Trust me, the world of runners is a cult.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. It's like anything else...it "makes them all look bad," even if it doesn't.

I'm the same way over mu Italian heritage. Any negative talk or prejudice directed toward Italians (or any boneheaded, regrettable stunt by an actual Italian) makes me bristle.

That's why I can't stomach "Snooki"...she is Chilean by birth and adopted by Italian parents, and she's made a career out of playing a vile, piggish cartoon of what actual "Italian" women are like.

So I don't run and currently know any runners personally (but have known a few in the past), and yeah...someone like Ryan standing up as the poster child for their world and then lying his ass off won;t work in his favor.