Barefoot running spikes and accessories

Abstract

A forefoot running sleeve comprises: a top section configured as a sleeve made of a pliable material and having a mid-foot end and a toe end separated by a length of the pliable material, the mid-foot end providing a first opening that is sized to fit around the middle portion of a foot, the toe end having at least one second opening that is sized to fit around a front end of the foot at which one or more toes are attached; and a bottom section attached to the top section and providing at least one strike plate from which one or more surface-gripping affordances are attached.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A forefoot running sleeve comprising:
 a top section configured as a sleeve made of a pliable material and having a mid-foot end and a toe end separated by a length of the pliable material, the mid-foot end providing a first opening that is sized to fit around the middle portion of a foot, the toe end having at least one second opening that is sized to fit around a front end of the foot at which one or more toes are attached; and   a bottom section attached to the top section and providing at least one strike plate from which one or more surface-gripping affordances are attached.   
     
     
         2 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the top section further comprises a zipper assembly attached to the pliable material to allow for opening and closing of the sleeve when placed around the foot. 
     
     
         3 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper assembly comprises:
 a zip pull that is grip-able to allow the opening and closing of the zipper and which can be placed in a retracted position; and   a zip pull receiving latch that receives the zip pull and locks the zip pull in placed when the zip pull is moved into the retracted position, wherein the zip pull does not move from the retracted position without physical force applied directed to the zip pull and the sip pull does not impinge the foot when the foot is in movement.   
     
     
         4 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the mid-foot end is made of an elastic material that is stretchable to allow compression around the mid-portion of the foot when the sleeve is being worn on the foot. 
     
     
         5 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic material include a Velcro end that extends over and completes an attachment to an opposing surface of the elastic material to create the compression around the mid-portion of the foot. 
     
     
         6 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the foot is a human foot and the mid-portion of the foot is a section immediately behind the balls of the foot. 
     
     
         7 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 6 , wherein the toe end comprises five openings each sized to fit around five toes of a human foot oriented from a big toe to a pinky toe to allow for individual flexion of each toe while the foot is in motion while the sleeve is being worn on the fore foot. 
     
     
         8 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable material is a mesh fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable material includes designs within the mesh fabric. 
     
     
         10 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strike plate includes a plurality of spike receptacles for screw-ably receiving individual gripping spikes. 
     
     
         11 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strike plate includes a plurality of spikes extending vertically downwards from a surface of the at least one strike plate. 
     
     
         12 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surface-gripping affordances are athletic spikes that aid in providing traction while running along a surface. 
     
     
         13 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surface-gripping affordances are interchangeable for different uses of the sleeve in different endeavors involving movement of the forefoot. 
     
     
         14 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surface-gripping affordances are fixed to the strike plate. 
     
     
         15 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising a cushioning component atop the strike plate to aid in decreasing shock and/or other sensations on the forefoot while impacting the ground or surface on which the foot is moving. 
     
     
         16 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachable heel protective extension for protecting a heel of the foot when the foot is in contact with a surface. 
     
     
         17 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is designed for one of right foot wear or left foot wear. 
     
     
         18 . The forefoot running sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is provided for use as a pair comprising both a right foot sleeve and a left foot sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . A method for making the sleeve of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A method for making the sleeve of  claim 11 .