DOWNHILL SHEAR17,600 FT OF LOSS
Italy · August · 100 km
Foot care for Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)
CCC packs the technical work into a shorter day.
Threat matrix
What Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC) does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- No time budgeted for feetThe distance tempts runners to run straight through. Build one real foot stop into the plan before the last long descent.PR Run field call
- Downhill shearMile 19 to 27.6 drops 3,700 ft at 8.2 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Total descent load17,600 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
- Heat and sweatAugust highs reach 80 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Technical groundTechnicality 8/10. Rock strikes, side loading, and constant foot correction grind the same spots.Course data
- Hours on feet62.1 miles inside a 26.5 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Cold and numb toesLows near 35 degrees F. Wet feet plus cold is how trench foot and numb toes start.Course data
- Night hoursA 26.5 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.
- ArnouvazMI 1714:53
Socks and a look
16.8 mi since the last stop, cutoff 6.75 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- La FoulyMI 2618:09
Shoes off
9.3 mi since the last stop, 3,050 ft of descent into it, cutoff 10 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 3,050 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Hand the crew the checklist. They tape, you drink.
- Champex-LacMI 3521:12
Eyes only
8.7 mi since the last stop, 650 ft of descent into it, cutoff 13.5 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- TrientMI 4400:28
Eyes only
9.3 mi since the last stop, cutoff 17.75 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- VallorcineMI 5102:52
Socks and a look
6.9 mi since the last stop, 2,500 ft of descent into it, cutoff 21 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Check toes and nail beds. 2,500 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Finish ChamonixMI 6307:00
Shoes off
11.8 mi since the last stop, 2,750 ft of descent into it, cutoff 26.5 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. 2,750 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Hand the crew the checklist. They tape, you drink.
Checked on top of the essentials for Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC).
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC) 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.
- 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
- Technicality runs higher here than the longer races, and it starts with a climb straight out of Courmayeur.
- One hundred kilometers is short enough that many runners skip a sock change. On a wet year that is the mistake.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- La FoulyMI 26
- Finish ChamonixMI 63
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
Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC) foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
La Fouly at mile 26.1, Finish Chamonix at mile 62.8. Those stops carry the most ground and descent behind them, so a sock change and a tape check pay for the minutes they cost.
- 02
Which section of Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC) wrecks feet?
Mile 19 to 27.6 drops 3,700 ft at 8.2 percent average grade. That is where toes meet the front of the shoe and heels start to lift. Pretape before it, not after.
- 03
How do I keep my feet dry at Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
August highs reach 80 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.
- 04
Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
Lows near 35 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.
- 05
How many sock changes for Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 62.1 miles inside 26.5 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 06
How do I stop blisters at Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. Mile 19 to 27.6 drops 3,700 ft at 8.2 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift. 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.
- 07
What foot care kit should I pack for Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
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, moleskin for pressure points. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 08
What shoes work for Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC)?
75% trail / 20% 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 Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (CCC). Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.