Following
@Harald Motz 's excellent overview.....an added benefit of barefoot running - be it actual or minimal drops/flat/no support - is taking it slowly.
Easy, relaxed running - however you seek to frame it - is efficient physiologically and biomechanically with the zen qualities attached.
absolutely. It is very enjoyable to run slow, unburdoned without restriction and pressure.
The less padding there is on your feet the more they 'autoregulate' the stride. They come automatically to mid-forefoot strike.
Interesting is slow jogging when aiming for an high stride rate: it has its similarities to sprinting. Then it is engaging and relaxing at the same time.
Usually when fatigue sets in, the cadence drops. Less strides are also associated with higher impact.
The impact of G when running must not be a bad thing: when one builds up over time the bones, tendons, cartilage adapt.
It can make good things to the skelleton, bone density.
Gentle jogging with good stride makes the feet-achilles-calf complex work as they were designed for: dynamic shock absorption followed by force production. A soft plyometric action with each step over and over again.
Slow running really can tidy up some 'myths' about running.
Also I am fairly convinced that you most probably can't get the whole endurance picture without doing steady state low intensity running, cycling, skiing ... classic endurance work.
Usually any intervall work be it with kettlebell, barbell, bodyweight engage the fast(er) fibers.
It can and is a good idea to train the slow endurance fibers. They need some longer steady state low intensity. 'The Uphill Athlete' is a great ressource for that.
Aerobic functioning is humming in the background silently...