DOWNHILL SHEAR15,200 FT OF LOSS
Vermont · July · 100 mi
Foot care for Vermont 100 mi
Vermont is humidity and horse trail muck.
Threat matrix
What Vermont 100 mi does to feet.
Every line below is computed from published course data or written by PR Run and labeled as such.
- Humidity with no dryingHigh humidity keeps sweat in the sock all day. This is a maceration course even in dry weather. Powder, barrier cream, and frequent changes.PR Run field call
- Late horse trail muckThe mucky sections come after mile seventy, on soft skin. Have a dry pair staged for the last thirty.PR Run field call
- Hours on feet100 miles inside a 30 hour limit. Every hour adds shear, swelling, and sock saturation.Course data
- Total descent load15,200 ft of cumulative descent. Nail beds and forefoot pay for all of it.Course data
- Heat and sweatJuly highs reach 90 degrees F. Sweat saturates socks, skin softens, friction climbs.Course data
- Long aid gaps45.3 miles between stations at the widest gap. Carry what you need to fix a hot spot alone.Course data
- Downhill shearMile 38 to 49.5 drops 2,050 ft at 3.4 percent average grade. Toes hit the front of the shoe, heels lift.Course data
- Night hoursA 30 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.
- Camp 10 BearMI 5517:40
Shoes off
54.7 mi since the last stop, 2,050 ft of descent into it, cutoff 16 h.
- Shoes and socks off. Pat completely dry, fresh socks, powder if the last pair was soaked.
- Check toes and nail beds. 2,050 ft of descent came into this stop.
- Pretape hot spots. 1,500 ft down through mile 95 to 98 is next.
- Hand the crew the checklist. They tape, you drink.
Checked on top of the essentials for Vermont 100 mi.
Vest / pack
Crew bag
Drop bag
Kit deltas
What Vermont 100 mi 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.
- Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G 30090% MATCH30mm heel · zero drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- Nike Zegama 289% MATCH35mm heel · 4mm drop · 4mm lugs. Cushion that keeps feeling like cushion at hour twenty.
- Norda 05588% MATCH32mm heel · 5mm drop · 4.5mm 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
- July humidity in New England means socks never really dry, even when it does not rain.
- Dirt roads for two thirds of the course, then mucky horse trails late. The surface changes exactly when your feet are worst.
- Educational only. Test every tape, sock, and shoe combination on long runs before race day.
Where you sit down
- Camp 10 BearMI 55
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
Vermont 100 mi foot questions.
- 01
Where should I stop for foot care at Vermont 100 mi?
Camp 10 Bear at mile 54.7. 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 Vermont 100 mi wrecks feet?
Mile 38 to 49.5 drops 2,050 ft at 3.4 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 Vermont 100 mi?
July 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 Vermont 100 mi?
Plan one at every foot stop you have access to, and carry one spare pair beyond that. 100 miles inside 30 hours is long enough that dry socks are faster than the five minutes they cost.
- 05
What goes in my vest for Vermont 100 mi?
45.3 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 Vermont 100 mi?
Start from the biggest threat on this course. 100 miles inside a 30 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 Vermont 100 mi?
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 Vermont 100 mi?
68% dirt road / 29% horse trail / 3% paved at technicality 5/10 points toward Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G 300, Nike Zegama 2, Norda 055. 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 Vermont 100 mi. Climbs, descents, heat, fueling, and cutoffs are the rest of it.