Can we stop saying running is a cheap sport? Shoes cost $200 each and these elite HSers fly all over the country every week

It's all relative. Running is way cheaper than a huge amount of other sports.

new dad wrote:

I've heard my whole life how running is a great sport as anyone can do it - all you have to do is put on a pair of shoes.

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

Then if you wnat to race, you can no longer drive to the local HS meet. How much money has someone like Hobbs Kessler or Roisin Willis dropped on travel this year?

It seems like they are in a differnt part of the country every week - Austin, Virginia Beach, Florida, Chicago, South Carolina. Let's be honest, when you step on a plane, it's a $1000 trip ( least $300 for air fare (and you need a coach or parent to go with you) plus a hotel and rental car).

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

Funny how something that used to be affordable is no longer affordable despite increases in productivity. Funny that despite advances in shoe-making technology and shipping jobs overseas, the relative price of your shoes increase yearly.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that earnings-per-share MUST increase to make stockholders happy, and so Nike, and the companies that own every running shoe brand, have to get more money out of you. Always. Forever.

Don't be elite, and the sport stays relatively cheap (particularly if a low mileage runner).

new dad wrote:

I've heard my whole life how running is a great sport as anyone can do it - all you have to do is put on a pair of shoes.

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

Then if you wnat to race, you can no longer drive to the local HS meet. How much money has someone like Hobbs Kessler or Roisin Willis dropped on travel this year?

It seems like they are in a differnt part of the country every week - Austin, Virginia Beach, Florida, Chicago, South Carolina. Let's be honest, when you step on a plane, it's a $1000 trip ( least $300 for air fare (and you need a coach or parent to go with you) plus a hotel and rental car).

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

Running is the cheapest sport there is. Literally all you have to do is move your feet faster. That's it, basically anyone that is mobile can stand up and start running.

Compare that to another popular endurance sport like cycling. People are shocked when even $1000 is a cheap bike, then you get into it for awhile and find out top of the line bikes are $10,000 to $20,000. Go buy a pair of Sidi shoes and Rapha bibs and jersey. Probably over $1000 just for that.

you are looking at the best of the best of the best. it is not like that for most.

new dad wrote:

I've heard my whole life how running is a great sport as anyone can do it - all you have to do is put on a pair of shoes.

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

Then if you wnat to race, you can no longer drive to the local HS meet. How much money has someone like Hobbs Kessler or Roisin Willis dropped on travel this year?

It seems like they are in a differnt part of the country every week - Austin, Virginia Beach, Florida, Chicago, South Carolina. Let's be honest, when you step on a plane, it's a $1000 trip ( least $300 for air fare (and you need a coach or parent to go with you) plus a hotel and rental car).

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

1) It's not expensive compared to MANY other sports.

2) Your kid can run just fine in shoes costing $50-100 (clearance and non-clearance).

3) The chances of your kid being that good are essentially zero. So don't worry. And if he/she is, they're going to save you WAY more in college tuition, room, and board.

Simple.

You can get a decent pair of running shoes at dsw for like $40-50.

new dad wrote:

I've heard my whole life how running is a great sport as anyone can do it - all you have to do is put on a pair of shoes.

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

Then if you wnat to race, you can no longer drive to the local HS meet. How much money has someone like Hobbs Kessler or Roisin Willis dropped on travel this year?

It seems like they are in a differnt part of the country every week - Austin, Virginia Beach, Florida, Chicago, South Carolina. Let's be honest, when you step on a plane, it's a $1000 trip ( least $300 for air fare (and you need a coach or parent to go with you) plus a hotel and rental car).

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

running is cheap as a distance runner if you want it to be. There are less than 250 men and women so fast that they need to be jet setting to get in the right races. For everyone else, the fastest races in their region will do just fine. There are good racing flats for under $100 as well. Something like the new balance 1400 costs 90ish and could be used for racing, light trainers, workout shoes, etc. The thing is you can make running work as a cheap sport if you want to.

I bought a pair of $180 Pegasus Turbos last year for $60 .They were "used," but I have put over 400km on them and they still have plenty of life left.

If you're paying $150-250 for shoes, that's your decision. Just buying last year's model that has never been worn from a shoe store will be around 30% off of MSRP.

I don't know what to say about travel. Are parents paying for this out of pocket? I grew up in Virginia, but would travel to NC (Footlocker) and PA (Penn Relays) every year. Penn was paid for by the school. Footlocker was paid for by my parents, but we drove because it was less than 3 hours. Hotel and everything included the total travel cost was less than $150.

Obviously a troll post, but since people are biting, and the OP mentioned Soccer, how much are the top of the line soccer cleats? What does it cost to join a travel team? Enter tournaments?

Running is such a meritocratic sport. If you're fast, you're fast, it will show. No favoritism, etc., hard to hide one's talent.

You are only seeing this type of travel due to the lack of local/regional races because of the pandemic.

new dad wrote:

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

How much is two hundred fifty dollars bucks?

new dad wrote:

I've heard my whole life how running is a great sport as anyone can do it - all you have to do is put on a pair of shoes.

Except now the shoes cost between $150 and $250 bucks.

Then if you wnat to race, you can no longer drive to the local HS meet. How much money has someone like Hobbs Kessler or Roisin Willis dropped on travel this year?

It seems like they are in a differnt part of the country every week - Austin, Virginia Beach, Florida, Chicago, South Carolina. Let's be honest, when you step on a plane, it's a $1000 trip ( least $300 for air fare (and you need a coach or parent to go with you) plus a hotel and rental car).

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

Running is a cheap sport.

Being a dad these days isn't.

You can get running shoes from last year 30-40% cheaper usually.

School sports in general has gone crazy. Families spends tons of money on this.

But you not have to keep up with the Joneses.

If you are a novice runner you don't need $200 shoes.

You can run your eight minute miles in a pair of ACSICS Novablast's for $110

Well I don’t think elite HS travel is the best example but I ultimately agree with you that running being an activity that just requires a good pair of shoes is bogus.

new dad wrote:

I hope my son does something more affordable like travel soccer.

I hope you are being sarcastic here. Travel Soccer in my area is several thousands dollar/year just for the training, plus equipment and travel costs. For kids, running with a club is basically free and a $50 two-years old model shoe on discount does almost everything a $200 shoe does.

Running is a cheap sport. Recreational running is very affordable. 99% of high school athletes will be fine competing locally and without expensive shoes.

compare running to a sport like xc skiing, where a new pair of top of the line racing skis is worth 800 dollars. Just saying, yall can't complain

To be an elite high school runner, you travel across the country a handful times per year and pay a private coach and go through 5 pairs of training shoes and 1 pair of XC spikes and 1 pair of track spikes. The OP pointed out Willis and Kessler. Willis has spent at least $10k on the sport over the past year. How about Steury? How about Dadamio? Again, $10k. Every top 10 distance runner that I can think of has raced nationally in the fall, winter, and spring.

I've never paid $400 per pair for running shoes ("Shoes cost $200 each") and neither have you. I pay $55-120 and don't even shop for deals.

I'll give you a 3/10 because you baited this one so heavily.