Oops ... Runner's World Busts Ryan on Marathon Claim

His time was closer to 4 hours than 3 hours
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 1, 2012 12:54 PM CDT
Oops ... Runner's World Busts Ryan on Marathon Claim
Paul Ryan speaks during a campaign event Frida yin Richmond, Va.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Both campaigns might be thumbing their noses at political fact-checkers, but Paul Ryan now knows he better stick to the facts when it comes to athletic feats. After he told a radio show last week that he once ran a marathon in under 3 hours—a very good time—Runner's World decided to check it out. A little sleuthing determined that Ryan has run one marathon in his life, during his college days, but his time was ... 4 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds.

Ryan explains, via a statement to the magazine: "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." (More Paul Ryan stories.)

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