BRIEF SUMMARY
In one aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in a longitudinal direction from a heel region, through a midfoot region, to a forefoot region. The sole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of an insole and a shoe upper, and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The midsole includes a forefoot cushioning element, a midfoot cushioning element, and a heel cushioning element. The outsole is disposed along the lower surface of the midsole and defines a ground-contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that an impact region of the sole is defined within the midfoot region, and the midfoot cushioning element is disposed within the midfoot region and directly above the impact region of the sole.
In another aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in a longitudinal direction from a heel region, through a midfoot region, to a forefoot region. The sole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of an insole and a shoe upper, and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The midsole includes a forefoot cushioning element, a midfoot cushioning element, and a heel cushioning element. The outsole is disposed along the lower surface of the midsole, and defines a ground-contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that an impact region of the sole is defined within the midfoot region. The midsole has a first hardness in the forefoot region, a second hardness in the heel region less than the first hardness, and a third hardness in the midfoot region above the impact region less than both the first hardness and the second hardness.
In yet another aspect, a shoe sole for an article of footwear is provided. The sole extends in a longitudinal direction from a heel region, through a midfoot region, to a forefoot region. The sole includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole has an upper surface for attachment to at least one of an insole and a shoe upper, and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface. The outsole is disposed along the lower surface of the midsole, and defines a ground-contacting surface of the sole. The sole has an upwardly convex bottom profile such that an impact region of the sole is defined within the midfoot region. The outsole has a relatively stiff construction along the midfoot region to form a pivot axis within the impact region about which the heel region and the forefoot region pivot. The heel region curves upward from the midfoot region and has a radius of curvature of between 390 millimeters and about 450 millimeters. The forefoot region extends upward from the midfoot region, and has a radius of curvature of between 360 millimeters and about 420 millimeters.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects, alone or in any combination.
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