An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure comprising: a midsole formed from a foamed polymer material and positioned adjacent to the upper; a first columnar impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the sole structure in a substantially upright configuration oriented toward the upper; a second columnar impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the sole structure in a substantially upright configuration oriented toward the upper; an elevated plate structure formed from a substantially non-foamed material and being substantially embedded within the midsole, the elevated plate structure comprising: an upper plate having an upper surface oriented toward the upper and an opposite lower surface oriented away from the upper; a first leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the first leg forming a portion of the first columnar impact-attenuating member; a second leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the second leg forming a portion of the second columnar impact-attenuating member; and a lower plate oriented generally parallel with the upper plate and configured to provide a support for receiving downward impacts transmitted through the first and second columnar impact-attenuating members during use; and an outsole at a bottom portion of the article of footwear opposite the upper configured to engage the ground during use, further comprising a user-adjustable control device configured to modify impact-attenuation characteristics of the first and second columnar impact-attenuating members based on receiving adjustment settings from the user, wherein the first and second leg each forms a hollow container extending downward away from the upper plate, the hollow container having an opening at its distal end and forming a gap between the distal end and the lower plate when the article of footwear is in a relaxed state without receiving downward impacts, the first and second columnar impact-attenuating members further comprising a compressible plug disposed partially within the hollow container, extending through the corresponding distal end opening, and being disposed partially within the corresponding gap between the distal end and the lower plate, and a first and a second axial link extending from a corresponding compressible plug of the first and second leg through the corresponding hollow container to the user-adjustable control device, each of the first and second axial links being configured to draw the corresponding compressible plug upward in its hollow container based on settings for the user-adjustable control device. a midsole formed from a foamed polymer material and positioned adjacent to the upper; a first columnar impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the sole structure in a substantially upright configuration oriented toward the upper; a second columnar impact-attenuating member located in a heel portion of the sole structure in a substantially upright configuration oriented toward the upper; an elevated plate structure formed from a substantially non-foamed material and being substantially embedded within the midsole, the elevated plate structure comprising: an upper plate having an upper surface oriented toward the upper and an opposite lower surface oriented away from the upper; a first leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the first leg forming a portion of the first columnar impact-attenuating member; a second leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the second leg forming a portion of the second columnar impact-attenuating member; and a lower plate oriented generally parallel with the upper plate and configured to provide a support for receiving downward impacts transmitted through the first and second columnar impact-attenuating members during use; and an upper plate having an upper surface oriented toward the upper and an opposite lower surface oriented away from the upper; a first leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the first leg forming a portion of the first columnar impact-attenuating member; a second leg extending downward from the lower surface away from the upper, a lower portion of the second leg forming a portion of the second columnar impact-attenuating member; and a lower plate oriented generally parallel with the upper plate and configured to provide a support for receiving downward impacts transmitted through the first and second columnar impact-attenuating members during use; and an outsole at a bottom portion of the article of footwear opposite the upper configured to engage the ground during use,