2007 Triathlon Spending

2007 was another bad year for my net worth. 

So again I am trying to figure out where all the money went by analyzing my spending versus the anecdotal reports on the Slowtwitch Forum
 

1. Bike (amortized) -  Jay $250     Average $2,000
Other triathletes buy $6,000 bikes every few years but I am making due with my rusty, generic bike for a third triathlon campaign despite the scorn and derision of my teammates.  My racing bike also doubles as my shopping bike so it needs to be rugged to deal with the milk and the chickens I load on it.

2. Bike Equipment - Jay $400     Average $3,500
In 2007 I overhauled my old bike which I left in Seattle, and spent $100 on tubes and lube and cables and new pump.
I still have almost no possessions anyway (of any sort).   I still live in a serviced apartment and all my worldly goods can fit in a small car (not that I own a car).  I still don't know where some of the bike stuff I do own is - presumably in that cardboard box somewhere.

3. Running Shoes -  Jay $190     Average $350
In 2007 I was loyal to Asics, acquiring an outdated pair of Kayanos for $90, a $100 pair Tarthers and a free pair 2120s.  I keep running far too much on each pair of shoes - over 800 kilometers per pair, so my running shoe spending remains low.


4. Triathlon Apparel -  Jay $100     Average $400
I am supposed to BUY triathlon apparel??   I did spend $90 on the wonderful compression tights. 

5. Coach / personal trainers / massage therapy - Jay $ 0    Average - $700
I wish.  

6. Gel, Power Bars -  Jay $200     Average $300
I have started trying to eat more "food" and less "foodlike substances" like expensive Power Bars with their puzzling concoction of  Maltodextrin, fructose, glycerin, phosphoric acid..

7. Swimming:  Health Club / Masters Swim Fee -  Jay $340    Average $400
My spa membership was free most of the year and I kept procrastinating about joining the swim squad.  I incurred an occasional 400-yen use fee at the 50-meter public pool and purchased new swim goggles.

9. Triathlon /running event entry fees: Jay $900    Average $1,000
I did not do any notoriously expensive full Ironman events in 2007.  The $100 entry fee for Tokyo Marathon seems relatively cheap. 

10. Triathlon-related Travel:  Jay - $4,500     Average  $2,000
Lake Stevens was a good excuse to visit Seattle.  Mongolia was wonderful. So was HK, Suzu, Shiobara, and Stone Wonderland.


2008 is looking even more expensive.   Especially if I do the half-ironman in Switzerland -- Zurich is hardly an affordable destination.  Melbourne is not exactly cheap either. And my real dream - the Bhutan Half-Marathon.  Of course I have always wanted to go to Bhutan, but the Bhutan government limits the number of tourists and keeps travel prices high.