How much does running actually cost?!

The Davestator

Bit of fun!

A lot of people will claim that running is great and basically free.

I got to thinking about how much running really costs. (Inspired by working out how much each nappy change costs me!)

Everyone is different and this is not meant to be a 'sure you don't' need x, y or z'

I've worked out that each of my long runs cost €4.25 and my midweek runs cost €1.77
Breakdown: Asics cost me €120 and will be worn for 5 runs per week for 20 weeks= €1.20 per wear
Long runs; Use 1 scoop of Tailwind at a cost of 90 cent & 1 gel at a cost of €2 approx.

Shorter runs; Use a zero tab at a cost of 22 cent
One full wash of all gear costs 22 cent per week.

Have not included my Garmin, race entries, buying gear etc.

I thought it was an interesting thing to think about on my long run this morning!

Slow_Runner

I've worked it out kind of differently and based it over the whole year:
Shoes  € 240.00  
Gear  €   40.00  
Races  € 300.00 2x marathons and several other races
Garmin  €   50.00 250 over 5 years
Physio  € 200.00 Estimate
Gels  €   50.00  
Protein  €   45.00  
 € 925.00

[/td]


[/tr]

This gives me a total of €925 not including traveling to races and all the extra food I eat. I will do approx 1700 miles this year so that works out at 55 cent per mile ran.

Dudda

Interesting topic.

I don't use tailwind, gel's or zero tabs and my weekly long run is around 20k. If I was doing marathon training I’d need them but don’t currently.

Not a member of a club.

So it's down to gear. Think my last pair of runners were only €60 (sale) and covered 1000k ish. That's 6 cent per km. A par costing €120 (and most likely my next pair) would be 12 cent per km and inline with your runs. T-shirt, shorts are pretty cheap and last ages. I’ve no problem using the free t-shirts you get at races for easy runs. At a wild guess I’d spend €150 on socks, shorts and tops in a year? Could be a lot more or less as I really don’t know. 22 cent on washing based on your calc.

The big cost is my new Garmin F245 (€299) and chest HRM (€48). The old Garmin F25 lasted 6 years and still works so say the new one lasts 4 years and I do 2000k each year. That’s 4.5 cent per km.

I’m looking at per km
€0.006 Washing
€0.075 Clothes
€0.090 Shoes
€0.045 Garmin
Almost €0.22 per km. So a 10k easy run this evening will cost me €2.20 which is more than I thought it would be for a free sport. Still cheap. If my watch breaks before 4 years or I need supplements as part of marathon training costs also go way up.

Race entries and traveling to races is what would really push up costs but are variable and hard to quantify. I came second in a small local race recently and the cash prize barely covered the entry and petrol. Include the fact I lost my hoodie at it and it was an expensive race.

Itziger

Add on a couple of grand if you do the NYC marathon.

Yermander

Interesting thread.

I'd be curious to know if there was a cheaper sport than running. Coming from triathlon I would have thought running was "basically free" too.

Fusitive

Yermander wrote: »

Interesting thread.

I'd be curious to know if there was a cheaper sport than running. Coming from triathlon I would have thought running was "basically free" too.

Running is basically free, people make it expensive. With Tri and cycling and such, money gives competitive advantages but not really with running. I was away for the last few days with no gear and decided to run on Wednesday. Just went to the beach, tossed my clothes on the pier and ran barefoot and with a pair of swimming shorts on. No fancy footwear, no gels or carb drinks, no Garmin or watch or expensive tech shirts or shorts. The only cost was time and I'd struggle to justify that as a cost because it felt fookin amazing.

Dudda

Fusitive wrote: »

Running is basically free, people make it expensive. With Tri and cycling and such, money gives competitive advantages but not really with running. I was away for the last few days with no gear and decided to run on Wednesday. Just went to the beach, tossed my clothes on the pier and ran barefoot and with a pair of swimming shorts on. No fancy footwear, no gels or carb drinks, no Garmin or watch or expensive tech shirts or shorts. The only cost was time and I'd struggle to justify that as a cost because it felt fookin amazing.

That’s a one off. You can’t leave your front door and run barefoot every other day. At a minimum you need cheap runners and you still have to wash whatever you wear on returning.

Fusitive

Dudda wrote: »

That’s a one off. You can’t leave your front door and run barefoot every other day. At a minimum you need cheap runners and you still have to wash whatever you wear on returning.

