DOWNHILL SHEAR11,150 FT OF LOSS
Wyoming · June · 100 mi
Foot care for Bighorn
Bighorn is mud. Everything else is secondary.
Threat matrix
What Bighorn does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Mud and standing waterSustained mud keeps skin waterlogged and packs grit into the sock. Expect maceration and plan sock changes rather than hoping to stay dry.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 34 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 46.5 to 67 drops 4,100 ft at 3.8 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Heat and sweatJune highs reach 90 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Cold and numb toesLows near 25 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 34 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.
- Dry ForkMI 1313:46
Eyes only
13.4 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 4.5 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Sally's FootbridgeMI 3018:24
Socks and a look
16.6 mi since the last stop, 2,700 ft of descent into it, cutoff 11.5 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Check toes and nail beds. 2,700 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Jaws TrailheadMI 4823:26
Socks and a look
18 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 17.5 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Sally's Footbridge IIMI 6604:29
Shoes off
18 mi since the last stop, 3,600 ft of descent into it, cutoff 25 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 3,600 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Pull the spare pair, tape, and lube from the drop bag before you close it.
- Dry Fork IIMI 8309:08
Eyes only
16.6 mi since the last stop, 200 ft of descent into it, cutoff 30.5 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Finish Scott ParkMI 10014:00
Shoes off
17.4 mi since the last stop, 3,850 ft of descent into it, cutoff 34 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 3,850 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Hand the crew the checklist. They tape, you drink.
Checked on top of the essentials for Bighorn.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Bighorn adds to the standard kit.
- Powder and a moisture barrierSweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 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
- June in the Bighorns means snowmelt and mud. The famous sections turn into a slick mess and your feet are wet from early on.
- Wet feet plus mud grit plus one hundred miles is the recipe for maceration.
- Dry Fork is the place to reset feet in both directions.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Sally's Footbridge IIMI 66
- Finish Scott ParkMI 100
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
Bighorn foot questions.
- 01
How do I handle the Bighorn mud on my feet?
Accept wet, then manage it. Wool socks, a dry pair at every drop bag, and pat feet completely dry before any tape goes on. Zinc oxide or a tested barrier cream on the areas that macerate first.
- 02
Where should I stop for foot care at Bighorn?
Sally's Footbridge II at mile 66, Finish Scott Park at mile 100. Those stops carry the most ground and descent behind them, so a sock change and a tape check pay for the minutes they cost.
- 03
Which section of Bighorn wrecks feet?
Mile 46.5 to 67 drops 4,100 ft at 3.8 percent average grade. That is where toes meet the front of the shoe and heels start to lift. Pretape before it, not after.
- 04
How do I keep my feet dry at Bighorn?
June highs reach 90 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs. Change socks at every stop you can, run powder or a moisture barrier, and lean forward when you dump water on your head so it misses your shoes.
- 05
Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of Bighorn?
Lows near 25 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.
- 06
How many sock changes for Bighorn?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 34 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 07
How do I stop blisters at Bighorn?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 34 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.
- 08
What foot care kit should I pack for Bighorn?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, 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. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 09
What shoes work for Bighorn?
76% trail / 16% jeep / 8% paved at technicality 8/10 points toward Nike Zegama Trail, Brooks Cascadia 18, 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 Bighorn. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.