While I think it would make more sense if people did just say "running" or "cycling", I am baffled by people's faux confusion about the word 'hobby. And also that it is the preserve of the childless, or the male.
Don't you people DO anything?
No art? No one sings, no one acts, no one plays a sport, goes on hikes, climbs, no one stargazes, no photographers? No flower-arrangers, jewellery makers, no bakers, no one plays a musical instrument? No one writes, attends a book club, studies for leisure? No one learns another language, runs, exercises, goes mountain biking, tabletop-gaming, Cosplay, collects things, train spots, video games?
"I've yet to hear of a hobby that doesn't sound either crap or hideously expensive."
You just... exist? No fun at all? No passion, no pleasure? What do YOU enjoy doing? ("lol jammies and sofa and gin lol")
The funny thing is the utter bitterness of the hobbyless of those who do hobbies. The sneering.
"Cycling. Gaming. LARPing. Any excuse to avoid doing actual parenting." Yes, that's exactly it. A mother in the church choir, a mother who rock-climbs on Saturdays and occasional weekends-away, a father who's in the TA, a mother who train n martial arts. Shirkers the lot of them, right?
"People who say they are "training" when they mean "exercising" are idiots imo."
What about when people ARE training for an event?