Why can't you? It's literally the way I run all the time now because it's the only way I can run without excruciating calf pain. Last week, I ran 46 miles barefoot with two workouts, a sprint workout and a session of diagonals all on grass barefoot. I never wear a watch and I make my own carb drinks at home. That's honeslty what I do now. Running can be basically free or cost 1000's a year depending on what you do. That's up to each person and what they want, I've no gripes with what anyone else does. It's not even because of money or been tight.

I run barefoot because it's the only time I can with only minimal pain and it's more enjoyable. On grass because XC is my favourite surface and sport.
I don't wear a Garmin because it drives me nuts and I strongly believe effort is a better measure than pace.
I make my own rehydration carb drinks because it's easier and can be made in a second rather than the hassle of buying bulk gels and drinks.
I don't buy tech gear because I've a whole wardrobe worth of race T-shirts.

Dudda

Fusitive wrote: »

Why can't you?

Your right. I was thinking of the sandy beach and going for a swim after in the sea as a wash. Very few have a sandy beach outside their front door.

EDIT: As for the free t-shirt you’d have paid a bit in race entries over the years like others I presume. It's still dirt cheap.

El Tarangu

Presumably, each run is saving you money if you measure the small cost for each run, versus what it would cost for a gym membership/bicycle/GAA membership and related*


*assuming that running was your primary/only form of sporting activity; if not, the argument still probably holds true, only not to the same extent

Dial Hard

Dudda wrote: »

That’s a one off. You can’t leave your front door and run barefoot every other day. At a minimum you need cheap runners and you still have to wash whatever you wear on returning.

You've to wash all your clothes. Less often, perhaps but it's still just a basic part of owning clothes. I certainly wouldn't consider it a running (no pun intended) cost of participating in a hobby.

I certainly consider running an almost free sport. I don't use gels, tabs, supplements etc. Granted I run very short distances but my SiL is a marathon runner and also doesn't bother with any of the above except during an actual marathon.

One pair of runners a year, couple of decent sports bras & pairs of leggings and bob's yer uncle.

I used to scuba dive on a recreational basis and let me tell you, that was expensive.

paddydriver

Don't forget the divorce costs!

All said... running can cost as much or as little as you want it to cost. Personally, I've done running for a good few years now and I've found the shorts and t-shirt I like, and I wear them to death.. runners I change every 5-600miles but sometimes I see a nicer pair, but in general I have stuck to Mizuno for years and recently started to use Adidas Ultra Boost... so more money.

If you get into using a coach etc then costs can rack up. Clubs don't cost too much and that may get you access to a coach.. money saved.

echancrure

Suggestion: make your own gels.

Buy a pouch (~10 euros)
2 x table spoon of honey (cheap stuff is fine, not going after taste just the sugars, 25c)
0.5 x tea spoon of molasses (5c)
pinch of salt (0c)
mix with some strong coffee to make liquid (15c).

So 1 gel is ~45c, which saves you 1.50 a pop and produces less waste. Pouch is free after 7 gels.

echancrure

Slow_Runner wrote: »

I've worked it out kind of differently and based it over the whole year:
Shoes  € 240.00  
Gear  €   40.00  
Races  € 300.00 2x marathons and several other races
Garmin  €   50.00 250 over 5 years
Physio  € 200.00 Estimate
Gels  €   50.00  
Protein  €   45.00  
 € 925.00

[/td]


[/tr]

This gives me a total of €925 not including traveling to races and all the extra food I eat. I will do approx 1700 miles this year so that works out at 55 cent per mile ran.

That looks about right.

Djoucer

Whoever is behind the marketing for tailwind in Ireland deserves a pay rise.

Never seen a product so unsuitable to running become so popular.

Itziger

Djoucer wrote: »

Whoever is behind the marketing for tailwind in Ireland deserves a pay rise.

Never seen a product so unsuitable to running become so popular.

May I ask, with zero agenda, why you think it is so unsuitable?

Bluesquare

Djoucer wrote: »

Whoever is behind the marketing for tailwind in Ireland deserves a pay rise.

Never seen a product so unsuitable to running become so popular.

Why is it unsuitable to running ? Don’t use myself but used a diluted version for hydration .

