Paul Ryan Lied About Marathon Feat

Runner’s World clocks him on it.

It turns out Paul Ryan has not run a marathon in less than three hours—or even less than four hours. A spokesman confirmed late Friday that the Republican vice presidential candidate has run one marathon. That was the 1990 Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, where Ryan, then 20, is listed as having finished in 4 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds. Ryan had said in a radio interview last week that his personal best was “Under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something.” In a statement issued to Runner’s World by a spokesman Friday night, Ryan said of his marathon experience: “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.”

Ryan confessed after Runner’s World scoured marathon records in Ryan’s home state. (Tipped by JMG reader Brad)