On June 29th, Runner's World published its August issue with the article, "I'm a Runner: Sarah Palin," The article has an extensive interview with the ex-VP candidate about running!

Four days, later, Palin hastily announced her resignation as Governor of Alaska.

No one seems to know exactly why she is resigning. I listened to her speech and couldn't figure it out. I've read everything from she's preparing for a 2012 Presidential run to she's burnt out and wants to be with family or today's comment from Palin's ex-almost-son-in-law Levi Johnston that he thinks she's leaving to make some money.

Well I read the RW article and am convinced that she's quitting to train for a new marathon PR! She ran the 2005 Humpy's Classic Marathon in Anchorage in under 4 hours (3:59:36). Palin then goes on to say "It wasn't necessarily a good running time, but it proves I have the endurance within me to at least gut it out and that is something."

So there you have it. While Palin is pleased about running a sub-4, I'm certain she is about to go into stealth training mode for perhaps a sub 3:30 performance!? Go for it, Sarah!

I reviewed her performance on my favorite marathon events website, www.MarathonGuide.com, and she finished 63rd overall out of 203 finishers and was 15th out of 63 women finishers. Nice job!

She made a few statements in the article that may ring hollow now that she's resigned: "You get bummed and burned out sometimes in running and in politics, but if you're in for the long haul and you're in it because you know that it is a good thing, then you get out there and you do it anyway" and "He (dad) used to tell us to call on the rock during a race when we were hurting and we were tired and wanted to quit." Maybe she couldn't find a rock.

Here are some neat additional photos of Sarah Palin in her running gear (though oddly none of them actually show her running).

Well enough of that. Another ex-Governor, Eliot Spitzer, was also profiled in Runner's World back in late 2006. He ran a 3:58:43 New York Marathon in 1983 at the age of 24. Palin's got him beat as she ran her sub-4 at age 41. In Spitzer's article, he says "My wife doesn't mind when I slip out at 5 a.m." ...hmmm, slipping out to do what...?

How about these other marathon performances by well known politicians:

• George W. Bush ran the 1993 Houston Marathon in 3:44:52 at age 47.  Nice job W!
• John Edwards ran the 1983 Marine Corps Marathon in 3:30:18 at age 30.  Well done.
• Al Gore as V.P. ran the 1997 Marine Corps Marathon in 4:58:25 at age 49. Oprah did the race in 4:29:20 in 1994.
• Mike Huckabee has run 4 marathons with a best of 4:37:34 in Little Rock at age 50.
• Michael Dukakis ran the 1951 Boston Marathon in 3:31, good for 57th overall at age 18.

Sarah made a comment that rings very clear! "Is running nonpartisan? 'Oh, thank God, it's nonpartisan. It doesn't matter your background, your demographics, your race, your political affiliation—it's such a uniting, healthy, fun, awesome activity.'"  WE AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, SARAH!  Running is an AWESOME activity!  YOU BETCHA!