What is runner’s obsession with running at the crack of dawn?

I've seen a lot of scrawny 'lil runner boys in my time.

Dawn's crack is probably the only one most of 'em are ever gonna see. 😉

We ARE all different - so there's really no best or worse time. Until I retired 3 months ago I'd wake at 3:00 and hit the pavement at 4:30 so as to be at the office for 6:00 (Tuesday's and Thursday's). On the weekend its up at 4:00 and be back at the house for 6:30-8:00. These past 3 months with over 100 deg and 95% humidity this early schedule was a must for me.

This is the main reason why I never joined a running club. Every single one seems obsessed with having an 8AM run at some nature preserve 20 miles away from the town all the members live in. Not interested in extending my weekday commute into the weekend.

Now 8 is early? First 7 now 8? This is not early at all.

Typical government overreach.

For a lot of us:

1. We work early (6:00 am to be the first one in the office). Some of us poor 100% into our jobs and after 5:00 pm we're toast.

2. Avoid a.m. work traffic cuz we run the streets

3. Avoid other runners, walkers, cyclists, etc. that want chit-chat or run alongside. I'm personally not a social runner - I'm in a serious training mode.

4. Beat the heat (south Louisiana).

5. Before sunup while my head is still a virgin.

6. To better facilitate IM (intermittent fasting)

7. Easier to duck into the bushes if nature unexpectedly calls.

8. Better preps/acclimates my body for the 7:00 am Louisiana Marathon (my Boston Qualifier)

Some people have lives, even people w/o kids.

Also, studies show early risers are less depressed than their counterparts who sleep in later.

I don't get up super early, but 8-10 a.m. works for me. Starting at 10:30 means you're whole morning is gone, which is fine if you don't have much planned.

I ran at the crack of dawn and many times before that when I was running XC and track in college and doing doubles. After that I was an afternoon runner or an after work runner. Later when I was an expat living/working in Bangkok I ran very early due to the heat and humidity.

More than that I want to know where the people who are attending running clubs that meet mid-late afternoon on weekdays work. There is a club in my town that starts at 5:30 PM on Thursdays. I don't think I've gotten home from work before 6 in a decade and it's not like I have a strenuous job.

Per theory but I feel like adult running scenes are over represented with teachers and people with flex schedules like realtors. I barely know anyone doing white or blue collar work who runs with a club.

Tech workers and other work from home people.

I'm going to schedule a marathon for noon. People will be mad as hell! It will be so funny.

Boston used to start at noon!

7am is an early start? WTF? That's like the time I need to be home when sh1t starts up at our house. Up at 5am, quickly down a glass of water, cold coffee and banana, dick around for 30 minutes to let the coffee hit, then 60-75 minute run, back by 6:45am, showered and ready by 7am.

The only other option is to run after 9pm but I have trouble sleeping if I run too late.

Lots of other benefits to waking up early:

• It's truly my time alone to run - I'm not going to get a message from work or from my wife that something happened at home.
• Cooler temperatures in the summer
• Fewer dogs and strollers on the sidewalk, and cars on the street
• Feeling of getting my run "done" and not having to worry about squeezing it in later
• Parks are empty

During the spring and fall I will often do my Sunday long run at 1pm when the young one is napping and my older kids are doing homework.

what about the large amount of people that work from home? Your “per” theory is nonsense.

True

Greatest registered name I have seen on Let's Run.com and I have written here since at least 2015.

I laughed for 5 minutes straight!!!

Most of the marathons I've run started at noon or at 1:00.

Got it in good at 4 am today. Good luck with low energy all day, afternoon and night runners.