Patent Publication Number: US-2011056095-A1

Title: Athletic shoe with integrated aerodynamic components

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/240,090, filed Sep. 4, 2009, entitled “Athletic Shoe with Integrated Aerodynamic Components”, which is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to an aerodynamic shoe with one or more integrated components and methods of making and using the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a bicycle race and triathlon, athletes compete to finish a course or series of courses in the shortest period of time. In a triathlon, the course consists of a series of separate swimming, bicycling, and running courses. Athletes compete for fastest overall completion time, including transitions between the individual courses. Therefore, a need exists for apparel that that can be quickly donned and/or removed during transition from one course (such as, the swimming course) to another (such as, the bicycling course). A further need exists for apparel that has little aerodynamic drag. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention is an aerodynamic shoe comprising a shoe having a heel aft element and a shoe cover positioned about the shoe. The shoe has a sole attached to an upper to form a toe box, medial and lateral vamp sides, medial and later quarter sides, a heel, a throat and an interior cavity. The toe box and the heel, respectively, have a toe box apex and a heel apex. The heel aft element comprises one of a man-made polymeric material, a light-weight metal, a rigid plastic, a rigid foam, a natural polymeric material, a combination thereof. 
     The shoe cover has first and second portions. The first portion is removably attached to the heel aft element. The second portion is one of permanently attached to the shoe or removably attached to the heel aft element or the shoe. The first portion is removably attached to the heel aft element by hook and pile systems. 
     The second portion is removably attached to the shoe by a hook and pile system or is permanently attached to the shoe by one or more of stitching, welding, adhesive joining, laminating, mechanical joining, and molding. The second portion is one of permanently or removably attached to the shoe. The second is permanently attached to the shoe at about one or more of the upper, medial vamp side, lateral vamp side, about the medial vamp side from about the heel to about the toe box, and the sole. 
     The heel aft element has a shape substantially resembling one of a triangular, a wedge, a pyramidal, an arcuate, or a bow shape. Preferably, the heel aft element has a shape resembling a bow shape. The heel aft element has an apex that is offset by an angle of from about −45 degrees to about 90 degrees from a line bisecting the toe box and heel apexes. Preferably, the heel apex is offset by an angle of from about −5 degrees to about 10 degrees. More preferably, the hell apex is offset by an angle of about 0 degrees. 
     The heel aft element is one of permanently or removably attached to the shoe. Preferably, the heel aft element is removably attachable to the shoe. The heel aft element is one of removably attached to the shoe mechanically or permanently attached to the shoe by one or more of stitching, welding, adhesive joining, laminating, mechanical joining, and molding. 
     The shoe cover comprises a stretchable and/or elastomeric material. Preferably, the stretchable and/or elastomeric material has elastomeric and/or stretch properties both within a horizontal plane defined by the textile material and to a plane vertical to the textile material. The shoe cover material is selected from the group of stretchable and/or elastomeric materials consisting of polyurethane-polyurea copolymers, polyesters, aramids, nylons, polyurethanes, spandexes, elastanes, olefins, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the shoe cover has one or both of a two-way and a four-way stretch. Preferably, the shoe cover is substantially smooth surface devoid of any surface texture. Compared to an un-stretched condition, the shoe cover may have more texture in the stretched condition or may have a similar degree of texture in the stretched and un-stretched conditions. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of using an aerodynamic shoe, comprising: inserting a user&#39;s foot into a shoe having a shoe closure system and a heel aft element; engaging a shoe closure device to secure the shoe to the user&#39;s foot; and positioning a shoe cover having first and second portions on a shoe, the positioning includes attaching the first portion to the heel aft element. The positioning further includes one or both of attaching the second portion about one or both the shoe and the heel aft element and applying a stress to the cover to stretch the cover over the shoe. 
     Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a heel aft element, comprising a leg element having an arcuate shape for marrying with a heel element of an athletic shoe and a heel aft apex extending from the leg element, and an arm element extending from the leg element, the arm element having one or engagement elements for attaching the heel aft element to a sole of the athletic shoe, one or more gaiting assist components and one or more screw receiving elements. 
     As used herein, the term “a” or “an entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), one or more and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably. 
     The terms “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. 
