Hi All!
Thanks for finding the Valentines Giveaway page! As I said in the Newsletter, this is a giveaway just for you, Newsletter Readers! Ray won’t be sharing this on Twitter or any other various forms of social media.
I’m sure you’re impatiently awaiting “WHAT IS THE PRIZE??”
The winner will get a $500USD credit to CleverTraining.com, our most excellent partner in this giveaway crime. By supporting the site through Clever Training you also can save 10% on basically anything they sell (or get points instead). If you win, you can use that credit for anything. Seriously. Well anything on their site.
How to enter:
Simply leave a comment below. Preferably an idea to peer pressure Ray into doing something romantic for his one and only this Valentine’s season. Otherwise, do be sure to leave some sort of comment more than just a word, as that sometimes leads to your comment getting stuck in SPAM. And no matter how much the Hawaiians try to sell it to you, there ain’t nothin’ good about SPAM.
That’s it. Go forth and good luck!
The giveaway entry period will run through Thursday, February 14th, 2019 until 11:59PM US Eastern Time. Winner will be selected randomly. One entry per person.
Time! Valentines gifts are great, and they are best served with quality time!
For valentines day roses, champagne and chocolate is a safe bet but why not a swim, a run and bike ride with full support ;D
Make a nice dinner and a good bottle of wine.
That picture is adorable!
I would love to use this to by swag for my fit girlfriend for Valentine’s Day
I’m too much of a grumpy European to celebrate Valentine’s, but I really love reading the newsletter!
Would love to get my wife a bike trainer. She has complained a lot about the snow here in Sweden 🙂
A massage for the busy mom!
Many thanks for a that you do to run the website with Ray. Cheers!
I would love to win
Honestly, if I had a good idea for Valentine’s Day, I’d be using it myself. Sorry.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
“WHAT IS THE PRIZE??” 🙂
Ray should spell out his love in a Strava art run through Cape Town.
Dear Ray, For V-day, I think you should give The Girl the day off and write the blog for her. I’m sure she will love not having a deadline, and while I am also sure you’ll do a fine job, she’ll get that much more adulation from the readers when she returns! 🙂
I think technically, there would be THREE Valentines for Ray to remember, don’t forget the Peanuts!
Woot Woot! Happy (almost) Valentines Day to the DCR crew!
I’m not sure that there is anything particularly romantic about giving flowers when everyone tells you you have to, but this view only really holds water when you remember to give them (and thoughtful, personal gifts) on a random rainy Tuesday “just because I thought you’d like it”.
Can’t go wrong with cheese or chocolate… or both!
Hey Ray,
This Valentine’s show The Girl some love for goodness’ sake,
She follows and shoots you while you’re swimming in a lake;
She’s proved time and again that she’s got guts,
If only because she’s the mom to the two peanuts;
So come this Valentine’s Day show The Girl some lovin’
Who knows, you might earn yourself a new Pizza Oven. 😉
All the best,
Raf Castillo
If at first you don’t succeed… Try it your wife’s way!
Or to put it another way….
Yes dear… you’re right dear… I love you dear.
Fill out a wish list of 2-3 hour activities card deck style and have him chose one and fulfill it in a timeframe. 🙂
Happy Valentines!
This is so exciting! Thanks for the Valentines day love 🙂 Hope y’all can get out there and do something fun with your partner! (Going climbing totally counts as a date in our house)
Thanks for your thorough product reviews! I am a non-techie person and even I can understand them! And I really appreciate your practical advice – read your treadmill tracker review for treadmill accuracy and loved your suggestion to just get a footpot and trust it! I think your wife might like a family weekend trip without the work?
Hi, loving the newsletter! Ray should take you dancing!
Thanks for all the hard work that the two of you do to give us readers a ton of information on cycling tech. Ray, get your wife another dog (or at least a really nice floral arrangement).
SPAM is actually quite delicious 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
socks always socks
Hello! Love the news letters, 5 random things, and (of course) all the tech-geek info.
BTW, had my dad build the DIY Rockit Launcher from ZwiftInsider.com for my trainer. Maybe there’s a future post comparing the DIY rocker plate to commercial ones? I’ve been building the front wheel riser and soon a step to mount/dismount more easily.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Maybe she needs a sparkly new bike.
