Paul Ryan Lies Again: Marathon Time Not True

Vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan is getting slammed for lying at the RNC but apparently there's another fib he's been flaunting: his running record. In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Ryan said he ran a marathon in under three hours. When Hewitt asked Ryan what his personal best time was he replied, "Under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something." When Hewitt replied, "Holy Smokes." Ryan retorted with a slightly cocky, "I was fast when I was younger, yeah." 

With a little more searching the publication Runner's World uncovered the results of the marathon Ryan participated in, the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in 1991 which Ryan ran while a college student. His finishing time is not a sub-3:00 as he originally said but actually 4 hours, 1 minute, and 29 seconds. Sure, the fact that Ryan is running marathons is impressive in and of itself, but a lie (even a casual one) points to even more off-handed lying down the road. 

When Runner's World initially asked the Ryan camp about his marathon record a spokesperson said, "His comments on the [radio] show were the best of his recollection." Ryan later cleared up the record to Running World in a statement saying: "The race was more than 20 years ago, but my brother Tobin—who ran Boston last year—reminds me that he is the owner of the fastest marathon in the family and has never himself ran a sub-three. If I were to do any rounding, it would certainly be to four hours, not three. He gave me a good ribbing over this at dinner tonight."

While this fib may seem like a meaningless sleight of tongue, lying about marathon times is a big no-no in the running community. If Ryan wants to win the trust of Americans (runners and non) he needs to stop the casual lies and hit us with the truth.