There’s nothing quite like a scroll through the #RunTok hashtag to make your running wishlist expand. Over the last year, running has had a massive aspirational makeover on social media, and while that’s great for finding motivation and expert tips, it also means we’re exposed to expensive carbon-plated race shoes and reflective, wrap-around sunglasses on a daily basis.

Of course, running is not a free sport. You might not need to spend hundreds of pounds to get started, but it does require a certain amount of upfront expenditure. Decent running shoes can be expensive, race entries aren’t given away and to maintain energy and repair muscles, you need to eat a decent diet… and you only get hungrier once you start running regularly.

New to running? Here are the 3 things you actually need to spend money on