Photo by Graham Cullen Todd Byers stands out amid a line of runners as the only person without shoes. Byers ran three races this weekend, including the Frederick Marathon, without shoes or socks. SLIDE SHOW: Scenes from the Frederick Marathon VIDEO: Sights and sounds from the Frederick Marathon Marathon Top-10 Results (chip time) Men's 1. 2:34.48 — Brian Baillie, 25, Washington 2. 2:41.46 — Jay Silvio, 38, Frederick 3. 2:51.37 — Steve Speirs, 41, Virginia Beach, Va. 4. 2:56.13 — Steven C. Moore, 30, Bethesda 5. 2:57.43 — Karsten Brown, 34, Front Royal, Va. 6. 2:58.42 — Thomas Francis Jensen, 44, Oakton, Va. 7. 3:01.33 — Robert Tregoning, 42, Sliver Spring 8. 3:03.42 — Michael Evans, 38, East Troy, Wisc. 9. 3:05.45 — Philip Baetcke, 37, Falls Church, Va. 10. 3:06.28 — Michael Goodman, 41, Reisterstown Women's 1. 2:56.14 — Melissa Tanner, 27, Bethesda 2. 3:05.22 — Kelley Taylor, 23, Virginia Beach, Va. 3. 3:07.50 — Lydia A. Becker, 37, Camp Hill, Pa. 4. 3:14.01 — Meg Lambke, 43, Leesburg, Va. 5. 3:16.13 — Felicia Gudat, 37, Frederick 6. 3:20.36 — Kristin Idle, 30, Haymarket, Va. 7. 3:22.17 — Andrea Moore, 32, Verona, Pa. 8. 3:25.14 — Kelly Coogan, 28, Staten Island, N.Y. 9. 3:28.20 — Pat Wilkerson, 49, Columbia 10. 3:28.25 — Jennifer Lynn Baclawski, 25, Ijamsville Compete Marathon Results MEN (pdf) WOMEN (pdf) Results courtesy Frederick Marathon and Kale Running — — — Complete Marathon Coverage Click graphic below
	Marathon Top-10 Results (chip time) Men's 1. 2:34.48 — Brian Baillie, 25, Washington 2. 2:41.46 — Jay Silvio, 38, Frederick 3. 2:51.37 — Steve Speirs, 41, Virginia Beach, Va. 4. 2:56.13 — Steven C. Moore, 30, Bethesda 5. 2:57.43 — Karsten Brown, 34, Front Royal, Va. 6. 2:58.42 — Thomas Francis Jensen, 44, Oakton, Va. 7. 3:01.33 — Robert Tregoning, 42, Sliver Spring 8. 3:03.42 — Michael Evans, 38, East Troy, Wisc. 9. 3:05.45 — Philip Baetcke, 37, Falls Church, Va. 10. 3:06.28 — Michael Goodman, 41, Reisterstown Women's 1. 2:56.14 — Melissa Tanner, 27, Bethesda 2. 3:05.22 — Kelley Taylor, 23, Virginia Beach, Va. 3. 3:07.50 — Lydia A. Becker, 37, Camp Hill, Pa. 4. 3:14.01 — Meg Lambke, 43, Leesburg, Va. 5. 3:16.13 — Felicia Gudat, 37, Frederick 6. 3:20.36 — Kristin Idle, 30, Haymarket, Va. 7. 3:22.17 — Andrea Moore, 32, Verona, Pa. 8. 3:25.14 — Kelly Coogan, 28, Staten Island, N.Y. 9. 3:28.20 — Pat Wilkerson, 49, Columbia 10. 3:28.25 — Jennifer Lynn Baclawski, 25, Ijamsville Results courtesy Frederick Marathon and Kale Running — — — Complete Marathon Coverage Click graphic below

Byers runs barefoot. Since 2004, he has competed in about 55 marathons without shoes or socks.

Saturday morning, the 44-year-old Byers ran in a 10K race in Winchester. Saturday night, he ran in the Frederick Running Festival's 5K race. Sunday morning, he ran in the Frederick Marathon.

