Though the fact-check was not in his plan
Ryan bragged about how fast he ran
Not a real big surprise
Just one more of his lies:
It’s Paul Ryan, the marathon man
Headline: Fact Check: Paul Ryan Exaggerates Marathon Claim
What’s really funny is how passionate runners are about this. Across sources, from runners’ websites to papers to NPR, runners are steaming mad that Paul Ryan has… “misremembered” his best marathon time.
I have never entered, let alone completed, a marathon. If I had, I would likely be one of the many who knew my time to the second. Like everyone… but those who lie about their times. But really… what the hell, it’s only one more lie.
But this is a lie made purely to make himself look good. A sub-three marathon isn’t Olympic medal time, but all the 2012 runners ran it in less than three hours, so of course the runners around the world are pissed off. Ryan’s saying he’s a world-class runner. And why? It’s not like his athletic ability has anything to do with politics – it’s just him trying to be cool.
Ah, well, he can still brag about his under-six-parsecs Kessel run.
14 years ago I was a watch captain on the winning boat in the Newport to Bermuda sailboat race. I can tell you both the elapsed time (61 hours 18 minutes 22 seconds) and the corrected time (57 hours 42 minutes 16 seconds) of that effort. I know several other people who’ve been in winning boats who can do the same thing.
I’ve done two marathons (lots of halfs) and remember my times better than Paul Ryan does. First one 6 hrs 5 min. Second one 5 hrs 40 min. I knocked 25 minutes off, which is pretty close to 1 minute per mile. It took a lot of training to reach those times. Of course I racewalk instead of running so times will be a bit slower than runners. Point is though, you don’t forget those times, especially if you’ve just done one or two. I don’t much like Mr. Ryan to begin with but lying about a PR is low.
Bear in mind what this guy does for a living. The idea that the truth has objective importance is simply not part of his mindset. In politics, only perception matters, not reality. Facts are merely things to be used to manipulate perception; employed if they’re useful, disregarded or twisted if they’re not. What is true holds no importance for such people; only what they want.
“Not intended to be a factual statement.”
There once was a polly called Ryan,
Who couldn’t, really *couldn’t* stop lyin’.
He got picked by Mitt
But that choice just proved shit
And now in the polls they’ll be dyin’! ;-)