: Is it safe to run with thunder storms overhead in an overcast sky when you live near saltwater? I want to run and need to know this to be able to get some runs in to keep on schedule. I haven't grown up near the gulf or ocean,

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Just to provide some background, lightning is a real problem and causes a lot of casualties. From Medicine for Mountaineering, 6th Edition:

Lightning was the second most common cause of weather-related death
over the forty-year period from 1962 to 2002. Only floods, many of
which are also produced by thunderstorms, killed more people during
this time. Lightning kills more people than hurricanes and tornados
combined. During the ten-year period 1940 through 1949 approximately
330 people were killed each year by lightning in the United States.
Now, approximately one hundred people lose their lives that way each
year. Of equal note, however, only about 10 percent of the individuals
hit by lightning are killed. The remaining 90 percent may suffer
long-lasting injuries or disabilities, and lightning may even have a
lifetime impact.

When lightning is around, you really aren't safe anywhere:

The spot where lightning is going to strike is not determined until
the bolt is about 30 meters from the ground or object. Shorter objects
may be struck even though a taller object is nearby. Associated step
voltages and surface arcs may be fatal more than 40 meters from the
initial strike point.

Specifically related to Florida, the Journal of Environmental Health had an article which went into some state and regional statistics:

Rhode Island, North Dakota, Hawaii, Delaware, and
Alaska did not record any incidents during the period. Twenty-two
states recorded one to five deaths; 14 states recorded six to 10
deaths; and 10 states recorded ?10 deaths (Table 2). Texas (32 deaths)
and Florida (49 deaths) together accounted for 22 percent of
fatalities.

The biggest piece of advice I could offer up is the 30-30 rule. Lightning moves 1 mile in 5 seconds. If the flash-to-bang time is less than 30 seconds, you are in an active lightning area and should seek appropriate shelter until the storm has passed for more than 30 minutes. Most deaths and injuries occur after the rain is done and the threat of the storm seems to have passed.

In places like Florida, New Mexico, and the Rockies where lightning is a way of life it's pretty common for people to be relaxed and complacement. But again, these are the places where most people get killed or seriously injured for life, so just because someone's gotten away with dangerous behavior doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Some decent shelters for someone running down roads and cross country:

Under a bridge, overpass, or tunnel. Don't stand by any metal.
In a car, with the windows rolled up. Only a hardtop, no convertibles / soft tops.
Underneath high voltage electrical lines. Keep at least 50' away from the metal towers. The towers and lines are designed to handle lightning strikes and carry the current deep underground.