A New Way Carbs Can Help Runner Win A Marathon

When US marathoners Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor hit the Beijing concrete during this summer’s Olympic games, they’re going to have a little bit of insider help. Hitoshi Mimura is a shoemaker for Asics who will outfit Hall and Kastor with shoes whose soles are made of the the husks of rice, which helps absorb water and provide better traction. Plus, it makes a wonderful after-race snack that, honestly, probably tastes better than a MetRx protein bar.

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.

Less than a handful of ground husks are used in each shoe. If a husk becomes dislodged, the resulting tiny crater is meant to suction water and to provide a reliable grip on the road surface. Kastor said she liked the fact that the shoes were also eco-friendly.

Yeah, it’s better for the environment and your conscious when you don’t medal and decide to burn your clothes in disgust.
Can Rice Lead to Gold? Marathon Will Offer Test [NY Times]
Image [NY Times]