Is running...REALLY the cheapest sport?

I don't know what the costs of competition are, and I know it offers less availability of competitions, but what about swimming? I guess a large part of it is determined by how you get your access to a pool, but if it's a public pool, or in a gym with cheap dues, then all you need is a suit and goggles.

Maybe, but so what if it is? Or if it isn't, for that matter? Anyway, I thought that 'cheapness' was a personality trait. If you're a cheap person then you're probably also a cheap runner. If you're a spendy person then you're probably also a spendy runner, and running has no shortage of basically useless crap to spend dough on, like HRM and GPS gizmos and excessive, over-priced clothing, over-built and over-priced shoes, but that shouldn't come as news to anyone here.

sorry about that image link, from an earlier thread.

It's got to be soccer.

soccer or basketball

buck 65 wrote:

soccer or basketball

No, golf.

spaceship polo

Shoes, shorts, shirt and a road, track or trail. If it's cold outside add a pair to make it two pairs of shorts, add a jacket, a cap some gloves and you're good to go.

You don't NEED to race.

Just run.

No, triathlon.

b moen wrote:

spaceship polo

Personally I think it's pretty cheap because, well, for me, race entries are in the low single digits each time if not free (leagues) i only really wear t shirts i'd have had anyway, shoes are about 30 a year. Maybe it isn't the cheapest but it's very near it.

Golf is pricey. Perhaps surfing after the board is purchased.

Soccer. You need a ball, that's it. There is no price to compete, unlike running.

Running is up there though. You've got to think that people that are truly poor don't really start running as a sport, more as transportation.

Cheapest activity, exercise, and so on, not the cheapest sport. And this is why soccer is the most popular sport in the world.

You don't need any money to compete in running either. However, if you want to compete in an organized race, it's going to cost you, just like it would cost you to compete in an organized soccer league. But it doesn't cost anything to toe the line with someone and see who's the fastest. And that's why this sport is so great.

Running actually gets quite expensive once you get into it. I mean competitive runner's constantly replace shoes because of their high mileage. On top of that, if you live where it gets cold, you buy under armor and all different high tech clothes that keep you warm without weighing you down too much. That stuff is not cheap. Yea, you don't necessarily need any facilities or private funding to participate, all you need are the roads or trails. However, the way apparel and such has popularized, really has made running much more expensive(at least here in the U.S where it gets cold and we lack great running environments such as the dirt roads in Kenya, thus encouraging us to get the latest stability shoe). Sports like basketaball or soccer are probably the cheapest worldwide, all you need is a ball. And in basketball the competitive guys get to go inside every day , and for recreational players there are more than enough playgrounds around in the U.S.

Try Curling, eh?!!

just grab a rock, a broom, and a frozen lake mate

If you are going to count running shoes, shorts, clothes, etc.. then you have to count that same stuff for soccer.

Therefore soccer players need, shorts, jerseys, cleats, shin guards, high socks, and a ball.

This applies to all the other sports too, including spaceship polo.

That's Real wrote:

Therefore soccer players need, shorts, jerseys, cleats, shin guards, high socks, and a ball.

And 21 other guys.

Expenditure in 2006:

Running gear = $565

Race entry = $203

Travel to races = $300

Not cheap, but cheaper than a lot of other sports

Depends on what you do. If you start traveling all over the country and elsewhere racing it can be expensive.