DOWNHILL SHEAR16,700 FT OF LOSS
Utah · September · 100 mi
Foot care for Bear, The
The Bear turns cold on the high ridges after dark.
Threat matrix
What Bear, The does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Cold high ridgesDamp feet meeting twenty degree ridge air is how numb toes and skin breakdown start. Dry socks and warm feet before the sun goes down.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 36 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 12 to 20.5 drops 3,550 ft at 7.9 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Total descent load16,700 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
- Cold and numb toesLows near 20 degrees F. Wet feet plus cold is how trench foot and numb toes start.Course data
- Technical groundTechnicality 8/10. Rock strikes, side loading, and constant foot correction grind the same spots.Course data
- Night hoursA 36 hour window means hours of taping in the dark with cold hands. Practice it that way.Course data
Downhill shear
Where gravity works on your toes.
Sustained descents pulled straight from the elevation profile. Pretape before these, not after.
Heat and moisture
When the shoe stops drying out.
Modeled across the cutoff window from 7 years of race-date weather at points along the course.
- HEATSweat outruns the shoe
- HUMIDNothing dries out
- WETPlan on soaked feet
- COLDNumb toes hide damage
The schedule
Where you sit down and take the shoes off.
Set your goal time. The clocks, the stop plan, and the kit all move together.
Bear, The publishes no named crew or drop bag station, so work off your own hot sections and the general plan.
Checked on top of the essentials for Bear, The.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Bear, The adds to the standard kit.
- Pretape for toes and heelsLong descents load the front of the shoe and lift the heel.
- Extra dry socks and a towelCold wet feet break down faster than cold dry feet.
- Light you can tape byTaping in the dark with cold hands is a different skill than taping at your kitchen table.
- Half size up in the crew bagFeet swell over the back half. A tight shoe at midnight ends races.
- Moleskin for pressure pointsRock strikes and side loading build hot spots off the usual map.
Shoes
What survives this course.
Matched on terrain, technicality, and distance. Fit still beats every spec, so try them on a long run first.
Crew
What your crew needs on paper.
Two plates. On the left, the race-specific notes that never make it into the standard script. On the right, the printable card your crew reads at two in the morning under a headlamp.
Race day notes
- September in northern Utah swings from eighty degrees to twenty. The high ridges late in the race are genuinely cold.
- Wet grass, creek crossings, and possible mud early mean your feet may be damp long before the cold arrives.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Print card
A single sheet your crew reads at two in the morning: the stop script, the mandatory kit, and the calls that pull the runner. Print it, laminate it, staple it to the drop bag.
Crew foot care card
Station script. Three to eight minutes if organized.
- Runner sits. Shoes and socks off both feet.
- Inspect: hot spots, maceration, nails, blisters.
- Clean with wipe. Pat completely dry. No tape on damp skin.
- Treat hot spots first. Drain blisters only if necessary with clean technique.
- Fresh socks. Relace shoes. Runner stands and tests before leaving.
Mandatory kit
- Leukotape, kinesiology tape, wipes, blister patches, moleskin
- Scissors, nail clippers, lubricant, powder, spare socks (2+)
- Antibiotic ointment, gloves, cohesive wrap, small towel
When to pull runner: spreading redness, loss of feeling, gait collapse, unmanageable pain.
PR Run · pr.run/foot-care
FAQ
Bear, The foot questions.
- 01
Which section of Bear, The wrecks feet?
Mile 12 to 20.5 drops 3,550 ft at 7.9 percent average grade. That is where toes meet the front of the shoe and heels start to lift. Pretape before it, not after.
- 02
Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of Bear, The?
Lows near 20 degrees F. Wet feet plus cold is how trench foot and numb toes start. Put a dry pair in every bag you will see after dark and warm your feet before you tape.
- 03
How many sock changes for Bear, The?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 36 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 04
How do I stop blisters at Bear, The?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 36 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation. Fit the shoe with room for swelling, pretape the spots that have blistered on you before, keep grit out, and change socks at every stop you have access to. Blisters come from pressure, friction, and moisture, so remove whichever one this course hands you the most of.
- 05
What foot care kit should I pack for Bear, The?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for pretape for toes and heels, extra dry socks and a towel, light you can tape by, half size up in the crew bag, moleskin for pressure points. Long descents load the front of the shoe and lift the heel.
- 06
What shoes work for Bear, The?
80% trail / 15% jeep / 5% paved at technicality 8/10 points toward Nike Zegama Trail, Norda 055, Brooks Cascadia 19. Whatever you pick, race it on a long run first and leave room for feet that swell over the back half.
Educational only. Not medical advice. Persistent pain, infection, or numbness: see a podiatrist or sports medicine clinician.
Train for it
Feet get you to the finish. The plan gets you there on the clock.
Foot care is one system on Bear, The. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.