You can never go wrong with flowers and chocolates
Happy Valentine’s Day to The Girl and Ray! Here’s a thought – take the entire day to be electronics-free and enjoy your youth, health, and valentine’s aura! So glad for all the work you do to keep us all up to speed on the gear we love or covet 🙂
Happy Valentines Day! Instead of going to a fancy restaurant with what we usually do, we’re going cross country skiing for the first time and bringing the 12 week pup!
Flowers and a nice dinner is always a winning combination.
Ray should definitely go with the standard flowers and candy! Hope I win :).
Great job on the race with so few miles under your belt this year!
I Love2Train!
Simple date night with your one and only valentine.
awesome work. Thanks
It’s got to be a romantic spa visit surely?
I think a nice Italian dinner in the gondola would be a great idea!
I think a quiet night watching the munchkins so you can binge watch Netflix. Hahahaha
Love the newsletter! Keep it coming!
Here’s the obligatory entry comment.
P.S. if you’re really looking for good valentine activities, maybe you’d like to fly over Cape town! link to sa-venues.com
Really enjoy your’s and Rays commitment to providing information on all this products AND your GIRL insights. Both are extremely important and appreciated. thanks
Woohoo
Hello, I hope your plan works!
Fried spam is delicious!
Happy Valentines Day!
Hi! Happy Valentines Day! Thanks for all you guys do
Chance to score points for the pizza oven, take advantage of it.
Love the newsletter; also I have to say it doesn’t need to be the husband who does something for valentines day. I have a very nice bouquet of flowers from my wife on my desk right now she sent me as an early valentines day gift – although I’m not 100% sure they weren’t also a hint.
I am in!
Babysit the kids and give your wife a night to herself ?
I think Ray should create some Strava art to show how much he loves his valentine…. good excuse to test more tech too!
Ray makes homemade pasta and a bottle of wine
Hey, babe, your pace or mine?
Seems like a great time for a couple’s run! Plot a track that visits someplace that means something special to you and share it with your loved one.
Should probably do the same thing he does for sweetest day
Ray and kiddos make breakfast for the girl. Spa day for the girl while Ray and the kiddos clean up. Nice dinner, kiddos optional.
Get some bath bombs.
Happy valentines to the Maker family
Ray could bake some sweet cookies, and you can train together to lose them…
Secret giveaways are the best giveaways.
Ray: babysitter + card + nice dinner + no smart phones = great Valentine’s day! Good luck!
So it’s Valentine’s Day again…..ugg…..
I got to think about and do something not to cheesy, but certainly not to difficult (for me) …..for the woman I “promised to love, honor and respect; to be faithful to, and not to forsake for ever and ever. So help me God..”
Yeah I should do something and it needs to show how much she makes my heart sing. No matter how I feel…. Best of luck!
Ray, take The Girl on a run, and then show her the route you chose created Strava art that expesses your affection.
The best traditions are the simple ones… An easy romantic dinner at home (we do spaghetti and meatballs) and time together.
Maybe a romantic bike ride.
I need a new GPS watch. Thanks!
my hubby knows I don’t want flowers (way too expensive) but would rather another race fee paid for somewhere new.
Hey there! I’m sorry, but I don’t have any creative ideas for V-Day. My girlfriend likes flowers and chocolate (She reminds me of that every year), so that’s what she gets along with a nice dinner out somewhere 🙂
I think Ray should take you out for a nice dinner and give you a gift certificate for a spa day. 🙂
Hey Ray! My husband has it easy; my birthday is Valentine’s Day. 🙂 Hope you get her something shiny and something sweet! Thanks for the chance to win!
Hello!! Hope that Ray will be more resourceful than us. 😉
How about an open water swim together, make a stop somewhere nice and then surprisingly pull out a nice little picnic out of the swim buoy? 🙂
Hi Ray and the Girl thank you for all the hard work and love! You deserve a nice night out!
I guess there’s nothing better than some new fancy tech for my bike for Valentine’s day 🙂
Do a heart-shaped GPS track! 😉
Hello!
