Casual athletes spend big but don’t seek gold
GORDON Reid did not act out his midlife crisis by buying a sports car, but he did end up forking out tens of thousands of rands. He just spent it on sporting events and equipment.
Reid, of Durban, is among a growing number of South African “casual athletes” who are fuelled by the desire to get healthy, make friends, have fun or make business connections.
These are the men and women who are unlikely to earn a cent in prize money but are prepared to pay thousands on running shoes, fitness watches and devices, specialist cycling gear and race entry fees — and even close to R200 000 on bikes.
“Being a casual athlete is probably a cheaper midlife crisis than buying a Porsche or getting a girlfriend,” said Reid. “I’m happily married and manage my midlife crisis on the sports field.”
Last year, Reid spent R14 000 on race entry fees alone. His second-hand road bicycle cost R12 000 and his mountain bike R22 000. He has to service each at a cost of R500 to R800 at least every six months. Cycling shoes and clothing set him back R4 000. And he also factors in about R5 000 a year on medical bills for physiotherapy and a chiropractor.
On top of this, he is a member of a running club and squash club.
But he said it was worth it, not just for the health benefits but also because all his races are done to raise money for the Childhood Cancer Foundation as one of its team of “CHOC Cows”.
It’s not uncommon to see Reid cycling or running on the Durban promenade in a cow suit. He alone raised R200 000 last year, and the whole team more than IN THEIR BLOOD: Cycle Lab owner Andrew McLean says South Africans take naturally to cycling R600 000 — and already this year they have raised half a million.
“I’m obsessed with staying healthy and being a good example to my kids. Plus, sweatworking is the new networking,” he said.
Radio and TV presenter Liezel van der Westhuizen knows all too well how these costs can rack up. She is a keen runner, cyclist and triathlete. Her two bikes cost a combined R51 000, and she also has a “town bike” she uses when in Cape Town that cost R5 500. Her shoes cost R2 000, and she has two pairs for each bike. Entry fees for events cost her about R12 000 a year.
“But it’s a healthy lifestyle,” she said. “I love going out and meeting people. When I moved to Cape Town I knew nobody. It was through running, at first, and then cycling that I got to meet people. I’ve got so much work through mountain biking because the CEOs of companies and their marketing managers are all out there with you. And it’s just fun.”
Andrew McLean, owner of Cycle Lab and one of the country’s foremost cycling experts, said South Africans took to cycling because of their psyche.
“We are a goal-oriented nation and we love events. We have world-class events here; South Africa is to mountain biking what Hawaii is to surfing. Also, it’s better than other vices like gambling, alcohol, drugs and women or men,” he said.
A mountain bike, McLean said, could cost anywhere between R3 000 and R190 000, clothing between R1 000 and R100 000, and race fees can climb as high as the R68 000 for the three-day Absa Cape Epic. McLean himself spends more SPORTS MAD: Liezel van der Westhuizen, the radio and TV presenter, cycles through Green Point. She is also a keen runner and triathlete than R100 000 a year on cycling.
It is not just cyclists forking out the big bucks. While cycling — along with triathlon — is arguably the most expensive casual sport, even road running can quickly empty a wallet.
Running coach Cuan Walker said: “Running is one of the healthiest things you can do in life.”
But it’s a de-stress method that can cost thousands, depending on how seriously someone takes it. Gear such as shorts and T-shirts might be cheap, but the costs do not end there.
“Running shoes can cost in the region of R499 up to R3 000. Lots of people use basic stopwatches which could set you back anywhere between R150 and R300, but the majority of runners are going for the GPS watches, which range from R1 500 upwards and peak at just over R10 000,” said Walker.
On top of this, membership and licensing fees will cost about R500, while a runner who enters 20 to 30 races a year can expect to pay up to R2 500 on entry fees.