
8 mile negative split run, and a zone 2 3hr bike.
This weekend its a run saturday and trainer sunday..,
First 10k on Sunday since I injured my hip.
Run on Saturday and some yoga or stretching
Relax on Sunday – whirlpool & sauna
Will be doing Zwift Academy session this weekend ?
If the rain holds off I will go for a last outside ride for a while on the road bike
Today covid proof gravel nightride by the wildhood eu community. Flash them lights until the legs are tired.
Family walk, clean the house & long run on Sunday.
After getting my first bikefit I am going to check how the new settings feel.
Saturday Fartlek, Sunday long run :-)
Slow Zwift ride as I recover from being hit by a truck while out riding 5 weeks ago.
Probably attempt a metric century on a single speed.
Probably some hiking in this beautiful foggy rainy weather…
I think a chat ride with two friends of mine is the correct way to close a week spent testing my new Adizero Pro!
Recover from my solo 2.56 marathon on Friday :)
I’ve planned a nice bike ride along the river Adige in South Tyrol, Italy on Saturday and a long run on trails through the apple orchards near Bolzano on Sunday.
As for a weekend workout goes me and my son, Rasmus 5yo, will go fetch breakfast today. He’ll bike, I’ll run the 10k’ish distance :)
#qualitytime
I’ll do my best to taper and not run to much, preparing for a marathon next wekkend.
Second weed of Sweet Spot Base 2 :)
If it’s not raining to bad some enduro riding as well :)
Weekend workout is about to start! Countingdown for my first full ironman i Cascais 7 November, today is double BRICK-training: 2x 90km TT-bike + 10km run, followed by a 2,5hours easy recovery ride tomorrrow. Finally dry & no wind: hallelujah! Wishing everyone and nice sporty & healthy weekend: stay safe and fight those Corona-kilo’s!
Mow the lawn
Running the dunes on Saturday.
My plan for this weekend was to run an obstacle race and support a friend of mine in his attempt to that obstacle race 24h long. Now it will be two running sessions, one short run, using the new stryd power plan features and one long run (21k+)
Do some biking around vienna.
Two bicycle workouts on the trainer.
one longer easy one and one sweet spot.
I’m just getting back into running after a bike challenge last month so it’ll be an easy paced run for me today and a rest day tomorrow
Running in the rain on Saturday, cycling in the rain on Sunday :) weather is terrible last days here
I’ll be doing Zwift Academy workout #3, watching some more Jack Ryan (Ray you kinda look like him?!?!) and some Giro d’Italia.
Saturday Strength + Sunday long ride… Still trying to recover from last night’s running intervals.
200k Cycling for the link to longtermnlchallenge.nl
Catching up on things I need to get done after spending the last couple Saturdays hiking instead of getting things done :)
May also head for a 90m bike ride if I’m getting enough stuff done
Just a nice recovery run. Enjoying the Dutch weather and just running easily are the goals.
Water training: getting wet in the rain…
Sunday morning a 5k time trial to calibrate my critical power for Stryd – if I get out of bed ;)
Going on a hike with my new trail shoes.
What about a Zwift ride while you’re watching Giro? I will do it.
Recovery. What’s another day when it’s been 10 months!
Enjoy the weekend and good luck to everyone
Today (Saturday) it will be a nice gravelride. Tomorrow probably on Zwift while watching the Tour of Flanders!
Back2back weekend!
A trail run in the forest.
Well, originally I’d have been planning a long run for Saturday and a lovely recovery ride on Sunday. Alas, a one week old is taking up a little more time. ?
A few weeks of “rest” it is!
Continuing my Stryd training plan journey with on-wrist guidance!
20m warm up
5m hard effort
9m cool down
Walk/run on Saturday after running around with kid’s sports. Probably a ride on Sunday.
90 min bike ride sat with a 45 min zone 2 run in the afternoon. 2300 m swim sun with a 9 mi run in the afternoon. Some time with the air relax recovery boots.
Painting three rooms in the house then autumn spin tomorrow! Beer brewing to help with recovery.
I need to get out to go on with my half-marathon training, it’s been raining the whole week in Bratislava and finally the weather is getting better.
Busy weekend – a couple of 30-40 miler bike rides followed by an hour out with my wife each day as she starts to get on her bike again.
Hoping I can find a break in the rain to go for a ride to loosen up the legs after a long week at work.
Mixed surface bike ride.
This week end, i would cycle 100 km if thenweather is Ok
I will be open water swimming in a nearby lake with a handful. It is getting colder so with a neopren swimcap and socks along the wetsuit. Probably around 2400meters. Tomorrow we have the end of season road ride for a bunch of locals. Dont know what length they have planed but probably 1.5 -2 hours
I will run with my wife and the Tri club this morning (85% WMA (3’ 6’ 6’ 3’) and swimming training this evening with the club and my son.
Yeah !
Going to be playing table tennis ping pong with my 11 year old
A trailrun and a MTB-tour with friends. Have a nice weekend!
A nice autumnal run – it’s my time of year for running!
Watching de Ronde while riding with Coco on Zwift
Some bike to Alto de San Esteban and tomorrow z2 running.
Hi Ray, I will spend the weekend watching bike races on GCN. Recovering fro bronchitis and luckily there is enough racing entertainment to stop me from stupidly training.
Nathan
After a busy period (moving house), I’m finally off to discover our new neighbourhood tomorrow at my usually slow pace. :)
Recovery plans for whole weekend. Gona do some bome renovating tasks and book reading.
I’ll be mostly chasing our new dachshund puppy around!
