Amazing Shoes

There was a recent article in the NYTimes about the amazing running sneakers that the American marathoners are going to be wearing at the Olympics. The article talks about how the crazy scientists over at Asics [ed note: those scientists who, not to be rascist, look like they are invoking the samurai code when they design sneakers. Look at that picture! That guy needs to relax!] are using rice husks to pad their sneaks. These husks absorb water and provide good traction or something, so they will make ideal sneaks for the marathon.
What struck me about the article were two things: First, why is a Japanese sneaker maker producing special sneakers for the American team? Is there no national pride? Let Nike make a pair of custom Shox or New Balance make a pair that aren't for 900 year old men or whatever for the Americans. Perhaps I am being provincial, but we don't give our crazy running secrets or training tips to the other countries, so why are we getting footwear benefits? Second, running the marathon in Beijing, which they describe as "hot, humid, and polluted," and having a 4 mile stretch of essentially marble underfoot, sounds quite awful. China is controlling the weather for the olympics, can they not lay out 26.2 miglia of nice ground underneath?
One of the real stand-out themes of sports lately seems to be the triumph of equipment over skill or strength. Witness this growing controversy of the new Speedo swim suits which, after being released, have been worn when 23 new world records have been set. At what point do you say enough! Alternately, could I run a BQ with these new husk sneaks? Maybe!
Probably not, though.
LINK: Husky, and I aint talkin' fat