Rockport proved that people will go a long way to prove a point. Or at least they’ll go 26 miles.

A team of eight Rockport runners ran the New York Marathon on Sunday (Nov. 1) wearing Rockport “DresSport” dress shoes. Yep. Dress shoes and matching dress socks worn with running shorts.

I’m all for dressing up, but this is the kind of look that would get these guys laughed off a beach.

Yet, somehow making it through a marathon in dress shoes seems impressive. And by that I mean, nutty.

Anyway, the team was led by Andy Baldwin of “The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman Fame.” Baldwin and his fellow martyrs… I mean marathoners finished the race with pretty good times.

The first Rockport runner Luan Ye Mao from China finished at 3 hours and 16 minutes and Baldwin finished at 3 hours and 21 minutes.

The Limited Edition DresSports style was unveiled Oct. 31and it is now available at independent retailers, Rockport stores and www.rockport.com. There will only be 500 pairs made and the style will retail for $150 — $20 from the sales of each pair will go to ING’s Run for Something Better campaign via the Orange Laces program that supports running and fitness programs in United States schools.

The DresSport shoes worn in the marathon were not the Limited Edition style but had the same construction and technology.

Rockport said they wanted to go to the extreme to illustrate that if people can run a marathon in DresSports, imagine what people can do in their every day “7a.m. to 7 p.m.” marathon.

I’m guess at least it might encourage a few guys to take the stairs.