The High Cost of Living

[W I S N E R !]

I know, I know, I know…
I don't have to do any of this so why complain…
But I just want to bellyache, commiserate, brag (hey, it's going to be a good year for me!), and see what else you folks are up to.

But it's breaking the bank!

Here are the scheduled "events" for the first half of the next year. Half are paid for…the other half I'm scrounging (read: selling bike parts). This list doesn't include backpacking!

-Dec 12: Los Angeles Spartan Race $60
-January 15: Stagecoach Century $88 plus travel
-March 7: Desert International Triathlon $99 plus travel costs
-March 20: Los Angeles Marathon: $145
-Spring '11 Grand Canyon R2R2R: $150 in gas alone
-July '11: Vineman 70.3 Ironman $265 plus travel costs

These 6 events alone will run well over $1000, not including training!!!!!!!!!!!

Pool membership: $60/month
Shoes: $100/2-3 months

I have a friend that's a Nike sponsored runner…I never realized how much it means for her to get free shoes and her entry fees paid; I typically only do 3 "official" events per year.

Anyone else dropping big $$$ on events or scheming for ways to support a season?

[Travis Leanna]

You sir, are more dedicated than myself. I make it out to some local parks/nearby national forests/campgrounds when I have the chance. Maybe one or two larger self-supported trips a year. I DO wish I had the time to put into it as you do!

OH crap. I just read that this DOESN'T include backpacking. I only backpack.

[David Ure]

I am envious.

I have 3 children – 2 are in competitive swimming and 1 is in competitive gymnastics. After tax, it costs me just over $10,000 annually. And I don't get to the mountains nearly as much as I would like, for obvious reasons.

[Brandon Sanchez]

If the bank is already broken, you might as well sign up for the Death Valley Trail Marathon
. Its $110, on Dec 4th, and you get to run through Titus Canyon. See you there?

[W I S N E R !]

It's all relative. My schedule has not always supported getting out as much as I am now, be it trips, events, or simply training. I've paid my dues: working full time, going to grad school 4 nights/week as soon as I was off work, getting home at 9 at night to my wife and two children…

Now that life has settled down and I have the time, I'm trying to figure out how to find the money without going and losing the time again! The vicious circle.

Not to mention the many athletes I know that make me feel like a total slacker, like I should be working 3x harder. I split a lane with a lady at the pool last night and got to talking: she was a 9 time Ironman finisher, not to mention multiple Boston Marathons…Her workouts: 1.5-3 hours a day, split into two sessions, her runs typically starting at 4-4:30 AM. Capping off the week were 4-7 hour long runs/rides every Sat/Sun. She was also an attorney. And married w/kids. Granted, she might not know their names…but WTF, where do these people come from!?

[W I S N E R !]

Brandon, I would like to run Death Valley. I've done a good deal of distance cycling there, but never a run.
I look at this race every year…now you've got me thinking!
If I end up going for it, I'll certainly send you a PM.

Edit: Now you've gone and done it. I just remembered that it was only a few days ago that my wife was saying we should get someone to watch the kids so we could go to Death Valley this winter….I can definitely see a plan in the works….I run the marathon, she hangs out in the hot springs and relaxes for a day….dinner and drinks at the bar that night….Who could argue?
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David: I know how it is. Both my kids swim as well; that's another $200/month, not to mention gas and time.

[Dale Wambaugh]

The first marathon would kill me, so it would be really cheap after that — I'm insured for the burial costs :)

To quote George Bernard Shaw, “Youth is wasted on the young.”

After years of day care, private education, and college for my brood, my hiking costs are trivial!

[Joe Clement]

In a way, I was always glad that my kids were never that into sports. Guess they realized they had my talent.

Marathons? R2R2R? I don't see how anyone can run like that. I just had running. Cycling is OK.

[Hiking Malto]

My big and expensive event will be the PCT next year. I will have to take a two month leave of absense not to mention the 5 pairs of shoes and other consumable gear.

That R2R2R trip sounds interesting. I had been thinking about doing that as a final warmup before I leave in May.

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