So today I went to a local running shop to seek some professional guidance about my stride and my shoe selection and I was rather rudely confronted with the fact that what I thought was a relativey inexpensive and gear-free sport is actually quite expensive and gear laden.
First of all there are the sneakers (figure $80-$100 per pair and 3-4 pairs per year). Then there are the running clothes. Now, here is where the runners and non-runners may have opposing views. I can hear the non-runners now - “Running clothes? What the hell are you talking about? Just throw on some old shorts and a t-shirt and run.” But the runners among you understand the significance of wicking materials.
Despite what the commercials say, cotton is NOT the fabric of our lives.
Cotton is an evil fabric that acts like a sponge for sweat, doesn’t breathe, and on longer runs causes terrible chafing (see my earlier posting about runner’s nipple). So, all those old cotton tees, including ironically enough the ones that most races give out, need replacing. And let me tell you, fabrics with names like Tech-Wik, Dri-Fit, etc don’t come cheap. Then there’s the cold weather gear, the night gear, the hydration belts or packs, the fuel gels, etc. And probably the most overlooked cost - the entry fees for all the races. In a perfect world, I would like to do some form of race every other weekend. The vast majority of these would be 5Ks and 10Ks, but throughout the year there will be a handful of longer races too. Now figure that the cheapest entrance fee is $20-$25. Multiply that by 26 events per year and that’s a minimum of $650 per year just on fees, nevermind the cost of traveling back and forth to them.
So suddenly, this sport which most people would think costs as much as a new pair of sneakers blooms into quite the expensive hobby (a few thousnad per year).
Anyway, as far as today’s run went - I was planning to stop at the Quabbin and do the Quabbin loop after running errands, but I was soon reminded of the clock change and the coming winter season by the fact that the street lights were already turning on during my drive towards home. So, I stopped in Belchertown and did a simple out and back run along Route 181 near the Common. I like running near where other people are because I find that when I am pushing myself and getting tired, I’ll stick it out so I don’t look like a giant puss. On the second half of my run, I almost got hit by a car that thought they owned the road.
I like to run in the opposite direction of the traffic flow so I can see if I’m about to be hit, but it’s difficult to keep an eye on your intended foot fall with the glare from the oncoming headlights. My legs were sore near the end, and it ended up being a rather boring 4 mile run bifurcated in each direction by a slight hill. Not a stellar effort, but not a bad training run either.
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