     The preceding is a simplified summary of the invention to provide an understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the invention and its various embodiments. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present invention(s). These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention(s). The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the invention(s) can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the invention(s) to only the illustrated and described examples. 
       Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various embodiments of the invention(s), as illustrated by the drawings referenced below. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a top view of shoe having a heel aft element according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a bottom-side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts top view of an aerodynamic shoe and a removably attachable cover according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a back-side view of the aerodynamic shoe of  FIG. 3  with removably attached cover positioned on the shoe; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a bottom-side view of the aerodynamic shoe of  FIG. 3  with removably attached cover positioned on the shoe; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a side view of an aerodynamic shoe according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the aerodynamic shoe in the yet another embodiment having a permanently attached cover with a portion of the cover removably detached from the shoe; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a side elevation of the aerodynamic shoe of  FIG. 6  with the portion of the cover removably attached to the shoe; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a heel aft element according to still yet another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts a method flow chart for using an aerodynamic shoe of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-7  depict various embodiments an aerodynamic shoe  95 . The aerodynamic shoe  95  comprises an athletic shoe  100 , a shoe cover  285 , an optional heel aft element  390 , and at least one attachment system for attaching the shoe cover  285  to one of the optional heel aft element  390  or the athletic shoe  100 . The shoe cover  285  and the optional heel aft element  390  may be permanently or removably attached to the athletic shoe  100 . The aerodynamic shoe  95  may comprise one or more of: the shoe cover  285  being one or both of permanently and removably attached to the athletic shoe  100 ; the optional heel aft element  390  being permanently or removably attached to the athletic shoe  100 ; and any combination thereof. That is, the aerodynamic shoe  95  may comprise some portion of the shoe cover  285  permanently attached and some other portion of the shoe cover  285  removably attached to the athletic shoe  100 . Furthermore, the attached systems for permanently and removably attaching the shoe cover  285  and the heel aft element  390 , respectively, can differ. 
     As used herein the term “removably attached” refers to two or more elements that may be attached and detached by an attachment system without damaging the two or more elements or the attachment system. As used herein the term “permanently attached” refers to two or more elements attached by an attachment system and cannot be detached without damaging at least one of the two or more elements or the attachment system. 
     The one or more attachment systems may comprise any attachment system known within the art. Preferred attachment systems comprise a mechanical attachment system, a non-mechanical attachment system, or a combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of suitable mechanical attachment systems comprise rivets, buckles, joints (such as, interlocking joints), screws, stitches, hook and pile systems, or a combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of suitable non-mechanical attachment systems comprise molding, welding, bonding, adhesive joining, or a combination thereof. A non-limiting example of a combined attachment system is a combination of mechanical and adhesive joining. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the athletic shoe  100  includes a sole  105 , an upper  110 , an optional tongue (not depicted) attached to the upper  110 , a closure system  155 , and optional cleat attachment element(s)  120 . The upper  110  is attached to the sole  105  to form a toe box  130  having opposing medial  131  and lateral  133  toe box edges, a vamp  135  having opposing medial  183  and lateral  182  vamp sides, a quarter  180  having opposing medial  181  and lateral  184  quarter sides, a throat  145 , a heel  290  and an interior cavity  150 . The upper  110  is attached to the sole  105  and the optional tongue by one or both of a mechanical or non-mechanical attachment system, such as, but not limited to stitching, welding, forming, molding, and adhesive joining. The athletic shoe  100  may comprise any type of shoe worn in an athletic event. Preferably, the athletic shoe  100  comprises one of a bicycle shoe, a track shoe, a football shoe, a golf shoe, or a baseball shoe. More preferably, the athletic shoe  100  is a bicycle shoe. 
     As used herein, the term “shoe”, alone or combined grammatically with an adjective, an adverb or a gerund, refers to both left and right forms of a shoe. Furthermore, the term “shoe” refers to a shoe designed to fit one or more of a male, a female, a child, an adolescent, and an adult. The referred to shoe may be of any size and width. 
