I just came back from my run and had to avoid Boxing Day shoppers (annoying)!
Some people saw me running toward them yet they failed to use an ounce of common sense and move. Two young girls even remained linked armed as they saw me approaching.
It's my own fault for going so late in the day. Normally I'd head out for 8:30am and avoid people. There are parks in my borough, but none close to home.
Where do you start with planning your route? Did it change week by week with the plan?
I run mainly through quiet-ish residential streets, but enough people about to feel safe, like you I prefer early mornings. Since I began running I'm more or less doing the same area, I just added extra bits on as I progressed, you'll get pretty good at estimating your times and distances with use. Some people don't give any allowances for runners, but I just check there's no cars and briefly run in the road, I'm always aware that some people can be startled by the sight of a runner hurtling towards them so am always extra careful.
I usually run round the lanes round my house, but as I live on a mountain with no handy footpaths around (or pavements for that matter), there aren't too many options, so I go up and down one bit and then round a loop twice. Sometimes I do a different back and forth bit turning off part way around the loop.
When I started c25k I only did the loop once - now I'm nearly up to 10k I need a few more options! I did have a phase of running further than just round the loop, but not far enough to go round twice, so I used to go back and forth along a flattish bit near my house at the end of my run, but I found these little detours that I could add to the basic route and got better at judging how far I needed to add.
Every now and then I treat myself to a run along the pedestrianised sea front down in the city, but it's a 20-25 minute drive so I don't go very often. To be honest, that's a lot more hazardous as it's really busy with all sorts of people out and about whatever time I go. The general rule seems to be whoever is moving fastest makes the move to avoid a collision (but this might be unique to Beirut).
The shorter mid-week runs are either laps of a park (grass) or street & road running if it's in the evening.
The longer runs are a mix of some fields but mostly roads but through the countryside.
In the winter sunshine this afternoon while I was running through the countryside, I looked up and among the rolling hills there were white plumes of smoke from a steam engine, in the distance.
No shoppers to be found 
I like the sound of no shoppers, runningnotwalking. That will teach me for not being motivated this morning.
I have a bit of a problem with this as I usually underestimate how far to go & end up re running bits just to do the distance or get to at least 30mins. I have to say that today I've met lots of dog walkers & people just getting out before the storms & everyone has been so considerate & had cheery greetings. I think my breathing must be really heavy as they always knew when I was approaching from behind even when they were deep in conversation.
Waletta, you're not the only one who has heavy breathing. Is this a bad thing? I also have a heavy footsteps, but I know longer bob up and down or rock from side to side, which is an improvement in my running technique.
I don't think the heavy breathing is a bad thing but it could be classed as scary. Heavy footsteps are probably a good thing in this situation.
Look up chi running on you-tube. It changed my style 3 years ago and was still in the muscle memory today!
Just looked this up Kiwihelen. I found it very very interesting & will certainly look at some more of the videos. Thank you.
I used to plan my routes on google maps and will do so again. I made a pretty good guess today I would do Week 1 in 2 miles (please don't be discouraged fellow newbies - this is technique driven, not fitness) so planned my out and back...my cool down included 3 x up and down the stairs though
Where do people run?
Where do people run?
Where do you run? 
