The economics of running

Watching the stock market teeter totter brings me to thinking about the economics of running. Sure, at first one might think it's an inexpensive sport - you just throw on shoes and go, right? Alas, no - on top of the physical gains and costs (on the upside: euphoria, runner's high; on the downside: occasional clicky knees, cramped arches, and so on) there's a handful of wallet denting needs.



The attire:

Tops:
I'm prone to 3/4 running tights and tanks. On the tank note, I go for whatever is clean. I like the Lululemon running tanks ($40+), Nike tanks ($30+), and the $5 bin tanks from Sports Basement. I'm also a big fan of wearing race shirts - I mean heck, I paid $30-80 for them! Also, I love seeing other runner's in the same race ts - there's always the unspoken "yep, I faced that hill, too."




Bottoms:
I've never been a fan of the short shorts for running and somehow I just can't get into the running skirts. I don't play tennis, I don't cheer, I run. Lately I've been loving the CW-X tights but they come with a hefty pricetag ($80+). The CW-Xs support the IT band which is a nice coo. They're not super cute, but they get the job done.







Shoes:
I love shoes. Manolo's, Jimmy's, Donald's, and Tod's... my boss thinks I have a penchant for "trannie" shoes. Heck, if that's the case, they have good taste!

Running shoes come with a pricetag close to styley shoes. I've tried a handful and have made the mistake of buying sale running shoes that were the wrong size or wrong fit to save a few - big mistake. I'm still running in Asics 1120s and am a fan - the pricetag definitely helps rack up frequent flier points, though. Not to mention the running socks - there are dry-wick socks, ankle for long runs, wool for cold runs, blister free (yeah, right), support socks, and more - all coming in between $5 and $20 a pair. I'm liking the Puma socks right now, but whenever I go to do laundry I end up losing a few, so lately my socks have been a Puma Adidas combo. I may be a label lover, but I'm not that loyal.

The rest:
On top of apparel there are the big expenses of running. Races can run $30 for a nice trail race to $110+ for a marathon. This doesn't include the travel - I've dropped $300+ on hotels and travel this year alone! When Boston comes along this number will soar.

Finally, there are the "non-standard" costs of running. The cost of maintenance. As with owning a car, the body takes tuning and fixing. This includes chiropractors ($20 co-pay), acupuncturists (another $20), podiatrists ($20 co-pay + $350 orthodics), and physical therapy ($20 co-pay). Eesh!
Grand total (drum roll ...):
$40 (shirt) + $80 (pants) + $10 (socks) + $60 (chiro, acupuncture, physical therapy) + $350 (orthodics) + $90 (half marathon) = $630 !!!

Sticker shock aside, just think - runner's high, a brain break, time alone, fitness, meeting new people, seeing gorgeous sites, etc. =
300 cups of coffee; 3 nights at a nice(ish) hotel; one pair of Manolo's; car insurance for a quarter; new tires; or ~ 7 months at the gym. Not to mention, stress overload, high cholesterol, new wardrobe (in either size direction), a drug habit (to replace the runner's high), or other sports cost more. I vote for running.


Well, at least runner's are helping support the economy.