     The athletic shoe  100  may include a liner  160  positioned between at least a portion of the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue) and the interior cavity  150 , preferably the liner  160  is positioned between at least most of, if not all of, the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue) and the interior cavity  150 . The liner  160  may be attached to the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue) by stitching, welding and/or adhesive joining. Preferably, the liner  160  is a non-irritating material. As used herein the term “a non-irritating material” refers to a material that is substantially non-abrasive to a user&#39;s foot positioned within the interior cavity  150 . Non-limiting examples of substantially non-abrasive liner  160  are: 1) the liner  160  substantially lacks stitching where the user&#39;s foot contacts the liner  160  under a shear-force during use; 2) the liner  160  has stitching in a location where a shear-force between the user&#39;s foot and the stitching is minimal during use; 3) the stitching is configured to expose little, if any, of the stitching to the user&#39;s foot; and 4) the stitching configuration and/or material is non-irritating. 
     A padding material (not depicted) may be positioned between the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue) and the liner  160 . The padding material may be adhered to one or both of the liner  160  and the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue). The padding material may be adhered to the upper  110  (and/or optional tongue) by one stitching, welding and/or adhesive joining. Preferably, the padding material is located at pressure points within the interior cavity  150 , such as, but not limited to points within the interior cavity  150  about one or more of the heel  290 , the throat border  145  and the optional tongue. 
     An optional shoe insole  200  is positioned between the sole  105  and the interior cavity  150 . The optional shoe insole  200  may contain at least one of a non-irritating liner material, a felt material, a polymeric material, an elastomeric material, and an insole insert. 
     The sole  105  preferably comprises a light-weight material having substantial rigidity. As used herein the term “substantial rigidity” refers to a material, an element, or a component that bends and/or deflects little, if any, when a force, a stress or a pressure is applied to the material, component or element. The sole  105  preferably comprises carbon fibers. The carbon fibers may be directionally aligned, preferably aligned in a unidirectional configuration. Carbon fibers are known for their strength and light-weight properties. Preferably, the sole  105  comprises polymeric laminate having unidirectional carbon fibers. 
     The athletic shoe  100  may be difficult to walk in due at least to the rigidity of the sole  105 . As such, the shoe  100  may have one or more gaiting assist components  265 . The gaiting assist components  265  may be formed as part of the sole  105  or may be attached to or partially embedded in the sole  105 . Moreover, the gaiting assist components  265  may be permanently or removably attached to the sole  105 . The gaiting assist components  265  are preferably attached to the sole  105  by an adhesive bond, a weld, a fusion bond, an alloyed bond, a mechanical attachment system (such as a rivet or screw) or a combination thereof. 
     The gaiting assist components  265  may be composed of a polymeric material, a polymeric mixture, polymeric alloy or combinations thereof. The gaiting assist components  265  are preferably located at an anterior (about the toe end of the sole) and a posterior (about the heel end of the sole) portion of the sole  105 . Preferably, the gaiting assist components  265  include a substantially non-slipping and/or cushioning material that aids the user to more easily walk when wearing the athletic shoe  100 . 
     The sole  105  may have one or more sole venting voids  260 . The sole venting voids  260  extend through the sole  105  to the interior cavity  150 . Any fluid, such as air, water and/or perspiration contained within the interior cavity  150  can be vented from the interior cavity  150  by the sole venting voids  260 . 
     The sole  105  further includes the optional cleat attachment element(s)  120 . The cleat attachment elements  260  may comprise any attachment element suitable for attaching a standard bicycle cleat, such as a cleat manufactured by one of the following manufacturers: SHIMANO™, CAMPANGOLO™, LOOK™, WELLGO™, PYRAMID™, TIME™, FORZA™, MAVIC™, CRANK BROTHERS™, and BEBOP™. Preferably, the cleat attachment elements  120  are configured for attaching a cleat manufactured by SHIMANO™. The cleat attachment elements  120  are situated on the sole  105  corresponding to a position at about where the ball (that is, proximal phalax or superior metatarsal) of the user&#39;s foot is positioned within the athletic shoe  100 . 
     The upper  110  may comprise a durable material or a combination of two or more durable materials. Preferred durable materials include without limitation natural or synthetic leathers, polymeric materials, polymeric mixtures, polymeric alloys, laminates, natural or synthetic textile materials, mesh materials, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the durable material is a flexible and/or an elastic material. That is, the durable material has substantial flexibility and/or elasticity to provide tightening and/or securing of the upper  110  about the user&#39;s foot by the closure system  155 . The upper  110  (including the optional tongue) may comprise a single material or two or more materials. For example, the toe box  130  may comprise one material (such as, a mesh material) and the reminder of the upper  110  may comprise another material (such as, a non-mesh material or one or more materials differing form the mesh material). 
