Women's barefoot marathon world record

MarathonShoeNerd

Barefooters
Jul 21, 2021
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Hi folks,

Thanks for letting me join. I was hoping to solve one question that has defied my research: what is the fastest women's barefoot marathon time?

I've got one suggestion that it may be Apryl Sabadosa, who possibly ran the 2017 Baystate Marathon barefoot in 2:56. She definitely ran the 2017 Boston Marathon barefoot (in socks).

Does anyone know of someone who has gone even faster or can confirm Sabadosa was barefoot at the 2017 Baystate Marathon?

Thank you for your help!
 
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This would take some research. There was a member who tried to keep barefoot records for all distances, but I don't know how that turned out or if he posted his findings up to that point on this site. Anyone?

Welcome to the BRS, BTW! :barefoot:
 
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Are you more interested in speed or distance in your inquiry? There are many, many women who have ran the marathon distance fully barefooted, and there are some who have ran extreme lengths truly barefooted (across the US, length of Britain). What specifically is your interest?
 
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Hi TJ, and thanks :)

What I'm interested in is the equivalent of what Abebe Bikila did in 1960 i.e. just the marathon distance and the fastest time over that distance.

I heard Tegla Loroupe used to train and run barefoot but she never competed in the marathon distance barefoot.
 
I'm not aware of any. I know several women who have ran barefoot in marathons but not with Abebe's speed.
 
Hi TJ,

Of course, that would be incredibly quick! What was the fastest barefoot marathon of the women you know? Any who managed to go under 3 hours?
That would take some investigating. I, unfortunately, do not have the answers.
 
Funny to find this thread on just swinging by! I’ve run Boston barefoot before. Due to motherhood and Covid, not recently though

Hi Mandy,

I'd be very interested to hear how you went. I did some digging, and the fastest lady I've found so far is Apryl Sabadosa, who managed to run the 2017 Baystate Marathon in 2:56:36 wearing socks, which I'd say is basically the same as barefoot :)
 
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Hi Mandy,

I'd be very interested to hear how you went. I did some digging, and the fastest lady I've found so far is Apryl Sabadosa, who managed to run the 2017 Baystate Marathon in 2:56:36 wearing socks, which I'd say is basically the same as barefoot :)

I'd say that's not barefoot at all. There's a huge difference in the sensory feedback from skin to sock. That difference can change the run's experience and the outcome of a race.
 
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I'd say that's not barefoot at all. There's a huge difference in the sensory feedback from skin to sock. That difference can change the run's experience and the outcome of a race.

It also changes the gait quite a bit. In socks you always have to worry about the sock staying in place and your foot sliding relative to the ground.

It's also possible to run through the sock in something as long as a marathon. That would be quite distracting, going from wearing socks to partially wearing socks slowly, during a marathon.
 
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