When I first started running 25 years ago, it was the simplicity that captured my heart. There were no complicated techniques to master, no ghastly membership fees or extortionate equipment to shell out on. You just needed to buy a pair of shoes, get out there in the fresh air and put one foot in front of another, more swiftly than usual.

Strava is basically a cult

In return for this modest outlay and effort, you were treated to an avalanche of physical and emotional health benefits. As you ran, you could truly live in the moment, bask in the solitude and enjoy the connection with nature. It felt like such a beautiful and simple trade. I even wrote a book about it, called Running: Cheaper Than Therapy .

But for many runners, it’s become a complicated and costly hobby because companies

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