Hitoshi Mimura, 59, is a former marathon runner who became a master craftsman for Asics, the Japanese sporting goods manufacturer.
Later this month, Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor of the United States plan to begin testing the latest design from the distance-running equivalent of Manolo Blahnik. Their shoemaker is a Japanese master craftsman whose soles are renowned not for space-age gels or air bladders but for the gripping properties of rice husks.
The husks, which are ground and imbedded in the rubber soles of racing flats, are designed to absorb water and to provide up to 10 percent better traction along the 26.2-mile marathon course at the Beijing Olympics in August. (Read the story in it's entirety in the NY Times by clicking on the headline).
My wife says I have more running shoes than I really need but hey what can I say? I am a sucker for a groovy shoe. Adam, can I get some soy sauce for these?
3 comments:
Cool. Thanks.
That's it, I'm gluing rice cakes to the bottom of my trainers. Does it make them better if they are caramel flavor?
If you wait till mile 22. Then eat them as a quick energy snack. You get both benefits of a carbo reload with increased efficiency from barefoot running :-)
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