DOWNHILL SHEAR7,250 FT OF LOSS
Butte, Montana · June · 60 km
Foot care for Copper Kings 100
Copper Kings 100 cooks feet. Heat, sweat, and soft skin.
Threat matrix
What Copper Kings 100 does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Heat and sweatJune highs reach 80 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Hours on feet37.3 miles inside a 40 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 1.5 to 6 drops 1,300 ft at 5.5 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.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 40 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.
- ButteMI 006:00
Eyes only
Named station on course.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Copper Kings 100 mile 8MI 813:01
Shoes off
7.5 mi since the last stop, 1,300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 8 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Warm the feet before tape. Cold damp skin will not hold adhesive.
- Pretape hot spots. 900 ft down through mile 10 to 13 is next.
- Copper Kings 100 mile 15MI 1519:24
Shoes off
7.4 mi since the last stop, 900 ft of descent into it, cutoff 16 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Warm the feet before tape. Cold damp skin will not hold adhesive.
- Pretape hot spots. 700 ft down through mile 15 to 19 is next.
- Copper Kings 100 mile 22MI 2201:07
Socks and a look
7.5 mi since the last stop, 700 ft of descent into it, cutoff 24 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Copper Kings 100 mile 30MI 3007:12
Eyes only
7.4 mi since the last stop, cutoff 32 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Finish MontanaMI 3715:00
Socks and a look
7.5 mi since the last stop, cutoff 40 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
Checked on top of the essentials for Copper Kings 100.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Copper Kings 100 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.
Shoes
What survives this course.
Matched on terrain, technicality, and distance. Fit still beats every spec, so try them on a long run first.
- Topo Athletic Terraventure 478% MATCH25mm heel · zero drop · 4mm lugs. One shoe you can run the whole course in.
- Craft Nordlite Ultra Pro77% MATCH32mm heel · 6mm drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- adidas Fluidflow 2076% MATCH26.4mm heel · 8.1mm drop. Weighs 316g without giving up stack.
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
- Crux near Seventeen miles from Our Lady to Nez Perce alone near mile 65. Plan foot work before the field splits.
- Surfaces: 90% trail / 10% dirt road. Match lugs and tape adhesion to the dominant surface.
- Air band 35°F to 80°F. Crew should carry dry socks and skin lube when heat or rain is in range.
- Cutoff 40 hours. Longer stops only where the schedule has real buffer.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Copper Kings 100 mile 8MI 8
- Copper Kings 100 mile 15MI 15
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
Copper Kings 100 foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Copper Kings 100?
Copper Kings 100 mile 8 at mile 7.5, Copper Kings 100 mile 15 at mile 14.9. 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 Copper Kings 100 wrecks feet?
Mile 1.5 to 6 drops 1,300 ft at 5.5 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 Copper Kings 100?
June 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 Copper Kings 100?
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 Copper Kings 100?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 37.3 miles inside 40 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 06
How do I stop blisters at Copper Kings 100?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. June highs reach 80 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs. 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 Copper Kings 100?
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. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 08
What shoes work for Copper Kings 100?
90% trail / 10% dirt road at technicality 5/10 points toward Topo Athletic Terraventure 4, Craft Nordlite Ultra Pro, adidas Fluidflow 20. 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 Copper Kings 100. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.