Hello and happy V-day!
Hey, keep up the good works!
first!
based on your race report and the pain and suffering you seem to have gone through post race, sounds to me like Ray definitely owes you a nice long spa day of pampering complete with a solid sports massage to iron out all those kinks before your next race! Great job by the way! Top 5 with almost zero base? Damn impressive.
Spend a beautiful day in whatever city you are in together.
I recommend scheduling her for a massage and a nice dinner out.
Hi, I very much enjoy your newsletter. Thanks!
Something realllly romantic, like a couple’s run & some lounge time! 🙂 -Lindsey
She wants you to pay attention to her. Probably not a gift of a lovely new gruppo.
Well, thanks to the girl, the newsletter has been a pleasure to read. I suggest you grant her wishes this Valentine’s Day!
I’m not much for romantic stuff myself (yet–not even having a girlfriend so far!)…but a nice dinner out is always a good starting point!? I’ve only recently joined the “Newsletter Fam,” but I’ll say right now that I’m enjoying it. Keep the fun coming…and I hope to hear a report that Ray did something good for his valentine next week!?
Roses are red, violets are blue, winning this giveaway would be good for someone too…
Hi Ray, for Valentine’s Day you could buy your better half a Pizza Oven. I’m sure she would love it! 😛
I’m terrible at Valentines. Any advice I give would only hasten Ray’s demise.
Congrats on the run!!!
Super secret tip: Costco, as of last week, was selling 50 long stem roses DELIVERED for $39.99.
Skip training and organise a Valentine’s dinner? Tough decision.
The gift of wine glasses….
New ring for Valentine’s Day!
Good luck all!
Ray, you can never go wrong with roses!
A nice home cooked meal and and early night.
Plot a route that spell out “I LOVE YOU” or other Valentine-themed message and go run it with your wife
Ray,
Spend some time w the kids & let the girl get some more running in
Get a nice bunch of flowers for that!
I’m not sure what Ray should do, but my wife loves a good sports tech gadget so this could help me with my Valentines gift 🙂
I don’t really care for Hallmark holidays and have always enjoyed a nice, quiet evening at home with my valentine.
Hey guys! Ray should definitely do something for you on Valentine’s Day!
Definitely for Ray 😉 : making dinner every first Friday of all the months of 2019 so The Girl can have the night off and chill. Oh and throw in some athletic gear she’s been eyeing for ages. (Hope my husband sees this)
Hello
hello, great idea, hope i win
Love reading the newsletter!
Happy Valentine’s to my road bike. Sorry mountain bike.
But Spam Musubi is awesome!! Also, Happy Valentine’s Day to the Maker Family!
DC Rainmaker has got to be the best source of information on athletic technology on the internet. Where so many other news sources shill for the industry, you two are well-thought out, well-researched, honest and authentic.
I think it’s great that Ray has got help with the newsletter. He should acknowledge that and express gratitude. Possibly with a dinner somewhere. For two. And a babysitter. And maybe don’t Strava it. Just talk. And have a glass of wine or so.
Maybe a romantic bike ride along the river? <3
Just to be in the spirit of cycling…..you could take your better half on a road bike cycling trip and that could be your Valentine gift to her. And I know just the ride. One of the best bike rides in Texas every year is the “Real Ale Ride”. It is in Blanco, Texas and is sponsored by the Real Ale Brewery and Bicycle Sport Shop that is based in Austin Texas. The link is below:
link to bicyclesportshop.com
Weather: This is the best time of year to ride in Texas when the weather is concerned. The temp is warm at the end of the ride…but not really hot.
Hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Kevin Lincoln
Take the girl for a long weekend in the Alps this summer (sans kiddos)…
So, Ray should take you to this place – link to mabuvinyl.wordpress.com – and find you some Sugar. ;-). Already subscribed to your newsletter so hopefully I don’t have to check the box below. 🙂
You make my WATTS go up!
Without you I’m swimming in circles.
I’ve got the runs for you!
Your Pain Cave is dreamy!
Is anything more romantic that sharing a home made pizza cooked in your own pizza oven? I doubt it.
