When the starter's gun goes off for The Sun-Herald's City2Surf race, presented by Westpac, the sound of costly running shoes hitting the road can be heard from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach. But you won't hear that sound coming from Philip Balnave.
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The 48-year-old from Kensington is planning on running the 14-kilometre course not in conventional running shoes, but in his rubber slippers instead.
Instead of buying expensive running shoes worth hundreds of dollars, the slippers Mr Balnave uses for running cost only $12.
"I've got no problems with running shoes, but slippers have their advantages," he said.
"In the hot weather you don't get sweaty feet and there's less point of contact with the foot, so there's less risk of blisters."
Mr Balnave first started wearing rubber slippers during a bike ride to Melbourne. The only shoes he took on the journey were bike shoes. Needing another pair for general use when he wasn't riding, he bought a pair of slippers, only intending to use them for a couple of weeks.
They've now become his shoe of choice and he's been competing in fun runs in them since 2009.
"Apart from work, I don't wear any other shoes. I wear my slippers because you walk out the door and you don't have to wear socks or do up any shoelaces," he said.
Having competed in several City2Surfs in slippers before, Mr Balnave has become used to the stares from other runners and the frequent questions about his unusual footwear choice.
While he has to buy new pairs every few months due to them wearing out, he said they're the perfect shoes for running – as well as the cheapest.
"I've been running in them for so long my foot naturally finds a way of holding on without any conscious effort.
"I have no trouble with them slipping off."
Despite not sustaining any injuries as a result of wearing the slippers, experts say footwear like slippers may not be the best choice for long-distance running.
Podiatrist Leigh Birchley said running without the shock-absorption supplied by traditional running shoes can cause injuries such as shin splints.
"Running shoes are able to give the rear of the foot better stability when you're running on a hard road," she said.
However, wearing the rubber slippers hasn't stopped Mr Balnave from posting competitive times in previous City2Surfs and other fun runs.
In last year's City2Surf, he recorded a time of 51 minutes, 32 seconds, placing 190th overall.
Mr Balnave doesn't have a set training schedule before the run. Instead, he runs whenever he can while doing everyday tasks.
"I've got no structure to training at all. A lot of training is running around getting groceries," he said.
This year, he will be running the City2Surf with his 13-year-old son Kit, and they are both hoping for competitive times.
"We're both aiming for under 65 minutes," he said.
