Areas of interesting
Arbol Lane, San Francisco
Most runners know where they are going to run. We want to run, not check for directions.
But how can we make running a bit more interesting, without sacrificing your workout?
Recently I’ve been forcing myself to create new routes for myself. Partly for fun, and partly to explore new neighbourhoods and streets that I would otherwise miss.
A quick detour recorded on Strava
How would that look in a product?
I could express interest in categories like “areas of interest”, “super steep climbs” or “secret stairways”. Once I’m on my run, a subtle buzz or glance at map would highlight close by spots that match my interest. For example a hidden stairway. One more tap would add it onto my route, or show me directions. After my run, the stairway is tagged onto my workout, surfacing the stairway to the broader community.
Other ways you could take this is a typical “explore” jumping off point that included curated routes, tours, popular runs etc. This is actually something google maps has been doing as it ‘explores’ other ways the app can be useful aside from just A-B directions.
Running apps are a great tool, but I think there’s so much more they can do!