What's outlandish about it? Some people wake up on the early side for all sorts of reasons -- disposition, physiology, mix of responsibilities requires it, household functioning, kids, etc., etc.

There are many different kinds of people in this world. It pays to think of all the reasons there might be for even one single behavior.

Been starting work at 5 am (which is now where I live) for a few years now. I was usually the person who would check in for work around 11 am the past 30 years. That was a bit of a mistake in hindsight; my body and mind like this early time far more; I get far more from my day now that my focused coding time ends around 11 instead of starts and the rest of the day I get to do mostly hobbies (including VR workouts). Somehow, in the past 30 years, including when I got up around 8, I missed about 3 hours of very valuable focus time which I was not possible to get for some reason until getting up when the rooster starts crowing (we have a rooster and it's doing that now).

I have to continue during the weekend (obviously as it is Sunday now) or I move out of the rhythm but that works fine too.

If you ever want someone to work early, a lot of ex-military just naturally run on an earlier schedule like that. People who run for a hobby tend to start early too.

Not just work. Deep Work.

I used to do it all the time. Up At 5, at Starbucks around 5:30, out by 7:30. Or wait for the gym to open at 6, or maybe an early morning run. Mornings used to be great, but then I had a kid and the pandemic hit and it will take awhile to go back to see them.

I late-rise with the best of them, but 5:30 still pales next to 'My 25-year direction is to "facilitate innovation."'

But, well, if it works for them - I suppose it correlates with likelihood of writing a blog?