Athletic shoe with improved sole

A shoe comprising:

• an upper having a heel region;
• a rear sole secured below the heel region and having a rearward portion, the rear sole further having a bottom surface at least a portion of which is ground-engaging, the ground-engaging portion of the bottom surface including at least one substantially planar portion and at least one portion non-planar with the at least one substantially planar portion, the at least one non-planar portion being positioned proximate a perimeter of the bottom surface and inclined upwardly in a direction toward the perimeter of the bottom surface from another portion of the bottom surface, the at least one non-planar portion having an outer edge coincident with the perimeter of the bottom surface and being located proximate the rearward portion of the rear sole;
• a flexible plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, peripheral portions, and an interior portion, the plate being positioned between at least a portion of the rear sole and at least a portion of the heel region of the upper, the plate having at least one opening therein with a center located beneath the approximate center of the heel of the user, the interior portion of the plate capable of being deflected relative to the peripheral portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major axis of the shoe, the upper surface of the plate being in at least substantial part concave in shape, and the interior portion of the plate being positioned over a void;
• and
• a sidewall that includes midsole material located beneath the plate, the sidewall having an interior surface that at least partially defines the void.