RunEveryStreet follows the experiences of a call centre executive who set out to run every street in New York, while learning more about the places, people and hidden spaces in his new home.
When Joe Morrisroe moved to New York City, he found himself in the midst of an endless battle to stay fit and healthy. But he also didn’t want to give up on ice-cream and was unmoved by the thought of going to a gym. Sound familiar?
Instead, he embarked on a journey to run every street in New York City.
How “Run Every Street” Led to a More Rewarding Lifestyle
As part of this idea, Joe was hoping to discover new places, people and things that made the city unique. He began by running short routes along the Hudson Rover but then set himself the goal of running every street in Manhattan within one year. In the end, Joe ran every avenue, alley, lane, street, terrace, drive and row in Manhattan.
“It turned out to be one of the most exciting and rewarding activities in my life and encouraged me to learn more about NYC through running challenges and goals.”
Joe Morrisroe, RunEveryStreet
As if that wasn’t enough, Joe went on to Run Every Subway Line, Run Every Neighbourhood and Run Every Park in New York. He is now on a mission to run “One hundred 10ks“.
Here’s some photos from Joe’s Run Every Street in New York City:
How Might You Run Every Street in Your Own Home Town/City?
It should go without saying that no great skill or level of endurance is needed run every street. It’s just a concept and there’s no set distance or time that needs to be covered each day. I plan to walk every street in my hometown shortly and with no expectation of what I might experience. If anything, it’s just an excuse to get up and do something, and add some interest to a simple walk in the neighbourhood.
With this in mind, I think about RunEveryStreet as a simple way to go more places. It’s a way to live in the moment and pay more attention to the smaller things we often take for granted. It’s also cheap and local, and encouragement to go exercise or get outdoors, while removing the obstacles that we sometimes use for not doing something in the first place.
Have you started running every street in your home town or city? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below…