Since you’re now in The Netherlands, make sure to include some Haring and for dessert, Stroopwaffles…
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Come on Ray
Show her you’re true!!!
For a MTB racer on a budget your reviews have been an invaluable resource, helping me figure out how to best spend my money on training tools. The videos are also great as they often do a much better job of explaining how to use products than the manufacturer’s instructions.
As for Valentines Day, I’m not sure if it’s as commercial there as it is here in the States but if it is, avoid going anywhere. You will both be happier and less stressed. Save the big night for a random Tuesday when you both need to escape parenting for a few hours.
How sad are you that there will be no conversation hearts this year?
Love the newsletter being back regularly. Ray, get the woman something special!!! A pizza oven, perhaps?
Awesome!! Thanks Bobbie.
I suggest a monthly massage session to keep your running comeback on track!!
Buy flowers. Eat the chocolate! ?
A few days with no kid duties.
Wesołych walentynek! <3
I’d find a caretaker for the child, go to a show (movie, comedy, concert, etc.) and stay at a nice hotel for a night.
greetings from a fellow Canuck (and semi-expat part-time in Mexico)
Thanks for having this giveaway. Have a great valentines day
Happy Valentines Day to you guys!
Fantastic idea! Thanks for doing the giveaway.
And Ray…..here’s an idea for you for The Girl’s V-Day. Do a scavenger hunt for her. Give clues that lead her to your favorite places. Have a small gift or activity at each place. End up with the last clue leading her someplace super special. Maybe a romantic dinner in the Cave, a picnic somewhere…you get the idea. It’ll be fun, and she’ll love it!
Ray, take her out to dinner and a movie. Simple things are the best.
Whisk the girl away for a spa day complete with massage to help her recover from the recent 8k!!!
@Ray
Fly with the girl to Greece just to see the sunset at Santorini.
If not possible for the moment add it in your bucket list.
Otherwise a St. Valentine’s dinner would be a great alternative
Greetings from Athens
Whoo-hoo! I love the newsletter! (particularly the non-tech part)
How about a nice tandem leisurely bike ride up into the hills of capetown overlooking the beach?
Funny enough the form suggests we subscribe to the newsletter 🙂
For Valentine’s Day… Not super romantic perhaps but how about a ChampionChip for running races in South Africa? I notice it’s mandatory at more and more races (No I have no shares in their company) http://www.championchip.co.za
Something a bit more romantic would perhaps be a trip to the Springbok/Aggeneys area, where I was recently (being a link to parkrun.co.za addict). Amazing desert scenery. Or if you do science, a visit to the SKA project in Carnarvon?
You could always decide to just give up on the end destination by stopping halfway… in the respective wine areas 😀
(Super hint: SA is the land of gold and diamonds… and if you like dark blue, go for the rare Tanzanite! Only found at the foot of the Kilimanjaro)
Do something unexpected!
Happy Valentines!
there is nothing more romantic than 10k together :))
He should give you a spa day!!
Promise you’ll finish your chores so you can build the pizza oven, Ray!
hmmm…maybe an hour long foot massage after a hard training day!
Am I the first one to enter in the game ?? no.. couldn’t be, anyway I would love to offer a decent watch to my training partner.
Hi! A romantic run under the moonlight would be a good valentine surprise!
Hi Y’all!
I was thinking of trying to make homemade perfume this year for my wife…
An idea for future posts….weekly meal plans for training or pre-competition.
Get a babysitter and take the Girl to dinner — nothing fancy as long as it’s cozy and charming — and eat there with her. That’s it.
Caveat: no watch(es), no cameras, no drones, no phones, nothing to distract you. No discussions of work or technology. Candles are allowed.
I’d love to win something. Unfortunately, I am not romantic so I don’t have any idea of what Ray should do for you.
Ray should firstly create a bouquet of roses on Strava for you, then rock up with the real thing. Once all clean, Brekkie is on him and general pampering all day. Evening meal is a restaurant of your choice with champagne on tap
How good is Ray at giving a foot massage? Just asking…
Thanks for the great website and the newsletter as well!
Whenever I get the newsletter, I scroll straight down to the In-Depth Thoughts from The Girl section. Keep up the great work!
