If you haven’t sacrificed years of your life to training and you’re not already in Beijing, chances are slim that you’ll be at the Olympics this year. Like most Americans, including myself, you’ll probably spend part of your August 8th week gazing at a jumbotron scoreboard (your HDTV) with an athletic beverage (cold beer) in one hand and the javelin (remote) in the other. But as realistic as the pictures on your plasma are, they can’t compete with the real thing. So, if you’re dying for a piece of the Olympics, grab a pair of the Made for Beijing Collection by adidas. [Additional images after the jump]

To commemorate the Olympics, adidas has made shoes for 26 of the 28 summer game sports. These aren’t just dressed up walking shoes either, they’re the real deal. For the first time ever, the shoes adidas constructed for the athletes are available to the public. All the technical research that goes into building shoes for world class boxers, runners, rowers and more, are available to you - the average Joe (above average since you’re a GP reader). Put down the remote, put down the beer, put on a pair of these shoes and start training for the sport of your choice. You have four years until the next summer games.

Then again, you could just buy pair. They do look pretty damn cool.

What this means to you: You can get a piece of Olympic gear without trying to steal Dara Torres’ swimsuit. Granted the shoes won’t give you as much satisfaction.

Cost: $30 - $200 at adidas