@zachpogrob

Obsession beats discipline - go all-in on your craft until you either die or get reborn.

Running as City Exploration and Idea Generation

Busy professionals traveling who have no time for traditional tourism. Founders and creatives who need both exercise and idea generation. Anyone in a new city who wants to see it efficiently.

Single session (1-2 hours) or ongoing practice

What Success Looks Like

You see more of a city in 2 hours of running than you would in a day of traditional tourism. Ideas flow during the run. You return refreshed with both physical exercise and creative input accomplished.

Steps to Execute

Identify that you will be too busy working to sightsee normally

Map out running routes through notable areas of the city using a map app

Run 6-12 miles covering different neighborhoods each day

Let ideas flow while exploring without trying to force them

Return to work refreshed with both exercise and exploration complete

Checklist

Have you mapped a route through areas you want to see?

Do you have appropriate running gear for the weather?

Are you running without music or podcasts to allow ideas to emerge?

Are you noticing your surroundings rather than just logging miles?

Are you capturing ideas that emerge during or after the run?

Inputs Needed

Running shoes and appropriate gear
Map of the city with interesting areas marked
1-2 hours of time
Method to capture ideas after the run

Outputs

Comprehensive city exploration in minimal time
Physical exercise completed
Ideas generated from the combination of movement and novelty
Mental clarity from extended physical effort

Example

“A founder is in Milan for a week of meetings with no free time for sightseeing. Each morning they run 8-10 miles through different neighborhoods, seeing the entire city through daily runs. They return to the hotel with exercise complete, having seen more than tourists see in a week, with a notebook of ideas that emerged during the runs.”