Vielha, Spain · July · 68 mi

Foot care for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr

Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr is a descent race. Toes and nail beds pay first.

Course intelTrain for itTaping patterns

Threat matrix

What Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr does to feet.

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

  • Total descent load25,950 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
  • Downhill shearMile 32.5 to 35 drops 2,000 ft at 15.2 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
  • Heat and sweatJuly highs reach 80 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
  • Hours on feet68 miles inside a 26 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
  • Technical groundTechnicality 6/10. Rock strikes, side loading, and constant foot correction grind the same spots.Course data
  • Long aid gaps13.6 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
  • Night hoursA 26 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 SHEAR25,950 FT OF LOSS
1,950 FT DOWNMI 8 TO 10 · 14.7%2,000 FT DOWNMI 33 TO 35 · 15.2%1,950 FT DOWNMI 43 TO 46 · 12.4%

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 SCHEDULE26H CUTOFF
VIELHAMI 0 · MONITORVAL D'ARAN BY UTMB, CAMINS DE HÈR MILE 14MI 14 · SIT DOWNVAL D'ARAN BY UTMB, CAMINS DE HÈR MILE 27MI 27 · CHECKVAL D'ARAN BY UTMB, CAMINS DE HÈR MILE 41MI 41 · SIT DOWNVAL D'ARAN BY UTMB, CAMINS DE HÈR MILE 54MI 54 · CHECKFINISH SPAINMI 68 · MONITOR
FOOT STOPS21H GOAL

Cutoff is 26 hours. Move the goal and the clocks move with it.

  • VielhaMI 006:00

    Eyes only

    Named station on course.

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

    0.0 mi since last stop

  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 14MI 1410:19

    Shoes off

    13.6 mi since the last stop, 1,950 ft of descent into it, cutoff 5.2 h.

    • Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
    • Check toes and nail beds. 1,950 ft of descent came into this stop.

    13.6 mi since last stop · 1,950 ft down into it · cutoff 5.2h

  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 27MI 2714:32

    Socks and a look

    13.6 mi since the last stop, cutoff 10.4 h.

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

    13.6 mi since last stop · cutoff 10.4h

  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 41MI 4118:43

    Shoes off

    13.6 mi since the last stop, 2,000 ft of descent into it, cutoff 15.6 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. 2,000 ft of descent came into this stop.
    • Pretape hot spots. 1,950 ft down through mile 43 to 46 is next.

    13.6 mi since last stop · 2,000 ft down into it · cutoff 15.6h

  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 54MI 5422:48

    Socks and a look

    13.6 mi since the last stop, 1,950 ft of descent into it, cutoff 20.8 h, late race, feet already soft.

    • Socks off. Check the pressure points and swap if the pair is wet.
    • Check toes and nail beds. 1,950 ft of descent came into this stop.

    13.6 mi since last stop · 1,950 ft down into it · cutoff 20.8h

  • Finish SpainMI 6803:00

    Eyes only

    13.6 mi since the last stop, cutoff 26 h, late race, feet already soft.

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

    13.6 mi since last stop · cutoff 26h

KIT BUILDER7 ITEMS

Checked on top of the essentials for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr.

Vest / pack

Crew bag

Drop bag

Kit deltas

What Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr 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.
  • 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

  • Crux near Port de la Bonaigua and high Pyrenees cols above Vielha near mile 44. Plan foot work before the field splits.
  • Surfaces: 75% mountain trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved. Match lugs and tape adhesion to the dominant surface.
  • Air band 40°F to 80°F. Crew should carry dry socks and skin lube when heat or rain is in range.
  • Cutoff 26 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

  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 14MI 14
  • Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 41MI 41

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

Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr foot questions.

  1. 01

    Where should I stop for foot care at Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 14 at mile 13.6, Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr mile 41 at mile 40.8. 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 Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr wrecks feet?

    Mile 32.5 to 35 drops 2,000 ft at 15.2 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 Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    July highs reach 80 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

    How many sock changes for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 68 miles inside 26 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.

  5. 05

    What goes in my vest for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    13.6 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.

  6. 06

    How do I stop blisters at Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    Start from the biggest threat on this course. 25,950 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.

  7. 07

    What foot care kit should I pack for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    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, moleskin for pressure points. Sweat is the friction multiplier on this course.

  8. 08

    What shoes work for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr?

    75% mountain trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved at technicality 6/10 points toward Norda 055, Hoka Mafate X, Hoka Mafate X. 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 Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de Hèr. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.

Train for Val d'Aran by UTMB, Camins de HèrShoe finderCourse readiness scoreTools