DOWNHILL SHEAR8,200 FT OF LOSS
Arizona · May · 125 mi
Foot care for Sedona Canyons 125
Sedona Canyons mixes red rock heat with water crossings.
Threat matrix
What Sedona Canyons 125 does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Wet feet into desert heatGoing through water and then straight into exposed heat softens skin and then loads it. Dry and retape after the crossings.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet125 miles inside a 36 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Heat and sweatMay highs reach 90 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Technical groundTechnicality 8/10. Rock strikes, side loading, and constant foot correction grind the same spots.Course data
- Long aid gaps35 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 0 to 11 drops 2,200 ft at 3.8 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 36 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.
- Boynton CanyonMI 1509:36
Shoes off
15 mi since the last stop, 2,200 ft of descent into it, cutoff 6 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 2,200 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Devil's BridgeMI 3013:12
Socks and a look
15 mi since the last stop, cutoff 10 h.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Schnebly HillMI 4516:48
Eyes only
15 mi since the last stop, cutoff 14 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Munds ParkMI 6020:24
Eyes only
15 mi since the last stop, cutoff 18 h.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Casner CanyonMI 7500:00
Eyes only
15 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.
- Oak CreekMI 9003:35
Socks and a look
15 mi since the last stop, 600 ft of descent into it, cutoff 28 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- FinishMI 12512:00
Shoes off
35 mi since the last stop, 2,250 ft of descent into it, cutoff 36 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. 2,250 ft of descent came into this stop.
Checked on top of the essentials for Sedona Canyons 125.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Sedona Canyons 125 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
- Casner Mountain is exposed and hot. Red Rock Crossing puts you in water.
- May in Sedona reaches ninety degrees on the slickrock sections.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Boynton CanyonMI 15
- FinishMI 125
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
Sedona Canyons 125 foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Sedona Canyons 125?
Boynton Canyon at mile 15, Finish at mile 125. 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 Sedona Canyons 125 wrecks feet?
Mile 0 to 11 drops 2,200 ft at 3.8 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 Sedona Canyons 125?
May 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
Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of Sedona Canyons 125?
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 Sedona Canyons 125?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 125 miles inside 36 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 06
What goes in my vest for Sedona Canyons 125?
35 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 Sedona Canyons 125?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 125 miles inside a 36 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 Sedona Canyons 125?
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 Sedona Canyons 125?
62% trail / 29% jeep / 9% paved at technicality 8/10 points toward Nike Zegama Trail, Brooks Cascadia 18, 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 Sedona Canyons 125. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.