I am a runner myself. And a geek. And yet, I believe any non-geek runner would appreciate this clever idea Asics released for the New York Marathon.

Many people run the NY Marathon, most are not from around the area. And yet, it's at undertakings like "running a marathon" that support from friends and loved ones is extremely important.

Asics offered a website and live boots at the NY Marathon where visitors could record a webcam-movie or add pictures with a message for their friends. As soon as a runner passed an RFID-reader - placed at strategic points around the route - a large billboard with a major LED screen would play the movie or show the images with a message to that runner (and everyone around him/her).

After the Nike Chalkbot finally a runner's alternative ;-). And a great example of how sophisticated technologies like RFID can end up in ideas as simple as this one.