     The upper  110  may contain one or more venting voids  255 . Preferably, the upper venting voids  255  are positioned about one or more of the optional tongue, toe box  130 , vamp  135  and quarter  180 . More preferably, the one or more venting voids  225  are positioned about the vamp  135 . The upper venting voids  255  provide for fluid flow out of the interior cavity  150 . The fluid may comprise air, water, perspiration, or a combination thereof. 
     The closure system  155  may comprise any closure system known within the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable closure systems are: laces; straps (such as, without limitation, straps having one or more of a buckle, a loop, and a hook and pile system); a self-securing lashing system, for example as described in U.S. Publication No. 2010/0139057, published Jun. 10, 2010 to Soderberg et al. and U.S. Publication No. 2006/0179685, published Aug. 17, 2006 to Borel et al., each of which are incorporated in their entirety by this reference. 
     The athletic shoe  100  is secured to the user&#39;s foot by engaging the closure system  155 . When the closure system  155  comprises straps having a hook and pile system, the athletic shoe  100  is secured to the user&#39;s foot by drawing the strap across the top of the upper  110 , through a loop, back over the upper  110 , before contacting the strap hook material with the strap pile material. The interlocking of the hook and pile system is at least strong enough to secure the athletic shoe  100  to the user&#39;s foot. Preferably, the strap closure system  155  includes an arch strap  245  and a toe box strap  250  and corresponding loops. 
     The quarter  180  may include a heel strap (not depicted). The heel strap is attached to the upper  110  about the heel  290  and the lateral  184  and medial  181  quarter sides. Furthermore, the heel strap may be attached to the sole  105 . Moreover, the heel strap may be positioned to wrap about a user&#39;s heel position within the athletic shoe  100 . The heel strap may comprise a material containing carbon fibers. The carbon fibers may or be aligned in a unidirectional manner. Furthermore, the heel strap may comprise a polymeric material. Preferably, the heel strap comprises both the polymeric material and the carbon fibers. 
     Embodiments of the aerodynamic shoe  95  comprising the optional heel aft element  390  positioned about the heel  290 , are depicted in  FIGS. 1-8 . The heel aft element  390  may have any shape. Preferably, the heel aft element  390  has a shape resembling one of a triangular, a pyramidal, an arcuate, or a bow shape. The heel aft element  390  may comprise any lightweight material, such as, but not limited to a polymeric foam (including high and low density foams), a low-density metal or metal alloy (such as, but not limited to magnesium, aluminum, or titanium), or a polymeric material. The heel aft element  390  comprises a solid material. The solid material may: substantially lack a void; have one (such as, a hollow structure) or more (such as a honeycomb structure) internal voids; or comprise a foam having a plurality of voids. 
     Preferably, the heel aft element  390  has at least one shoe cover engagement element  391 . The at least one shoe cover engagement element  391  may be located anywhere on the heel aft element  390  and may engage the shoe cover  285  in any manner. More preferably, the at least one shoe cover engagement element  391  has one of a hook or a pile material. 
     The heel aft element  390  may include one or both of gaiting assist components  265  and one or more engagement elements  395 , as depicted in  FIG. 8 . The one or more engagement elements  395  are configured to engage the sole  105 . Preferably, the heel aft element  390  is mechanically attached to the athletic shoe  100  by one or more screws, more preferably by the one or more screws and the one or more engagement elements  395 . The one or more screws mechanically interconnect with one or more screw receiving elements  355  optionally contained within the heel aft element  390 . More preferably, the one or more screws are positioned within the interior cavity  150  about the heel  290  and traverse the sole  105 . Even more preferably, the one or more screws are substantially positioned between the optional shoe insole  200  and the heel aft element  390 . 
     The heel aft element  390  has a heel aft apex  365 . The heel aft apex  365  is positioned at an angle  400  relative to a line  410 . The line  410  bisects apexes defined by respective apexes  101  and  102  of the toe box  130  and the heel  290 . The angle  400  may be from about −45° to about 90°. Negative angles  400  are lateral to the line  410  and positive angles  400  are medial of line  410 . Preferably, the angle  400  is from about −10° to about 45°, is from about −5° to about 10°, or is from about −5° to about 5°. More preferably, the angle  400  is about 0°. 
