Article

My ‘Cheap’ Running Hobby Crept Up On Me

When a few close friends encouraged me to take up running as a hobby, I thought all I needed was the will and a pair of running shoes to get started.Turns out, I was wrong.A few months in, I became more interested in the world of running. I started reading about different types of shoes and running gear, and slowly convinced myself that if I wanted to become a better runner, I needed more things.At first, I bought a new pair of running shoes because I thought they would help me run faster. But then again, I also needed another pair for recovery runs. And one more for trail running, right?After the shoes, came the fitness watch. Then I started signing up for races because I thought having a goal would keep me motivated to run.But before I knew it, my list of “needs” kept growing. Every purchase seemed to make sense at the time. I told myself that new gear would help me improve my performance, keep me motivated, or at least make running more enjoyable. I always felt like I was just one purchase away from having the perfect set-up.Then work got busier. I barely had time to lace up my running shoes. Weeks went by, and my running app showed no new activity.When I finally sat down and added up how much I had spent over the year, I was quite surprised. There were the shoes, the fitness watch, race entry fees, and all the “essentials” I had convinced myself I needed.That was when I started to realise that my spending was not just about running. It was also about how I had tied my sense of achievement and self-worth to reaching the next goal. Every new purchase gave me a little boost of motivation. It made me feel like I was getting closer to becoming the runner I wanted to be.The funny thing was, I barely had time to run.I have no plans to quit running. I still enjoy it.But now I realise that I don't need the whole ecosystem of shoes, gadgets, races and gear to enjoy the sport. The motivation I get from buying something new may only last for a while, but the financial pressure can stay for much longer.Sometimes I still think to myself, “If only I were a professional athlete, maybe all of this would make sense.”But for now, I think I'll stick to what I actually need to run.And to my future self, I hope this will be a reminder that every new hobby doesn't just come with a cost to get started. There can also be hidden costs when we start to feel like we need to have everything that comes with it.This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and real accounts from people.