DOWNHILL SHEAR30,950 FT OF LOSS
Auron to Nice, France · September · 165 km
Foot care for Nice Côte d'Azur 100M
Nice Côte d'Azur 100M is a descent race. Toes and nail beds pay first.
Threat matrix
What Nice Côte d'Azur 100M does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Total descent load30,950 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
- Hours on feet102.5 miles inside a 50 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 18 to 23 drops 5,750 ft at 21.7 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Heat and sweatSeptember highs reach 90 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Night hoursA 50 hour window means hours of taping in the dark with cold hands. Practice it that way.Course data
- Long aid gaps16 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.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.
- Aid 1MI 1210:55
Eyes only
12 mi since the last stop, cutoff 5 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Aid 2MI 2415:50
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 5,750 ft of descent into it, cutoff 9 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 5,750 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Pretape hot spots. 2,700 ft down through mile 35 to 39 is next.
- Aid 3MI 3620:45
Socks and a look
12 mi since the last stop, 900 ft of descent into it, cutoff 12 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Aid 4MI 4801:40
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 1,800 ft of descent into it, cutoff 15 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 1,800 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Aid 5MI 6006:37
Eyes only
12 mi since the last stop, cutoff 18 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Aid 6MI 7211:32
Shoes off
12 mi since the last stop, 3,700 ft of descent into it, cutoff 22 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. 3,700 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Aid 7MI 8416:27
Socks and a look
12 mi since the last stop, 200 ft of descent into it, cutoff 26 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- FinishMI 10023:00
Socks and a look
16 mi since the last stop, cutoff 30 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Nice Côte d'Azur 100M 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 Pro88% MATCH32mm heel · 6mm drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- Altra Olympus 286% MATCH33mm heel · zero drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- Nike Zegama Trail85% MATCH38mm heel · 4mm drop · 4mm lugs. Protection where the toes hit the front of the shoe.
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 Cabane des Chasseurs and the Venanson to Utelle ridge near mile 67. Plan foot work before the field splits.
- Surfaces: 70% trail / 25% jeep / 5% paved. Match lugs and tape adhesion to the dominant surface.
- Air band 50°F to 90°F. Crew should carry dry socks and skin lube when heat or rain is in range.
- Cutoff 50 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
- Aid 2MI 24
- Aid 4MI 48
- Aid 6MI 72
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
Nice Côte d'Azur 100M foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
Aid 2 at mile 24, Aid 4 at mile 48, Aid 6 at mile 72. 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M wrecks feet?
Mile 18 to 23 drops 5,750 ft at 21.7 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
September highs reach 90 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 102.5 miles inside 50 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 05
What goes in my vest for Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
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.
- 06
How do I stop blisters at Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 30,950 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it. 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M?
70% trail / 25% jeep / 5% paved at technicality 5/10 points toward Craft Nordlite Ultra Pro, Altra Olympus 2, Nike Zegama Trail. 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 Nice Côte d'Azur 100M. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.