Midsole with viscoelastic block elements

A sole for a running shoe extending in a longitudinal direction (L), a vertical direction (V) and a transverse direction (T), the sole comprising a midsole (1) comprising:

• a. a top layer (2) and a base layer (3) delimiting the midsole in the vertical direction (V);
• a heel edge (6) and a sole tip (7) delimiting the midsole in the longitudinal direction (L);
• and a medial side and a lateral side delimiting the midsole in the transverse direction (T);
• b. a plurality of separate viscoelastic block elements (41, 42, 43) arranged along the longitudinal direction (L) of the midsole (1) one after the other, wherein the viscoelastic block elements (41, 42, 43) are distanced from each other by a plurality of slits, wherein each slit extends in the transverse direction (T) from the medial side of the midsole (1) to the lateral side of the midsole (1);
• c. an elastic rigid plate (8), wherein the elastic rigid plate divides the midsole into a midsole upper portion and a midsole lower portion, wherein at least some of the slits extend from the midsole lower portion into the midsole upper portion and are interrupted by the elastic rigid plate;
• and
• d. the sole further comprising an outsole covering at least parts of the base layer of the midsole, wherein the outsole extends over several viscoelastic block elements, wherein one or more of the plurality of slits extend from the outsole into contact with the elastic rigid plate (8);
• wherein the viscoelastic block elements (41, 42, 43) and the slits are configured such that the base layer (3) and the top layer (2) of the midsole (1) are shearable against each other along the longitudinal direction (L) of the midsole (1), thereby decreasing the distance between directly adjacent viscoelastic block elements (41, 42, 43) upon exposure to forces occurring during running, which act against the longitudinal direction (L) of the midsole (1).