Footwear heel structure

1. A sole for a footwear article, the sole comprising:

a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region aligned in a longitudinal orientation;

a midsole sidewall having an interior facing surface configured to attach to one or more portions of an upper,

wherein the interior facing surface includes a rearward-most, interior-facing surface in the heel region and a forward-most, interior facing surface in the forefoot region, and

wherein the rearward-most, interior facing surface is spaced a first distance from the forward-most, interior facing surface; and

a heel extension protruding rearward from the heel region and in a direction generally aligned with the longitudinal orientation, the heel extension comprising a rearmost exterior point of the footwear article, the rearmost exterior point being spaced a second distance from the rearward-most, interior facing surface in the heel region, wherein the second distance comprises a percentage of the first distance in a range of about eight percent to about twenty percent, and wherein the heel extension comprises a top-side median ridge that slopes downward as the top-side median ridge extends away from the heel region and towards the rearmost exterior point.

2. The sole of claim 1 , wherein the heel extension comprises a medial side and a lateral side that are separated from one another by the top-side median ridge and that converge towards the rearmost exterior point.

3. The sole of claim 2 , wherein the medial side and the lateral side taper from a wider portion closer to the heel region to a narrower region closer to the rearmost exterior point.

4. The sole of claim 3 , wherein the medial side and the lateral side form an angle with one another as each side converges towards the rearmost exterior point, and wherein the angle is in a range of about 55 degrees to about 65 degrees.

5. The sole of claim 1 , further comprising an outsole generally oriented in an outsole plane, wherein the rearmost exterior point is positioned above, and overhangs, the outsole plane.

6. The sole of claim 5 , wherein the heel extension comprises a bottom side that overhangs the outsole plane and angles upward from the outsole and towards the rearmost exterior point.

7. The sole of claim 6 , wherein the bottom side and the top-side median ridge taper from a wider portion closer to the heel region to a narrower region closer to the rearmost exterior point.

8. The sole of claim 7 , wherein the bottom side and the top-side median ridge form an angle as each element converges towards the rearmost exterior point, and wherein the angle is in a range of about 90 degrees to about 100 degrees.

9. The sole of claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a midline reference plane passing through the rearward-most, interior facing surface and the forward-most, interior facing surface, and wherein the rearmost exterior point is offset to the medial side relative to the midline reference plane.

10. The sole of claim 1 further comprising, a midsole having one or more midsole elements, the heel extension being integrally formed with at least one of the midsole elements, such that the at least one midsole element extends uninterruptedly to the rearmost exterior point.

11. The sole of claim 1 further comprising, a midsole having one or more midsole elements, the heel extension being a discrete element that is attachable to a midsole, an outsole, or any combination thereof.

12. A sole for a footwear article, the sole comprising:

a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region aligned in a longitudinal orientation;

a midsole sidewall having an interior facing surface configured to attach to one or more portions of an upper, wherein the interior facing surface includes a rearward-most, interior-facing surface in the heel region;

a heel extension protruding rearward from the heel region and in a direction generally aligned with the longitudinal orientation, the heel extension comprising a rearmost exterior point of the footwear article,

wherein the heel extension comprises a top-side median ridge that slopes downward as the top-side median ridge extends away from the heel region and towards the rearmost exterior point;

wherein the heel extension comprises a medial side and a lateral side that are separated from one another by the top-side median ridge and that converge towards the rearmost exterior point by tapering from a wider portion closer to the heel region to a narrower region closer to the rearmost exterior point; and

wherein the medial side and the lateral side form an angle with one another as each side converges towards the rearmost exterior point, and wherein the angle is in a range of about 55 degrees to about 65 degrees.

13. The sole of claim 12 ,

wherein the interior facing surface includes a forward-most, interior facing surface in the forefoot region spaced a first distance from the rearward-most, interior facing surface;

wherein the rearmost exterior point is spaced a second distance from the rearward-most, interior facing surface in the heel region; and

wherein the second distance comprises a percentage of the first distance in a range of about eight percent to about twenty percent.

14. The sole of claim 12 further comprising, an outsole generally oriented in an outsole plane, wherein the rearmost exterior point is positioned above, and overhangs, the outsole plane.

15. The sole of claim 14 , wherein the heel extension comprises a bottom side that overhangs the outsole plane and angles upward from the outsole and towards the rearmost exterior point.

16. The sole of claim 15 , wherein the bottom side and the top-side median ridge taper from a wider portion closer to the heel region to a narrower region closer to the rearmost exterior point.

17. The sole of claim 16 , wherein the bottom side and the top-side median ridge form an angle as each element converges towards the rearmost exterior point, and wherein the angle is in a range of about 90 degrees to about 100 degrees.

18. The sole article of claim 12 , wherein the sole includes a midline reference plane passing through the rearward-most, interior facing surface and the forward-most, interior facing surface, and wherein the rearmost exterior point is offset to the medial side relative to the midline reference plane.

19. A sole for a footwear article, the sole comprising:

a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region aligned in a longitudinal orientation;

a midsole sidewall having an interior facing surface configured to attach to one or more portions of an upper,

wherein the interior facing surface includes a rearward-most, interior-facing surface in the heel region and a forward-most, interior facing surface in the forefoot region, and

wherein the rearward-most, interior facing surface is spaced a first distance from the forward-most, interior facing surface; and

a heel extension protruding rearward from the heel region and in a direction generally aligned with the longitudinal orientation, the heel extension comprising a rearmost exterior point of the footwear article, the rearmost exterior point being spaced a second distance from the rearward-most, interior facing surface in the heel region,

wherein the second distance comprises a percentage of the first distance in a range of about eight percent to about twenty percent;

wherein the heel extension comprises a top-side median ridge that slopes downward as the top-side median ridge extends away from the heel region and towards the rearmost exterior point;

wherein the heel extension comprises a medial side and a lateral side that are separated from one another by the top-side median ridge and that converge towards the rearmost exterior point by tapering from a wider portion closer to the heel region to a narrower region closer to the rearmost exterior point; and

wherein the medial side and the lateral side form an angle with one another as each side converges towards the rearmost exterior point, and wherein the angle is in a range of about 55 degrees to about 65 degrees.