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Originally Posted by Runner Coug
So what proof do you have that Asics, Saucony or Brooks are doing anything for the average runner that Nike isn't doing?
In fact, a woman who posts on a marathon message board I read was asked by Nike to go to Portland last fall. While there, her and about 20 other people were treated like rock stars by Nike, met with Alberto Salazar, were shown the new gear that Nike is working on, and asked to give their opinions on the best ways that Nike can improve their products. All of this was at Nike's expense. She runs a 4:45 marathon, so I think she more than qualifies as an "average" runner.
And as far as the elites using shoes that none of us can get, I'm sure their racing flats are custom, but I saw a pic of Dathan Ritzenheim in RW last year doing a training run. He was wearing Air Structure Triax 9's, the EXACT same shoe that my average ass had been wearing for a year. (And yes, I really am that big of a dork that I can tell you a shoe model just by looking at it.)
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My only proof is my own circle of friends and my experience. When I was using Nikes I blistered like a fat man in the Sahara desert.
Once I switched to Asics Gel Kayanos all that disappeared. Plus the good age groupers I knew felt as if Nike took off a decade or two. Nike has a huge ad budget, but I just don't think they consider the average runner. Most of the distance places I post at, it is a general belief that Nike sucks raw eggs.