The Frugal Triathlete

My payment software generates slick and detailed output (note that I used to work for this financial software company back in Silicon Valley), and I feel compelled to put my triathlon and running costs in US$ into this keen Sankey flow diagram:    

The main observation is that 2017 was a remarkably low budget year — a few years ago when I did an ironman I am sure that I spent at least three times this amount due to the expensive race entry fees, lots of coached group swims, and peer pressure to invest in pricy bike components.  In 2017 I only competed in two relatively smaller and less expensive triathlons in the US. 

The other observation is that running shoes are increasingly expensive as noted in an earlier post despite buying several pairs at half-price and getting a free pair from Brooks.   

Running is supposed to be such a natural, low-cost activity relative to cycling or swimming.. or golf or skiing or sailing.  (Though for lots of runners I know all the physical therapy to deal with running injuries makes the sport quite expensive indeed). 

Other notes:

• I had to add some rough estimates of cash expenditures (Japan is not like China or Sweden with respect to evolving into a cashless society).   
• I am not including certain travel costs associated with participating in my various far-flung triathlon and running events  — travel costs would wildly inflate these figures and I am sure that I would travel anyway 
• Nor did I bother to amortize the cost of my bikes since they are so old and technically fully depreciated