• Kevin Leimkuhler, 31, ran the New York City Marathon in Crocs, praising the foamy slip-ons as a “viable running shoe” after telling PEOPLE he had no issues with discomfort on the race course. 26.2 miles.
• Leimkuhler said he ran the whole way, stopping only once to hug his sister.
• He has no plans to run any more marathons in Crocs, but said, “I could definitely see myself running in Crocs from time to time.”

When the New York Marathon took over the five boroughs on Sunday, November 3, the streets were full of expensive sneakers, fancy running shoes and ultra-modern footwear.

And there was also a pair of bright red-orange Crocs.

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

“It seemed like a fun way to visit New York,” Leimkuhler, who is originally from Philadelphia but now lives in Denver, told PEOPLE exclusively. “I know that the New York Marathon attracts a lot of spectators, and since I’m from the East Coast, I could invite my friends and family to come.

“I didn’t do this as a joke,” emphasizes Leimkuhler. “I did it because I knew it would be a really fun and memorable way to run this marathon.”

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

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“I had no problems. My feet are in worse shape after marathons,” he said, adding that when he runs in “super shoes” – the nickname given to the fancier, more expensive carbon-plated shoes, “I feel like a very bad Achilles tendon blister.”

This time, Leimkuhler says, “I didn’t feel like I had to grip anything, I didn’t feel like my foot was hitting the ground any differently.”

“I had no problem with them staying. I didn’t lose any nails. 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 Crocs, he said he ran about 40 miles in a pair to make sure he was the right size.

He didn’t do anything special during the race, he said. He used Body Glide anti-chafing lube, as he always does, and wore his usual running socks. The Jibbitz showing his finish time, he shared, were sent to him by Crocs and were only applied to the shoes after the race.

While schools across the country are ban Crocs Because of the tripping hazard, Leimkuhler says he had no problem tripping in the bulky shoes.

“I ran all the 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 sometime,” he shared.

“I actually found them to be a viable running shoe,” he says. “They are refreshingly simple and feel just right enough.”