DOWNHILL SHEAR2,000 FT OF LOSS
Japan · October · 100 mi
Foot care for Lake Biwa 100
Lake Biwa 100 is hours on feet. Shear adds up.
Threat matrix
What Lake Biwa 100 does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 52 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Heat and sweatOctober highs reach 85 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Long aid gaps20 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
- Night hoursA 52 hour window means hours of taping in the dark with cold hands. Practice it that way.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 1.5 to 100 drops 1,400 ft at 0.3 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
Downhill shear
Where gravity works on your toes.
Sustained descents pulled straight from the elevation profile. Pretape before these, not after.
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.
- JapanMI 006:00
Eyes only
Named station on course.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 20MI 2014:37
Eyes only
20 mi since the last stop, 250 ft of descent into it, cutoff 10.4 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 40MI 4023:13
Shoes off
20 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 20.8 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 60MI 6007:52
Shoes off
20 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 31.2 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 80MI 8016:24
Socks and a look
20 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 41.6 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Finish JapanMI 10001:00
Socks and a look
20 mi since the last stop, 300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 52 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 Lake Biwa 100.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Lake Biwa 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.
- 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
- Crux near Humid climbs, ridge exposure, and aid gaps in remote terrain near mile 65. Plan foot work before the field splits.
- Surfaces: 75% trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved. Match lugs and tape adhesion to the dominant surface.
- Air band 50°F to 85°F. Crew should carry dry socks and skin lube when heat or rain is in range.
- Cutoff 52 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
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 40MI 40
- Lake Biwa 100 mile 60MI 60
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
Lake Biwa 100 foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Lake Biwa 100?
Lake Biwa 100 mile 40 at mile 40, Lake Biwa 100 mile 60 at mile 60. 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 Lake Biwa 100 wrecks feet?
Mile 1.5 to 100 drops 1,400 ft at 0.3 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 Lake Biwa 100?
October highs reach 85 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
How many sock changes for Lake Biwa 100?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 52 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 05
What goes in my vest for Lake Biwa 100?
20 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.
- 06
How do I stop blisters at Lake Biwa 100?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 52 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.
- 07
What foot care kit should I pack for Lake Biwa 100?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, 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.
- 08
What shoes work for Lake Biwa 100?
75% trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved at technicality 5/10 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 Lake Biwa 100. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.