     The heel aerodynamic shoe  95  having the aft element  390  provides at least some aerodynamic advantage compared to a shoe lacking the heel aft element  390 . Furthermore, the angle  400  is preferably chosen to enhance, that is, reduce the drag of the aerodynamic shoe  95  compared to a shoe lacking the heel aft element  390 . 
     The heel aft element  390  may be permanently or removably attached to the athletic shoe  100 . The heel aft element  390  may be attached to the athletic shoe  100  by any attachment method and/or process known within the art. The heel aft element  390  may be permanently attached to the other shoe  100  by one or more of stitching, welding, adhesive joining, laminating, mechanical joining and combinations thereof. Preferably, the heel aft element  390  is permanently attached to the upper  110  about the heel  290 . The heel aft element  390  may be removably attached to the athletic shoe  100  mechanically. Preferably, one or more screws removably attach the heel aft element  390  to the athletic shoe  100 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a preferred embodiment of a removably attachable heel aft element  390 . The removable heel aft element comprises a leg  350  and an arm  351 , the arm  351  extending from one end of the leg  350 . The heel aft element has a shape resembling the letter “L”. The leg  350  of the heel aft element  390  has an arcuate shape for marrying with the heel  290 . The heel aft apex  365  extends from the leg  350 . The arm  351  of the heel aft element  390  contains the one or more engagement elements  395 , the gaiting assist components  265 , and the one or more screw receiving elements  355 . 
     The shoe cover  285  can comprise any material. The shoe cover material is preferably a light material. Suitable shoe cover  285  materials include, without limitation, natural materials (such as animal, plant or mineral materials, leathers and plant-fibers being examples), synthetic materials, or combinations thereof. The synthetic materials may be, without limitation, polyurethane-polyurea copolymers, polyesters, aramids, nylons, polyurethanes, spandexes, elastanes, olefins, ingeos, lurexes, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, the shoe cover material may comprise a material available under one of the following trade names of LYCRA™ by Invista and DARLEXX™ by Shawmut Corporation. The shoe cover material may comprise one or more of a knitted, a woven or a non-woven textile material. The textile materials may have a one-way, a two-way, and/or a four-way stretch. That is, the textile material may have elastomeric and/or stretch properties both within a horizontal plane defined by the textile material and to a plane vertical to the textile material. The textile material may be coated, uncoated, and/or laminated. The coating may have hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic properties. That is, the textile coating may have one of water replant, waterproof, or water adsorbent properties. Preferably, the coating material is a hydrophobic material. A preferred textile coating comprises a polyurethane coated material. The textile material may be coated on one or both sides of the textile material. Preferably, the textile material is coated on one side. More preferably, the shoe cover  285  material is coated on the side opposing the athletic shoe  100 , that is, the preferred coated side is the side exposed to the environment. 
     Preferably, the shoe cover  285  is smaller than the athletic shoe  100 . That is, the shoe cover  285  is stretched at least somewhat when positioned on the athletic shoe  100 . Preferred shoe cover  285  materials have a relatively smooth surface prior to being stretched. Some preferred shoe cover  285  materials maintain a relatively smooth surface when stretched, while other preferred materials develop a surface texture when stretched. Preferred shoe cover materials comprise a polyurethane coated elastane or polyurethane-polyurea copolymer. 
     The shoe cover  285  has heel  300  and forefoot  305  cover elements. The heel  300  and forefoot  305  cover elements may comprise differing materials. The heel cover  300  element preferably includes at least one cover attachment system  322  for operatively engaging the at least one cover engagement element  391 . Preferably, the at least one cover attachment system  322  and the at least one cover engagement element  391  form a removable attachment system. More preferably, the at least one cover attachment system  322  and the at least one cover engagement element  391  form a hook and pile attachment system. That is, the cover engagement element  391  comprises one of a hook or pile and the cover attachment system comprises the other of a hook and pile. 
