I'm not really sure what kind of discussion you're looking to have with this though. This kind of question is something that applies to absolutely any hobby.
Should I run Cross Country in High School? Should I learn to play guitar? Should I take a dancing class?
For any hobby, this is a loaded question because it's entirely dependent on the person who is doing the hobby. I look back on the hobbies I had in high school (running cross country, going to concerts) and I don't regret doing them because at the time, they made me incredibly happy and I enjoyed them to no end. So it was entirely worth it for me to take up those hobbies - because I look back at them not with regret, but with the knowledge that they made me incredibly happy at the time so it was worth the investment in them.
With hobbies, there is always something different you can do. I could have taken all the time I invested into Cross Country in high school and done something completely different. However, looking back with such negativity and regret on every hobby with the question of "what if I spent my time differently?" is an incredibly negative point of view on life and will most likely lead to a current state of mind that is unpleasant and pessimistic all the time. Don't look back at past hobbies with regret for some unnamed "other thing" you could have done instead, look back and realize that that hobby made you happy at the time.
Is speedrunning worth it? For me, yes. Why? Because 20 years from now I can look back at everything I've done with speedrunning and feel accomplished for my own personal goals being achieved and I can look back and realize that it made me happy - it let me play games I love in a fun and always exciting way. With all the time I spend speedrunning I could easily do some other hobby, but right now, I'm having fun and enjoying myself. And knowing that by doing this I'm enjoying it, that makes it all worth it for me. I don't care if anyone else looks back at my career and likes it, I'm doing it for myself. I'm not trying to escape anything or pretend like I'm not getting getting older, I'm doing it because it's fun and enjoyable.
Like any hobby, if you're having fun, do it. That's all the reason you need to determine "if it's worth it".
The SRcom forums consistently manage to attract the ideal examples of human intellectual capabilities, eh?
Feel free to use that superior intellect to beat, well, any of my times. I look forward to verifying 'em.