I spend a small fortune on running , I’m sure it’s a lot cheaper for most people . Running bras ain’t cheap , it’s hard to get decent shorts , I go through a lot of zero , I’m
Forever signing up for races I don’t do , and I just can’t settle on a decent pair of socks. Iron tablets , magnesium supplements, vitamin d , protein milk . Maybe I have a problem ! The run hub is too close to work!

yabadabado

Dudda wrote: »

That’s a one off. You can’t leave your front door and run barefoot every other day. At a minimum you need cheap runners and you still have to wash whatever you wear on returning.

Could run naked and barefoot if you wanted.

DeepBlue

yabadabado wrote: »

Could run naked and barefoot if you wanted.

That could be expensive - possible fine of €634 - https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/law-on-public-indecent-exposure-26696631.html.

yabadabado

Have to get caught first.

skyblue46

Itziger wrote: »

May I ask, with zero agenda, why you think it is so unsuitable?

My guess is that it is because it's a powder. Unless you are an elite who can leave a bottle at a feed station or can reliably place friends and family at designated points on the course you have to mix it as you run.

adrian522

I think running can be as expensive as you want to make it.

Running shoes, T-Shirts, Shorts, socks, you can get them cheaply or you can get the latest branded models and that will depend on your costs.

Shorts, T-Shirts etc can be got for €10 or less. Socks, Lidl and Aldi do great running socks for less than €3 a couple of times a year.

You can get the older version of running shoes for €40-€70 if you want.

Then you have races, you can enter cheaper club run races or you can enter more expensive races, but if you run Imra, BHAA, local club races the cost is pretty low.

On the other hand you can enter foreign marathons and include costs like flights and food and weekends away etc.

It really is as expensive as you make it but there is no real need for gels or protein or supplements if you don't want to use them.

You also should look at what would you be spending your money on if you werent running. For me it would be alot more pints, takeaways and things like that.

For me whatever it costs its worth it as my life is so much better with running than without (and I've had plenty of time without running over the last year to compare)

skyblue46

Were you wearing a light blue shirt in Corkagh this morning?

adrian522

skyblue46 wrote: »

Were you wearing a light blue shirt in Corkagh this morning?

I was!

skyblue46

adrian522 wrote: »

I was!

Ah feck. I thought it was you and was going to say hello but Lazare from these parts said you were from Lucan Harriers so I figured I was wrong.

adrian522

skyblue46 wrote: »

Ah feck. I thought it was you and was going to say hello but Lazare from these parts said you were from Lucan Harriers so I figured I was wrong.

I'm there fairly regularly, I'm sure we'll bump into each other again!

tomred1N

I used drink about 20 pints of Guinness a week.

Found out u can’t drink that much Guinness and run marathons too.

Therefore running has saved me a small fortune .

20 x 52 x 7 x 4.5 = 32k 😳

Maybe that’s why I have 8 pairs of runners ! They seem cheap 😀

plodder

adrian522 wrote: »

Running shoes, T-Shirts, Shorts, socks, you can get them cheaply or you can get the latest branded models and that will depend on your costs.

I just checked the retail price of Gel Kayano's, that I use and they're now a mouth-watering €195 in some places, but I've never paid more than 95 for them, and the last two pairs (bought in a Black Friday sale at a UK outlet) were about 70 euro. I wonder does anyone actually pay these crazy retail prices? I'm hard (heavy) on shoes as well, but I'd easily get 1000 miles out of a pair. I still regularly use the t-shirt I had for my first marathon in 2004. Good quality gear lasts. Socks are the only item I seem to buy regularly and they are cheap.

Murph_D

tomred1N wrote: »

I used drink about 20 pints of Guinness a week.

Found out u can’t drink that much Guinness and run marathons too.

Therefore running has saved me a small fortune .

20 x 52 x 7 x 4.5 = 32k 😳

Maybe that’s why I have 8 pairs of runners ! They seem cheap 😀

You worked that out as 20 pints a day. :eek:

tomred1N

Murph_D wrote: »

You worked that out as 20 pints a day. :eek:

The 7 is the number of years of I’ve being running instead of drinking ! If it was days I’d be long dead !

Timmaay

Dial Hard wrote: »

I used to scuba dive on a recreational basis and let me tell you, that was expensive.

Try motocross lol. One of the teens I'm coaching got sucked in by the whole nike 4% thing, he put his life savings into buying a pair, I was half like what the hell, but on reflection I was like well that was what I use to easily blow on a weekend doing motocross.

Fenster

It cost everything, little one.

walshb

As sports go, it's really cheap; all depends on how much involved one is in said sport, and how far one goes...