     In a first embodiment of the present invention, the aerodynamic shoe  95  has at least some, but not all, of the shoe cover  285  permanently attached to at least some, but not all, of the athletic shoe  100  by the one or more attachment systems. The shoe cover  285  may be permanently attached to the athletic shoe  100  at about the upper  110  at least about one or more of: a) some of the heel  290 ; b) some of the medial vamp side  183 ; and c) some of the lateral  133  and medial  131  toe box. Furthermore, the shoe cover  285  may be permanently joined to the upper  110  about the medial vamp side  183  extending from about the throat compartment  175  to the medial the toe box  131  and terminating at about one of the lateral toe box  133  or the lateral vamp side  182 . Moreover, the forefoot cover element  305  may include a throat element  370 , opposing medial  311  and lateral  312  vamp elements, a toe element  310 , and at least one opposing lateral  325  and medial  315  quarter elements. Preferably, the toe element  310  may be positioned between about the lateral  312  and medial  311  vamp elements and opposing the throat element  370 . The toe element  310  may be permanently joined about the toe box  130 . The throat element  370  may be positioned between about the lateral  312  and medial  311  vamp elements and the at least one lateral  325  and medial  315  quarter elements. The throat element  370  may include an elastic and/or stretchable throat band (not depicted). Preferably, the medial vamp element  311  is joined to the upper  110  about the medial vamp  183 . The lateral vamp element  312  is preferably positioned between the lateral quarter element  325  and toe element  310 . The lateral vamp element  312  preferably has one or both of an optional lateral vamp attachment element  380  and an optional lateral elastic band (not depicted). The optional lateral elastic band may be positioned about some, if not most, of the lateral quarter side  181 . One of the lateral vamp attachment element  380  is configured to operatively engage and an optional shoe attachment element  383  positioned about the lateral vamp  182 . The optional shoe attachment element  383  is permanently attached to the sole  105  and/or the upper  110 . Preferably, the optional shoe attachment element  383  comprises one of a hook and a pile and the optional lateral vamp attachment element  380  comprises the other of a hook and a pile. 
     In the second embodiment of the present invention, the aerodynamic shoe  95  lacks and/or is devoid of a permanent joining of the shoe cover  285  to athletic shoe  100 . In the second embodiment, the shoe cover  285  may further comprise a toe box stirrup  286 , a vamp stirrup  287 , and one or more optional shoe cover venting voids  283 . Furthermore in the second embodiment, the at least one cover attachment system  322  comprises first  322   a  and second  322   b  cover attachment systems and the at least one cover engagement element  391  comprises first  391   a  and second  391   b  cover engagement elements. The toe stirrup  286  is joined to the toe element  310  and may be joined to some of the lateral  312  and medial  311  elements. The vamp stirrup  287  is joined to the lateral  312  and medial  311  vamp elements to form a shoe cover void  279 . The optional shoe cover venting voids  283  may be positioned on one or more of the toe box element  310 , the lateral vamp element  312 , and the medial vamp element  311 . When the shoe cover  285  is positioned on the athletic shoe, the forefoot element  305  is positioned about the toe box  130  (including the medial  131  and lateral  133  toe boxes) and the vamp  135  (including the medial  183  and lateral  182  vamps). The heel cover element  300  is positioned about the quarter  180  (including the medial  181  and lateral  184  quarters) and the heel aft element  390 . The toe box stirrup  286  is configured to fit about the toe box  130 . The positioning of the toe box stirrup about the toe box  130  substantially secures the forefoot element  305  about the toe box  130  and the athletic shoe  100 . The vamp stirrup  287  is configured to fit about the sole  105  about the vamp  135 . The shoe cover void  279  is configured to fit about the optional cleat attachment elements  120 . Preferably, the optional one or more shoe cover venting voids  286  are positioned on the shoe  285  to correspond with the optional one or more upper venting voids  255 . 
     Furthermore, the shoe cover  285  of the first and second embodiments may further comprise and an optional shoe cover arm  284 . The optional shoe cover arm  284  is preferably attached to at least one of the lateral  325  and medial  315  quarter elements. The optional shoe cover arm  284  aids engaging the at least one cover attachment system  322  with the at least one cover engagement element  391 . 
       FIG. 9  depicts a method  1000  for using the aerodynamic shoe  95  (as described herein): step  1010  includes inserting a user&#39;s foot into a shoe  100  (as described herein) having a shoe closure system  155  (as described herein) and a heel aft element  390  (as described herein); step  1015  includes engaging the shoe closure system  155  to secure the shoe to the user&#39;s foot; and step  1020  includes positioning a shoe cover  285  (as described herein) having first and second portions on the shoe  100 . 
