Is It Safe to Wear Minimalist Shoes to Run a Marathon?

Is it safe to wear minimalist shoes to run a marathon? Bianca -- Newton, Mass.

You may recall that a while back I wrote a column in praise of minimalist footwear. For those of you who've never heard the term, this is a newish category of running shoe that's lightweight and meant to mimic the aspects of running barefoot -- the same way our ancestors did before Nikes and New Balances were readily available.

The big advantage to wearing minimal footwear is that it forces the foot and ankle to work harder to support the body during movement, just as nature intended. After years of lazing around in stiffly structured shoes with tons of support and cushioning, these joints must finally start pulling their own weight. As a result, much of their natural strength and flexibility is restored.

Keep in mind this is all theory. There really isn't enough research for or against it just yet. Since this is the case, I decided to ask two trusted experts for their opinions on this topic.

Jason Karp is an adjunct professor of applied exercise physiology at Miramar College in San Diego, Calif. He holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology and a minor in kinesiology, the study of how muscles move and function. He is a certified USA Track & Field coach and travels all over the country coaching and speaking to running athletes.

Here are his thoughts on minimalist shoes: "I've been asked a lot lately about barefoot running/minimalist shoes. I'm not a big fan. For most people who run (who are also overweight), they are putting themselves at an increased risk by not having shoes with shock-absorbing qualities. We tend to copy what the best runners are doing, but while the Kenyans and Ethiopians grow up running barefoot, Americans do not, so it is not a natural way for us to run like it is for them. People can try it, but they would have to integrate it very slowly and systematically into their running. People tend to forget that running shoes have quite a bit of engineering associated with them that are meant to absorb shock and dissipate forces, so it's not like shoes are bad for us."

As the footwear editor of Shape magazine, Sara Bowen Shea tests just about every training shoe that comes on the market. She's very opinionated, which, for our purposes, is a good thing, as she's given us her honest take without holding back. (If you don't believe me, check out the book she coauthored with Dimity McDowell, "Run Like a Mother" -- it's a funny, enlightening take on running after having kids.)

Shea is no fan of the minimalist trend, either. "Right now, in large part because of [the] huge success of the book "Born to Run," everyone is intrigued with barefoot running or minimalist shoes. Vibram Five Fingers are wildly popular, and I've know[n] people who run in them. But for [the] vast majority of runners, I think minimalist shoes are a bad idea. Sure, most people don't need tons of support and stability devices, but people are going to run into trouble when they swing too hard away from that stuff. Cushioning and mild stability help prevent injuries -- I mean, look at top marathon [runners]. They are spending tons of time on their feet, and they are in shoes with both those features."

After running in the New Balance 100s for the better part of a year, I am going to respectfully disagree with my colleagues -- at least in part -- and cautiously recommend that you consider running the marathon in your minimalist shoes if you are a serious runner. Now here are my thoughts on the topic.

I gave the Vibram Five Fingers plenty of chances, but I just couldn't work it out with them. These are the shoes with the five separate toe compartments, and, for me (as I suspect is the case with many runners), therein lies the problem. Every time I try to put them on, it takes me a good five minutes to sort out my toes and try to get them into the correct pockets. I will blame this on my gnarly hammer toes and knobby corns and bunions, but I have run out of patience. I have also found they turn a little flat footed after about five miles. So these I don't think will work for a marathon.

That still leaves you with a decent selection of minimal footwear; there are literally a dozen or so types and brands currently being marketed under that banner. You need to shop around and find what works best for you. You should definitely train, race shorter distances and do your longest training runs in the particular pair of minimalist shoes you plan to run your marathon in. If you train in those successfully, with no injuries or out-of-the-ordinary aches or pains, for at least three months prior to the big race, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to run a full marathon in them, though I can honestly say I haven't spoken to anyone who has. Anyone out there care to chime in?

The farthest I've run in my New Balance 100s is 15 miles, and I've never had any problems. In fact, just the opposite: I used to get a lot of blackened and lost toenails from my toes bumping up against the hard toe boxes of the more structured kicks I used to wear, and that problem has virtually disappeared. (More from That's Fit on bunions here.)

After much "sole" searching, I do agree with Karp and Shea that minimalist footwear probably isn't for most people. I think they'll work best for those on the lighter side of 150 pounds and for those who have decent running form and are largely injury free to begin with. If that describes you, I think you're in business. Comments? Post 'em. Tweet 'em.

And click here for more tips on buying running shoes.