Spa day! You so deserve a spa day: working mum, two kids, running, being a great role model! And you’ve been a parent 2×9 months longer than Ray. Def deserve a spa day.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for doing this giveaway!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
To The Girl!
Love your updates and blog! Your blog is better than Ray’s analysis of the products!
Just saw today that Garmin bought Tacx…now maybe they’ll look at buying Zwift.
I would expect to see Garmin do something with Tacx that integrates Garmin other
than pairing.
Long time subscriber
Len DeMoss
Longmont, Colorado
USA
Ray could take you and the peanuts out to Monkeyland in Plettenberg Bay (link to monkeyland.co.za). Enjoy the time in SA.
Holger
Candy, candy, candy.
Only two days away!
I definitely think Ray should do a heart or a cute message in running GPS art (no biking!) 🙂
Take the love of your life out for a special night
hello
Happy Valentine’s Day to the both of you. The DC Rainmaker Newsletter always brings a ray of sunshine into my day!
Ray be romantic and take the girl out of the cave to a fancy bike shop for a romantic view 😉
The ideal romantic thing would be a romatic one night gettaway to paris for dinner (at one of your favorite old haunts) and a run along the Siene with NO bike, run, tri or tech related conversation! Thats what my wife would want…perfect right?
Hello & happy early Valentine’s Day.
Hi, breakfast in bed is a good start for valentine
Valentine’s is overrated. Treat each other like it’s valentines every day.
A night on the town with dinner and dancing!
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
Trying to use the force to peer pressure RAY
take you for a weekend on a houseboat in West Coast National Park
Hey Ray, come on, do something nice for The Girl. After all that she’s done for you and now for the newsletter crew, something more than roses, or maybe she really likes roses and you never buy them. How about a trip to a South African winery for a wine tasting – yeah that sounds nice, do that.
Happy Valentines Day to one and all. My wife loves those gold dipped roses. Just a thought. Feel free to pick me for the giveaway!
I’ve heard South Africa is known for diamonds… perhaps The Girl would like a shiny bauble? Love the newsletter.
Happy Valentines Day!! Hope you are able to have a great day!! We usually celebrate with heart shaped pizza.
Let’s have a try then!
Romantic dinner at an expensive restaurant
…that one time I took my girl to get cupcakes in Paris.
Nothing says romance like manual labour and treats, so simply find a lake and conceal champagne and other goodies beneath a buoy in the middle. Row to the middle with the girl and dive in to retrieve the treats. Also, diamonds.
Hmmm, not sure how to guilt him. hope you have a nice date together!
Love reading the newsletter. How about a pizza oven for Valentine’s Day?
No no… don’t do that if one values life.
Perhaps a night without trying or convince you of purchasing the pizza oven?
I can just hear it now over a candle lit table; Ray: “What would make this even more special, a home made pizza from out very own oven…”
I think Ray should go an entire day on Valentines without visiting the DCR Cave, without testing/playing any gadget, doing any training – and spend the entire day focused on just The Girl! No work, no social media, no workouts – an entire day UNPLUGGED for The Girl.
I don’t think he can do it 🙂
South Africa cycling wine tour!
-SPAM fan –
Ray,
Give some love to barbells and dumbbells!
Awesome! As itnseems very unlikely that’s I’ll receive a Fenix 5x for Valentine’s Day, this giveaway would be very nice. But ray shouldn’t just be romantic on this particular day…. What’s wrong with every day?
Love is in the air.
Tandem ride for Valentines Day?
Give The Girl a romantic gift, SRAM AXS she’ll love it!!
Love the newsletter!!!
I’d vote for chocolate, and a nice bottle of port. Just tried the latter for the first time in a long time, and really enjoyed it.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
You’re pretty awesome,
so Ray better appreciate what you do.
Happy V-Day!
hi
Ray, there is nothing more romantic on valentines day, than going somewhere warm, and setting off on a nice romantic ride into the sunset. Then you don’t have to chose between your bike, or your girl! Best of both worlds 🙂
Almost anythign is good for your one and only on Valentine’s Day, but you have to be really confident to give your better half this: link to bronxzoo.com