     The step  1010  may further include substeps of: a) providing the aerodynamic shoe  95  with the closure system  155  unengaged; b) providing the aerodynamic shoe  95  with both of an arch strap  245  (as described herein) and a toe box strap  250  (as described herein) unengaged; and c) inserting the user&#39;s foot into the aerodynamic shoe  95  by positioning the user&#39;s foot within the interior cavity  150  (as described herein). The substeps of step  1010  may further include: i) the closure system  155  comprises a hook and pile closure system and/or ii) both of the arch strap  245  and the toe box strap  250  comprise hook and pile closure systems. 
     The step  1015  may further include one or more substeps of: c) engaging the closure system  155 ; and d) engaging the arch  245  and toe box  250  straps. 
     The step  1020  may further include one of more of the substeps of: e) engaging the first portion of the shoe cover  285  to the heel aft element  390 ; and f) engaging the second portion of the shoe cover  285  with one or both of the shoe  100  and/or the heel aft element  390 . The substeps of step  1020  may further include: i) engaging one of a hook or pile element of the first portion of the shoe cover  285  with the other of a hook or a pile element of the heel aft element  390 ; and ii) engaging one of a hook or a pile of the second portion of the shoe cover  285  with one or both of the other of a hook or a pile of element of the shoe  100  and/or the heel aft element  390 . 
     The aerodynamic shoe  95  and the method  1000  substantially decrease the time required to put on bicycling shoes and shoe covers and the time for completing the bicycling portion of a race or triathlon or duathlon. Having the shoe and shoe cover integrated into an aerodynamic shoe substantially decreases the transition time in a triatholon/duathlon or similar event, compared to the process of putting on bicycling shoes and shoe covers separately. The decrease in transition time to don an aerodynamic shoe with integrated shoe cover of the present invention, compared to separately putting on shoes and shoe covers, can be from about 0.5 seconds to about 20 seconds. In some cases, the decrease in time can be from about 2 seconds to about 10 seconds, and in other cases the time decrease can be from about 3 seconds to about 8 seconds. In competitions where the time difference between competitors can be seconds, and in some instances, fractions of seconds, a reduction of the transition time from about 0.5 seconds to about 20 seconds is significant. 
     The aerodynamic shoe  95  and the method  1000  substantially decreases the time to complete the bicycling portion of a race. The decrease in the bicycling time with the aerodynamic shoe  95 , compared to shoes with conventional shoe covers, can be from at least about 1 second to about 100 seconds over a distance of about 40 kilometers. In some cases the decrease in time can be from about 3 seconds to about 66 seconds, other cases the time decrease can be from about 7 seconds to about 45 seconds, and in yet other cases the time decrease can be from about 10 seconds to about 35 seconds, all over a distance of about 40 kilometers. In competitions where the time difference between competitors can be seconds, and in some instances fractions of seconds, a reduction of the bicycling transition time from about 0.5 seconds to about 20 seconds is significant. 
     The aerodynamic shoe having an integrated cover and/or an aft heel element substantially reduces the aerodynamic drag on the bicyclist while actively bicycling. The reduction in drag compared to a conventional bicycling shoe is believed to be about 0.2% to about 15%. In some cases, the reduction of drag is believed to be about 1% to about 10%, in other cases from about 2% to about 7%, and in yet other cases from about 3% to about 5%. This reduction in drag reduces the energy the bicyclist expends to propel the bicycle forward. 
     Other embodiments of the present invention include the aerodynamic shoe  95  as described above in the first and second embodiments lacking the optional aft heel element and the at least one cover engagement element  391  positioned, instead of about the aft heel element, about the heel  209 . 
     A number of variations and modifications of the invention can be used. It would be possible to provide for some features of the invention without providing others. For example, one embodiment of the present invention is a removably attachable heel aft element  390  for an athletic shoe  100  as described herein. 
     The present invention, in various embodiments, configurations, or aspects, includes components, methods, processes, materials, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, configurations, aspects, sub-combinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, configurations, and aspects, includes providing devices, materials, and processes in the absence of items and/or materials not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments, configurations, or aspects hereof, including in the absence of such items and/or materials as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation. 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments, configurations, or aspects of the invention may be combined in alternate embodiments, configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments, configurations, or aspects to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.