I look at it this way - I have spent enough in my lifetime to buy a really nice luxury car or SUV. If I'd spent the money on the car or SUV instead, I would be in much worse health than I am.

For about the same amount of money, I could also buy myself approximately 8 months in a typical skilled nursing facilty. At my age, 51, and in my profession - probate/estate and tax law, I have seen many very sad situations of people trapped in failing bodies, often - but not always - due to poor lifestyle choices that involved typically "American" issues - obesity, substance abuse, physical inactivity, sleep deprivation, stressful work and home environments.

Cycling - fitness in general - was a commitment I made to myself years ago. I'm far from perfect, I've lost and gained the same 25 to a few times as much as 50 lbs over the years TOO many times to admit. And for the same stupid reasons I've cited above - life stress leads to slacking off - dropping my guard is a maybe a better way to put it - and that leads to poor eating choices, poor fitness choices, and poor results. But I always come back to my core belief, which is to be happy you need to be healthy, and to be healthy you need to be active.

So I see it this way ... like the old credit card commercials from 10-15 years ago ... New Specialized whatever, $X,000. New Giro road shoes, $Y00. New Showers Pass rain jacket, $Z00. Not ending up in a nursing home at 65, 75, 85, or hopefully even 95 ... "Priceless".

Some things simply transcend money.