Literally Running Errands

How can we make the most of our 15-minute cities?

Illustration courtesy of 15minutecity.com

Recently, I was at a local initiative where they discussed the idea of a "15-minute city". This means that every citizen who lives in the city should be able to access everything they need within a 15-minute walk of their home (in some cases you might also allow a 15-minute bike ride radius). This would include, shopping, schools, medical buildings, and any other day-to-day activities. Accessibility is great for many reasons, but specifically, with our local initiative, we're creating walkable city "nodes" in an effort to achieve carbon neutrality in the next ten (hopefully 8) years.

It's not too difficult to achieve this in densely populated urban areas, but it's a good goal for small cities and suburban areas as well. When I lived in San Francisco and Oakland, this was easily achievable. Now granted you may not have access to your favorite version of each amenity (i.e. only a smaller grocery store or only 1 big box department store) but your day-to-day errands can technically get done without the need of a car.

In my current home, we do technically meet the 15-minute city walking requirements for just about everything. But as a runner, it had me thinking about how I could make that radius even wider if the criteria became a 15-minute run rather than a leisurely stroll. Yes, I'm talking about literally running errands.

Illustration courtesy of Runner’s World

There is a creekside path that runs from the end of my street directly into the downtown corridor of our city. Within a dense area of 8 blocks or so, you can get everything you could possibly need. It's certainly walkable but obviously will take much longer than if you were to run or bike. I'm thankful to be in decent enough shape to make this run several times each week. And there is nothing more satisfying than when I'm able to combine a running workout with a practical errand.

I know what you're thinking. How many errands can you possibly run on foot? No, you can't carry a week's worth of groceries while running. But with a properly adjusted running backpack or sling, you can certainly carry a few items. I often find myself slipping envelopes into my pockets or tucking small packages under my arm that can be dropped off at the post office or UPS. Sometimes a particular shape or weight of an item brings me back to the days of running relay races with a baton on the track. Running with anything in your hand is an oddly primal sensation.

It also makes shopping more fun when you're strategically choosing only the items that can easily survive the run back home with you. On these trips, you'll definitely prefer a plum over a watermelon. Eggs will likely have to be stricken from your shopping list today. Glass jars aren't the best idea either.

And when you get home and empty your pockets or bag, you feel more appreciative of and connected with the items you've purchased. They've come along on a journey with you. You protected them from harm and (hopefully) got them home safe and sound. This may all sound a bit silly and romantic for a quick trip to the grocery store, but it can be a nice change of pace if you're used to driving. It's a clever way to inject a bit more activity into your day. And it can also feel like a small adventure and break from your ordinary routine.

I write all this to just remind you to appreciate where you live. Whether you're right in the middle of a city with hundreds of walkable amenities or you only have one store that you can trek to miles away, make the most of your location. The 15-minute city concept may not be instantly achievable for all, but it's something for us to strive for. And if we want to hit any climate change goals in our lifetimes, cutting back on emissions caused by short car trips will be a requirement.

How many of you all live in a 15-minute city? Is anyone else literally running their errands?

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Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!

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