Miklos

I've been for four runs and I've already spend €120 on physio and €140 on new runners..

walshb

Miklos wrote: »

I've been for four runs and I've already spend €120 on physio and €140 on new runners..

Yeh, it's a physically very demanding and tough discipline....

But, sometimes, time and rest are the best, and only healers; but you may pay for someone to tell you that!

Miklos

walshb wrote: »

Yeh, it's a physically very demanding and tough discipline....

But, sometimes, time and rest are the best, and only healers; but you may pay for someone to tell you that!

Yeah I’m finding that out. My main sport is cycling so I have the engine just need to get the frame in order!

Cartman78

Doesn't everyone just do that Irish Drinks Conversion Ratio to justify any expenses associated with running?

eg. Normal Person - "90 Euros to enter the Dublin marathon!!?!??!"

Runner - "Sure you wouldn't be long spending that in the pub would you?"

plodder

Dial Hard wrote: »

I don't use gels, tabs, supplements etc. Granted I run very short distances but my SiL is a marathon runner and also doesn't bother with any of the above except during an actual marathon.

She's right. Expensive pee is what it all amounts to.... at best.

walshb

More important cost that people need to assess is the cost to the body!

Sussex18

I really don't know, probably quite a lot actually, race entires, shoes, sports bra, sports massage/physio, club membership, irish runner magazine, , a little bit of travel. I've never attempted to calculate it. But I do know it's the best money I spend. If I didn't spend it on running I'd spend it in some other probably far less healthy way. It's a way of life and a community.

partyguinness

The way I look at it is that I do not go out drinking at the weekends so it is almost cost neutral. I enter about events 2 a months (viz. HM) say, £60.00 but I'd easily spend that out on the booze.

If I'm running a marathon then the hotel the night before will be costly plus train ticket.

I recently bought the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% (£240.00)...:o
- don't bother with Mag subscriptions as they just regurgitate the same articles every 12 mths
- I do have Strava prem- not sure why though- may cancel that next year
- have not bought shorts in over two years. One pair are over 10 years old- nothing wrong with them
- only keep a few technical t-shirts- most I don't bother even collecting at the end.
- don't go to a physio even though I am on 50km plus per week atm
- did spend £60.00 on a bad ass foam roller which to be fair is very good for my patella tendonitis
- socks, jackets I've 2-3 years now and no need to replace any time soon
- only use gels when putting in runs of 16miles plus
- in my arsenal I have trail shoes, spikes for the weekly track speed sessions (£40.00 in 2016), and two pairs of road shoes.

partyguinness

Cartman78 wrote: »

Doesn't everyone just do that Irish Drinks Conversion Ratio to justify any expenses associated with running?

eg. Normal Person - "90 Euros to enter the Dublin marathon!!?!??!"

Runner - "Sure you wouldn't be long spending that in the pub would you?"

Yes indeed or the "Hooker Exchange" we have.

"€200.00...jaysus that's two hookers in Ireland or 4 hookers in Amsterdam":D:D

Slogger Jogger

For each person its different.

If I wasn't running it would probably cost me (health-wise) a lot more.

I do mainly IMRA races which work out unbelievable value at €5 a pop. The odd BHAA race which is almost as cheap. Personally I'd steer away from high price races. Get lots of useful free gear from running with IMRA too if you support enough races in a voluntary capacity.

I've tonnes of race gear, t-shirts, etc so no need to be buying anything new. The main expense is probably the Garmin which lasts c. 3 years.

The other expense people mention is runners. I'm happy to wear runners to death. Buy them in sales or on discount. TKMaxx new balance for €40 on avg.

So, in my case, the cost is little. Probably a minus cost :-)

glacial_pace71

I think there's a slight vanity issue for some people. For example, I don't mind wearing running gear for a decade but I have noticed some people being conscious of being photographed at races by friends and family, and so will look back on social media. It's hardly wedding season disaster but each to their own.

On the cycling / running crossover I'd be curious on one thing: in the past I would never have even dreamt of chamois / saddle creams for distance running but now that I have been introduced to it by cyclist-runners I have now incorporated it into my list of running expenses.

I think that unnecessary physio instead of rest / recuperation is probably an increasing cost as one gets older.

Sussex18

I think a sports massage will help rid 'aches and strain' that foam rolling cannot,especially if your training for something in particular. Rest might do the same but would probably take a lot of rest😉