No sustained descent long enough to shear skin on its own. Friction here comes from time on feet, not gravity.
Switzerland · August · 100 mi
Foot care for Swiss Alps 100 mi
Swiss Alps 100 mi is hours on feet. Shear adds up.
Threat matrix
What Swiss Alps 100 mi 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 50 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Heat and sweatAugust highs reach 75 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 50 hour window means hours of taping in the dark with cold hands. Practice it that way.Course data
- Cold and numb toesLows near 32 degrees F. Wet feet plus cold is how trench foot and numb toes start.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.
- SwitzerlandMI 006:00
Eyes only
Named station on course.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
- Swiss Alps mile 20MI 2014:01
Shoes off
20 mi since the last stop, cutoff 10 h.
- 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.
- Swiss Alps mile 40MI 4022:09
Shoes off
20 mi since the last stop, cutoff 20 h.
- 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.
- Swiss Alps mile 60MI 6006:30
Socks and a look
20 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.
- Swiss Alps mile 80MI 8014:42
Socks and a look
20 mi since the last stop, cutoff 40 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
- Finish SwitzerlandMI 10023:00
Eyes only
20 mi since the last stop, cutoff 50 h, late race, feet already soft.
- Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.
Checked on top of the essentials for Swiss Alps 100 mi.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Swiss Alps 100 mi adds to the standard kit.
- Powder and a moisture barrierSweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 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.
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 High cols above 2,400 m and long stone descents 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 32°F to 75°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
- Swiss Alps mile 20MI 20
- Swiss Alps mile 40MI 40
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
Swiss Alps 100 mi foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Swiss Alps 100 mi?
Swiss Alps mile 20 at mile 20, Swiss Alps mile 40 at mile 40. 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
How do I keep my feet dry at Swiss Alps 100 mi?
August highs reach 75 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.
- 03
Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of Swiss Alps 100 mi?
Lows near 32 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.
- 04
How many sock changes for Swiss Alps 100 mi?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 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 Swiss Alps 100 mi?
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 Swiss Alps 100 mi?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 50 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 Swiss Alps 100 mi?
Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, 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. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.
- 08
What shoes work for Swiss Alps 100 mi?
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 Swiss Alps 100 mi. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.