Is running really cheaper than therapy?

A lot of elite runners have said a marathon is 20% percent running and 80% mental. Another good quote is "If you want to change your body, workout. If you want to change your life, become a runner."- by a ton of people. Running can really help with issues and many like myself have credited running for dealing with the pain. Many health professionals will suggest exercise and healthy diet for better mental health. It's kind of obvious. Being in shape and improving your over all health will make you feel better regaurdless. But what the hell is it with running? It works, I'm proof of that, but running seems to be on the top of the list of life changing activities.
If you don't have insurance and you don't plan on running expensive races or traveling for races, my guess is it is cheaper. Otherwise, not really. Between shoes, running clothes, race fees, lodging and plane tickets, it can rack up the dollar amount. Truth is, for me anyway, it has actually helped me save money. Maybe I just have a clear head from all the running or maybe my priorities have changed. Either way the invaluable feeling after a run also know as "runner's High" can really help in the struggle of stress, anxiety, depression and the long list of mental department. The first mile always sucks, but around mile ten, life never seems so bad.
NYC is coming and that adds it's own stress to life. The question of clothing, split times and not falling in front of millions is inevitable. The great part is all this running helps soothe the nerves. Kind of ironic that the way to deal with the nerves of a race is to run. A little over a month to the big Apple and two weeks until my shakeout half marathon right in Boston!