One of the many things I love about running is that it doesn’t cost a fortune. Unlike other sports, such as golf or skiing, you don’t need any expensive equipment and it’s not necessary to spend money every time you want to do it.
Still, once you’ve been running for a while, you start to realize that your habit can hurt your wallet if you’re not careful. The cost of race entries, travel to runs and races, running shoes and apparel, fun gadgets, and sports nutrition can definitely start to add up.
Here are some ways you can save money on running shoes, races, clothes, and other gear.
1. Make your running shoes last longer.
It’s important to replace your running shoes every 300 to 400 miles, but getting new shoes every couple of months can get expensive. But there are some things you can do to make sure your shoes reach the higher end of that range.
First, don’t wear them for anything other than running or working out. Even if you’re just walking around in them, you’re still wearing out the cushioning.
Rotating two pairs of running shoes can make them last longer. If you give your shoes a 48-hour break in between runs, the foam will have time to decompress, which can extend the shoes’ life up to 100 miles.
Always untie your shoes when you take them off, rather than using your foot to kick them off. Forcing your feet in and out of your shoes without untying and retying them can affect the support.
Keep your running shoes in a cool, dry place where they can air out properly. If they get wet, don’t put them next to a heater or in the dryer. If you place balls of newspaper in your wet shoes, the paper will absorb the moisture.
Need to clean your dirty running shoes? Use a scrub brush, mild soap, and cold water, and then let them air dry.
2. Run local races.
While traveling to out-of-town races can be fun, the cost of transportation, hotel, and meals really add up. Save time and money on all those travel expenses by running races closer to home. If you stick to smaller, local races, you’ll also find the entry fees to be less expensive.
3. Save money on running nutrition.
Gel packets and energy bars can be convenient ways to eat needed calories energy during long runs, but they can be expensive. Experiment with cheaper alternatives during your long runs, such as candy corn, jelly beans, and other candies. You can especially find good deals on candies after holidays such as Halloween and Easter.
Some runners even use honey packets instead of sports gels. If you really like a specific brand of gels, blocks, or bars and want to stick with them, but them in bulk to save some dough.
For sports drinks, buy containers of powdered sports drink mixes. It’s much cheaper and better for the environment since you can make it in a reusable sports bottle.
4. Freeze your gym membership.
Do you prefer to run outdoors during the better weather months? Or will you be traveling for a significant portion of the month? If you know you’ll rarely make it to the gym during an upcoming month or two, see if you can put your gym membership on hold. Many gyms and health clubs allow members to freeze their memberships for an extended period of time as a courtesy or for a small monthly fee.
5. Plan your race schedule ahead of time.
Most races give discounts for early registration. Sign up early for races that you know you definitely want to run. You’ll save some money and also get more motivated to run, knowing that you have some races on your calendar.
6. Look for other ways to save money on running races.
You can also look for races that offer incentives, such as free race entries, to volunteers. You can work at the registration table or number pick-up before the race and still run it — without paying the entry fee. Some races will give volunteers the same goodie bag as the race participants, so it’s a good way to get free running gear.
Some races also offer registration discounts through sites like Groupon or other promotions. They may not mention a discount on the race website, but do a quick search before you register. Just type the name of the race and “coupon code” or “discount” into your search engine and see what comes up.
7. Stay injury free.
Between physical therapy, doctors’ visits, massages, and other therapies, recovering from a running injury can be extremely pricey.
To avoid the hassle and expense of injury recovery, make sure that you listen to your body and follow injury prevention tips. You may also want to invest in some inexpensive injury prevention tools, such as a foam roller.
8. Shop for discounts on running shoes, clothes, and other gear.
You don’t have to break the bank by shopping at higher-end athletic wear stores. Get ideas for where you can find bargains for running clothes and other gear for all seasons, including Amazon, Target, Baleaf, and TJ Maxx. One way I like to save on my favorite running shoes is to buy an older model of the shoe at a discount when a new version is released.
