How about having a button (i.e SHIFT, as CTRL is for crouching), that lets the player sprint or run twice as fast as the normal walking speed? As maps are getting bigger, it takes ages to cross them.
Some people have been suggesting teleportation blocks and the like which I think would be a better solution to crossing large maps, though I suppose sprinting wouldn't be that bad. 1.5x speed though instead of double.
Instead of sprinting, what if there was a craftable item that increased your speed? It could be some special boots that acted like the running shoes on those GBA Pokemon games, with the armor strength of leather (for balance).
I have never like the idea of sprinting that much. You can already out run mobs why would you need to go that much faster than them. Also, it would in a way defeat the purpose of setting up a minecart system even if you only ran 1.5x faster. Minecart tracks take awhile to set up considering you have to get all the supplies. Even though, this would be that drastic and the more I think about the traveling isn't the problem it is the monsters.
Minecraft's monsters are already to easy and sprinting would make them that much easier.
Relic of a bygone age.
Minecraft's monsters are already to easy and sprinting would make them that much easier.