If it is, what’s the best cutoff time to make it seem like I’m a normal human being just working out? 4:30? 5:00?
Nah. When my daughter was born I had to rise at 4 and hit the streets for run before work, so I could pull childcare when I got home at 4pm. San Francisco is nicest at that time--except dog poop an dark curbs!
I even saw another guy on Twin Peaks at 5am running doen toward the gg park. Same deal: new father trying to be a decent dad and partner. Go for it!
If it is, what’s the best cutoff time to make it seem like I’m a normal human being just working out? 4:30? 5:00?
In Florida you have no choice in the summer to run early. I run at 3:30 and have had no problems, often see other folks out walking or running.
You're right about Florida. Lived there from '18-'22. Would go out between 3-5 a.m. for a long walk, come back and sleep again. Simply too hot and humid for a good 6 months of the year to walk when the sun was up.
Back in the day, when I was stationed in West Berlin, I'd run between 2-4 a.m. during the summer months (it would start getting light around 2:30). So quiet and peaceful, just me and the bunny rabbits. Sweet memories. Never had a problem.
I typically start my runs about 5 am, but sometimes as early as 3:30 if I have to make an early meeting or travel. Twice in my life I've been stopped by a cop while running very early. I'm a white woman, and in both cases the cop was inquiring about my safety rather than thinking I was a threat. Either way, it's none of the cop's business as long as you're on a public road and there's no curfew in effect.
Well depends further. I'm black and never had a problem. If you're wearing 6 in split shorts and no shirt, you won't look that suspicious in general. Jogging in hoodie in broad daylight when it's 90-100 out, very suspicious.
In most of the US, this is a great time to run; it's the coolest part of the day, little traffic, it's quiet. Watch out for the drunk drivers left over from the night before, and wildlife of all sorts that are not used to seeing people out and may not see you (snakes, possums, coyote, deer, skunks, raccoons, etc are abundant).
I live in Southern California, and I run early mornings around 4:15am. Never had a problem. Sometimes I crossed paths with a few homeless people every now and then but they all leave me alone (If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone!). I see pretty much the same people: construction workers driving to work, people who walk their dogs, and sometimes, if I am lucky, I might see a few people running...I love running early mornings, even on my days off. It's the best time to run: temps are cool, no wind, and no traffic.
Live in the Bible Belt and summers here suck profoundly (though not quite TX or FL): 4 am for long or medium-long runs keep me relatively cool, and when I run on forest roads, the flies/mosquitos are still relatively dormant.