All without shoes.

"He's got to have tough feet," said Bob Fisher, a volunteer with the marathon, who noticed Byers at the start of the race.

"I thought his feet looked really dirty," said Janelle Sandford, of Eldersburg, who ran in the half-marathon Sunday. "I saw him at the beginning and thought, 'How does he do that without stepping on a pebble?'"

Sonja Sandler of Frederick noticed Byers about four or five minutes into the marathon. She hit her husband on the shoulder.

"I said, 'Look down,'" she said. "Why's he running barefoot? I don't know how he manages to do it."

He manages to do it without any problems. He hasn't cut his feet on glass or nails or anything.

"Most people say to me they have enough trouble running with shoes," Byers said. "They can't imagine doing it without shoes. I heard someone behind me today say if he can do it without shoes, I can do it with shoes."

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BYERS SAT IN A CHAIR near the finish line at the Frederick Fairgrounds, Sunday morning soon after finishing the marathon in a little over five hours. He not only didn't have his shoes on, but also had taken off his shirt.

His twin sister, Tina, stood nearby with a sign that said, "Cheer for my twin Todd Byers, 235th marathon today."

Both are easy-going people who enjoyed the day.

People came up to Byers and talked with him as he sipped water. Despite running three races in about 24 hours, he did not look tired.

"I think it's fantastic," Joe O'Hara said. "I ran with him for a few miles today. He said his feet were softer than people who wear shoes."

Byers said his speed is about the same with or without shoes. But he really isn't interested in his time. (His best time in the marathon is 3:09).

Once, in the middle of a marathon in Las Vegas, he went into a casino, put on some flip flops, bet and lost $20, left the casino, took off the flip flops and finished the marathon.

"In a marathon at Lake Tahoe, I took a swim," he said.

When he runs in a race, people stare at his feet almost in disbelief.

"They say, 'Did you forget your shoes?'" Tina Byers said. "Some that know he's coming will stop and wait to see the person without shoes."

Many want their picture taken with Byers.

"One question he always gets is, 'Can I see your feet? Does it hurt?" Tina Byers said.

"People ask me different things. Most want to know how my feet feel," Byers said.

The end of the Frederick Marathon was held on a gravel track at the Fairgrounds. It didn't bother Byers.

"It wasn't too bad, it's what I call invigorating," said Byers, a native of Berkeley Spring, W.Va., who now lives in Long Beach, Calif., where he is an athletic event producer.

He also trains runners, but usually has them wear shoes until they reach their goals. His sister still lives in Berkeley Springs and twice a year he visits her.

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BYERS GOT STARTED running without shoes in 2004 because a friend of his did it. He trained for about three months without shoes and then ran a marathon. He liked it.

"The body is designed to run without shoes. You run more like you are intended to run," he said. "Your body adapts. Without shoes you touch the ground lighter. You learn to run softer because your body touches the ground instead of slamming your heel into it."

He said callouses or blisters are rare because there is no friction with a sock or a shoe.

He said living in Southern California helps.

"It would make if difficult if I lived in the North and tried to train without shoes in 3 feet of show," he said.

Byers is careful, though.

"I watch out for the edge of roadways because there are always a lot of beer bottles there," he said.

Byers began running marathons in 1986 when he graduated from West Virginia University. He moved to Seattle for 13 years and continued to run. Then, he moved to California.

He has run on five continents and in some big marathons, like the Marine Corps and New York marathons.

Most of the time he runs without shoes, but there are exceptions.

"I ran a marathon on an old army base," he said. "It was on tank roads. Tanks don't need a smooth, soft roadway. The roadway was very rough."

While running a marathon in New Orleans, he noticed a man running with a Frederick Marathon shirt.

"I didn't even know that Frederick had a marathon," he said.

He realized the event would be a good way for him to not only run a marathon, but give him another chance to see his sister.

Since then, he has run in five Frederick Marathons. Someone asked him if he would return next year.

"You bet," he said. "I'm happy. It was a good day. I was pleased."