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

It's during work hours.

I feel so much physically better when I run in the afternoon vs the morning. All my lifetime bests were set in the pm not the am. In the early morning I usually feel pretty physically bad on my runs for the first few miles and workouts feel even worse. The thing I hate about early risers in general is that they say you waste the day away by sleeping in. A lot of the people I know that get up super early are usually in bed super early or take a mid-day nap. If you run at like 10 or even 11 am and are done by 12 you can be ready for the day by 1pm. Most fun stuff happens at night anyway. Obviously though running in the afternoon is a luxury and with jobs and families most people have no choice but to run in the early morning. I just don't understand why people would elect to run really early if they have nowhere to be that day.

There has always been an idea that waking up early and doing whatever you do is morally and practically superior to sleeping later. You've got Ben Franklin's "healthy, wealthy, and wise" quote. When someone talks about the early bird getting the worm it's always seen from the bird's perspective. But it's equally true then that the early worm is gotten by the bird.

Former professional runner. Still run twice a day. My first run is 4:45-5:00am. Love the quiet and solitude, and also work full time, so a good way to get myself revved up for the day. Everyone has a different internal clock. I happen to be an early bird, but many runners I know prefer to run later in the day. The point is, we are all still out there doing it.

If you are trying to find a time for multiple people to run together, early starts are likely to have fewer conflicts. It isn't just kids' activities. People who don't live just for running have other obligations and interests on the weekends. On weekdays, obviously work schedules dominate.

I'm with you op. I'd love to run before any responsibilities, if I can, but if I have nothing going on and its not warm, I'll run at my leisure, usually late morning. I like to finish my long run and eat lunch shortly thereafter.

OPs disclaimer cuts out at least 50% of all people up before dawn doing runs. Gotta get the run in either before the kids get up or after they go to sleep. Better to do before they get up because the wife is up after they go to sleep. Other reasons would include having a job or that getting a run in early starts the day off right. I like running later better but it just doesnt work out all the time due to other more important responsibilities.

For me, it builds momentum for the rest of the day. Im able to eat healthier, avoid negative habits and so on. I don’t think it’s just running that does this but doing something hard and difficult first thing in the day. Cold water plunge or cold shower also.

I suspect a very practical reason. I do think if someone leads a busy life (certainly with kids) there is a mild fear of not getting the run in. I have many times promised myself I would get it in before bed, and stuff just happens.

But, for me, running in AM sucks massively. I literally set all PRs in afternooon and evening.

You don’t seem like a serious runner with that mindset. Get up early and stop wasting your day.

How do you people do doubles if you don’t start your first run before 6 am? It’s too hard to get it in.

Why do some of you get so upset about when other people choose to run?

We sleep the same amount of hours...

In grad school, I always ran around 1030 am and 4 pm. I liked that schedule and would love to be able to do it now. What's making it hard to get in a double. Even a 9 to 5er could run at 7 am and 6 pm or something.

Personally, I like to run without anyone honking or yelling Run Forrest Run.

Preferences. I preferred to avoid the heat but even as that subsided, it is nice to get it over with, hit trails when they are less crowded, bike paths when they're not full of slow bikes or baby carriages, sidewalks or roads and intersections not full of traffic. It is not that complicated. And I enjoy a nice breakfast after a run.

Most of us (not speaking for everyone) actually have jobs. We go in to work. Maybe you have heard of it. some of us need to be in to work before 8 AM. And, some of us (me included) who have kids as well, don't get home until after 5:30PM. Running before 6 AM is my only time. When I get home, it's time for the kids, their plays, soccer, etc.

And this is problem why?

You're talking relative humidity. The actual measure of humidity, dew point, tends to drop, all things being equal.

No one said it is a problem. He was simply asking a question. Some people (you not included) were able to provide reasonable answers.

The OP is talking about their Sunday long run (a day the majority of people have off work) and said he understands why parents run early. Work on your reading comprehension.