Trailrun in the nearby forest
Saturday interval run and long slow Sunday run :-)
Hoping to get some longer z1-z2 recovery run in on Sunday. Saturday will be a day by TV :D
First snow in mountains = CX skiing!
Today a fun MTB ride and a pool swim training tomorrow a short recovery run ;-)
No plans for this weekend but at the next one starting at 23.10. 09:00 CET I plan a 1.000km Zwift ride including a fundraising for a good reason.
link to facebook.com
Any help appreciated.
After a great run on the Budapest Marathon last weekend my plan is only 2 recovery run for this weekend. 5-8 km run for Saturday and around 12 km for Sunday.
Aiming for the first time out on the bike in a while
A hike on Saturday and a quick spin on the bike on Sunday
Nice, i will be doing some cycling this weekend!
A 4 hour mtb ride in the Dutch “mountains” ;)
I’ll spend this weekend hoping my velomobile gets repaired and shipped back to me a.s.a.p because it makes riding in fall and winter conditions so much more enjoyable and comfortable, compared to my regular road bikes. And I’ll go for a nice relaxing run with my brother, maybe a 10K or something like that.
Go luck with your new partnership Ray!
On Saturday escaping the rainy and stormy weather on my KickrCore on Zwift, in the evening swimming.
Mid-autumn weather with a little bit of sunshine is back on Sunday, so I’m thinking about having a long mid-power run through hilly roads, after that maybe a easy zwift ride to end the day…
Yup, I‘m a triathlete.
A squash game on Saturday and if it stops raining a 10k run on Sunday.
A nice 100k+ bikeride i beautiful Østfold w my wife tomorrow. Looking forward to it!
I’m collecting a trailing bike to give to a friend of mine who’s son has limited movement/strength in his left side. I’m hoping this will help them build great memories together by cycling on our local canal pathway.
Then its a cruisy 3 hour cycle on Sunday for myself and my local cycling friends.
It’s really bad weather outside but I want to stop by my favorite bike shop to get a part which is lying around since ages there. This means 40k biking here in Austria. Besides this yesterday I tried if the 21k still work after Corona and a summer of cycling, so a hard recovery on the couch will follow. I am really excited, the voucher would be great to get a Garmin Edge because navigation with the watch is kind of exhausting.
Plans are to do a steady easy aero to keep my Garmin load focus happy, then hopefully a long Zwift ride too!
Saturday is trail run day and tomorrow out on the bike, probably around the Lake or up Cheddar Gorge…
I’ll do a MTB-ride in the nice weather today. Tomorrow is recovery day. ???
Hopefully if the weather holds its MTB time!!
Crashing down the garden playhouse of our kids and building it up even bigger and better on another place. And perhaps a short recovery ride after that.
Nursing a broken wrist, so just asking a leg routine at the gym, and working out some of my fingers by shopping online for new bike parts!
Just lung runs and of course a nap in between!
I was going to do a Gran Fondo but was cancelled due to COVID. So I’m going to do it with a friend anyway!
Early spin on Zwift followed by a bit of sim racing for my down time and recovery. Weather looks decent in the uk this weekend do hopefully a new forest walk then glass of red and a roast dinner.
Sauna and a dip in the sea.
Sleep sleep and more sleep
After being laid up for 2 weeks studying for an exam, I’ll be running and swimming today then a gentle 60k cycle tomorrow.
5 x workouts of Cup of Tea challenge on Rouvy, then recover
I decided three months ago to run my first half Marathon this weekend. It’s a huge step for me because for years I couldn’t even run more than 10min because of medical issues, which are now finally solved :)
Having a city trip till Sunday and that rock it on Zwift
1/2 marathon (solo) because of Covid
This weekend’s workout will consist of surfing and possibly a 3K swim.
Easy base run on Saturday and long Zwift session on Sunday. Enjoying off season :)
I’m literally about to roll out of bed and on the the bike for an hour long opener ride. I have my first (and possibly only) cx race of the year tomorrow. Looking at the start sheet, I’m up against a lad who spent all day in the break with Cav on Wednesday. Thankfully I don’t race for the result it’s just a good time. Put the race bike through its paces yesterday when picking up my little one from school. The big shame is that the family can’t come and spectate due to covid regs, and the weather is a thousand times better than it Was for them at the same race last year.
My weekend workout will consist of training our puppy, sight seeing with a friend from abroad and recovering from the workouts done during the week.
Since my marathon race was cancelled this year I still want to finish my training and run it alone. So long run this weekend. Two more weeks until the “race”
Well, I’m going to do some swimming today, probably a Mtb ride tomorrow.
Trail run this morning, and probably MTB with my son on Sunday.
Run on Saturday. Bike on Sunday.
Saturday il train running up slopes.
Sunday il go to the mountains and run around 15k before it gets to cold or they forbid us to go out again!
Setting up zwift in the kitchen
Plan for today is 2h ride on the trainer and 16km run tomorrow
At least 2,5 hours on the bike, outdoor if the weather is good (it looks so, on Sunday morning). Else it will be a Zwift ride. May be split it, today a hour on Zwift, tomorrow morning outside.
I am recovering from knee surgery, so easy spins on my trainer and swimming
5k run Z4 on Saturday and a short ride and a HM on Sunday.
After a strenuous but very beautiful hike in the Bavarian mountains, I am recovering this weekend with my family (I think there is still room for a short bike ride)
Bit of a calf niggle so probably just a couple of zwift academy sessions.
Chilly bike ride in the south east of England.
Wrangling the children on Saturday, cycling on Sunday. Sunday will probably be the easy day ?
A mountain bike covid time trial organized by friends and a ride with the kids
Rest day for me today