DOWNHILL SHEAR3,600 FT OF LOSS
Arizona · October · 100 mi
Foot care for Javelina Jundred
Javelina is heat and granite sand on a loop you can exploit.
Threat matrix
What Javelina Jundred does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Granite sandDecomposed granite gets through mesh and into the sock, then turns to paste with sweat. Gaiters and a shake out every loop keep it manageable.PR Run field call
- Loops reward a scheduleYou see the same aid every loop. Write the sock and powder plan by loop number and hold to it even when you feel fine.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 30 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Heat and sweatOctober highs reach 95 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Dust and grit95% trail / 5% jeep / 0% paved in dry heat. Fine grit works through mesh and sands the skin under your sock.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 10 to 26 drops 800 ft at 0.9 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Long aid gaps19.8 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
- Night hoursA 30 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.
- Loop 1MI 2011:00
Socks and a look
19.8 mi since the last stop, 500 ft of descent into it, cutoff 8 h.
- Socks off. Shake the grit out, wipe the foot, and check the pressure points.
- Loop 2MI 4016:00
Shoes off
19.8 mi since the last stop, 700 ft of descent into it, cutoff 14 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Pretape hot spots. 700 ft down through mile 52 to 65 is next.
- Loop 3MI 5921:00
Shoes off
19.8 mi since the last stop, 700 ft of descent into it, cutoff 20 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Loop 4MI 7902:01
Socks and a look
19.8 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 26 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Shake the grit out, wipe the foot, and check the pressure points.
- FinishMI 9907:00
Eyes only
19.8 mi since the last stop, cutoff 30 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock; shake out the toe box if it grinds.
Checked on top of the essentials for Javelina Jundred.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Javelina Jundred adds to the standard kit.
- Powder and a moisture barrierSweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- GaitersDry trail grit gets into the shoe and stays there.
- Pretape for toes and heelsLong descents load the front of the shoe and lift the heel.
- 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.
Shoes
What survives this course.
Matched on terrain, technicality, and distance. Fit still beats every spec, so try them on a long run first.
- Craft Nordlite Ultra Pro87% MATCH32mm heel · 6mm drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- Altra Olympus 285% MATCH33mm heel · zero drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail V385% MATCH38.6mm heel · 7.1mm drop · 5mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
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
- Decomposed granite sand works into everything. It is the friction problem here, more than the trail itself.
- October in the Sonoran Desert still hits the mid nineties. Loops three and four are the oven.
- The loop format is a gift. You pass your own drop bag every loop, so you can run a real sock rotation instead of hoping.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Loop 2MI 40
- Loop 3MI 59
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
Javelina Jundred foot questions.
- 01
Do I need gaiters for Javelina?
Yes. The Pemberton trail is decomposed granite for most of the loop. Gaiters block what comes in at the collar, and shaking out shoes and socks each loop handles the rest.
- 02
Where should I stop for foot care at Javelina Jundred?
Loop 2 at mile 39.6, Loop 3 at mile 59.4. 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 Javelina Jundred wrecks feet?
Mile 10 to 26 drops 800 ft at 0.9 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 Javelina Jundred?
October highs reach 95 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
How many sock changes for Javelina Jundred?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 30 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 06
What goes in my vest for Javelina Jundred?
19.8 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 Javelina Jundred?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 30 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 Javelina Jundred?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, gaiters, pretape for toes and heels, vest foot kit you can use alone, light you can tape by, half size up in the crew bag. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 09
What shoes work for Javelina Jundred?
95% trail / 5% jeep / 0% paved at technicality 4/10 points toward Craft Nordlite Ultra Pro, Altra Olympus 2, New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail V3. 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 Javelina Jundred. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.