A footwear sole assembly comprising: a midsole; a strike pad disposed on the midsole in at least a heel region of the footwear sole assembly, the strike pad being constructed from a material that compresses in an elastic manner so as to provide impact absorbing cushion to a heel of a wearer; and an outsole disposed on the strike pad, wherein: a heel top surface of the footwear sole assembly is elevated 8mm ± 1mm above a forefoot top surface of the footwear sole assembly, facilitating a mid-foot striking gait; the strike pad is disposed substantially only in a lateral heel portion of the sole assembly; the strike pad extends along a lateral periphery of the midsole from a heel end toward a metatarsal portion, the strike pad defining a substantially J-shape from a bottom perspective view; the strike pad is disposed between a portion of the outsole and the midsole, with a lower portion of the strike pad being separated into a plurality of strike pad parts, the plurality of strike pad parts separated from one another by a recess; and the outsole includes a plurality of separate individual outsole parts, each outsole part joined with a corresponding strike pad part, the plurality of outsole parts separated from one another by the recess. a midsole; a strike pad disposed on the midsole in at least a heel region of the footwear sole assembly, the strike pad being constructed from a material that compresses in an elastic manner so as to provide impact absorbing cushion to a heel of a wearer; and an outsole disposed on the strike pad, wherein: a heel top surface of the footwear sole assembly is elevated 8mm ± 1mm above a forefoot top surface of the footwear sole assembly, facilitating a mid-foot striking gait; the strike pad is disposed substantially only in a lateral heel portion of the sole assembly; the strike pad extends along a lateral periphery of the midsole from a heel end toward a metatarsal portion, the strike pad defining a substantially J-shape from a bottom perspective view; the strike pad is disposed between a portion of the outsole and the midsole, with a lower portion of the strike pad being separated into a plurality of strike pad parts, the plurality of strike pad parts separated from one another by a recess; and the outsole includes a plurality of separate individual outsole parts, each outsole part joined with a corresponding strike pad part, the plurality of outsole parts separated from one another by the recess. a heel top surface of the footwear sole assembly is elevated 8mm ± 1mm above a forefoot top surface of the footwear sole assembly, facilitating a mid-foot striking gait; the strike pad is disposed substantially only in a lateral heel portion of the sole assembly; the strike pad extends along a lateral periphery of the midsole from a heel end toward a metatarsal portion, the strike pad defining a substantially J-shape from a bottom perspective view; the strike pad is disposed between a portion of the outsole and the midsole, with a lower portion of the strike pad being separated into a plurality of strike pad parts, the plurality of strike pad parts separated from one another by a recess; and the outsole includes a plurality of separate individual outsole parts, each outsole part joined with a corresponding strike pad part, the plurality of outsole parts separated from one another by the recess.