The Cost of Being a Triathlete

What's with triathletes... it seems that every week there is a new gadget on the market and we rush out like sheep and buy it. I thought golfers were crazy with how much money they spend on their hobby but we are just as bad, and in most cases, much worse.

A show of hands... How many of you have a bike that costs more then the car you drive? Don't laugh there are a lot of guys I know that have bikes that cost three to six thousand dollars. FOR A BIKE!!! And that is just for the bike, add to it a good set of pedals, water cages, computer, bike tools with bag and you just added $200 - $500.

That is just the cost to ride the bike. You also have to take account for a pair of cycling shoes, helmet, bike shorts and jersey and that can quickly add another $500. And that is for only one discipline of the sport.

Swimming has the least amount of equipment but it can still cause sticker shock. A wetsuit, goggles and swim cap can range form $200 - $600.

Running has its own expenses, shoes $75 - $150 shorts, singlet and a hat add $100. Now that covers the cost of racing. But once you add all of the little items like sunglasses, mp3 player, triathlon transition bag, sandals, warm up suit, etc. It can get very expensive.

Don't forget you need to get to your races, so you will need to buy a bike carrier for your vehicle. Lastly there is all the training gear, training aids, books and miscellaneous equiptment that we all have.

This year I noticed how much money you can devote to the sport just to get competitive. The bad news is that next year there is a high probability that I need to get a new bike. As much as I like Christine she is a road bike and I feel that I'm being out technologied (if that's a word). Today’s bikes are catered for triathlons and help racers not only during the bike but also by conserving energy it helps during the run.