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Can you really finish a marathon in flip flops? You might be surprised

From Barefoot Bobby to Crocs and carbon-plated sandals, some runners are choosing interesting footwear, or none at all.

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man feet close up wearing flip flops
Gold Circuits / Pexels

When I run, I like my cushiony running shoes that put a spring in my step. We all have our preferences, especially those avid runners. Recently, Barefoot Bobby made waves in the fitness industry by completing the 2024 Mumbai Marathon with naked feet and one of his fastest finishing times at 3:11:47. In other interesting fitness news, runner Dan Camac became the first to break the two-hour and 50-minute mark in a pair of Crocs at the Cadbury Marathon in Tasmania, Australia. Dan Camac sported those vibrant yellow Crocs and crossed the finish line at 2:49:21.

What about wearing flip-flops? At first thought, flip-flops definitely don’t seem like the ideal choice of running shoes, but you might be surprised by the finishing times certain dedicated runners have accomplished in humble flip-flops.

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Flip-flopping over the finish line

Man running in Flip Flops marathon runner
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In January 2025, Benjamin Lim of Kuala Lumpur completed the Twincity Marathon in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, in a pair of white flip-flops. Lim crossed the finish line of the 42.2-kilometer race in three hours and four minutes. With an average pace of seven minutes per mile, it’s pretty impressive that Lim completed this race in his beachy footwear. 

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A world record

flip flops on sand
Joao Vitor Heinrichs / Pexels

Other marathoners like Australian Alistair Kealty have also been successful with a pair of flip-flops. Previously, Kealty broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon in flip flops at 3:37.

What about sandals?

Kenyan marathoner carbon-plated sandals
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Kenyan marathoner Barnaba Kiplimo recently finished the Khon Kaen Marathon in Khon Kaen, Thailand, wearing carbon-plated sandals or flip-flops. With a finishing time of just two hours, 18 minutes, and 55 seconds. Kiplimo’s sandals were carbon-plated and designed by Thai running brand VING.

Sandals are different from flip flops because they have a strap for ankle support, whereas flip flops, as the name suggests, flop around with a simple Y-shaped strap. While I haven’t tested this myself, I would assume that running in flip-flops would be even harder than running in sandals due to the lack of ankle support. Either way, while this is impressive and encouraging, I think I’ll stick with my cushiony running shoes for now and keep my flip-flops for the beach.

Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
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