Paul Ryan - Marathon Times

Summary

In August of 2012, Congressman Ryan was interviewed on the Hugh Hewitt show and was telling his background. In discussing his running in high school and a subsequent injury, Congressman Ryan stated that he ran a marathon in just under three hours (sub 7minute miles). Bloggers checked into the story and questioned it. A few weeks later, Congressman Ryan recanted the claim and stated that the real time was aroung 4 hours. He noted that he was jokingly chastized by his brother soon after the claim and that given the run was more than 20 years ago, he didn't realize how fast the 3 hour claim worked out to be and thought that it was pretty ordinary.

 

Hugh Hewitt Interview

On August 22, 2012 Congressman Ryan was interviewed on the Hugh Hewitt show. He was asked about what he did in high school as far as activities and stated that he enjoyed running. He noted that he once ran a marathon and when asked how fast he was claimed it was around 3 hours.

HH: That’s okay. Hey, in high school, what did you do in high school? Were you a speech and debate guy? Were you a bandie? What were you?

PR: No, I was student government and athletics, honor society, you know, that kind of thing. I was kind of a combination. I was class president my junior year, I was the school board rep my senior year. I lettered in varsity, you know, my first year in high school, mostly soccer and track. I was a distance runner and a soccer player. So kind of well-rounded. I can’t, I can play a cowbell. That’s about it for instruments.

HH: Are you still running?

PR: Yeah, I hurt a disc in my back, so I don’t run marathons anymore. I just run ten miles or yes.

HH: But you did run marathons at some point?

PR: Yeah, but I can’t do it anymore, because my back is just not that great.

HH: I’ve just gotta ask, what’s your personal best?

PR: Under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something.

HH: Holy smokes. All right, now you go down to Miami University…

PR: I was fast when I was younger, yeah.

Toledo News Now Interview

On September 4, 2012 Congressman Ryan was interviewed on the radio by Toledo News Now. 

Interviewer: It seems silly, but the overwhelming question that people asked me to ask you was why you were not truthful about your marathon time during your speech at the RNC.

Congressman Ryan: My marathon you said? 

Interviewer: Yes

Congressman Ryan: I literally thought that that was my time. It was 22 years ago. You forget, sort of, these things. I hurt my back when I was in my mid-20s so I had to quit running. So obviously my perceptions of races and times ... it was off. My brother has been giving me such a hard time about this for the whole week. It was literally the time that I thought I ran. I thought that I ran an ordinary time ... I thought that I had ran an ordinary time and that that was an ordinary time until my brother showed me that a three hour marathon was very ... crazy fast. I ran a 4 hour marathon.

And so it's just the fact that I did this 22 years ago and I sort of forgot what my time was ... and that's what I thought it was.

 

References

[1] Website: The Huffington Post Article: Paul Ryan Explains Marathon Time Snafu: I Made Up What I Thought Was 'An Ordinary Time' Author: Nick Wing Accessed on: 09/07/2012

[2] Website: Hugh Hewitt.com Article: Paul Ryan Interview Author: NA Accessed on: 09/07/2012

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