Maybe. My watch doesn't upload things until it's connected back to the phone - in which case, it looks like it came from the phone (not Android, though).
His friends say he didn't take the phone, as he was trying for ultra-light. Did he even have water? Do we know?
Totally disagree about "someone with suspicions." In this day and age, my family members give parameters that tie them to strict return times. I'm serious.
If my SO was supposed to contact me after an hour of hill hiking (which he does routinely - not a runner, a hiker), not only would I be on the phone, but I know the name of our neighborhood watch commander and that person would answer my urgent messages - day or night. I live in a place similar to Pleasanton.
If I told my spouse I was going for a 20 minute walk (I would set my watch timer) and it was 45 minutes, with the uptick in various crimes and misdemeanors, he'd call it in and I guarantee you, there would be a response from our neighborhood resource officer. I help train them (but that wouldn't be why they respond - they don't even know my partner's name). Our police staff takes missing person reports extremely seriously and uses all reports for training. There are a few daily (kids go down into the river bed, etc)
The older the person, the more likely it is that they are actually responsibly hiking/running and will let others know when they are done and on their way. All I'd have to do is tell the desk person at our local LE that my SO normally checked in promptly when he said he would, but hadn't done so. It would take a couple of hours to get a helicopter into the air, but less for LE to be at various trail heads, asking people what's up (not all the trailheads, but the beginning and ending, for sure).
There's a reason that people give their loved ones their times and parameters and the loved ones try to be diligent. It's not at all surprising to me, as a Californian (and NorCal is more diligent than SoCal) to think that the spouse of a runner/hiker who reported them missing would be seriously listened to.
He's not the type of guy who just stopped for a beer and ignored his obligation to turn up and pick up his family. It's hard to explain, but my gut level understanding of ultra-marathoners and hill runners tells me that he didn't just skip out.
I'll eat my words if that turns out to be the case. But personally, I think suggesting he'd do this to his wife, children, friends, colleagues and law enforcement is truly ugly. He's a victim of misadventure and needs rescue. He didn't run off in any planned manner. IMO.
Using the word "alibi" implies you think he was, in addition, trying to cover something up.
