Is Running turning into an Expensive Sport ?

Don't forget how expensive races have become. While I was in grad school I was pretty short on cash and I didn't race at all because I just couldn't afford to spent an extra $30+ for a 5k.

Internetsherlock wrote:

In few years time running shoes will be priced 1000$+ and more , exhibiting unreal energy return but it won't be banned because scientists are paid enough or stupid enough to not realise and draw lines on the realities of energy return .

None of this is true.

Running, adjusted for inflation, is effectively the same cost for participants as it was in the past 3-4 decades.

Running is as expensive as you make it to be.

It can be a fairly cheap sport. The main expense are running shoes and a couple of well picked races. Let's say $1000.

But you probably can spend above $10,000 if you want to per year.

Internetsherlock wrote:

A beautiful sport ruined by technology, hard to admit when so many are blinded by the pleasures of technology . Gone are the days you would simply lace up your running shoes and just train your heart out because in the end it didn't matter .

You can still lace up a bargain bin pair of running shoes and just train your heart out.

Ask anyone with kids if running is an expensive sport. Think running shoes cost a lot? How about $500+ baseball bats? Standard hockey and football equipment runs into the thousands. Vaporfly aside, running shoes cost $100-$150 bucks.

If you want to spend thousands to run the Boston Marathon, it's there. But there are also tons of marathons you can run for less than $100. And, with every charity under the sun having it's own 5K now, you can pretty much train and race anywhere in the country. Travel costs are totally unnecessary in most of the country if you want to run a race.

Nice try.

The only thing that's truly expensive is the races. You can buy perfectly fine Boston 7s or Adios 4s for 50-60 bucks and one year old model trainers for 60-70 bucks. No gym membership required, and more information available on training for free than ever before.

Internetsherlock wrote:

In few years time running shoes will be priced 1000$+ and more

GTFO of here bro.

0/10

The New Balance 620 of 1979 was $50. That was a landmark development.

Not just that it was a nice shoe that pushed things forward without being basically motorized, but because it was more expensive than anything else. That $50 then is $185 now. Make of that what you will.

" Gone are the days you would simply lace up your running shoes and just train your heart out because in the end it didn't matter . "

That's ALL I've been doing for the past 25 years. Have I been doing it wrong?

Golf has figured out energy return years ago, the golf ball travels farther and straighter , regardless of the archaic bounce testing . T&F should pray Nike doesn't say , "We will concentrate on world sports , Tennis , Soccer , Golf , and our street wear . This would send running back to the days that everyone wears grey 12oz trainers.

tarckstar wrote:

" Gone are the days you would simply lace up your running shoes and just train your heart out because in the end it didn't matter . "

That's ALL I've been doing for the past 25 years. Have I been doing it wrong?

Yes you have. :-)

Gordon Gekko wrote:

tarckstar wrote:

" Gone are the days you would simply lace up your running shoes and just train your heart out because in the end it didn't matter . "

That's ALL I've been doing for the past 25 years. Have I been doing it wrong?

Yes you have. :-)

Nah, tarckstar has been doing it perfectly! :)

It had already started with crazy race prices. One half marathon near me is up to $140 with a few months still until race day. I'm not running it, but I'm kind of interested in seeing what the final price is.

As far as shoes go, you're kind of right. Expect other companies versions of the vaporfly to be around 200, which means the shoe that beats the vaporfly can go for 300. It won't go to $1000 anytime soon, but maybe in our lifetimes. What wouldn't you pay for a pr...

Running clothes are also very expensive, but my experience is only noobies and the well to do buy them and the rest of us get by with cheapo versions of top stuff. I bet some northerners have spent big on cold weather gear though.

Of course anyone is free to pick up a pair of walmart running shoes and set a world record at their local turkey trot...

I just bought a $400 swimsuit for my daughter for high school swimming.

Been hanging out with triathletes who spend $500 on a pair of cycling shoes and give $300 to a bike shop to tell them how high to put their bike seat.

OllieOllie wrote:

Don't forget how expensive races have become. While I was in grad school I was pretty short on cash and I didn't race at all because I just couldn't afford to spent an extra $30+ for a 5k.

That's why I mostly do Parkruns and running club grandprix series.

What was great about trail racing a few years ago was that it had that old school 70s running boom feel to it. Find a race, show up, pay 20 or 30 bucks, run for an hour or two and hope you didn't get off course.

It quickly got popular and with the limited number of participants allowed in most races, the pricing exploded and races became very difficult to get in without pre registering months in advance.

The answer for a lot of runners is the FKT or fastest known time where you pick a trail, pick a time and just go run it as fast as you can. If you aren't fast, you can still just do the trail on your own as an adventure.

When I started, shoes were 35-40 and races were 5. Now shoes are 75-150 and races are 30-200.

Forgot to add

Minimum wage was 3.35 then and now it is 7.25.

Some of the same people who complain about race prices won't sign up and run USATF Masters meets that are open to EVERYONE. $30 per membership and most meets are under $40 dollars with additional races $5-10 extra. It's a relative bargain compared to golfing, fishing, gambling, pro sports. Rec league soccer and bball are comparable.

some races are too expensive; ill give you that, but shoes are only expensive if you get over hyped, over marketed plated shoes. By some adizeros and train hard.