DOWNHILL SHEAR18,100 FT OF LOSS
Colorado · July · 100 mi
Foot care for High Lonesome
High Lonesome keeps you above treeline with wet feet.
Threat matrix
What High Lonesome does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Alpine wet and coldCreek crossings and storms at altitude, then a cold night. Dry socks in every bag, and warm feet before taping.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 37 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 15 to 21.5 drops 3,600 ft at 10.4 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Total descent load18,100 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
- Heat and sweatJuly highs reach 80 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
- Altitude swellingHigh point near 13,104 ft. Feet swell at altitude, so shoes that fit at the start pinch by dark.Course data
- Long aid gaps16 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
- Night hoursA 37 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.
- Aid 1MI 1209:36
Eyes only
12 mi since the last stop, cutoff 6 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Aid 2MI 2413:12
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 3,600 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. 3,600 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Pretape hot spots. 1,950 ft down through mile 35 to 38 is next.
- Aid 3MI 3616:48
Socks and a look
12 mi since the last stop, 850 ft of descent into it, cutoff 14 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Aid 4MI 4820:24
Socks and a look
12 mi since the last stop, 1,100 ft of descent into it, cutoff 18 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Aid 5MI 6000:01
Eyes only
12 mi since the last stop, cutoff 22 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Aid 6MI 7203:37
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 1,200 ft of descent into it, cutoff 26 h, late race, feet already soft.
- 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.
- Aid 7MI 8407:12
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 1,350 ft of descent into it, cutoff 30 h, late race, feet already soft.
- 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.
- FinishMI 10012:00
Socks and a look
16 mi since the last stop, cutoff 36 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 High Lonesome.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What High Lonesome 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.
- Vest foot kit you can use aloneThe widest gap is long enough that a hot spot becomes a blister before the next station.
- 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
- The Continental Divide Trail section runs high and exposed, with creek crossings and afternoon weather.
- Cold nights at altitude after a wet day is the combination that takes toes numb.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Aid 2MI 24
- Aid 6MI 72
- Aid 7MI 84
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
High Lonesome foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at High Lonesome?
Aid 2 at mile 24, Aid 6 at mile 72, Aid 7 at mile 84. 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 High Lonesome wrecks feet?
Mile 15 to 21.5 drops 3,600 ft at 10.4 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 High Lonesome?
July 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 High Lonesome?
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.
- 05
How many sock changes for High Lonesome?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 37 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 06
What goes in my vest for High Lonesome?
16 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone. Tape, two wipes, a blister patch, and a small tube of lube covers a hot spot without waiting for crew.
- 07
How do I stop blisters at High Lonesome?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 37 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 High Lonesome?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, pretape for toes and heels, extra dry socks and a towel, vest foot kit you can use alone, 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 High Lonesome?
66% trail / 27% jeep / 7% paved at technicality 8/10 points toward Nike Zegama Trail, Brooks Cascadia 19, 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 High Lonesome. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.