On the importance of eating within the hour: it's a must-have in that world. The biochemical goal underlying that behavioral guide is to avoid blood sugar crashes and endorphin spikes.

I'll give you the general idea of morning runners who are sugar sensitive, from what I heard over there. I never was one myself so can't give the personal experience, sorry.

Sugar sensitive runners out of balance (carb addicted): the person gets up and runs on an empty stomach. They also usually run hard enough to get high on endorphins. This depletes glucose and might lead to a blood sugar crash later; also the endorphins, if they are a spiky high, start the fight-flight-freeze-feed hormonal cascase, which is also sugar burning mode. Sooner or later in the day the body craves fast carbs from this morning activity because the hormonal situation is sugar burning.

Sugar sensitive runners in balance (no longer in addiction): the person gets up and makes sure there is fuel before running; either from an evening snack the night before, or a half-shake or fruit/protein goo that is easy digesting. Then they run, enough for a glow but not spiky killer sprints. Then they have the rest of breakfast or a midmorning snack.

On why so insistent on going slow: because so many people fail by going fast. Impatient, fast-performing people who know a lot from past diets, miss details, don't hear things, and think a step is a goal to pass instead of a habit to pick up and keep. Habit forming which takes 3-4 weeks depending on what expert you listen to. They also make the mistake in thinking that the steps are simultaneous when in reality they build on each other.

On cults: DesMaisons has a background as a mental health clinic manager and I believe the support sites are run on that model. The lists and volunteers are all there for one thing - to support the program as written - it's not really a site like here where more topics are welcomed and encouraged. If it's a cult I would say it's more a benign cult like Apple or Harley believers.