Italy · August · 147 km

Foot care for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)

TDS is the technical one. Feet get beaten, not just blistered.

Course intelTrain for itTaping patterns

Threat matrix

What TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie) does to feet.

Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.

  • Rock strikes and bruisingTechnical descents off the high cols bruise the ball of the foot and the heel. A rock plate and real protection matter more here than plush cushion.PR Run field call
  • Total descent load26,800 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
  • Downhill shearMile 47.9 to 56.9 drops 5,300 ft at 11.2 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
  • Heat and sweatAugust highs reach 75 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
  • Technical groundTechnicality 9/10. Rock strikes, side loading, and constant foot correction grind the same spots.Course data
  • Hours on feet91.3 miles inside a 34 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
  • Cold and numb toesLows near 32 degrees F. Wet feet plus cold is how trench foot and numb toes start.Course data
  • Night hoursA 34 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.

DOWNHILL SHEAR26,800 FT OF LOSS
4,500 FT DOWNMI 22 TO 31 · 9.5%5,300 FT DOWNMI 48 TO 57 · 11.2%3,050 FT DOWNMI 69 TO 74 · 10.5%

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.

MOISTURE AND HEAT7 YEARS SAMPLED
HEATH3 to 4 · MI 7-10H6 to 14 · MI 14-34HUMIDH0 to 1 · MI 0-2H19 to 25 · MI 46-60WETNONE MODELEDCOLDNONE MODELED
  • 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.

FOOT STOP SCHEDULE34H CUTOFF
COL DU PETIT-SAINT-BERNARDMI 23 · CHECKBOURG-SAINT-MAURICEMI 26 · MONITORREFUGE DES MOTTETSMI 47 · CHECKCOURMAYEURMI 64 · SIT DOWNFINISH LA FOULYMI 90 · SIT DOWN
FOOT STOPS28H GOAL

Cutoff is 34 hours. Move the goal and the clocks move with it.

  • Col du Petit-Saint-BernardMI 2311:09

    Socks and a look

    23 mi since the last stop, 500 ft of descent into it, cutoff 8 h.

    • Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.

    23.0 mi since last stop · 500 ft down into it · cutoff 8h · drop bag

  • Bourg-Saint-MauriceMI 2612:07

    Eyes only

    3.1 mi since the last stop, 1,550 ft of descent into it, cutoff 9 h.

    • Eyes only. Feel for hot spots through the sock and keep moving.

    3.1 mi since last stop · 1,550 ft down into it · cutoff 9h · crew

  • Refuge des MottetsMI 4718:29

    Socks and a look

    20.5 mi since the last stop, 2,450 ft of descent into it, cutoff 20 h.

    • Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
    • Check toes and nail beds. 2,450 ft of descent came into this stop.

    20.5 mi since last stop · 2,450 ft down into it · cutoff 20h · drop bag

  • CourmayeurMI 6423:53

    Shoes off

    17.4 mi since the last stop, 5,300 ft of descent into it, cutoff 27.5 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. 5,300 ft of descent came into this stop.
    • Pretape hot spots. 3,050 ft down through mile 69 to 74 is next.
    • Pull the spare pair, tape, and lube from the drop bag before you close it.

    17.4 mi since last stop · 5,300 ft down into it · cutoff 27.5h · crew · drop bag

  • Finish La FoulyMI 9008:00

    Shoes off

    26.1 mi since the last stop, 3,050 ft of descent into it, cutoff 34 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. 3,050 ft of descent came into this stop.
    • Hand the crew the checklist. They tape, you drink.

    26.1 mi since last stop · 3,050 ft down into it · cutoff 34h · crew

KIT BUILDER7 ITEMS

Checked on top of the essentials for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie).

Vest / pack

Crew bag

Drop bag

Kit deltas

What TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie) 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.
  • Light you can tape byTaping in the dark with cold hands is a different skill than taping at your kitchen table.
  • 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.

Run the shoe finder on your own numbers

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

  • Steep scree descents and rough ground mean rock strikes and bruising sit alongside the usual friction problems.
  • The high cols come with cold. Wet feet at altitude in the dark is the combination to plan for.
  • Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.

Where you sit down

  • CourmayeurMI 64
  • Finish La FoulyMI 90

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.

  1. Runner sits. Shoes and socks off both feet.
  2. Inspect: hot spots, maceration, nails, blisters.
  3. Clean with wipe. Pat completely dry. No tape on damp skin.
  4. Treat hot spots first. Drain blisters only if necessary with clean technique.
  5. 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

TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie) foot questions.

  1. 01

    Where should I stop for foot care at TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    Courmayeur at mile 64, Finish La Fouly at mile 90.1. Those stops carry the most ground and descent behind them, so a sock change and a tape check pay for the minutes they cost.

  2. 02

    Which section of TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie) wrecks feet?

    Mile 47.9 to 56.9 drops 5,300 ft at 11.2 percent average grade. That is where toes meet the front of the shoe and heels start to lift. Pretape before it, not after.

  3. 03

    How do I keep my feet dry at TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    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.

  4. 04

    Do I need dry socks for the cold sections of TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    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.

  5. 05

    How many sock changes for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 91.3 miles inside 34 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.

  6. 06

    How do I stop blisters at TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    Start from the biggest threat on this course. 26,800 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.

  7. 07

    What foot care kit should I pack for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    Beyond the standard kit, this course calls for powder and a moisture barrier, pretape for toes and heels, extra dry socks and a towel, light you can tape by, moleskin for pressure points. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.

  8. 08

    What shoes work for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)?

    75% trail / 20% jeep / 5% paved at technicality 9/10 points toward Nike Zegama Trail, Norda 055, 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.

Back to the full foot care guide

Train for it

Feet get you to the finish. The plan gets you there on the clock.

Foot care is one system on TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie). Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.

Train for TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie)Shoe finderCourse readiness scoreTools