Man Runs New York City Marathon in Crocs, Breaks World Record: 'I Did Not Lose Any Toenails' (Exclusive)

• Kevin Leimkuhler, 31, ran the New York City Marathon in Crocs, hailing the foam loafers as a “sustainable running shoe” after telling PEOPLE he had no issues with discomfort on the 26.2-mile course
• Leimkuhler said he ran the entire way, stopping only once to hug his sister
• He doesn’t plan to run another marathon in Crocs, but said “I can definitely see myself running in Crocs from time to time.”

When the New York City Marathon took over the five boroughs on Sunday, Nov. 3, the streets were filled with expensive sneakers, fancy running shoes and cutting-edge footwear.

And there was a pair of bright, red and orange Crocs.

Kevin Leimkuhler, a 31-year-old software engineer, not only ran the New York Marathon in Crocs, but also broke the world record for running a marathon in foam shoes, finishing in 2:51:27.

“It seemed like a fun way to do New York,” Leimkuhler, who is originally from Philadelphia but now lives in Denver, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I know the New York Marathon has a lot of spectators, and being from the East Coast, I could have friends and family come.”

Kevin Leimkuhler.

Courtesy of Kevin Leimkuhler

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“I didn’t do it as a total joke,” Leimkuhler points out. “I did it because I knew it would be a very fun and memorable way to run that marathon.”

And, it turns out, it was also a very comfortable way to run his fifth marathon.

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“I had no problems. My feet were in worse shape after the marathon,” he said, adding that when he runs in “super shoes” — a nickname for more and more expensive carbon-coated shoes, “I have really bad Achilles blisters.”

This time, Leimkuhler says, “I didn’t feel like I had to catch anything, I didn’t feel like my foot was hitting the ground in a different way.”

“I had no problem with them staying. I haven’t lost a single toenail. I don’t have any blisters. Just typical marathon pain,” he said, adding that he finished the race just 13 minutes shy of his personal best.

To prepare for running in the Crocs, he said he ran about 40 miles in a pair to ensure they were the right size.

Kevin Leimkuhler takes the Jibbitz with his closing time.

Courtesy of Kevin Leimkuhler

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During the run, he says, he didn’t do anything special. He used Body Glide anti-friction lube, as always, and wore his normal running socks. Crocs sent him a Jibbitz that showed his finish time, and sent him the shoes only after the race.

While schools across the country ban Crocs because they pose a tripping hazard, Leimkuhler says he’s had no problem tripping in the bulky shoes.

“I ran the whole way. I stopped once to hug my sister and that was the only time I really stopped.”

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“I don’t know if I’ll run my next marathon in Crocs, but I could definitely see myself running in Crocs every now and then,” he said.

“I actually found them to be a sustainable running shoe,” he says. “They are refreshingly simple and comfortable enough.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education